MLS Playoff Thread!

[Leinad]

Time for the Conference Semifinals: NY Red Bulls vs. Montreal Impact and New York City vs. Toronto FC in the Eastern Conference (two cases of New York vs. Canada--none of these teams have ever won an MLS Cup, and only the Red Bulls have ever been to one), and FC Dallas vs. Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids in the Western Conference.

Of course, both of the MLS Cup teams last year (Portland Timbers and Columbus Crew) missed the playoffs, and Philadelphia, Real Salt Lake, DC United, and Sporting Kansas City were all knocked out in the knockout round.

My predictions:

Red Bulls > Impact. I'll say by a score of 3-1 on aggregate--1-1 in Montreal, 2-0 in Harrison, NJ. I think the Red Bulls are too good a team to beat.

Toronto > NYC. 5-4 on aggregate--Toronto win 3-2 at home and draw 2-2 in Yankee Stadium. Giovinco is probably the best player in the league, and Altidore is in the form of his life. NYC have a horrible defense, I can't foresee them slowing that TFC forward partnership down.

LA Galaxy > Colorado. 2-0 on aggregate--Galaxy get the 2-0 home win then keep it scoreless in Denver. Since Bruce Arena took charge, LA haven't gone consecutive years without winning the Supporters Shield or the MLS Cup. As much as I want FC Dallas to win, and view LA as a flawed team, I feel they have too much experience and talent to rule them out.

Dallas > Seattle. 3-3. 2-2 in Seattle, 1-1 in Frisco. Dallas wins on away goals. Keep the dream alive!

Thoughts?

[Crumpets]

The first three all look good. Losing on an away-goal tiebreaker has thrown Seattle out before, but I think we have a certain level of momentum that'll carry us at least through this round. That being said, Dallas is probably the team I'm most concerned facing. I say 3-2 on aggregate, 1-0 Seattle at home and 2-2 in Dallas.

[Leinad]

Congratulations, TCC.

3-0 will be hard to come back from--but it's been done before!

[pikachu]

The Union lost, therefore I care significantly less.

Leinad, who do you support?

[Leinad]

The Union lost, therefore I care significantly less.

Leinad, who do you support?

FC Dallas, although when Atlanta come to the league next year I will be one of those totally insufferable obnoxious people who support two teams.

[Leinad]

Calling it: LA > Toronto to win it all. I'll stick with my previous predictions for the Conference Semis, even the one I'm pretty sure will be wrong because that would be too sad.

[Crumpets]

What! What!

[Sprouts Farmers Market ✘]

I can't believe Wake Forest might win a national championship. This would be perhaps the greatest development of the year 2016. Go Deacons!