Article by Matt Lichtenstadter
After an exciting slate of knockout games, the first leg of the conference semifinals in the MLS playoffs also didn’t disappoint. There’s a lot to digest, especially for the teams that underperformed on the road (see, all of them), and what could potentially emerge next Sunday during the second legs of these ties. In MLS, always expect the unexpected, and in some ways, this weekend was proof positive of that.
No Drogba, No Problem: Without Didier Drogba, many wondered whether the Impact had enough to take down a Red Bulls team that was on an unbeaten run dating back to July. Well, wonder no longer, because they did just enough to keep the high powered Red Bull machine and nicked the goal on the counter that they need to take an advantage with them back to Red Bull Arena for next week’s second leg. Their attacking front three of Mancosu, Piatti and Oduro has the speed and creativity to be lethal on the counter as it was against the Red Bulls yesterday, and it is their best chance at going deep into the postseason. For the Red Bulls, it was a case of a static midfield and misfiring on the few good chances they did have that did them in. Montreal’s “vintage catenaccio” certainly kept the Red Bulls at bay, but for them to repeat the same trick at Red Bull Arena will be difficult. Gonzalo Veron may be a key piece to the puzzle next week, as the Red Bulls are going to need more creativity on the pitch from the start if Sasha Kljestan is clamped down upon like he was on Sunday.
LA Breaks Rapids Resistance: A team set up to absorb pressure and defend versus one going with an all-out attack, and in the case of the Galaxy vs. the Rapids, the attack won out, but just barely. Colorado’s shape is so impressive, and so hard to break down, that it took a moment of magic from Gio Dos Santos in order to do that, and even then, the Rapids really didn’t budge all that much. Credit to Pablo Mastroeni for keeping his team’s head above water in the tie despite the way he set them out to play, where he pretty much knew getting a goal is unlikely. They won’t be able to set up the same way at home next week when they’re going to need multiple goals, and the Galaxy will be able to potentially feast on the counter, so how Mastroeni manages to keep the defensive solidity of his squad while opening up enough is a critical test of his skills next week. Might we see Jermaine Jones start? And even though the Galaxy have been starting Alan Gordon rather than Robbie Keane, it’s possible Bruce Arena changes that too.
Toronto FC Bursts NYCFC’s Dam: Being a Toronto FC fan and watching your team struggle to break down NYCFC all night must have been incredibly frustrating, especially with all of the attacking pieces they had in motion. But finally, at the end of a long night replete with crazy tackles, emotions running high and an air of tension at BMO Field, they broke through with two classic strikers goals from Jozy Altidore and Tosaint Ricketts, which puts NYCFC firmly behind the eight-ball. NYCFC did not play like themselves, and at the end of the game it cost them. They are not set up to defend and soak up pressure for 90 minutes, they’re meant to attack, go forward with verve and vigor and try to take the game to the opponent, and they steadfastly, and oddly, refused to do that. Now, they have to open up on the smaller pitch at Yankee Stadium knowing a Toronto FC goal probably ends the tie. Patrick Vieira has been a great coach all season, but he made the wrong decision in this first leg and it probably cost his team a shot at advancing. No Andrea Pirlo also certainly hurt NYCFC’s ability to dictate tempo, and they might not have him next week either. With all of that said, NYCFC’s chances of advancing look dim, but not as dim as the Supporter’s Shield winners…
Seattle Stomps FC Dallas: With DC United out, the Sounders are the last team in the postseason riding a wave of good form, and they are cruising on it right now. After struggling to put away Sporting KC until the very end, it didn’t take them long in the second half to breach FC Dallas’ shape and do it emphatically as well. Nelson Valdez, who previously couldn’t buy a goal, now has two in two playoff games, and Nicolas Lodeiro adding two more effectively puts the tie out of reach for good. Jordan Morris’ movement and positioning in this game was fantastic, and along with Lodeiro and the shield behind them, Seattle was set up to effectively neutralize FC Dallas and take advantage of their odd shape at the back, which they did and did really well. Without Fabian Castillo and Mauro Diaz, FC Dallas doesn’t have the creativity in advanced positons to break the Sounders without Seattle collapsing, and though it means the treble is off the table, more than likely, FC Dallas’ amazing season should not be taken for granted or underappreciated. Seattle’s current run though is something to behold, and whether it can continue all the way to the franchise’s first MLS Cup appearance is now a very interesting question.
Next Sunday, all of the second legs of these series will be played, and the Conference Finals will be set. It’s an exciting time to be a MLS fan, and though it seems we have everything figured out right now, by next Sunday, we may not anymore. That’s the glory of this league.
