New York City are through to the final four in the MLS playoffs for the second season in a row after a convincing 3-1 victory away from home against Montreal on Sunday.
City – the reigning champions after defeating the Portland Timbers in the 2021 MLS Cup – moved one step closer to going back-to-back when a smart cutback from Gabriel Pereira presented Maximiliano Moralez with an open goal in the sixth minute.
Their lead was doubled in first-half stoppage-time as Santiago Rodriguez picked out a beautiful ball through to Heber in behind the Montreal defence, and he tucked it away stylishly with his first-time strike from just outside the six-yard box.
Talles Magno was brought off the City bench in the 58th minute, and he assumed penalty responsibilities just three minutes later, finishing calmly into the bottom-left corner to make it 3-0.
Montreal were able to salvage a consolation goal through Djordje Mihailovic in the 85th minute, but that would be all they could muster as New York booked their place in the Eastern Conference Final against the Philadelphia Union – the east's top seed.
Later on Sunday night, two first-half goals in quick succession was enough for Austin to eliminate Dallas 2-1.
Austin jumped ahead in the 26th minute when a corner bounced its way through a crowd and found Moussa Djite at the back post, and just three minutes later they led 2-0 after Sebastian Driussi capitalised on a midfield turnover and finished well on the counter.
A slick team move resulted in Dallas pulling one goal back through Alan Valasco in the 65th minute, but they were unable to find an equaliser.
Austin will play the Western Conference's top seed, LAFC, in the Western Conference Final on Sunday.
Philadelphia Union v Toronto FC: Reds keep growing under Herdman
Toronto FC head coach John Herdman admits his team still have some growing to do as they travel to Philadelphia Union on Wednesday.
Despite losing three of their last four MLS games – winning the other 5-1 at home to CF Montreal – Toronto sit sixth in the Eastern Conference on 22 points with a very balanced record.
They have won seven and lost seven of their league games, drawing the other one, and have both scored and conceded 24 goals.
After conceding late in their 4-3 loss to Cincinnati, Herdman says his team need to put more work into their defensive side of the game.
"It's that level of concentration, that level of discipline that championship teams are able to bring to games," Herdman said.
"Knowing your job and delivering your job in high-pressure moments where you stay concentrated for long periods of time, that was the message [this week].
"I think collectively as a group they recognized it. And they welcomed it. They know we're growing. They know we’re on a bit of a journey."
Philadelphia are four points off a final series place in eighth with 18 points and are unbeaten in their last two matches after failing to win any of the previous six.
Asked about the test his side will face against Toronto, the Union head coach Jim Curtin said they are a "much-improved team.
"Really well organized, really well coached. A dangerous team."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Philadelphia Union – Daniel Gazdag
Gazdag has been involved in eight goals (four goals, four assists) in three home matches against Toronto FC, recording multiple goal contributions in each match.
Toronto FC – Lorenzo Insigne
After recording two assists against Montreal last week, Insigne had a goal and an assist on Saturday, the second player, along with Federico Bernardeschi, to contribute to multiple goals in consecutive matches for Toronto this season.
MATCH PREDICTION: PHILADELPHIA UNION WIN
The Union have won each of their last four home matches against Toronto by a combined score of 16-2. Philadelphia had won just four of their first 11 home matches against the Reds (D3 L4).
However, the Union have lost four consecutive home matches for the first time in club history. Philadelphia had suffered three defeats in their previous 59 matches at Subaru Park before this run.
Meanwhile, Toronto nearly drew with FC Cincinnati on Saturday, losing 4-3 to a goal in the third minute of stoppage time. Toronto have drawn only one of their last 36 matches in all competitions dating back to last June (W11 L24).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
Philadelphia Union – 67.7%
Draw – 18.9%
Toronto FC – 13.4%
CF Montreal v D.C. United: Courtois pleased to 'stop the bleeding'
Laurent Courtois was pleased to see CF Montreal "stop the bleeding" with Saturday's goalless draw against Nashville SC, but he knows more is needed when they host D.C. United on Wednesday.
