MLS Team of the Week: Giovinco, Piatti Power Clubs into Conference Finals
Three of the four Major League Soccer clubs that took an advantage into the second leg of the conference semi-final round on Sunday moved on to the conference final stage of the postseason.
Montreal, Toronto and Seattle all put together strong performances on the road to knock off three of the best teams from the regular season.
The Colorado Rapids were the lone home team to make it through to the next round. Since the other three top seeds were bounced on Sunday, the Rapids are currently in line to host MLS Cup on December 10 if they move past Seattle in the Western Conference final.
The standout individual from Sunday's play was Sebastian Giovinco. The Atomic Ant unleashed a hat-trick in Toronto's demolishing of New York City FC.
Continue reading to see who joined Giovinco in our best XI from the conference semi-final second legs.
GK: Tim Howard, Colorado Rapids
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Tim Howard earned his designated player pay check on Sunday, as he stopped two penalties in Colorado's win over the LA Galaxy.
The United States international, who was named the starter for Friday's CONCACAF World Cup qualifier against Mexico by Jurgen Klinsmann on Sunday, stopped shots by Ashley Cole and Jeff Larentowicz during penalties.
Both saved shots were poorly taken spot kicks by Cole and Larentowicz, but Howard deserves some credit for guessing right on both occasions.
The victory put Colorado on the inside track to host MLS Cup, which would be an astonishing feat if it's achieved given the club's turnaround from last year's disaster.
RB: Atiba Harris, FC Dallas
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When your full-backs are two of your best attacking players, you aren't going to last long in the postseason.
FC Dallas right-back Atiba Harris dished out a pair of assists in the club's 2-1 second-leg win over the Seattle Sounders that wasn't enough to bring them back on aggregate.
Harris and left-back Maynor Figueroa were two of the top contributors to the FC Dallas attack that only produced four shots on target in a win-or-go home match.
Although they came short of the treble, FC Dallas still have plenty to be proud of this season since they captured the U.S. Open Cup and Supporters' Shield.
CB: Axel Sjoberg, Colorado Rapids
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Axel Sjoberg and the Rapids defense played a near perfect 120 minutes at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.
The towering Swede and his teammates limited the Galaxy attack to one shot on goal during regulation and extra time. The lone attempt on target came from substitute Robbie Keane.
The 1-0 result after 120 minutes was the ninth of its type recorded by the Rapids this season. Expect the Rapids to play a Sounders team with similar weapons to the Galaxy the same way over the two legs of the Western Conference final.
CB: Eriq Zavaleta, Toronto FC
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Every aspect of Toronto's game plan over two legs was executed perfectly.
While the Giovinco-led attack will receive most of the headlines, the Toronto defense deserves their share of credit for shutting down the NYCFC attack for 180 minutes.
In addition to securing a clean sheet in the second leg, center-back Eriq Zavaleta dished out an assist in the first half.
Zavaleta played a long ball in the direction of Jozy Altidore to set up the American's finish in the 30th minute.
LB: Ambroise Oyongo, Montreal Impact
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The Red Bulls attack failed to get going on the right wing due to the defensive efforts of Ambroise Oyongo.
The former Red Bulls player shut down Alex Muyl in their head-to-head battle for the first 53 minutes of the match at Red Bull Arena before Muyl was lifted from the match.
Oyongo continued to shine as the Red Bulls added more attackers to the fray in order to produce some semblance of a comeback.
The Cameroonian will face a tougher task in the Eastern Conference final against a Toronto FC attack that is firing on all cylinders.
MID: Michael Bradley, Toronto FC
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Michael Bradley terrorized the New York City FC midfield for the second straight week in Toronto FC's 5-0 thumping at Yankee Stadium.
The United States international was all over the narrow pitch at Yankee Stadium, and he stopped the powerful midfield led by Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo from starting anything moving forward.
Sunday's performance was exactly what fans of the USMNT wanted to see as well with matches against Mexico and Costa Rica coming up in the next eight days.
Bradley should be a lock to start in defensive midfield against the USMNT's two biggest continental rivals.
MID: Shkelzen Gashi, Colorado Rapids
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Shkelzen Gashi only played the first 45 minutes of Colorado's win due to an injury, but he delivered the most important strike of the series before he left the pitch.
The Albanian produced the best goal of the postseason to date, as he struck the back of the net from 35 yards.
Gashi found himself in plenty of space in the middle of the pitch and decided to have a go at goal. The strike leveled the series on aggregate and allowed Colorado a chance to fight for their play-off lives in extra time and penalties.
MID: Dominic Oduro, Montreal Impact
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Dominic Oduro was superb in his supporting role behind Ignacio Piatti at Red Bull Arena on Sunday.
The speedy winger produced an assist on both of Piatti's second-half strikes that finished off the New York Red Bulls.
Oduro displayed his pace in the buildup to Piatti's second as he opened up the Red Bulls defense on the counter before finding Didier Drogba who then passed the ball over to a surging Piatti on the right side of the box.
The assists were the first two in play-off action for Oduro, who has appeared in 11 postseason matches for four different clubs.
MID: Nicolas Lodeiro, Seattle Sounders
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With FC Dallas teetering on the brink of elimination, Nicolas Lodeiro delivered the final blow that knocked the Supporters' Shield winners out of the postseason.
The midseason signing scored in the 54th minute at Toyota Stadium to set up Seattle's dates with Colorado in the Western Conference final.
The Sounders scored thanks to a defensive error by Walker Zimmerman on the left wing. The FC Dallas center-back lost the ball to Tyrone Mears, who fed Lodeiro to set up the strike.
The Western Conference final could be more frustrating for Lodeiro and his attacking teammates against a stout Colorado defense that doesn't concede often.
FW: Sebastian Giovinco, Toronto FC
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Giovinco left us speechless again with his performance in front of the net.
The Atomic Ant delivered a fantastic hat-trick in Toronto's statement win over NYCFC at Yankee Stadium.
Giovinco took advantage of poor positioning by NYCFC goalkeeper Eirik Johansen to score the first goal of Sunday's third match. His second came from the spot in the 20th minute.
The Italian finished off the fourth hat-trick in MLS playoff history in the 91st minute, as he bounced a well-placed shot into the left side of the net.
FW: Ignacio Piatti, Montreal Impact
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Ignacio Piatti powered the Impact into the all-Canadian Eastern Conference final with a brace in their 2-1 second-leg victory over the New York Red Bulls.
Piatti delivered the final punch of the series in the 51st minute, as he cut to the left and fired a shot into the roof of the net from the left side of the box.
The Argentinian, who was snubbed of a spot on the Most Valuable Player shortlist, secured the second-leg victory in the 85th minute after some nice work by Oduro and Drogba.
Piatti has contributed four goals and two assists in six career postseason games for Montreal.
