Ned Grabavoy (left) celebrates with fellow goalscorer Alvaro Saborio
REAL SALT LAKE 3-0 SEATTLE SOUNDERS (Western Conference Semi-Final)
A dominant home performance left Real Salt Lake with one foot in the Western Conference Final, but Jason Kreis’ side needed a debatable opening goal to send them on their way.
Seattle’s veteran goalkeeper Kasey Keller was kept busy in the first half, getting down to parry a dipping Will Johnson effort and then producing an athletic one-handed save to deny Andy Williams.
Centre-back Jamison Olave was forced off for the hosts after half an hour, to be replaced by Chris Schuler, but the switch did not disrupt their rhythm and the opener arrived four minutes before half-time.
Javi Morales motored through from midfield before slipping a disguised ball through to the overlapping Chris Wingert, and the left-back’s cross-cum-shot looked to be on its way in before Alvaro Saborio tapped it over the line.
Seattle surrounded the officials claiming that the Costa Rica striker was offside when he got the final touch, with Alvaro Fernandez leading the protests, but referee Marc Geiger waved away their appeals and the goal stood.
RSL started the second half as they finished the first, and only a brave double-save from Keller denied Robbie Russell and Morales from doubling the lead.
Instead it was left to Saborio to open up a gap, bringing his tally for the season to 10 in all competitions, with a delicate backheel to turn a low Morales cross into the far corner of Keller’s net.
Saborio saw a shot deflected over before Olave’s centre-back partner Nat Borchers limped off, giving Kreis something to worry about ahead of Wednesday’s return leg.
But, after Fabian Espindola went close three minutes from time, Ned Grabavoy opened up a near-unassailable lead when he pounced on a half-cleared Williams cross and drilled home low despite the desperate attempt of Brad Evans to clear off the line.
PHILADELPHIA UNION 1-2 HOUSTON DYNAMO (Eastern Conference Semi-final)
A high-tempo game at PPL Park saw Houston take a narrow lead through to the second leg thanks to Calen Carr’s second goal of the calendar year.
Gabe Farfan was lucky to escape with a yellow card after a dangerous early challenge on Danny Cruz but the Union man’s relief was short-lived as Brad Davis planted the resulting free kick onto the head of Andre Hainault for a fifth minute opener.
However, Hainault was at fault as the hosts drew level within two minutes, losing Sebastien Le Toux and allowing the Frenchman the easy task of volleying in a deflected Michael Farfan delivery from close-range.
Carr restored Houston’s lead on the half-hour, arcing his run brilliantly to collect Brian Ching’s delivery before slotting home coolly under pressure from Carlos Valdes.
Philadelphia had strong penalty claims turned down after the break when Le Toux’s driven free-kick appeared to strike the hand of Davis, but referee Jair Marrufo allowed play to continue.
Dominic Kinnear’s side then wasted a golden chance to open up a two-goal lead when a two-on-one counter led by Will Bruin came to nothing as the rookie’s pass was behind Carlo Costly who could only spoon the ball over the bar.
And they were almost made to pay before the 90 minutes were up as Jack McInerney headed a Freddy Adu delivery against the bar, before deep into stoppage time Tally Hall needed to be on hand to cling onto a Valdes header.
COLORADO RAPIDS 0-2 SPORTING KANSAS CITY (Eastern Conference Semi-final)
Colorado’s injury misery continued as three players were forced off early in a home defeat which leaves them with an uphill task in the return leg in Kansas City.
With Conor Casey and Jamie Smith already missing, Caleb Folan and Kosuke Kimura both limped off in the first half, and Teal Bunbury almost gave the visitors a half-time lead when his deft touch from a low Graham Zusi cross flicked the post.
The opener did arrive for Peter Vermes side early in the second period, Julio Cesar intercepting a loose ball in midfield and slipping a well-paced pass through for Bunbury who raced into the box and slotted just out of the reach of Matt Pickens.
US international Bunbury doubled the lead from the penalty spot just before the hour after being clipped from behind by Tyrone Marshall, with the Rapids’ misery compounded by the red card shown to Marshall and the injury suffered simultaneously by his fellow defender Drew Moor.
CJ Sapong tested Pickens from range as the top seeds in the east looked to kill off the tie, but Gary Smith’s side almost crept back into it only for a smart save from Jimmy Nielsen to deny Folan’s replacement Mac Kandji.
