The MLS Cup Playoffs continued with a trio of quality games Saturday evening, including Inter Miami’s showdown with Atlanta at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
Here is what went down.
Scorers: Rosales 53′ ; Eneli 75′
Minnesota United knocked out Real Salt Lake after a penalty shootout in the second game in the Western Conference matchup.
Minnesota were rampant from the first whistle, and perhaps should have blown RSL out of the water before the half-time whistle, but the home side were wasteful in front of goal.
They appeared to be punished for their lack of ruthlessness when the visitors put the ball in the back of the net from distance, but the goal was chalked off for a player in an offside position obscuring the view of the goalkeeper.
But the two sides traded goals in the second-half, despite Minnesota’s early control, and after some late heroic defending by RSL, the match went to penalties.
After Dayne St. Clair made an impressive save on Diogo Gonçalves in the shootout and Matt Crooks blazed his shot high, the Loons hung on to wrap up the series to send Real Salt Lake crashing out.
Scorers: Williams 58′, Silva 90+5′ ; Martínez 40′
Atlanta United have stunned Inter Miami thanks to a stoppage time rocket to force a third game in the series.
The Five Stripes made a great start in the opening half-hour in front of a raucous crowd of over 68,000. Yet their bright start was undone in disastrous fashion when Brad Guzan somehow gave the ball away when trying to kick it long, allowing Inter Miami to score in an empty goal.
The Five Stripes did not drop their heads however, coming out after the break with a bit more energy, and they eventually found the equalizer thanks to a superb Derrick Williams header just before the hour-mark.
Miami switched gears after getting pulled back however, creating a flurry of chances that needed some frankly heroic defending in front of Brad Guzan.
Despite that, the best chance to win it and avoid penalties fell to Saba Lobzhanidze, but the Atlanta man rang his shot off of the crossbar in the dying minutes.
Just as the game appeared to fizzle out, Atlanta cut through the wide open Miami defense and Xande Silva fired a rocket into the top corner to deliver a late win for the hosts.
The series will now head back to Miami for a third and final game in the series — the winner will move on.
Scorers: Martínez 22′, Martins 40′, Rodríguez 90+7′ (P) ; Orellano 65′
NYCFC forced a decisive third match with a huge win against FC Cincinnati at Citi Field Saturday evening.
Cincinnati looked back to their brilliant and solid best in the first match between the two Eastern Conference foes, but they were under the cosh early on in Queens, and found themselves 2-0 down at the break after a lovely team goal capped off by Alonso Martínez, and a headed effort by Thiago Martins.
While NYCFC poured forward to find a third and game-killing goal, Cincinnati pulled one back through a frankly stunning Luca Orellano strike, who nutmegged an NYCFC defender before finding the top-corner.
The visitors did create a bundle of late chances to pull level but some heroic goalkeeping by Matt Freese, and a late Santiago Rodríguez penalty ensured the Pigeons held on to send the series back to Cincinnati.
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