Major League Soccer’s semifinal round of playoff action is now in the books.

Perhaps most surprising is that the No. 1 seeds in both the Eastern and Western Conferences were eliminated and are headed home.

For those teams that survived, the MLS Playoffs now head into the conference finals matchups, which will begin on Sunday.

Let's take a look at the action from the semifinal round of games.

Begin Slideshow

Source: Click Here

They sure do know how to break your heart, don’t they?

The New York Red Bulls’ 1-0 defeat at the hands of DC United ended another disappointing season for New York.

The Red Bulls didn't just lose 2-1 on the aggregate, they lost in the same heartbreaking fashion their fans have been subjected to for 17 years. 

Kenny Cooper’s penalty kick in the 72nd minute put New York up 1-0. They would have the lead and a man advantage for the the final 20 minutes of the match following a costly red-card foul by United keeper Bill Hamid.

That is, until referee Mark Geiger reminded New Yorkers everywhere what it is like to be a Red Bulls fan.

Cooper’s stutter-step penalty kick was disallowed due to the encroachment of Thierry Henry and Tim Cahill, who found themselves well inside the box before the kick was taken. By the letter of the law, Geiger made the correct call.

With a combined $8.5 million salary and years of international experience between them, Cahill and Henry should have been aware of Geiger’s propensity to involve himself in a match.

The question is: Why did New York’s big-name talents not toe the line and trust Cooper to bury the 11th penalty of his career?

Cooper would subsequently have his shot saved on the second attempt. It was the first time he missed a penalty kick in his illustrious MLS career.

After Joe Willis’ save, it only took six minutes for New York defender Rafa Márquez to decide he had enough of this whole Red-Bulls thing. His inexplicable tackle on Chris Pontius drew his second yellow of the match, sending him off and leaving both sides with 10 men.

Even Pontius was observant of Márquez’s lack of dedication to New York. 

“It was like he was trying to get thrown out of the game,” he told the media. “Like he didn't want to be there” (via soccerbyives.net).

When rookie sensation Nick DeLeon broke the scoreless draw in the 88th minute, Red Bulls fans everywhere felt that familiar sorrow in the pit of their stomach.

The end was near. We all sensed it.

In New York’s final attempt to find an equalizer, and with $5 million captain Thierry Henry by his side, Roy Miller sent his free kick straight into the stands. 

Considering it was his first free-kick attempt all season, many are still wondering why it was Miller and not Henry who took the shot.

According to Henry (via soccerbyives.net), the free kick was best suited for a left-footed taker. Unfortunately for New York, that left foot belonged to Miller, and the so-called attempt to "fool the keeper" backfired. 

When the final whistle blew, New York’s season ended the same as the 16 that preceded it. They are still in search of their first MLS Cup in franchise history. 

This is in no way an attempt to take anything away from a resilient DC side who scraped and crawled their way to victory. They continue to prove their doubters wrong (myself included) and are in serious contention for their fifth MLS Cup. 

After the match, an inconsolable Kenny Cooper carried the weight of disappointed Red Bulls fans everywhere—showing Rafa Marquez what it means to care about your team and their faithful supporters.

Cooper’s return to New York next season is uncertain, but if this was his last match in a Red Bulls kit, his missed penalty should not be the last memory the fanbase has of the selfless striker.

Kenny Cooper deserves better than that.

In the end, Red Bulls fans should not be surprised with how the match ended because, as the saying goes in New York, “that’s so metro.”

Follow Eduardo on Twitter for more insight on a variety of sports topics. Follow @BR_Mendez

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

The San Jose Earthquakes' magical season finally ended on Wednesday night as the Los Angeles Galaxy defeated them 3-1 in the second leg of the Western Conference Semifinals.

The "Quakes" brought a 1-0 advantage with them to Buckshaw Stadium after stunning the Galaxy with a stoppage time goal from a set piece in the first leg of the series. That lead was not enough for the Supporters' Shield winners. Not even their seemingly magical tendency to find ways to score late in games could help them.

