The MLS Cup Play Off Picture
GOLTV'S Luke Wileman looks back on the first weekend of action
MLS Weekly's Luke Wileman looks back on the first weekend of the post-season.
Seattle Sounders 0 Houston Dynamo 0
The Playoff action started in front of a crowd of over 35,000 clad in emerald green supporting the home town Sounders at Qwest Field on Thursday. It's been a remarkable first year in Major League Soccer for Seattle on and off the field, and they have already won the US Open Cup this season.
The Sounders opened their inaugural Playoff campaign at home to Houston Dynamo in the fourth meeting between the teams this season (two league matches and one US Open Cup). The Dynamo finished second in the Western Conference, a point ahead of Seattle but did not beat the Sounders in regular season play.
The first leg of the first round pitted the expansion team against the two-time MLS Cup Champions Houston Dynamo, although the Sounders could count upon the experience of players like Freddie Ljungberg and Kasey Keller to compliment the in-form Freddie Montero and Nate Jaqua in a side that has combined youth and experience to achieve success so far this year.
On the night in Seattle it finished goalless, but the match was certainly not dull in the Pacific North West. It was a high tempo affair with plenty of passion on show and chances at both ends. Seattle had the better of the efforts on goal and Brian Mullan had to be alert to clear a header from Patrick Ianni off the line from Freddie Ljungberg's corner early in the game. Ljungberg and Ianni linked up again just before the break but Ianni's header rattled off the bar.
The Sounders plucked Nate Jaqua from Houston in the Expansion Draft last year and the 28-year-old has had a strong season scoring nine goals including two against the Dynamo. He twice went close to finding the net again but was first denied by a great save from veteran Canadian 'keeper Pat Onstad from a Ljungberg corner and then by referee Ricardo Salazar who had already stopped play to give the Sounders a free kick in the build up to Jaqua shrugging off two defenders and planting the ball in the net.
Seattle dominated in front of goal, but with a goalless first leg, Houston must now be favourites as they return home to host the decider on Sunday, November 8th at 3:00 p.m.
Real Salt Lake 1 Columbus Crew 0
Real Salt Lake left it late to secure a Playoff place but beat Colorado Rapids on the final weekend of the regular season to finish in the eighth and final spot and secure a match-up against the Supporters Shield winners Columbus Crew.
The Crew started the season slowly and went down to a heavy defeat in Sandy, Utah when the teams met in April, but since then Columbus transitioned to the ways of new Head Coach Robert Warzycha and they evened the season series against the Royals with a 3-1 win at Crew Stadium in July in the midst of their MLS record home unbeaten streak.
The Crew went into the first leg without last year's MLS Cup MVP Guillermo Barros Schelotto and forward Alejandro Moreno against a Real Salt Lake team holding the second best home defensive record in the league in 2009 with only 11 goals conceded.
It wasn't a great game at Rio Tinto Stadium with chances at a premium, but in order to advance, Real Salt Lake knew they would most likely need to get a goal at home and take a lead to the Ohio fortress next week. And that is exactly what they achieved, despite leaving it late.
24-year-old forward Robbie Findley was the hero for Real in a dramatic finish. Findley scored 12 goals during the regular season, and he was on the end of a good move with a smart finish to snatch an 88th minute winner after link up play between Canadian Will Johnson and Yura Movsisyan.
Columbus will head home feeling they deserved more having had the better of the few chances created, but the 1-0 advantage for Real Salt Lake sets up an intriguing second leg on Thursday, November 5th at 8:00 p.m. Columbus will hope to have Schelotto and Moreno back by then.
New England Revolution 2 Chicago Fire 1
It was the 14th post-season meeting between two MLS powerhouses New England Revolution and Chicago Fire at Gillette Stadium on Sunday afternoon, just two weeks after the teams played to a 0-0 draw in regular season action at the same venue.
The Revs and Fire also battled to a stalemate in May with a 1-1 tie in Chicago, but the Fire did beat New England 2-1 in SuperLiga play in mid-summer. New England's win at Columbus in the final game of the regular season secured Steve Nicol's team an eighth consecutive post-season appearance.
Against the early run of play, the visiting Fire took a 17th minute lead through Chris Rolfe. The goal came courtesy of a brilliant run and cross by Marco Pappa. The usually reliable Matt Reis should have done better in the New England goal, but Rolfe took advantage to open the scoring. Chicago could have scored a second just three minutes later but Brian McBride was denied by the post and that miss would come back to haunt them.
The Revolution were impressive in the way in which they fought back from the adversity of going a goal down and Jeff Larentowicz and Emmanuel Osei both hit the post before Osei managed to pull his team level in stoppage time at the end of the first half. It was a much deserved goal for New England as the Ghanaian defender headed in a Kenny Mansally set-piece with power and precision.
Shalrie Joseph has been a difference maker for New England all season long so it was fitting that he would score the goal to win the first leg for the home team. With 15 minutes remaining, former Toronto FC midfielder Pat Phelan had a header saved by Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch and Larentowicz pounced on the rebound to feed Joseph for the go-ahead goal.
The comeback win for the home side gives them a big advantage heading into the second leg at Toyota Park on Saturday, November 7th at 9:00 p.m. The Revs haven't conceded more than one goal in a game in almost two months and the Fire have struggled to produce at home scoring just 16 goals in 15 regular season matches.
Chivas USA 2 LA Galaxy 2
Two worlds collided at the Home Depot Center on Sunday night to close the first weekend of 2009 MLS Cup playoff action. Super Clasico clashes between Chivas USA and LA Galaxy are always worth watching as two clubs with support divided by social and linguistic lines battle it out in a venue called home by both of them.
For the first time in MLS Cup Playoffs history, the star studded Galaxy faced the American namesake of a Mexican powerhouse Chivas in post-season play. Without question, the regular season belonged to Los Angeles with the Galaxy winning two and the teams also playing to a tie. Chivas failed to score against Los Angeles in three regular season games.
But Chivas didn't have to wait long to finally break their goal scoring duck. Brazilian Maicon dos Santos beat Donovan Ricketts in the LA goal off a feed from Sacha Kljestan in just the 4th minute in front of a 25,000 crowd. After taking an early lead, Chivas failed to maintain their authority and allowed the Galaxy back in just before the quarter hour. Chivas defender Yamith Cuesta gifted the ball to Mike Magee and the former New York Red Bulls forward scored a sitter.
The game turned again just before half time as Landon Donovan capitalized on a terrible defensive blunder from dos Santos to haul the Galaxy in front.
Chivas coach Preki made changes at the break, and it didn't take long for substitute Maykel Galindo to make an impact. In a game of defensive errors, this time it was Omar Gonzalez gifting a chance to Galindo and the Cuban born forward tied the match at 2-2.
That was the end of the scoring although Donovan Ricketts made a number of good saves in the final 30 minutes to keep Chivas out. It was a closely contested match and is set up perfectly for the second leg in Carson on Sunday, November 8th at 7:30 p.m.
