The MLS playoffs started this evening with Colorado hosting Columbus.
During the first half Columbus looked rather out of sorts, did not do a good job keeping their shape and the distribution of the final ball is poor. On the other side Colorado was playing some very, very nice football, have a nice passing game going on and are using that to really stretch Columbus down the sides. I think Colorado considered themselves unlucky to been only 1-0 up at half time.
Columbus seemed to work out what was the problem was and did a far better job in the second half. Colorado were limited to one or two chances, while Columbus were the more creative side and brought a couple of really good saves from goalkeeper Matt Pickens late in the game.
Colorado lead the series 1-0, it’s not much of a lead to take to Crew Stadium next week. It’s a very open series and Columbus is very much in it.
Perhaps most notable was the mostly empty stadium. I get that I’m spoilt in Seattle with the game day atmosphere and 31 sold out league games in a row.
Having said that I’ve been in Qwest with fewer than 3,000 when the Sounders were in the USL. Just a couple of years later I was sitting in the same stadium with almost 67,000 and watching Barcelona walk out onto the field. It’s quite incredible what we have in Seattle.
When a club that’s been playing some decent football during the regular season had maybe 10,000 for a home playoff game that’s not a good sign for the side or the league.
OK, I got a couple of questions about the format of the playoffs. In the quarterfinal round, teams play a two-game home-and-away series. The team with the most goals over the two games advances to the next round. Should the teams be tied at the end of the second game a 30-minute extra time will be played and if it’s still level then it goes to penalties.
The semifinal games are a single game hosted by the higher seed. If it’s level after 90 minutes then it’s another 30-minute overtime followed by penalties if required.
The winners of the semi finals meet in the final in Toronto on November 21st.
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