Montreal are winless in their last nine matches across all competitions (four draws, five losses) and sit 13th of 15 teams in the Eastern Conference.
They did at least snap a four-game losing streak with that stalemate, and Courtois wants them to use that result as a platform.
"I heard a couple of guys talking about 'stopping the bleeding' and I hate it, but it's the reality of the moment," said Courtois.
"We're happy in the sense that we were able to get back to our standards of commitment and competitiveness, but we know that we need more at home, so we have to get back to work."
D.C. were also held to a draw last time out as their own winless run stretched to three matches, being pegged back in a 1-1 home tie with the Chicago Fire.
Coach Troy Lesesne was less than pleased with his team's performance in that match, saying: "In the end, we were fortunate to get a point out of that, and that's not good enough.
"Maybe there wasn't enough service. I think it was to do with how we went out.
"In the first half you could see our identity by the way we went out, but you could not see that in the second half."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
CF Montreal – Josef Martinez
Martinez has scored eight regular-season goals against D.C. United, equalling the most he has scored against any opponent in his MLS career (also eight versus the New England Revolution and Orlando City).
D.C. United – Christian Benteke
D.C. have won 347 aerial duels this season, over 100 more than any other MLS team and almost three times as many as Montreal.
Montreal have won 122 aerial duels this year, the second-fewest in MLS and 42 fewer than Benteke alone (164).
MATCH PREDICTION – CF MONTREAL WIN
D.C. have won two straight matches against Montreal in all competitions, but the only three-game winning streak achieved by either team against the other came in 2016-17 (three victories for Montreal).
Montreal's nine-match winless run is their joint-longest across all competitions since they joined MLS in 2012 (also nine in 2013-14).
However, D.C. have failed to win any of their last three matches (one draw, two losses) and have only won one of their last 13 on the road (seven draws, five defeats).
OPTA WIN PROBABILITY
CF Montreal – 46.9%
D.C. United – 25.7%
Draw – 27.4%
Mitrovic clinches last-gasp success for Saudi Pro League champions Al-Hilal
Aleksandar Mitrovic produced a last-gasp winner for Al-Hilal as the Saudi Pro League champions signed off with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Al-Wedha on Monday.
Jorge Jesus' side finished the league campaign unbeaten across the 34-game season, though needed late heroics from top scorer Mitrovic to snatch all three points.
Mohamed Kanno opened the scoring for the visiting champions in the first half but Yahya Naji's second-half leveller pegged Al-Hilal back at King Abdulaziz Sports City Stadium.
Yet Mitrovic provided the decisive moment in the 92nd minute, converting a Mohammed Al Burayk assist for his 28th league goal of the season.
The Serbia international ranks only behind Cristiano Ronaldo in this campaign's scoring charts, after the Al-Nassr forward claimed a piece of Saudi League history in a 4-2 victory over Al-Ittihad.
Ronaldo moved past Abderrazak Hamdallah's 34-goal tally – in the 2018-19 season – after his deadly double took him to 35 strikes and broke the single-season scoring record in the competition.
Victory for Al-Nassr means they finish second behind the impressive Al-Hilal, while Al-Ahli had already secured third in the standings before their 1-0 victory over Al-Fayha.
Roberto Firmino scored the only goal of the game in that narrow triumph, finding the net after 85 minutes at Prince Abdullah al-Faisal Stadium.
At the other end of the table, Abha Club – who had Marcel Tisserand sent off late on – suffered heartbreak on the final day after losing 2-1 to bottom-placed Al-Hazem to seal their relegation.
Ahmed Abdu opened the scoring to boost Abha's survival hopes but second-half goals from Muhammed Badamosi and Mohammed Al Thani proved their undoing.
Al-Akhoud beat the drop after overcoming Al-Tai, who went down with Abha and Al-Hazem, 2-0 thanks to goals from Saviour Godwin and Leandre Tawamba at Prince Abdul Aziz bin Musa'ed Stadium.
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