Article by Matt Lichtenstadter
The MLS Conference Finals picture is all set, and it looks quite a lot different than most of us expected. Surprises and shocks are nothing new in MLS, but some of the ways these games went, particularly the second legs is something to behold. There are storylines in each game that are worth expanding upon, so let’s do that.
LA Plays for Penalties, Colorado Beats Them There: Oddly enough, despite their lineup being practically their best, LA set out for penalties against the stingy Rapids, knowing that giving up only one goal would be enough to get them there. And while that goal was a worldie from Shkelzen Gashi, LA did what they set out to do and held out despite some Rapids pressure. And when they got to penalties, it was a disaster. While the Rapids were cool, calm and collected, the Galaxy… weren’t. You hate to see playoff series decided on penalties but this series certainly deserved it, since it became clear that neither were going to push through. Since the Rapids held their nerve, they advance and the Galaxy are left to ponder an uncertain future, though that discussion can wait another day. The Rapids triumph is worth celebrating, because this is what makes the league so great; the out of nowhere surprise stories like what Colorado has pulled off. Gashi needs to be healthy if Colorado stands a chance in the West Finals because they are still lacking goals, but boy are they hard to break down.
Montreal Counters Through the Red Bulls Machine: Catenaccio isn’t dead, at least Mauro Biello’s version of it. Drogba didn’t start, but it’s evident the Impact don’t need him right now, with Mancosu, Piatti and Oduro forming the most lethal counter-attack in the league by far. They can sit and soak up pressure all game long and then sucker punch opponents with goals that seemingly come out of nowhere, but still have this elegance and bliss to them that makes counter-attacking such a fun style to watch. NYRB clearly couldn’t figure out how to break the Impact down or defend their counter, and this means one of the best regular season teams once again stumbles in the playoffs. It doesn’t change what Jesse Marsch has been able to do with this team, but it does put a pall over this season as the elimination to Columbus did a season ago. No matter what they accomplish in the regular season, it seems they can’t get over the hump in the postseason and that is frustrating. But the game was all about Montreal, and what they now can accomplish in what shapes up to be a great ECF against…
Toronto FC Tears NYCFC Asunder: Toronto FC. The 401 Derby in the Eastern Conference Final is one of the most tantalizing prospects this league has served up in a long time. Since the Leafs and Canadiens haven’t met in the postseason for 37 years, and the Als and Argos in the CFL since 2012, this is going to be quite a series. But first, Toronto FC finished their series against NYCFC by destroying Patrick Vieira’s side almost immediately, replete with the requisite Sebastian Giovinco hat trick. If it hasn’t been made abundantly clear already, Giovinco is one of the best DP’s in this league ever, and his exclusion from the MVP race is still baffling despite the three finalists being worthy candidates for sure. Jozy Altidore also looks in fantastic form, which is tough for anyone to face, and Greg Vanney’s defensive system looks to be working in perfect harmony right now too. Putting those two elements together will make for a mighty fine two game series, and having it be a Derby like the 401 Derby makes it even better. This is also sensational news for MLS in Canada, especially on TV, as TFC’s first leg against NYCFC drew one of TSN’s best ever audiences for the league. There’s no reason to think this series won’t double, maybe even triple that number. Everyone around the league should be thrilled with TFC’s success, and what they have set up.
NYCFC’s season ends with a horrible thud, but the progress they’ve made this season is critical. Next year, they will have to improve tactically just that little bit more from this year, and they need to sure up their back four significantly. They also need to answer questions about Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo, and whether they are coming back and if not, who replaces them.
FC Dallas Runs out of Steam, Sounders Solider On: The most academic of the four games this weekend was FC Dallas and Seattle, because FC Dallas had to score four goals and not ship one in order to advance, which is a tall order against any team, let alone the Sounders in the form they’re in. Once Nico Lodeiro scored in the second half, the tie was over, and it was never really in doubt to be fair. FC Dallas had a moment or two of bright play, but the injuries, defensive lapses and personnel issues caused their run to be halted short of the elusive treble. Their season is still historic, and the club is one of the best run in the league, but Seattle’s rave green wave is too much to overcome at this point. The key for them will be getting their key players back in one piece after the international break, since many of them, including Jordan Morris, Lodeiro, Joevin Jones, Nelson Valdez and Roman Torres have all been summoned.
So our Conference Finals in 2016 are: Colorado-Seattle and Montreal-Toronto. I can assure you nobody had predicted this exactly right before the season started, but once again this is what sets apart MLS from other leagues. In case you’re interested, the priority order for hosting MLS Cup is: Colorado-Toronto-Seattle. So Colorado can host either Toronto or Montreal, Toronto can host Seattle and Seattle can host Montreal. But now we have an international break to digest what we’ve seen and prepare for a couple of fascinating ties to come.