Before the Galaxy take on the Seattle Sounders on Sunday in the Western Conference Finals, let's take a look at how Los Angeles defeated the Earthquakes.

Begin Slideshow

Source: Click Here

United's Nick DeLeon scored the game's only goal on a through ball in the 88th minute of the MLS Eastern Conference semifinals between D.C. United and New York Red Bulls.

With the win at New York's Red Bull Arena, D.C. United will go on to face Houston in the conference finals.

The thing about that goal is D.C. had been trying to work through balls all night. However, the Red Bulls had their offsides trap working to perfection. New York had caught United runners six times prior to the 88th minute.

For Ben Olsen's Black and Red, the seventh was a charm, as Robbie Russell found DeLeon unshackled from the tyranny of line judges.

This was a playoff series for the books. It featured pretty much everything imaginable, and that was just the first leg. The second picked up where the first left off, especially considering it was supposed to be played Wednesday night.

After toggling the schedule because of Hurricane Sandy, MLS made a last-minute decision to postpone the second leg 24 hours because of Nor'Easter Athena. That second storm was dumping snow on the field faster than grounds crews could shovel it off. 

MLS Commissoner Don Garber issued a written apology for the turn of events.

The series resumed tonight instead. After an initial threat by United's Lionard Pajoy in the opening minutes of play, New York controlled play for much of the game. The Red Bulls pressured the D.C. goal throughout the evening.

New York impressed in every statistical category. The Red Bulls had the advantage in time of possession. They had 10 more shots. They had more shots on target, including a penalty in the second half. 

That penalty was saved by United's backup keeper, Joe Willis. Willis came on to face it because it was Bill Hamid's red-cardable foul that conceded the penalty.

Willis walked on the field, stared down Kenny Cooper, and watched the New York leading scorer bury the kick.

Referee Mark Geiger waved it off, as Thierry Henry had entered the box early.

On Cooper's second try, Willis made the biggest save in both teams' respective seasons.

Much like the own-goal fiasco in the first leg, this game featured back-to-back red cards. Only six minutes after Hamid was sent off, New York's Rafael Marquez picked up his second yellow.

Both benches rode a roller coaster of emotion, albeit in different directions.

New York's Hans Backe was snake bit, watching his side squander the chance at a penalty for the lead in the tied aggregate score (as D.C. had done in the first leg), and then squander the man advantage.

United's Ben Olsen made the opposite trip from despair to thoughts of destiny. The remainder of the game followed script, and DeLeon fulfilled that promise a short time later.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

It was set up for another magical finish. 

The San Jose Earthquakes were doing battle with the Los Angeles Galaxy in their Western Conference semifinal second leg. The Quakes had earned a 1-0 lead after Victor Bernardez's 94th-minute winner in the firs leg. However, the Galaxy quickly turned the tide on the Supporters' Shield winners. 

The defending champs came out blazing with a quick goal from Robbie Keane in the 21st minute on a defensive error by early sub Ike Opara. It looked like that was the shock San Jose needed to get going, but it was beat twice more in the first half on a second goal by Robbie Keane and Mr. November, Mike Magee. The MLS leading goal scorer, Chris Wondolowski, had an early opportunity to keep pace, but he blasted a shot from 10 yards over the goal. 

The Earthquakes have been called the Goonies for their never-say-die attitude. All season long, they appeared to have magic running through them. In three regular-season games with the Galaxy, the Quakes battled from behind to win two and tie the other. Five times this season, the Quakes had stoppage-time winners, including the Bernardez goal on Sunday. It was only fitting that they would have to battle from behind one more time. 

The Earthquakes came out of halftime down 3-0 on the night and 3 1 on aggregate. They needed two goals in regulation to get to overtime and three to send the defending champs home early.

