MLS Cup Playoffs semifinals
Seattle Sounders and Portland Timbers played a very close conference semifinals tie in a Northwestern clash. This was probably one of the most entertaining game of the season with a dramatic finish.
The Timbers had a 2-1 edge of their rivals following the first leg. After a timid first half ending scoreless, the second half saw the home team taking advantage by Ruidiaz and virtually qualified [1-0]. But the Timbers will come back and find the equalizer to restore their lead [1-1].
Extra-time goal
At the last moment of the regular time, Ruidiaz again scored his second goal and gave the Sounders the miraculous 2-1 lead. We were in a perfect tie and rivals will play overtime to determine the winner. One more goal on each would be scored (no away-goal advantage on overtime) and the match would end at 3-2 for the Sounders. Only the penalty shootouts would separate the two teams and Timbers with Asprilla converted his last pk to send the Timbers back to the MLS Cup semifinals.
Timbers coach Savarese on advancing to the conference finals:
“More than what I’m feeling is how exciting the game was for everybody that came to watch. I felt it didn’t disappoint. Seattle and Portland brought the rivalry to this match and it was incredible.
There were moments when they scored that it looked like it was going to be difficult for us. It went back and forth, back and forth, all the way to PK’s. I think it delivered a very good match.
We believed in ourselves. We believed we could achieve great things together. The guys fought the entire match against a very good team. A team that wanted to give us everything they had today and I am just very proud of the performance of our team.”
Sounders coach Schmetzer on a sad night:
“I’m actually at a loss for words because [the players] put everything into the game. You can’t fault them for effort, you can’t fault them for tactics, you can’t fault them for sticking together. They never quit.
So you just thank them for the effort, for all the work they put in over a long season. We just try and get them to individually take away all the good things they did during the season and try and build on that for next season.”
