Crew reach MLS Cup with 2-1 aggregate win over Red Bulls

It built from the back with Wil Trapp and Tony Tchani, linked to Federico Higuain in the midfield and shifted to the outside channels through wing backs Harrison Afful and Waylon Francis.

The fans remaining erupted.

That Meram goal nine seconds into this series is where the Red Bulls’ season began its end, not anything that took place on the pitch Sunday night.

Lloyd Sam also had a chance to bend a shot far post in the 72nd, cutting in from the left side of the box onto his right foot with a clear shooting lane, but his shot was also well off target. But Crew SC head coach Greg Berhalter concocted a game plan that successfully stifled New York’s ability to get forward, making a frustrating day at the office.

Seconds later, referee Baldomero Toledo whistled twice to signify the end of the match at Red Bull Arena and the Columbus Crew had booked their ticket to host MLS Cup against the Portland Timbers next Sunday after winning the aggregate goals series, 2-1.

FC Dallas and the Portland Timbers will be playing at Toyota Stadium in Frisco and the match will be on at 5 pm ET with TV coverage from ESPN and WatchESPN. The high powered Red Bulls, a goal in stoppage time of the second game. Oscar Pereja’s men enjoyed over 55 percent of the possession, but couldn’t turn it into clear-cut chances as they forced Adam Kwarasey into just one save.

In an interview on Saturday, head coach Jesse Marsch said, “Everybody’s writing us off, which I think motivates this group a lot. They had chances. But we fight, we work and we got this win”.

After a foul by the Timbers’ Diego Chara – a blow to the head of Dallas’ main gun, Fabian Castillo – Dallas got a free kick and converted to pull within one goal in the aggregate count. They earned the top seed in the Eastern Conference, and defeated rival D.C. United in the semifinals to advance.

The Columbus Crew once again opened up with their set play right off kickoff, hoping to catch NY off guard, but the result was quite different with Miazga ready to disrupt the march. “Especially in this game, they sat back pretty deep”.

The Crew shifted toward a containment game in the second half. It took some stellar goalkeeping from Luis Robles, who last week was named the MLS Goalkeeper of the Year, to keep the score tied going into halftime. The Crew finished with five shots on goal, including three from Kamara. Crew SC may have had 38% of the first half poession, but they led in shot totals six to two. Like the first leg, this could be one of the best matches of the season.

The regular season was an up-and-down rollercoaster for the Timbers, who suffered four-game winless stretches three times in a very competitive Western Conference.

“In every way this has been a magical season and you know it was an inch, 2 inches, I don’t know”, Marsch said.

That early strike – unsurprisingly the fastest in play-off history – rocked the Red Bulls.