They put together a few decent attacks but never seemed dangerous until the last 15 minutes of the game. The momentum certainly shifted to San Jose when the third "bash brother," Alan Gordon, came into the game. Gordon had been resting a bad ankle but made an appearance late in an attempt to get that magic back.

It almost worked.

Gordon scored in the 82nd minute following a missed attempt by Justin Morrow on a corner kick. The Quakes needed one goal in the last eight minutes and stoppage time to earn some more soccer. Then it happened. In stoppage time, one minute before the whistle would be blown, the Earthquakes got their chance. Steven Lenhart headed a ball down to Wondo at the top of the box. Wondo turned and played a perfect pass to his right to the oncoming Ike Opara. Time must have frozen for Quakes fans. It was surely going to happen again. They had done it all season long. They knew how this story was told.

Then the magic died.

Opara's shot sailed over the crossbar, crushing the dreams of all those blue, wig-wearing Earthquakes fans in attendance at Buckshaw. The Galaxy were able to kill the clock and move on to the Western Conference finals. 

All year long, the "Goonies" never quit. They persevered through countless trials. On this day, it just wasn't meant to be. 

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

Usually during the playoffs of any American sport, an injury to a key player effects the team's performance.

The Western Conference playoff matches during the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs this season have seen the injury bug cause two clubs to be eliminated, both by the Los Angeles Galaxy

The first team to have the injury bug eliminate them from the playoffs were the Vancouver Whitecaps.

Whitecaps center-back Jay DeMerit went down with an injury that took him out of the one-match play-in game with the Galaxy in the 70th minute, and his replacement, Martin Bonjour, had an instant impact on the final score.

Bonjour took down Landon Donovan in the penalty area just one minute after coming on for DeMerit.

Not only did Bonjour earn a yellow card from that foul, Donovan converted the penalty kick he earned as well, and that goal was the difference in the Galaxy's 2-1 win over Vancouver.

The Galaxy once again took advantage of a center-back injury on Wednesday night in the second leg of their Western Conference semifinal against the San Jose Earthquakes.

The hero of the first leg for the Earthquakes, Victor Bernardez, who scored the winning goal at the Home Depot Center in Saturday's 1-0 win in Los Angeles, went down with an injury in the 12th minute.

Some thought that the injury was a blessing in disguise for the Earthquakes since Bernardez had been booked in the fourth minute.

However, a second booking from Bernardez was the least of San Jose's concerns once Ike Opara replaced the center-back.

Opara looked lost in coverage of the Galaxy's forwards for most of the first half.

Opara's most glaring mistake came on the Galaxy's second goal, in which Robbie Keane perfectly timed his run behind the Quakes defense and slotted home the club's second goal after a brilliant pass from Landon Donovan.

The Galaxy went on to win the match 3-1 and advance to to the Western Conference Finals, that will start either Sunday or Monday against the winner of Thursday night's match between Real Salt Lake and the Seattle Sounders.

Whatever club they may face in the next round, the Galaxy may be able to capitalize on injuries to both of those clubs as well.

RSL has a laundry list of center-backs that are injured at the moment, and that could be an issue against the star-studded attack that the Galaxy possess.

Seattle's two injury concerns, Mauro Rosales and Eddie Johnson, should be healthy to play on Thursday, but if either of them pick up an extra knock, it could derail the title hopes of the Sounders.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

Sporting Kansas City absolutely dominated the possession in the second leg of their Eastern Conference semifinal against Houston on Wednesday night, but it wasn't enough. Seth Sinovic's first MLS goal in the 64th minute was all the offense Sporting KC could muster and they won the match 1-0, but lost the series 2-1 on aggregate.

How dominant was Sporting KC? They held the ball for 71 percent of the match. Houston had only one corner kick and one shot on goal for 90 minutes. In open-play crosses, Sporting KC held a 31-1 advantage for the match.

Yet, Sporting KC just couldn't finish. They had plenty of chances, but they just couldn't find the back of the net.

