MLS Review: Sounders, Timbers book play-off spots
Dejan Kalinic
October 16, 2017 02:24 MYT
October 16, 2017 02:24 MYT
Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers clinched MLS play-off spots with resounding wins on Sunday.
Reigning MLS Cup champions Seattle crushed Dallas 4-0 to climb into third place in the Western Conference.
The Timbers beat DC United 4-0 to also secure a spot from the west, while Houston Dynamo and Sporting Kansas City also clinched play-off places.
In Seattle, the Sounders took a 31st-minute lead through Victor Rodriguez, who finished clinically after being put in by Clint Dempsey.
A quick-fire brace from Will Bruin helped Seattle on their way, the forward putting away a rebound and later a side-footed finish.
Lamar Neagle headed in a Nicolas Lodeiro cross to complete the comfortable win in additional time.
Portland cruised past DC thanks to a second-half brace from Sebastian Blanco at Providence Park.
Diego Valeri scored with a penalty before Alvas Powell curled in a fine effort shortly after half-time.
Blanco made it 3-0 with a curling strike into the top corner on the hour-mark before he sealed the victory.
Sporting and Houston are also heading to the play-offs after playing out a 0-0 draw.
Western Conference leaders Vancouver Whitecaps were held to a 1-1 draw by San Jose Earthquakes, who are fighting for the sixth and final spot.
The sixth-placed Earthquakes are level on points with seventh-placed Dallas, while Real Salt Lake are a point back after going down 1-0 to Colorado Rapids.
The Eastern Conference play-off spots were already secured, with leaders Toronto edging Montreal Impact 1-0.
New York City went down to New England Revolution 2-1, while Nemanja Nikolic pulled clear atop the goalscoring charts with a hat-trick in Chicago Fire's 3-2 win over Philadelphia Union.
Elsewhere, the New York Red Bulls drew 0-0 with Atlanta United, Orlando City lost 1-0 to Columbus Crew in Kaka's final home game for the club and LA Galaxy powered past Minnesota United 3-0.
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