The MLS Playoffs resume on Tuesday night with the first leg of the conference finals.
Action begins in Montreal for the start of the Eastern Conference clash between the Montreal Impact and Toronto FC (8 p.m., ESPN). The two sides collide at a sold-out Olympic Stadium, promising a raucous atmosphere as the two teams battle for the chance to be the first Canadian team to play in MLS Cup.
Following the conclusion of the Canadian clash, the night’s action moves to CenturyLink Field, where the Seattle Sounders play host to the Colorado Rapids. The Rapids are riding high after toppling the LA Galaxy in penalty kicks, but will be without Tim Howard in goal.
The SBI staff will be offering updates and analysis in the comments section below, so feel free to follow along, and as always, please feel free to share your own thoughts and opinions below.
Enjoy the action.
Le Toux is good in possession, but lacks the offensive sting of his not so recent past.
Is a Gashi wondergoal lurking?
No Cronin next match. Huge blow, but I think Powers can fill in well enough, and actually might give us a bit more of what we need next match if this score keeps or get worse.
Azira might be the more pragmatic choice to start if the score stands 2 – 1.
Damn, that’s a penalty.
I’ve only coached kids, so I don’t know if this is an actual issue or an imagined one, but is it hard for a coach or commentator to asses how a game is playing out from ground level? I think if I was a professional coach, for any sport I guess, I’d love one of those lifeguard stands they give judges in tennis.
And I’ve been on the sidelines of high school and college sporting events when I was younger, but I wasn’t trying to be an analyst or tactician.
McMath coming up huge.
I was looking away/getting a beer… What was Mastroeni talking with the ref about?
GOAL MORRIS! 1-1 at CenturyLink! Following Doyle’s opener, Morris pounced on a Roldan shot off the post. MacMath helpless, and the Sounders have tied it up. Hot start.
Focus now turns to CenturyLink Field, where Sounders and Rapids have kicked off.
FINAL: What a game, and the Impact escape with a 3-2 win. Two away goals should be HUGE going into the second leg. Plenty left to play for.
Okay, what’s with all the green lasers? Are we in Mexico?
ANOTHER ONE….. THEY DONT WANT HIM TO SCORE
Hey TFC, how’s business? Boomin.
GOAL BRADLEY. GAME IS ON. 3-2 IMFC, but those two away goals are VITAL. Toronto is very much alive.
GOAL ALTIDORE! Game on? TFC pressing, several swipes at it before Altidore heads it in. Not over quite yet. 3-1 IMFC.
Drogba in now in the 72nd minute. Impact could definitely use one more insurance goal.
I’m not a fan of bringing on Drogba. Sure it’s good for the crowd to get back in it after the goal, but TFC had been bossing the midfield for like 15 minutes at that point.
I want to say 0 – 0 for this next game, but I’m going to be optimistic and say 2-2.
If it’s half as exciting as the first one, think everyone would be plenty pleased.
I’m happy to see Gashi and Morris starting.
No need to bring on Drogba in this game.
Nope. Impact can pretty much coast through this. TFC NEEDS an away goal to have any chance. If Impact can hold onto this lead, hard to see TFC winning 3-0, even after battering NYCFC.
Wow
GOAL OYONGO! And that might just do it. Given infinite time and space atop the box, and the Impact fullback decides to just shoot it. Trickles past Irwin and it’s 3-0 Impact.
HALFTIME: Impact start hot and jump out to a 2-0 lead. TFC still very much alive, and I’m sure Vanney would be more than fine with a 2-1 loss with an away goal. Need much better to get it in the second half, though. Too many long balls, little to no flow.
I thought that Oyongo tucked his shorts into his socks for a second.
I thought that Oyongo tucked his shots into the bottom corner netting. GOAL
Game has slowed down a bit following the second goal. TFC certainly easing back into things. Giovinco with a chance, and TFC keeping a bit more possession. Heading into the 25th minute.
Oduro with another chance here in the 29th minute. Rifles a shot, forcing a save from Irwin. Montreal really attacking well, taking advantage of soft spots out wide.
Mayhem in Montreal? We’re dropping that one already? Show a little restraint Ian.
Should’ve saved it for the second one.
GOAL ODURO! Breaks through on the right side and toe pokes a shot past Irwin. Total breakdown from the TFC defense. Jubilation at the Big O, as the Impact take the lead in the 11th minute.
Another Bradley defensive error.
ANOTHER GOAL FOR THE IMPACT! What a start! Great ball in from Piatti and Mancosu smashes it home. What a sequence. Impact all over TFC early.
What the, why are they using the old turf with no give? What happened to the new turf?
The newer, nicer turf was moved to the Impact’s training center a little while back. Replaced with this, which is a few years older, and significantly worse.
I know it’s the first leg, but I’m going to go with 3-2 TFC. Jozy and Gio.
I hope this debacle of a start is not a sign of things to come.
Sure hope not. Following whatever the heck that was, game is on. Two VERY good attacking teams so shouldn’t be boring, but, then again, feel like it always is when I say that.
Canadians …… L……..O………L……..
Haha, so professional, were they confused by metric?
Hello all, big day of playoff action and we’re off to a HOT start. Lines on the Olympic Stadium field were measured incorrectly, so we’ll have a delay for the first game. Quite a start to the day.
Currently repainting the lines. Delayed for 20-25 minutes. Certainly didn’t expect the night to start like this.
While we wait, tonight’s lineups:
TFC: Irwin; Beitashour, Zavaleta, Moor, Hagglund, Morrow; Cooper, Bradley, Osorio; Giovinco, Altidore
IMFC: Bush; Camara, Ciman, Cabrera, Oyongo; Bernier, Donadel, Bernardello; Oduro, Mancosu, Piatti
Kickoff is (finally) coming, as teams are moving to the field. Any score predictions out there? Going to go with a 1-1 draw myself.