MLS opted for a format never seen before in top-level professional soccer, since in the first round of the Playoffs it opted for a best of three series, leaving behind the customary round-robin.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This weekend the qualified teams for the quarterfinals were defined and the big blow came from Sporting Kansas City, which eliminated St. Louis City, one of the main candidates, with some ease.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Kansas took care of the Western Conference leaders and will now face Houston Dynamo, who defeated Real Salt Lake in a thrilling play-off. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Cincinnati, who did not accept any surprises, won the first two games against the New York Red Bulls, and will now face Philadelphia Union, who overcame the New England Revolution. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Orlando City took care of Nashville, winning the first two games 1-0. They will now face Columbus Crew, who took out Atlanta United. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Finally, Seattle Sounders defeated FC Dallas, and Los Angeles FC eliminated Vancouver, so they will face each other in the next stage.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Houston Dynamo (4-3) 1-1 Real Salt Lake <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Seattle Sounders 1-0 FC Dallas <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n New England Revolution 0-1 Philadelphia Union <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nashville 0-1 Orlando City <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Vancouver Whitecaps 0-1 Los Angeles FC <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sporting Kansas City 2-1 St. Louis City <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n New York Red Bulls 1-2 Cincinnati <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Columbus Crew 4-2 Atlanta United <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Moneyline odds: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n St. Louis +330 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sporting KC -138 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Draw +320\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Where can I watch it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n MLS Season Pass on Apple TV<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Unexpected was what happened in the series between St. Louis City and Sporting Kansas City, as the Western Conference leaders were outplayed in both games. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The first match, in St. Louis, ended in a 4-1 victory for Kansas, with goals from Logan Ndenbe, Remi Walter, Gadi Kinda, and Daniel Salloi. The second matchup went to Sporting 2-1, thanks to goals from Ndenbe and Salloi. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n In the regular season, St. Louis City scored 56 points, and Kansas City finished with 44, a 12-point difference between the two sides, but this was to no avail in the series. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Missouri team was playing its first season and was in a Cinderella story. However, it did not finish as expected but it was a great debut. St. Louis City lost their last 4 games and in those matches none of their goal scorers like Joao Klauss (10), Nicholas Gioacchini (10), and Samuel Adeniran (8) were able to score.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moneyline odds: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Orlando City +270 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nashville -102 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Draw +250\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Where can I watch it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n MLS Season Pass on Apple TV<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Orlando City is a serious team that has been going far in the MLS title race for several seasons now. In the first round, they had no problem in taking out Nashville. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Peruvian Wilder Cartagena scored the goal to win the first match 1-0, while the second game had the same result, but this time the hero was Colombian Ivan Angulo. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Orlando showed why it finished second in the East, only behind FC Cincinnati’s 69 points. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, Nashville dropped a lot at the end of the regular season, partly because its star player, Hany Mukhtar, was not up to the task and had a negative peak in his performance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Moneyline odds: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Cincinnati +265 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n NY Red Bulls -102 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Draw +270\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Where can I watch it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n MLS Season Pass on Apple TV<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n The great favorite to be MLS champion is FC Cincinnati, which was the team that scored the most points in the regular season and had no problems eliminating the New York Red Bulls, which got to this stage as eighth in the first round. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The ‘Orange and Blue’ were a steamroller in the first duel and won 3-0, with a brace from Argentine striker \u00c1lvaro Barreal and one more conversion from Luciano Acosta, who is having a tremendous season with 18 goals and 12 assists, fighting for MVP. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The second duel, in the ‘Big Apple’, ended 1-1 but in penalties the favorite triumphed by 8-7, after Andres Reyes missed his spot kick. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Moneyline odds: <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Columbus +186 <\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Atlanta United +117 <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Draw +300\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Where can I watch it?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\nMLS Best of Three Series: Louis City vs. Sporting KC <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Result: St Louis City 0-2 Sporting KC<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
MLS Best of Three Series: Orlando City vs. Nashville <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Result: Orlando City 2-0 Nashville<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
MLS Best of Three Series: Cincinnati vs. NY Red Bulls <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Result: FC Cincinnati 2-0 NY Red Bulls<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
MLS Best of Three Series: Columbus Crew vs. Atlanta United <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n