WASHINGTON, DC (Nov 10, 2008) USSoccerPlayers -- The Houston Dynamo already knew going into the second leg of their first-round series with Red Bull NY that they wouldn't be setting up for another Houston - New England final. With the Revolution bowing out to Chicago on Thursday, Houston is also out after a shock win from RBNY.
Chivas USA 2 - Salt Lake 2 (RSL advances 3-2 on aggregate)
Rio Tinto will get another playoff game as Chivas USA couldn't get a win to force overtime in their series with Real Salt Lake. Chivas USA took a 30th minute lead when Sacha Kljestan converted a penalty, but Dema Kovalenko got that goal back nine minutes later. Javier Morales put RSL up 2-1 in the 77th, with Chivas USA getting the 83rd minute equalizer from Justin Braun.
"We fought together," RSL keeper Nick Rimando said. "We knew there were going to be times where they were going to put a lot of pressure on us, and we knew there were going to be times when we're going to keep possession. We had to pick our times to get forward and defend. When they threw five forwards up there, it was pretty difficult at the beginning, and they kept the ball and they kept on throwing stuff in there. But we fought, I think that was the main thing. We fought and we hustled, and if one guy wasn't marking up, the next guy was, and filling in, and that's what it took today."
A total of seven yellow cards were shown, with both teams managing to keep eleven men on the field for the duration.
"The second goal was absolutely soft, softest goal ever, but you know, I give my guys credit," Chivas USA coach Preki said. "They never put their heads down, they kept going, they got a goal and I thought we were a little bit unlucky not to get a goal in the last couple minutes. But overall, we wish Salt Lake a lot of luck. They created a few more goal opportunities than us, and they're going forward, so good luck to them."
Real Salt Lake now finds themselves the higher seed for the one-game Western Conference finals.
"The plan that I laid out, I really didn't think that we'd even be able to make the playoffs," RSL coach Jason Kreis said. "I knew that we had a lot of good players, and I knew that we could coach them into being a team that would compete, be very, very competitive. We'd win our share of games but we'd never be consistent enough to probably make the playoffs this season. I thought that was definitely a next-season thing. But they've just improved more than I ever thought, and so obviously now, as I said when we came into the playoffs, we're not just happy to be here, we think we can win the whole thing."
Columbus 2 - Kansas City 0
Though Columbus were the ones picking up four yellow cards, they were also the team that returned to what worked during the regular season. The Crew got a 7th minute goal from Brad Evans and a second in the 58th from Robbie Rogers to get by the Wizards. Columbus ended up scoring from two of their three shots on goal. The Wizards had two shots on goal from six total.
"It always helps when you score early," Columbus coach Sigi Schmid said. "It makes it a little easier. People say the worst lead in soccer is 2-0, but I would rather be ahead 2-0 then be behind 2-0. From that standpoint, it was good and we've also been a tough team when we jump onto the lead. That is something we talked about before this game."
Columbus will host Chicago this Thursday for the Eastern Conference championship.
Houston 0 - New York 3
Add another entry to the list of playoff upsets, because Red Bull NY is riding a replacement keeper to the Western Conference finals. Danny Cepero gets the shutout, making five saves.
"I came in with about the same amount of confidence I've had in the last three games," Cepero said. "Coach and the players have been nothing but supportive of me, they've given me the utmost confidence and said they trust me back there. That's a huge building block for a young goalkeeper such as myself. In the game, with each save you get more and more confident. There were a couple of shaky moments in the beginning, but once you get over that hump, so to speak, it all falls into place."
Dane Richards opened the scoring in the 25th minute, with Juan Pablo Angel following in the 36th. John Wolyniec made it 3-0 in the 81st. The result means a new MLS Cup match-up and with it a new champion. Not what many were predicting at the start of the season or the start of the playoffs.
"I feel sick to my stomach," said Houston coach Dominic Kinnear. "I think it's the most lopsided 3-0 loss I've ever seen in my life. You have to score to win games, and that was very evident today. ... Sometimes you make your own luck. They made a lot of luck, but we didn't."
Houston put up a high shot total and caught the frame, adding to the frustration.
"We're a club with high expectations, always have been," Dynamo forward Brian Ching said. "Regardless of what we did in the regular season, it's a disappointment. We got close in SuperLiga, positioned ourselves well here, and lost. We're not going to hang our heads about this season. We've got another game on the 26th, so hopefully we can bounce back and take our frustrations out in that game."
That would be the CONCACAF Champions League, where Houston will need a result to advance to the knockout stage.
