Three of four lower seeds in the MLS conference playoff semifinals suffered home losses, leaving most of higher seeds in total control heading into the second leg rematches at mid-week. While that may not bode well for seeing a true upset in the conference semifinals for the first time in a good while (unless you think RSL beating Seattle is actually an upset), we still might see some surprises.
Seattle was the only higher seed who failed to record a road victory last weekend, and instead came away on the wrong end of a painful 3-0 loss. While the Sounders seem like a long shot to reverse that score line, there are other teams who look capable of turning things around.
The New York Red Bulls are only down a goal, but must win at Home Depot Center against an LA Galaxy squad that hasn't lost at home all season. The Philadelphia Union must travel to Robertson Stadium and beat a streaking Houston side on the road. The Colorado Rapids have to take an injury-ravaged squad to Livestrong Sporting Park, where they must erase a two-goal deficit.
They are all difficult tasks, but history would suggest that at least one of these teams will be able to turn things around.
Which team do you see being able to rebound from their first-leg loss and win the series? Cast your vote after the jump:
So who really has the best chance of rebounding? The Union and Red Bulls are only train
Who did you vote for? Think none of the first-leg losers will rebound? Who do you give the best chance of turning things around?
Share your thoughts below.
By the book, Garfan should have been ejected in the 4th minute. The no-call handball was simply making up for the earlier lenient call.
Juninho caught someone with an elbow. The MLS review board got to see extra video footage that wasn’t aired on tv for everyone to see. Fighting in MLS dilutes the sport and gives MLS a bad image while the league is trying to grow here in the United States.
What is the scenario needed for the Union to pull this out? 2-0 win? 3-1?
Philly outplayed the Dynamo in the 2nd half, but they’re really lucky to come away 1 goal down instead of 2 after Costly flubbed that sitter.
I think Cameron was acting pissed off because he knew he didn’t make contact with the ball and was trying to influence the decision. After watching the replay several times, I’m convinced that it was actually a foul. It certainly wasn’t a dive, because it was a slide tackle that made plenty of contact.
If the union ate going to
Pull it out it’s on the yutes, cause Seba is doing all he can
Union.
did he embellish? I thought he just fell over… I don’t blame Cameron for getting hot if he thought the guy was trying to draw a foul but he was hardly rolling around and crying out for justice to the ref of anything…
I just had never really seen that kind of a play in the box before and didn’t know how it “should” be called.
My opinion as well.
The no-call handball on Brad Davis on the close range free kick from the left side of the box was a bigger deal. TRE got it right the first time and TT got it right on the replay.
Cameron came in hot, Jack Mac went down easy, probably a good no call but Cameron was playing with fire either way. You can’t say his flying tackle was advisable but he did appear to get a bit of both the ball and the player.
The link you have is not sending me to the video it should, but the other clips I saw yesterday on mlssoccer don’t show a good angle of the Keel/Juninho incident. Marquez completely dives, and that’s what the camera is focused on, but if you pay attention you can see in the background that Juninho comes in and connects quite solidly with his elbow into Keel’s face. It’s not clear if Juninho was coming to break up the scuffle or get involved in it, or if the elbow was intentional or accidental, but there was definitely contact and Keel did end up with a bloody lip, although he was not “spitting blood” as the other commentor said.
The Union are the only team that might pull this out, but I have to vote for “none”.
NY not only has the best chance; they will knock LA out. They won’t beat RSL though.
Nice work if true (can’t watch right now). I’m sure MLS will review and get it right?? I don’t know how good they typically are with video reviews. Have they messed up any big ones lately?
None of the people in the room with me saw the defender make contact with the ball. However, I don’t believe they did a slow mo either.
On my list of activities while handing out candy tonight is to youtube that foul. As the Union are not complaining, I suspect it was a good call, just bad video angle.
Meh. I think the truth is somewhere in between. L.A. certainly missed some golden chances, but NYRB had a much larger number of decent chances that could have turned into goals with a lucky bounce or a well struck ball.
Honestly, probably none. But Union have the best chance.
There’s one flaw in your premise-Cameron did clear the ball from the feet of the Union attacker (J-Mac I think). Cameron did not show his studs and he was pissed that the attacker embellished the contact trying to draw the foul. The commentator, Taylor Twellman, agreed with the call. And you can’t call Twellman a Houston homer-Houston kept him from winning 2 MLS Cups.
By the way, Beckham was really favoring his right arm. I think he got kicked towards the end of the game and after the melee, goes to Rafa and shakes hands with his left, holding his right arm against his body.
Any word of an injury there?
I would say the Red Bulls if they were playing any team other than the Gals. With that, I went with the Union because Houston has been shaky at home and the Union have too much skill that rode the bench last match.
Outplayed the Galaxy? It could have been 5-1 for the Galaxy with just a couple of inches of Kean’s shot, McGees header, Donovan’s breakaway, Donovan/Beckham vs Rost, etc. etc.
More shots for NY but not more quality shots. This was pretty one-sided, but not in NY favor.
Keel was spitting blood?
here is a close up of Keel at 7:50 (no blood)
http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?id=20686
Here is a shot of Juninho jumping in, looks to me like Marquez and Keep bump each other,seconds 15 & 16 from here
http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?id=20686
From the ESPN site @1:25 you can see Juninho come in ‘elbows up’, but that is not a ‘haymaker’ and I don’t think he connects to either Marquez or Keel.
Philly, if only because they inexplicably own Houston on the road.
so anyone who watched Philly/Houston help me out here:
in the second half, there was a dramatic tackle in the Houston end. The defender jumped in with both feet and didn’t make contact with the ball or the player but the striker/MF fell over in jumping over the defender.
So… no call was the right call? can anyone define why?
Word.
Red Bulls absolutely can win if they can avoid falling asleep on set pieces. They outplayed LA in NY and get Solli back. Juninho is a bigger loss to LA than Marquez is to NY, Donovan hasn’t scored a goal in almost two months, and Keane isn’t in form yet, meaning three of LA’s four best players are question marks. Keep in mind that LA has scored only 1 goal in the last 180+ minutes against NY and NY only needs one early to get it even. Yes, you have to like LA at home, but I see late night penalty kicks.
Well, all I can do is agree with those who say NYRB have the best chance since 1) they are only a goal down, and 2) Marquez and Juninho are out (big + for NYRB). However, I doubt that it will happen and voted none. There are usually surprises though, and it will be interesting to see if anyone can pull it out. With the Fire out, I guess I have to pull for… Wait, I don’t have anyone to pull for! Let’s just hope we see some good competitive games with some nice attacking soccer.
Lindpere is smart,…over the past two years he has been NYRB best player but he is only making (approx.) $150K. He is 29-30 and is looking for a lucrative deal (let’s say 3 years). Demonstrating that kind of commitment to the club makes it easier for Reb Bulls to make an nice offer. Personally I think he deserves a major adjustent to the $300-400K range. Pitty NYRB can;t off load Marquez.
I could see Seattle winning the second leg, but not the series. If any of the first-leg losers can win their series it’s Philadelphia, but I’m not putting any money on it. I’m just hoping the second LA-NY is worth watching.
I don’t disagree that he’d accept a call if he COULD. I only all caps that because I am unsure if the deadline to submit rosters for the November 11th and 15th tie vs Ireland is already past. It very well may be that it isn’t and NYRB lose and he joins Estonia. But if NYRB move on (which I don’t see happening), he will stay with them I think. It could also be they get eliminated and he doesn’t join Estonia because of the simple fact the roster submission deadline has passed
I think Portland should be able to pull out the win on the road. Wait…
Oops. I got it confused with CCL.
none.
Wrong! They do matter.
I’m calling BS on that. I know he has refused all call ups since he has joined the Red Bulls, but this is his country’s biggest game in its 19 year FIFA history. If NY doesn’t move on to the next round, I’m sure he will accept a call up. Their season will hopefully (I’m a Galaxy fan) be done after Thursday and he’ll have a little over a week to rejoin the Estonian national squad and get ready for their playoff against Ireland.
His previous comments about this were just non-committal. He didn’t want to say “Well if we lose, I’ll definitely accept a call up against Ireland” because it makes it sound like he’s mixing his priorities and that he’s slightly wishing that NY doesn’t move on.
I agree they played good at the end. I didn’t know what to make of the J-Mac trip/dive. Geoff Cameron was surely pissed off though. If it was a flop, it was definitely not the most blatant I’ve seen in MLS this year (a la Saborio and Davies)
2nd the motion on Lindpere. Pure class that one.
I don’t see how Juninho gets a red for this. Seems very harsh for a player coming in to separate two others (Marquez, Keel & Christman)He doesn’t seem to launch or punch. Marquez and Keel both go down in an attempt to draw a card and succeed. The League should look at that again. It is an incorrect decision.
I can’t see how NY can win either. Especially when they performed so well sans Henry when he got that red card. They concentrate so hard to pass to Henry while they can function better as a team without him.
True. Would like to see Adu and possible J-Mac with more playing time. They were at their best at the end applying pressure with those two in the lineup.
ACES
Hate to say it but I don’t see how RBNY can possibly win. Especially if the Galaxy are allowed to tell the ref when to blow his whistle again.
A 4-1 scoreline could move them on assuming they win in overtime. Away goals don’t matter in MLS playoffs.
I agree with the Lindpere comment. He passed up on joining Estonia in Euro 2012 to stay with NYRB
Though i don’t think they’ll “come back”, I nearly voted for Seattle because I expect them to have a really good game. That being said, RSL will probably score at least one, and if that’s the case, even a 4-1 scoreline doesn’t move them on.
None overturn the deficit. Union have the best shot but it seems they have immense difficulty creating goal scoring chances. you take away the lucky deflection on the Le Toux goal and the Dynamo are running away with the two legged tie
+1
NYRB certainly has its share of clowns, but to group Joel Lindpere in with your comments is a criminal oversight. He is tough and skilled and never stops working. He is the heart and soul of the team.
Haymaker that didn’t connect? Was that why Keel was spitting blood? Completely agree with you about Marquez. Everybody from NY hates him.
RBNY has a decent shot. Trading Marquez for Juninho is a huge plus since Juninho actually gives effort. Solli back also helps but the team must show actual discipline for a change and Backe must actually make timely adjustment instead of sitting on his subs like he always does. Arena gives L.A. a huge edge.
Galaxy for the win.
Very fitting that Keel and Marguez get blown over by a gust of wind created by a haymaker that never connects…Its a direct reflection as to how easy the RedBulls have been blown over by everyone this season. Redbull are soft, and their defense is in shambles. I respect only one player that actually has a pair on the Redbull and thats the human Roll-on deodorant Rogers.