This is a team that wasn't ready for the offseason. Team captain Jimmy Nielsen dictated a message to fellow goalkeeper Jon Kempin to put on the team message board before training on Tuesday. It said, "I'M NOT READY FOR A VACATION, SO LET'S SHOW SOME [expletive] BALLS, ATTITUDE AND HUNGER TOMORROW!"

They definitely did that. The guys left everything they had out on the field. They increased the pressure on Houston, if that was possible, after they scored. This team wanted to win badly.

During the postgame press conference I attended, Houston head coach Dominic Kinnear was asked how long the last 26 minutes of the game were (after the goal). Kinnear said:

As soon as they scored, I whispered to [assistant coach] Tim Hanley, “I think that we’re in trouble.” And we were. But lucky for us, we had a couple bounces go our way and bodies thrown in our way. It was definitely a long 26 minutes. At one point, I said something about getting a substitute ready for the 82nd minute and looked up and realized it was only the 72nd minute. It was tough, and they kept on coming and we could never get the ball under control. I don’t think Nielsen even touched the ball much in the second half, so it was a long 26 minutes. I give Kansas City a lot of credit. They never let up and even the last play of the game was a cross into the box.

Sinovic, acquired early in the 2011 season, had never scored an MLS goal. He came close a few times, but never put one in. In his 75th appearance, including the playoffs, he caused a minor eruption at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park.

After an incredible individual effort by Kei Kamara to get the ball, Graham Zusi took Kamara's pass and put an inch-perfect cross to the back post, where Sinovic was waiting for it. His diving header sent the 20,894 fans in attendance into a frenzy, giving them hope the team could advance after all.

But it wasn't to be.

During the postgame press conference, Sporting KC manager Peter Vermes told us that he was especially pleased with the team's performance. Vermes said:

What can I say, I think it was, in the three years that I’ve been coaching the team,the best performance we had in 90 minutes. We absolutely dominated the game. Guys played with incredible, incredible concentration and organization. I thought Uri [Rosell] and [Peterson] Joseph were outstanding. The way they moved the ball from side to side, I though they were just tremendous, I thought it was just a complete game, other than getting a second goal, we created some very good chances.

In the locker room after the game, the prevailing sentiment from players was one of pride in the performance in the second leg, but also one of disappointment that the journey had been cut short. The players that I talked to all thanked the fans for their support, but wished they could have done more. A couple even apologized for falling short in the series.

As far as I'm concerned, these guys have nothing to be ashamed of. It's never easy playing against the other team and the refs too, especially when that team is Houston and the thuggish way their players play the game.

Oh well. Nothing I can do about it now. The Royals fan part of me will simply say, "Wait 'til next year."

Follow @FntnCitySoccer

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

The 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs are already underway, but Thursday’s schedule has just one matchup for soccer fans; the second leg of the Western Conference semifinals between Real Salt Lake and the Seattle Sounders FC.

These bitter rivals met three times in the regular season, but between each squad, only one goal was scored. Real Salt Lake stole the only victory gained in the series all the way back on May 12.

With another draw in Game 1 of the semifinals, to say these squads are familiar with each other is an understatement.

Something has to give, though, and Thursday is as good a day as any for the top-tier offensive talent on both teams to unwind and get their side the definitive series advantage.

There is so much on the line in this matchup that even the most causal soccer fans will be able to find serious enjoyment over this tense battle.

Where: Rio Tinto Stadium, Salt Lake, UT

When: Thursday Nov. 8 at 10 p.m. ET

Watch: Not nationally televised

Live Stream: MLS Live

Real Salt Lake Player to Watch: Alvaro Saborío, Forward

There is no better player on Real Salt Lake than veteran forward Alvaro Saborío, but he has yet to step up when his squad needs him the most.

