Round One underdelivered on MLS Cup playoffs' usual chaos

The archetypal circular of the MLS Cup playoffs is complete, and successful this instance, the magnitude of sheer chaos was beneath the postseason's accustomed standard. That is astatine slightest until FC Dallas' Alan Velasco decided to clinch his side's punishment shootout triumph implicit Minnesota United FC with a Panenka that was conscionable retired of scope of Loons keeper Dayne St. Clair. That said, signifier mostly held, arsenic FC Cincinnati were the lone lower-seeded squad to prevail.

Granted, the league semifinals, erstwhile the apical seeds participate the bracket, is erstwhile the existent havoc often takes place. And determination are immoderate mouthwatering matchups acceptable to instrumentality hap aboriginal this week. But it's worthy revisiting what went down passim the past 3 days, particularly with immoderate young teams successfully navigating their playoff baptism.

Cincy march connected arsenic Red Bulls tally successful place

Another year, different first-round flameout for the New York Red Bulls, who inactive person ne'er claimed MLS Cup. Granted, determination person been much achy exits successful caller years -- the blown 3-1 pb against Philadelphia successful 2019 comes to caput -- but this 1 inactive hurt. Lewis Morgan's second-half opener appeared to enactment the Red Bulls successful the driver's seat, lone for Luciano Acosta to equalize from the spot.

Then came the series that doubled arsenic a metaphor for the respective directions of the 2 teams. A modulation accidental began with Red Bulls defender Aaron Long seemingly good positioned to woody with immoderate menace posed by Brandon Vazquez, lone for a lapse successful attraction by Long positive Vazquez's mobility proving to beryllium capable to but the FCC guardant successful the wide to one-time Acosta's transportation past Carlos Coronel for the game-winner. Cincinnati are streaking into the adjacent round, portion the Red Bulls are moving successful place, astatine slightest erstwhile it comes to the postseason.

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Now Cincy are poised for the eventual apprentice vs. maestro matchup, which sees GM Chris Albright and manager Pat Noonan caput to their aged stomping crushed successful Philadelphia. Given the firepower of their frontline, an upset is surely possible. Even if FCC don't propulsion that off, the squad and enactment are intelligibly headed successful the close direction.

Galaxy midfield topples Nashville

The LA Galaxy's midfield has been a enactment successful advancement for overmuch of the 2022 campaign, but the trio of Marky Delgado, Riqui Puig and Gaston Brugman played arguably its champion crippled yet successful the Galaxy's playoff triumph implicit Nashville. Not lone did they assistance LA power possession, but they did their spot connected the antiaircraft end. Granted, it was a corporate effort that held Nashville MVP campaigner Hany Mukhtar to conscionable 1 interaction wrong the Galaxy punishment country -- his fewest since a 2-0 decision to FC Dallas successful March -- but the midfield enactment successful plentifulness of enactment successful that regard. That allowed the Galaxy to simply deterioration down Nashville, yet breaking done connected Julian Araujo's 60th-minute header. Now a playoff El Trafico against LAFC is up adjacent for the Galaxy.

It's been said often however overmuch Nashville's onslaught relies connected Mukhtar, but the information that the German contributed to 65% of NSC's goals can't beryllium ignored. Nashville's champion accidental came aboriginal successful the 2nd fractional but Mukhtar's changeable was saved by Galaxy keeper Jonathan Bond. The Yotes didn't make overmuch otherwise, and uncovering a complimentary portion to Mukhtar remains Nashville's biggest offseason priority.

Driussi's MVP run continues

Man bites xDAWG. Or possibly successful this case, much than 1 antheral did the biting.

There was Austin FC's Sebastian Driussi scoring twice, including a cold-blooded punishment successful second-half stoppage clip to necktie the match. Then determination were the heroics of goalkeeper Brad Stuver, who saved 2 spot kicks successful the punishment shootout, and watched a 3rd alert implicit his extremity to implicit the Verde's comeback. Real Salt Lake spot themselves too, with Rubio Rubin's second-half reddish paper proving to beryllium a turning constituent that near RSL climbing Everest.

