Sounders FC can clinch a spot in the Western Conference Championship with a draw or a win in Frisco against FC Dallas on Sunday (4:30 p.m. PT; FS1, KIRO 97.3 FM, El Rey 1360 AM). And while that may be the match that holds our interest more than any other, there are still three more matches to be played on Sunday with a variety of talking points and pieces of interest to dissect.
With that in mind, here’s a glimpse around MLS at the other three matchups left as the final round of the conference semifinals goes through its paces. There’s basically nine hours of continuous soccer on tap Sunday. Make sure to carve out a comfortable sliver of couch.
Portland Timbers at Vancouver Whitecaps (Sunday, 7 p.m. PT; FS1)
The initial round of conference semifinals legs were largely of the exciting variety. There were some exceptions of course, but even in a relatively drab match like D.C.-New York, the embers were stoked by the rivalry itself and a tremendous headed goal by Dax McCarty.
The Timbers-Whitecaps meeting in Portland was not one of those exciting matches.
The technical level was high, to be sure, but neither team could punch the release valve and open up the series with a goal. That basically deferred the entirety of the Cascadia matchup’s tension to Vancouver for the second leg. That, in itself, is a blessing in disguise for Seattle fans. If the Sounders do go through against FC Dallas, they’ll be facing a team that just bled its soul for a win. And if it goes anything like the Timbers’ battle against Sporting Kansas City in the Knockout Round, well, prepare yourself.
While the Timbers didn’t look entirely back - either emotionally or physically - from their draining penalty kick win over Sporting KC less than a week earlier, the Whitecaps were uncharacteristically tentative in the attack. That was partly down to the fact that they were playing on the road in a hostile environment, but it also left them with a lot of work in the second leg. Every other away team last weekend emerged with a goal. Those away tallies are valuable stuff.
That said, questions about who the first leg benefitted more are beside the point. Did Portland get the better end because it will own the away goal edge if it scores? Or did it better serve Vancouver, which essentially forced the series to be decided in its own stadium? The truth is it was probably a wash.
That means good things for the viewing public. Portland will have to open the attack pipes and let Darlington Nagbe, Diego Valeri and Fanendo Adi create. Vancouver will have to push its deadly attacking cadre of Kekuta Manneh, Pedro Morales and Cristian Techera forward continually. With the playing field entirely even, neither team can afford to hold back anymore. Which means the watchability index on this match is through the roof.
D.C. United at New York Red Bulls (Sunday, 12 p.m. PT; ESPN)
In terms of watchability, the first leg of this matchup was hardly high on the list of games to remember. D.C. United’s numbers were poor, and that’s being kind. They finished with a pass completion percentage under 55 (which is very bad), and became the first team in MLS history to complete an entire playoff game with zero shots on goal.
And yet the Red Bulls only managed to win 1-0. That’s a nice leg up with an away goal in the bag, but this series is hardly finished.
The series flips back to Red Bull Arena this week for the decisive tie with plenty to play for. D.C. United has to win to advance, and the only way the match goes into extra time is if the Red Bulls trail 1-0 after 90 minutes. Any goals beyond that, and D.C. United has to win. The funny thing about this series is that 1-0 result for United isn’t all that implausible. They’ve been pulling off great escapes like those all season in games they had no business winning.
United is not set up to run games, instead relying on deep balls to Fabian Espindola and Alvaro Saborio, neither of whom were all that involved in the first leg. The Red Bulls, meanwhile, play a super-charged pass-and-move game through the middle via Sacha Kljestan, who on form is one of the top five central midfielders in MLS right now. That this team recovered and thrived so quickly after Thierry Henry’s exit last offseason is an enduring testament to coach Jesse Marsch’s remarkable season.
D.C. United has its work cut out, and it will undoubtedly have few chances to cash in on its relatively small number of shots. Of course, it’s worth noting D.C. hasn’t beaten the Red Bulls all year, but it would be very MLS for D.C. to grab an early goal against the run of play to set up a furiously entertaining finish.
Montreal Impact at Columbus Crew SC (Sunday, 2 p.m. PT/ESPN)
At the beginning of the season, it’d have been difficult to find anyone who’d put their name next to a prediction with the Impact even in the playoffs, let alone as MLS Cup contenders. What a world of difference Didier Drogba makes.
Since starting his first game on Sept. 5, Drogba has nine goals, and the Impact are 7-2-1. Moreover, they’ve won six of the seven games in which Drogba’s scored, and that includes a gutsy 2-1 win over the Crew last week that gave the Impact a valuable aggregate lead headed to Columbus this weekend. With Drogba, it would seem as though all things are possible.
It hasn’t just been Drogba, though, and there’s a fresh argument that he isn’t even the most valuable piece of Montreal’s attack. It’s true that the 37-year-old adds a scoring dimension it didn’t have, but without the setup work undertaken mostly by Argentine midfield artist Ignacio Piatti, Drogba wouldn’t be in so many plumb positions. Make no mistake about Piatti’s place as arguably the league’s most dangerous No. 10. He’s that good.
Columbus, though, has plenty to feel good about entering the second leg of work this weekend. For one, Columbus out-passed and largely out-maneuvered the Impact in the first leg, and Drogba’s theatrics in the box saved Montreal from a game it might have otherwise tied. But due in part to some leaky defending and a tremendously unfortunate slip from Michael Parkhurst, Columbus is licking its wounds and needs to drop the anvil in the second leg.
The good news is that they will assuredly have the run of play. The Crew owned 58 percent of possession in the first leg, and the Impact were opportunistic offensively, not prolific. Federico Higuain is in good form, and Kei Kamara is the hottest scorer left in the postseason. Paired with an emergent midfield that features the best wide play in the league behind Justin Meram and Ethan Finlay, you’ll see the Crew parked in front of Montreal’s goal for most of the match.
The question then comes down to whether Drogba can conjure any more of his magic. The Crew certainly hope not.