With 17 goals and three assists in 27 matches, it’s just a matter of time before RSL opens the pitch for Saborío and he gets the clear shot at Sounders goalie Michael Gspurning he needs to be effective.

Seattle’s goaltending has been great, but Saborío has faced this level of competition before. Real Salt Lake must carry the mentality into Game 2 that they will feed the ball to their star forward as often as possible.

With just one goal in four games between these squads, this series has become a race to score first.

Seattle Sounders FC Player to Watch: Samuel Ochoa Oregel, Forward

While no Seattle player has the flashy numbers Saborío has amassed with RSL, the Sounders have an ace up their sleeve; young star Samuel Ochoa Oregel.

In four games this season with the Sounders, the forward has a goal and an assist, but it is his style of play that will be the catalyst for a victory.

Ochoa loves to rush down the pitch, force the faster tempo on his opposition and take plenty of shots each and every game; that is exactly what Seattle needs in Game 2.

With the Western Conference semifinal looking more and more like it will come down to one or two goals, the Sounders need their star forward to put his shots on net and make them count.

Prediction: Seattle Sounders 2, Real Salt Lake 0

Even the most casual soccer fans must enjoy how truly similar these two organizations are in style and personnel, but it is how well they matchup and play against each other that is amazing to watch.

With both squads predicated on strong, fundamental defensive play that opens up offensive opportunities, this series will be one by the side that capitalizes on their opposition’s mistake first.

That will be the Seattle Sounders.

Real Salt Lake came into this series as the favorite, but they have been pressing since the opening whistle. With Seattle just waiting for a mistake, a Real Salt Lake player will force an errant pass and the Sounders will net what could become the series-clinching goal.

After Seattle scores, RSL will push the tempo even harder and likely get caught with at least one more goal towards the end of this match. If Game 2 is half as exciting as the first of this series, this is must-watch programming.

Check back for more on MLS as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s Soccer page to get your fill of all things soccer.

Follow @Donald_Wood

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

The weather outside was frightful, but the MLS’ prolonged decision to postpone the second leg of the Eastern Conference Semifinals was far from delightful. 

Winter storm Athena invaded Red Bull Arena last night, preventing the New York Red Bulls and DC United from ending their wild and wacky series. 

As if Hurricane Sandy, own goals and Andy Najar’s petulance was not enough, one of MLS’ oldest rivalries was subjected to a nor’easter that blanketed the $250 million fortress in Harrison, New Jersey with heavy winds and snow.

All hands were on deck shoveling mother nature’s elements, including those of MLS commissioner Don Garber, yet they still failed to produce a suitable and safe environment to host the significant match.

Every possible measure was taken by the league—even the majestic orange ball was resuscitated in order to increase visibility during the storm. 

In the end, MLS decided it was best to postpone the match until this evening. It was not a decision supported by players and members of both organizations, but no one was more visibly upset than DC United head coach Ben Olsen.

“Have you seen the field? It looks fine to me,” Olsen said. “I’m baffled that we can’t play this game.” (via MLSSoccer.com)

Ironically enough, Swedish head coach Hans Backe did not share the same sentiment.

“It’s an easy decision. It should be postponed.” he told Martino. “For me it would have been an easy decision because this is not football. This is another kind of sport" (via MLSSoccer.com)

Conspiracy theorists will claim this was just another attempt to ensure New York’s advancement in the postseason. 

With big-name talent like Thierry Henry, Tim Cahill and Rafa Márquez, surely this is just a ploy to increase market dollars for an under-appreciated league; however, anyone removing its own blind allegiance can appreciate the big picture.

Last night’s match was a nationally-televised event. 

With two matches already played on top of NFL-style football lines, a nearly-empty stadium in the middle of a snowstorm is not the message MLS wants to send to the general public.

This is not 1996. This is not a newly formed league. Calculated and unrelenting measures have been taken in order to increase the popularity of MLS, not only in the American sports environment, but worldwide.