But it was Pickens who needed to be on hand late on to stop the visitors taking a three goal lead to LiveStrong Sporting Park, parrying an effort from Jeferson and staying tall to keep out an injury-time effort from Davy Arnaud.
NEW YORK RED BULLS 0-1 LOS ANGELES GALAXY (Western Conference Semi-final)
A solid defensive display from the Galaxy ensured they left Red Bull Arena with a valuable one-goal lead.
Mike Magee almost opened the scoring against his former club in the 12th minute but could only head over from close-range after Robbie Keane’s sublime shot came back off the inside of the post.
But the forward did not have to wait long to get his goal, as a lofted ball over the top from David Beckham was left by Keane for Magee to volley home from a tight angle.
Keane almost doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time after latching onto a loose defensive header from Dane Richards and rounding Frank Rost, but he dallied just enough for the German goalkeeper to recover.
Hans Backe’s side started the second-half like a train and long balls from Rafa Marquez created two chances shortly after the break, but Josh Saunders raced from goal to deny Richards seconds into the second period and a minute later Thierry Henry sent an improvised bicycle kick wide of the post.
The two keepers then exchanged top-class saves, first an off-balance Saunders changed direction expertly to keep out a point-blank effort from Joel Lindpere, then Rost dived low to his right to deny Landon Donovan after Tim Ream had let in his international team-mate with a slip.
Carlos Mendes headed over in the closing stages and Marquez tested Saunders with a low 20-yard drive, but the equaliser would not come.
And the game ended on a sour note, with Marquez and Galaxy midfielder Juninho both shown red cards for a childish scuffle after the final whistle was blown.
COLORADO RAPIDS 1-0 COLUMBUS CREW (Play-in Round)
Colorado remained on course to defend their MLS Cup title after edging past Columbus in a tight contest at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park.
The two sides’ playmakers exchanged early sighters, Dilly Duka forcing a parried stop from Matt Pickens and Jamie Smith testing Will Hesmer with a low potshot.
Crew right-back Sebastian Miranda was put under the cosh after collecting an early booking, and was forced to stand off as Sanna Nyassi burst through from midfield and the winger’s powerful effort stung the hands of Hesmer.
Last season’s top scorer Omar Cummings has struggled for goals this time around, netting only three times in the regular season, but the Jamaican was in the right place to blast home the only goal of the game after good approach-play from Brian Mullan and Kosuke Kimura.
Robert Warzycha’s side went close to an equaliser early in the second half, and it was no surprise that Andres Mendoza was at the centre of things, the Peruvian curling at goal from 25 yards only to see his effort come back off the crossbar with Pickens stranded.
Mullan blasted over from close range and Mac Kandji fired against the post late on as the Rapids looked to seal things, but one goal was ultimately enough to see them through to a match-up against Sporting Kansas City.
But they will have to go there without Smith, who faces a lengthy absence after being carried off with a cruciate ligament injury.
FC DALLAS 0-2 NEW YORK RED BULLS (Play-in Round)
After underperforming for so long during the regular season, New York produced a big performance when it mattered to stun FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park.
With the visitors’ wingers cutting inside at will, gaps were left for Dallas’ full-backs to get forward, and when Zach Loyd’s early cross was only half-cleared Marvin Chavez was unlucky to see his snapshot flash wide.
Tim Ream, who remained unconvincing at the back, almost gave New York the lead when his drilled effort from range forced a strong save from Kevin Hartman in the Dallas goal.
Jackson started up front for the hosts, and the Brazilian came close to an opener from another Loyd delivery but he could not get over the ball and his header drifted over.
Daniel Hernandez found the side netting just before the hour mark as Schellas Hyndman’s side continued to threaten, but within two minutes they were behind, Joel Lindpere turning in an intelligent blind pass from Mehdi Ballouchy just seconds after Hartman had palmed out the Estonian’s low drive.
The Red Bulls looked to wrap up the game with a second goal and Thierry Henry sent a lob just wide, but a red card for Jan Gunnar Solli – for scissoring Hernandez from behind – set up a nervous last 10 minutes.
Jackson fired a low shot straight at Rost but that was as close as the hosts came to an equaliser, and deep into stoppage time Henry raced clear and beat Hartman at the second time of asking.
Tags: Colorado Rapids, LA Galaxy, MLS, New York Red Bulls, Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders