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MLS Western Conference semfinals: Your Running Commentary

Sean Franklin

The final two spots in the MLS conference finals will be decided tonight as the Western Conference whittles its field down to two teams with a pair of juicy semifinal second legs.

The Los Angeles Galaxy will face Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium tonight (ESPN2, 9pm) up 1-0 after their first-leg victory. RSL will look to finally win a big game at home after years of disappointments through the years.

In Portland, the Timbers take on arch-rival Seattle Sounders at Jeld-Wen Field tonight (11pm, NBC Sports). The Timbers posted a 2-1 victory in the first leg in Seattle, but the Sounders will be eager to return the favor and hand Portland their first home loss since March.

If you will be watching tonight’s match, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and some play-by-play in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action.

Comments

      • Actually Seattle went on a six game winning streak when Dempsey signed. No one put a gun to Schimd’s head and told him to start Shalrie Joseph at forward tonight. The guy didn’t play the whole season and now he starts in the most important game. Portland had the game won from the opening whistle.

  1. EJ, Evans and Deuce are going to the US National Team, why would they care about any thing else? How many Nats do the Timbers have? ….How ’bout your weak Canadians Will?

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    • Wait is this how you make yourself feel better about the sounders doing a sigi Schmidd bellyflop on their way out of the playoffs. Buck up little camper there’s always next year.

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      • Ironically most sounders fans complain about the call ups hurting the team. But whatever makes him happy after his team got destroyed. Also the timbers have plenty of internationals, but they will be occupied with the conference finals coming up.

  2. Wow, awful Sounders jerseys. What’s with collars in soccer? Leave the collars to polo, golf, and other fancy occasions. No collar is the best look for this sport.

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  3. Heads are going to roll.
    MLS is not spending all this money on Seattle and LA to have them eliminated from the playoffs so quickly

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  4. Credit to the sounders? What? Kept pushing?

    They went down 3-0 after being down 1-0 on aggregate. They scored a garbage goal when Portland let up and took off their star players.

    Please. There are no moral victories. They gave up 5 freaking goals over 2 legs. Dominated.

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    • I don’t think Klinsi is losing much sleep over Alonso right now. The Green situation and camp tying brooks, the form of Dempsey is probably what he’s worrying about now.

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  5. something under rated that Caleb porter did was widen the field the 3 yards or whatever. Small change sure but I think it’s changed the games at Portland. before it was such a bandbox it inhibited the team…

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  6. This is outrageous. Where is the protection for the Portland players?

    Rough, late tackles flying in from everywhere with nothing being penalized.

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  7. Looks like Donovan and Dempsey will be available for the friendlies.
    Also, I wonder what the odds are that Eddie Johnson is with Seattle next year. Seems like with Neagle, Dempsey, Johnson and Martins the Sounders are a little too top heavy and need someone else who can truly play the wing. Given EJ’s “pay me” moment earlier this year I wonder if he’d be the one to see the door so that the Sounders have “just” two high profile forwards and one very capable back up.

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  8. Good god! As pathetic a Timbers fans are, I will (reluctantly) wish you the best of luck going forward knowing most of you are with me in rooting for the ‘Hawks to beat the underachieving (like the f**king Sounders) Atlanta Falcons!!

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  9. Classy elbow from Deuce. Man, his time in MLS had made me like him a lot less. Still want him to get his S together before next summer.

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  10. Seriously, we’re reaching a level where pure hatred of Clint Dempsey should not only be accepted, but encouraged.

    This guy is becoming one of the most entitled, spoiled athletes I’ve ever seen. Produces nothing. Acts like he doesn’t have.

    He dives. He takes constant cheap shots. He showboats.

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      • I remember that like it was yesterday.

        You know, one of those things in a game that’s so far beyond reason that it sort of burns into your brain.

        Like an NFL receiver dropping the ball in celebration before he breaks the goal line.

      • Yep. And for apologists who don’t see what the big deal with that play was… Ask yourself if he would have tried that same trick in the same situation if he were playing for Spurs. And if your answer is “probably not,” then think about the possible reasons why. It doesn’t paint a pretty picture of his attitude toward this league.

      • Right on.

        The only people that ever get away with that crap are Ronaldo… and Ronaldo. And even then he’s criticized.

        He’d be ripped to shreds. Fans here were like ooooo he’s so skilled!

  11. Hell yes. Finally RSL win a big one at home. I just wish the extra time was needed had the ref not screwed Javis masterpiece long free kick bomb.

    It’s RSL v Portland for the western champion. Seattle down two nil or 4 to 1 on aggregate means emerald city can focus on the Seahawks.

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  12. Come on now.

    Where are all you high-ground f&&&&S* that cry about the “divers in CONCACAF? Seriously. SHOW YOUR FACES.

    Clint Dempsey is a frigging joke.

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    • Does Dempsey seek a loan? This season has been an out and out disaster for him. He played pretty well in the first leg but mostly it has been horrible. I’m not sure the best way for him to find some form but maybe getting loaned to a league where he’s not convinced he’s the best player around might be good.

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  13. Seattle down 4-1 on aggregate and getting run out of the playoffs. Got to love how aggressive Portland’s been. They didn’t come to defend their lead. They came out for the jugular.

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  14. So is anyone going to watch the final now that NY, LA, and Seattle (assuming) are out now? I wonder if they’ll even televise it.

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    • well no one watched the final last year and LA was in it. So, that answers your question.

      Any idea why American soccer fans are not watching MLS?

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    • Thank you for the requisite, asinine “The playoffs only matter when a team from NY/LA/… are in them” comment. You’ve added a lot to the discourse!

      I will watch. I’ve watched whether my team was in the playoffs/finals or not. I don’t think I’m alone.

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  15. RSL beating LA is a great result for those of us that want to see MLS reform.

    A RSL vs SKC final would be a dream. 50 people would tune in to watch it and MLS would finally realize that the regular season is what is important.

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  16. Soooooooooo many missed chances. Oh my God, this has been going on for the last 2 legs. The Galaxy should have won the first leg by 2 or 3 goals, and they pay the price for the lack of finishing.

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  17. For professional athletes in a sport so highly focused on the feet, RSL players sure are having a very hard time keeping theirs any time a Galaxy player gets near them…

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    • No idea, but I have no idea how he didn’t get a card after. Maybe the ref knew it was a weak call. I mean it wasn’t going in… anyway…

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  18. Now Kyle Martino is sporting the pornstache?? Did he and Alexi plan this?
    Sasha has kicked off a revolution…

    OK….
    Who’s next….
    Ian Darke?
    Wynalda?
    The chick from BeIN?

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