All of what transpired astatine Q2 Stadium proved the limits of the gritty benignant that has go the trademark of RSL and their Zen maestro manager, Pablo Mastroeni. It's an attack that won them plentifulness of games that they different shouldn't, hence the word "xDAWG." With caller ownership present firmly ensconced, possibly present immoderate existent momentum tin beryllium achieved and springiness Mastroeni a fewer much assets with which to work.

As for Austin, the lucifer marked the 4th clip this play they had travel backmost from 2 goals down to win. That's not a wont that manager Josh Wolff is anxious to spot continue, but it helps erstwhile you person a designated subordinate similar Driussi connected your team. The Argentine upped his tally this play to 23 goals, proving that portion spending wealth connected a DP is nary warrant of success, if you walk it connected the close player, it tin person a monolithic impact.

Montreal proceed to get the occupation done

Montreal person done a beauteous just occupation of flying nether the radar this season. Some of that is down to the information the squad resides northbound of the border. Other teams successful the league -- read: LAFC and Philadelphia -- surely received much attraction arsenic it related to the Supporters' Shield race, but determination is besides Montreal's no-nonsense, workmanlike approach. There isn't a batch of flash to CFM, adjacent though they scored 63 goals this season.

So nary existent astonishment past that Montreal took attraction of concern successful defeating Orlando 2-0, a triumph that showed disconnected the Quebecois' quality and composure successful the look of immoderate assertive play. The breakthrough witnessed a gorgeous squad extremity involving Kei Kamara and Djordje Mihailovic with Ismael Kone providing the finish.

There are inactive immoderate aspects of Montreal's play that they'll request to cleanable up. Orlando had immoderate wide chances, particularly successful the archetypal half, but CFM made the plays they needed to, conscionable arsenic they person each season.

Higuain's vocation ends successful Miami 'mare

Ever since Ronny Deila near NYCFC successful mid-June to go manager of Standard Liege, it's been pugnacious to gauge which Pigeons squad would amusement up connected immoderate fixed day. A four-game winless streak was followed by a four-game winning streak followed by different four-game winless streak.

Fortunately for the Blues, they recovered a winning look successful dispatching Inter Miami CF 3-0. They did truthful with the assistance of 22-year-old midfielder Santiago Rodriguez, who had 2 assists, including a sumptuous backheel to acceptable up Maxi Moralez's goal. This was thing caller of course, arsenic Rodriguez ended the regular play with 13 helpers, bully capable for sixth successful the league. (His indebtedness from Montevideo City is implicit astatine the extremity of the season. NYCFC fans volition beryllium hoping to spot him again adjacent season.)

The Bronx nine were aided by the information that Miami picked the implicit worst clip to play their worst crippled since a humbling 5-1 decision to Austin successful Week 2. The defending was abysmal, and it was a occurrence the Herons made it to halftime without conceding.

It proved a disappointing extremity to Gonzalo Higuain's career, connected a converted shot tract nary less. The Argentine thought helium had opened the scoring successful the archetypal half, lone to beryllium whistled for offside. That was astir arsenic bully arsenic it got, for some squad and player. Still, Miami person made large strides this play nether hard circumstances. The accidental to turn adjacent play is there.

St. Clair's heroics can't prevention Loons successful Dallas

St. Clair is going to beryllium seeing Panenkas successful his sleep, and similar a modern time Tantalus, those punishment attempts volition everlastingly beryllium conscionable beyond his scope arsenic they settee into the net.

The last lucifer of Round One went to a punishment shootout, and 2 Dallas shooters -- Velasco and Franco Jara -- opted for the deft chip, and some times St. Clair conscionable missed keeping them out. He adjacent got a ft to Jara's attempt, but to nary avail. Dallas ended up converting each 5 of their attempts and are progressing to the league semifinals.

St. Clair didn't bash overmuch other incorrect connected the night, keeping the Loons successful the lucifer to the tune of 8 saves. But for the 3rd twelvemonth running, Minnesota couldn't marque a pb successful a roadworthy playoff crippled basal up.

Dallas, meanwhile, burnished their estimation arsenic a squad connected the rise, replete with their attacking trio of Velasco, Jesus Ferreira and Paul Arriola. They controlled astir of the lucifer arsenic well, and proved they could instrumentality a punch successful the signifier of Minnesota's extremity by Emanuel Reynoso and responded with a extremity of their ain by Facundo Quignon. Now an all-Texas matchup with Austin FC awaits.