5 Things We Learned from MLS 1st-Round Playoff Matches
Major League Soccer opened up the 2014 playoffs this week, first with two midweek play-in matches and then with a full slate of semifinal tilts on the weekend.
The defending champions, Sporting KC, are shockingly already out, while teams like the Columbus Crew and D.C. United have already put themselves in big holes.
Read about all the action in this week's edition of "5 Things We Learned."
There Will Be a New Champion in 2014
1 of 5One certainty that will come out of the 2014 MLS playoffs is that the league will have a new champion this year.
Sporting Kansas City, which won the MLS Cup in 2013, is out.
It was an odd season for the defending champions, who this summer went on an eight-game unbeaten run that included six wins.
However, things fell apart in the stretch, as Sporting won only two of its final 10 games. That bad run-in to the playoffs saw Kansas City drop to fifth place in the Eastern Conference and forced them to have to go on the road for a one-off play-in game against New York on Thursday night.
Sporting took an early lead in the match when Dom Dwyer scored, assisted by a terrific pass from Benny Feilhaber. However, New York came back to find the equalizer and then the winner—on a play filled with defensive errors—in the 90th minute to end Sporting's season.
The Revs Demolished the Crew
2 of 5The New England Revolution finished the 2014 MLS regular season on a terrific run of form, only losing once in their final 12 games.
That form continued on Saturday afternoon on the road in their first-round playoff matchup against the Columbus Crew as the Revolution took a decisive lead in the series winning 4-2.
The Revolution attack was boosted by two goals from Charlie Davies, a fantastic free-kick strike from Chris Tierney and an amazing run and finish by Lee Nguyen—in which he took the ball inside of his own half, dribbled 60 yards through the Crew defense and scored.
The Crew now head to New England in the final leg of the series having to beat New England by three goals to advance to the Eastern Conference finals.
The Galaxy and RSL Play to a Thrilling 0-0 Draw
3 of 5American sports fans are often perplexed that soccer fans can be entertained by a game that features so few goals, but it was impossible not to enjoy the action between the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake on Saturday night.
Although the game finished 0-0, fans were treated to a fantastic display by Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, who finished with six saves.
Another bright spot of the match was the terrific bit of skill from RSL midfielder Luis Gil, who nutmegged two Galaxy defenders on the same sequence (video here).
The series now heads back to LA with the Galaxy needing a win at home to advance.
How 'Bout Them Red Bulls?
4 of 5Things weren't easy this season for the New York Red Bulls, who battled up-and-down form and were fighting for a playoff spot deep into the regular season.
However, the Red Bulls won their final regular-season game, which gave them home-field advantage in the play-in game, which they won midweek.
Then, on Sunday, facing No. 1 seed D.C. United, New York put on a show, beating the Eastern Conference champions 2-0 in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
The goals came via Bradley Wright-Phillips and Peguy Luyindula, both on beautiful assists from Thierry Henry.
The two-goal loss, as well as the lack of an away goal, puts D.C. United in a major hole heading back to Washington for the final game of the series.
The Sounders Did Their Job
5 of 5The Seattle Sounders did exactly what they needed to do on Sunday night, picking up a 1-1 draw on the road in the first leg of their Western Conference semifinal matchup with FC Dallas.
Dallas took an early lead via a penalty by Michel, but Seattle battled back to find the equalizer early in the second half on a goal by Osvaldo Alonso.
Seattle now simply needs to win at home next week to advance.
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