After four very close first leg matches, it’s still anyone’s guess who will emerge from the 2015 MLS Cup conference semifinals. The Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps remain deadlocked, while the New York Red Bulls, Montreal Impact and Seattle Sounders FC will all have a one-goal advantage to defend heading into their second legs on Sunday, November 8.
Let’s take a look at all four games and see who moves on to the conference finals at the end of the day. And for more top Sunday sports action, check out our preview of the AAA Texas 500 here.
[sc:Soccer ]2015 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals Preview – Second Leg
New York Red Bulls vs. DC United (3:00 PM ET)
Line: New York Red Bulls -256 vs. DC United +510, tie +340; total 3.0 – view all soccer lines
[sc:Soccer240banner ]The Red Bulls have captain and midfield destroyer Dax McCarty to thank for the 1-0 lead they will be protecting against DC United in the second leg. The Red Bulls completely stifled the United attack by claiming 58 percent of possession on the road and preventing the home side from even getting a shot on target.
The Red Bulls are now very much in the driver’s seat to reach the conference finals. New York owned the best home record in the Eastern Conference this season – 12-3-2 – with 35 goals scored and 18 conceded.
Bradley Wright-Phillips, the Red Bulls’ star striker, has scored 13 of his team-high 17 goals this season at Red Bull Arena. He has also scored four goals in New York’s last three home games against DC United, while teammate Lloyd Sam has scored in four of the last five.
Those two have been mainly responsible for the Red Bulls’ five-game home winning streak against United, who face an uphill battle in the second leg. Not only did DCU score just nine road goals all season – easily the fewest in the league – they have failed to score in any of their last four trips to New Jersey.
Writer’s Prediction: The Red Bulls cruise to the conference final with a 3-0 win.
Columbus Crew vs. Montreal Impact (5:00 PM ET)
Line: Columbus Crew -109 vs. Montreal Impact +225, tie +255; total 3.0 – view all soccer lines
The Columbus Crew put the clamps on free-scoring Didier Drogba, but the Montreal Impact still found a way to win 2-1 at home. The series is far from over, though. If any team in the MLS has the firepower to overturn that slight deficit, it’s the Crew. Columbus scored a league-high 38 goals at home.
The Impact conceded 27 goals and had a -11 goal difference on the road during the regular season. However, it did do a very good job keeping the Crew’s MVP candidate, Kei Kamara, quiet. Defensive midfielder Marco Donadel was the key contributor in the Impact’s resolute defending, and will be crucial in the Impact’s ability to protect their narrow one-goal lead in enemy territory.
The Crew have won five of their six home games all-time against the Impact, although Montreal finally earned its first win in Columbus earlier this year.
Writer’s Prediction: The Crew come from behind to win 2-0 at home.
FC Dallas vs. Seattle Sounders FC (7:30 PM ET)
Line: FC Dallas -117 vs. Seattle Sounders FC +250, tie +250; total 2.5 – view all soccer lines
The Seattle Sounders made homefield advantage count by claiming a 2-1 win over the West’s No. 1 seed, FC Dallas. Club captain Clint Dempsey came up big as his 86th minute free kick sealed the come-from-behind win for Seattle.
FC Dallas is still very much in this series, though, especially as it returns to the fortress that is the Toyota Stadium. The Toros went 13-2-2 on their home soil, the MLS’s best home record during the regular season, with 33 goals scored and just 15 conceded.
Dallas has not lost to Seattle in their last three meetings at home, although the last two have resulted in draws, which won’t be of much help to the Toros.
Writer’s Prediction: FC Dallas advances with a 3-1 home win.
Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Portland Timbers (10:00 PM ET)
Line: Vancouver Whitecaps +102 vs. Portland Timbers +225, tie +225; total 2.5 – view all soccer lines
The matchup between the owners of the best home defense (Portland) and the best road defense (Vancouver) in the league ended rather predictably at a 0-0 tie. You’d think that result would favor Vancouver as it goes back home for the second leg, but don’t be too sure. The Caps lost six games at home during the regular season, the most out of all playoff teams.
On the flipside, the Timbers have been one of the more in-form road teams in the league. Since the start of August, Portland has gone 4-1-1 in its last six road games, including a huge 5-2 win against a notoriously great home team in the Los Angeles Galaxy.
Moreover, Portland has historically had a lot of success up north, going undefeated in five of their last six trips to Vancouver (three wins, two draws). The one loss the Timbers suffered, though, came earlier this year.
Writer’s Prediction: The Timbers get the big 1-0 road win.
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