The first round of the MLS playoffs will conclude this weekend. The Seattle Sounders, Los Angeles Galaxy, Toronto FC and the Montreal Impact have the advantage on their respective ties. But that doesn’t mean the series are over. The New York City FC and the New York Red Bulls are talented enough to mount a comeback. The FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids were the class of the Western Conference during the regular season..
Considering what happened in the first leg of the Divisional Round, here we present you a quick analysis on whether which team has the best chance to mount a comeback.
New York City FC: Patrick Vieira’s team struggled in the first leg against Toronto FC and fell 0-2, but they will have the chance to turn things around at Yankee Stadium. NYCFC went 8-3-6 at home, but TFC went 6-6-5 on the road so they are talented enough to be a threat. If we add the fact that Andrea Pirlo is not likely to play, this is certainly going to be a tall task for New York. They will need to have one of their best performances in the year if they want to leave Toronto behind.
New York Red Bulls: The Red Bulls have a lot of things going for them in this second leg. They only lost 1-0 to the Montreal Impact, so they only need to win to advance. And we’re talking about a team that went 13-2-2 at home, while Montreal went 4-6-7 on the road. Throw in the fact that NYRB has the league’s top scorer (Bradley Wright-Phillips) and the leader in assists (Sacha Kljestan), and they suddenly have a lot of things on their side. Honestly, they shouldn’t have problems to advance even if the lost in the first leg.
FC Dallas: There’s no question Oscar Pareja’s team has the toughest challenge if they want to advance. Unfortunately they lost 0-3 in the first leg against the Seattle Sounders. But they’ll also have to turn things around without Mauro Diaz (injured). Dallas is a talented team and there’s no question they deserved the Supporters’ Shield title. But do they have enough left in the tank for one final push?
Colorado Rapids: The Rapids are on a similar situation to the Red Bulls after losing the first leg 0-1 on the road. As a result, Colorado will have the chance to turn things around at home. Let’s not forget they went undefeated on their own field all season long. Sure, Los Angeles Galaxy are a tough team and they have a talented roster. But Colorado’s power at home can’t be underestimated. Will LA prevail, or will Colorado respect their home field advantage?
And you? Which teams do you think will advance to the next round of the MLS Cup playoffs?