Both teams play a beautiful style of soccer. Subjecting the skills of world-class talents like Henry and Chris Pontius to such unforgiving conditions in an empty stadium is a detriment to the league.

MLS must ensure its increased growth in the American sports market, and to treat the American public to a soccer snow fight on national television is a counter-productive strategy.

With moderate conditions expected for this evening, and an additional 24 hours for the crew at Red Bull Arena to create acceptable playing conditions, the MLS will finally be able to move past this series.

Those who valiantly sat through last night’s elements may feel they were swindled out of an opportunity of witnessing a winter wonderland exhibition of soccer, but they must look past themselves.

The vision and direction of MLS is greater than your pristine level of dedication and passion. 

Playing the match in suitable conditions increases the opportunity of multiplying an already devoted and staunch fanbase. This decision will ultimately benefit us all.

Follow Eduardo on twitter for more insight on a variety of sports topics. Follow @BR_Mendez

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here

While doing some research for a future Bleacher Report article, I stumbled upon Yahoo’s list of the highest paid MLS players.

Ex-European based players, such as Tim Cahill, David Beckham and Thierry Henry, are earning millions of dollars playing in America. Meanwhile, the MLS attempts to compete with gigantic established sports like the NFL and NBA.

This got me thinking: does the long-term gain justify the expenditure?

Do not get me wrong, the MLS has seen a huge increase in popularity and mainstream TV coverage, particularly here in the UK on ESPN and in North America on a range of stations, including NBC and ESPN.

This exposure appears to have seen an upturn in fortunes for some of the MLS based players, who have secured lucrative moves to Europe.

Landon Donovan’s successful spell at Everton, where a short-term loan deal turned into a mutual love affair, and Stoke City's summer signing of Geoff Cameron are just two examples of players who appear to have benefited from the MLS’s enhanced reputation here in the UK. 

The financial regulations also make the MLS appealing for ordinary football fans.

David Moyes would happily embrace the MLS’s ethos of financial parity and providing every team with an equal opportunity of winning. The EPL is sprinkled with some affluent clubs flexing their mighty muscles in the transfer market, as they attempt to monopolize the race for the Premier League title.

Unpredictability always wets the appetite when watching games of football.

On the surface, everything appears to be rosy, with the decision to spend millions of dollars acquiring European based players completely vindicated.

But if you dig a little bit deeper, you’ll see that not everything is a bed of roses.

The MLS is still firmly in the shadow of the NFL and NBA, who are in no mood to allow the European sport of "Soccer" to take their spotlight.

Indeed, The Guardian points out that the EPL is still more popular in the States than the MLS. This caught my attention after a Los Angeles based friend of mine explained to me that I was more likely to see a Manchester Utd shirt rather than an LA Galaxy one.

Yes, David Beckham has helped to augment LA Galaxy’s brand, but it still badly lags behind other major football clubs.

In a country where advertisements and commercial activities are key, the EPL has scored the equivalent of a "hat-trick" with the MLS enviously looking on from the sub’s bench.

But, what about players, such as Stuart Holden. who moved from the MLS to the EPL? Surely the influx of big named foreign players trying their trade in America has helped players like Holden come onto club’s radars in Europe?

Not necessarily.

In an age where even computer game companies like Sports Interactive—who own the incredibly successful Football Manager series— employ experienced football scouts, major clubs have an extensive worldwide scouting network, meaning that if you are a talented footballer, European clubs will find you regardless of your geographical location.

I did not want to illustrate the amount of dollars being paid to each individual, but are players like Kris Boyd really worth $1.5 million a year?

The MLS’s problem in a nutshell: they pay players handsomely but receive very little reward in return.

Some would have you believe that the MLS and the Chinese Super League will one day become the two biggest brands in World Football.

In my opinion, there is more chance of Scotland winning the World Cup than the EPL and La Liga being displaced at the top of the football tree.

Read more MLS news on BleacherReport.com

Source: Click Here