The conference semifinals are underway in the MLS Cup Playoffs as we switch to the single elimination portion of the competition.
Here is what went down in the conference semifinals Saturday evening.
LAFC 1-2 Seattle Sounders
Scorers: Hollingshead 50′ ; Chanot 59′ (OG), Morris 109′
Seattle stunned LAFC in Los Angeles thanks to an extra-time winner from Jordan Morris.
Despite dominating the Sounders in recent fixtures, LAFC struggled to get a foothold in the game and ended the first-half without a shot on target.
But after the break they found another gear, and the opener was scored by the unlikely source of Ryan Hollingshead.
While LAFC typically kick on and see out leads at home in the playoffs, they were undone by a freak own-goal just nine minutes later when Maxime Chanot fired the ball into his own net after a cross was fired towards him.
With the scores level after 90 minutes, the two Western Conference foes headed to extra-time, with the momentum squarely in LAFC’s favor.
The two teams traded chances in extra-time, but it was Jordan Morris who found the ruthless touch with a stunning spin and finish to beat Hugo Lloris at his near-post, stunning the hosts in extra-time to pull off the upset.
NYCFC 0-2 New York Red Bulls
Scorers: Carballo 16′, Vanzeir 24′
The New York Red Bulls took bragging rights in the first ever Hudson River Derby in the playoffs, booking their ticket to the Eastern Conference Final.
It was all Red Bulls from the off as their high-pressing system benefitted greatly from the narrow confines of Citi Field, and it did not take long for them to find the opener.
After a Carlos Coronel goal-kick, the ball fell to Felipe Carballo and the Uruguayan lashed the ball into the roof of the net from distance to open the scoring in style.
But the visitors were not done there, as a deflected clearance of a corner found its way to Dante Vanzeir just eight minutes later and the forward tapped home from close-range.
While NYCFC pushed to pull themselves within touching distance, their usually clinical attackers seemed to leave their shooting boots in the opening-round of the playoffs.
The Red Bulls will now await the winner of Sunday’s showdown between Orlando City and Atlanta United.
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