Football
ESPN staff 7y

Montreal holds off Toronto FC rally, Seattle battles back to beat Colorado

The Montreal Impact held on for a 3-2 win against Toronto FC in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference final first leg at Olympic Stadium in Montreal.

Dominic Oduro struck first for Montreal, latching onto a Patrice Bernier pass following a Toronto turnover, striding into the penalty area and slotting a clinical finish past TFC goalkeeper Clint Irwin.

Minutes later, Oduro would help start the move that doubled the Impact's lead. The Ghanaian volleyed over the Toronto defense to an onrushing Ignacio Piatti, whose perfectly placed cross was buried into the back of the net by Matteo Mancosu.

Toronto talisman Sebastian Giovinco nearly cut into the hosts' lead with a fine individual effort to get in behind the Montreal defense, but the Italian's curled effort from 12 yards out bent wide of Evan Bush's goal.

Montreal added to its lead early in the second half, when Ambroise Oyongo turned Toronto over at midfield, dribbled all the way to the visitor's 18-yard box and struck a low, line drive past a diving Irwin for a 3-0 lead.

Desperately seeking an away goal as a lifeline, Jozy Altidore delivered for Toronto in the 68th minute. Following a goalmouth scramble, Giovinco curled a delicate cross to the U.S. international who powered a header past Bush to cut the lead to 3-1.

Mauro Biello went to his bench following Toronto's first, bringing on super-sub Didier Drogba to help see out the game, but things had already turned Toronto's way.

A nice sequence from the Reds in the 73rd minute set up Michael Bradley from 12 yards out and he side-footed a first-time shot into the back of the net to make it 3-2 and give Toronto a crucial second away goal.

The match started slightly over 40 minutes late after officials realized the penalty area lines had been drawn at the wrong dimensions and were forced to repaint them ahead of kick off.

The two teams will meet again on Sunday, Nov. 27, in Toronto for the second leg at BMO Field.

The Seattle Sounders put together a two-goal rally to earn a 2-1 win over the Colorado Rapids in the first leg of Major League Soccer's Western Conference finals on a rainy night at CenturyLink Field.

Kevin Doyle put the Rapids up early on the road, latching on to a Jermaine Jones through ball and powering a shot that deflected off of Seattle defender Chad Marshall and over the head of goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

But the hosts pegged a goal back seven minutes later on a nice counter move. Nicolas Lodeiro turned Colorado over at midfield and fed the ball to Cristian Roldan, whose shot from distance came off the left post for Jordan Morris to volley home the rebound.

It was Morris' first career playoff goal and 13th of the season for Seattle.

With the score tied 1-1, Seattle had two golden chances to take the lead turned back by Rapids' backup keeper Zac MacMath, first denying a headed chance from Lodeiro and then stopping Nelson Valdez from point-blank range.

Colorado had a great opportunity for a second away goal at the start of the second half, Sebastien LeToux threading a pass into the area for Dominique Badji, but his left-footed shot was smothered by Frei.

Lodeiro found a go-ahead goal from the penalty spot after he was brought down in the area by Colorado's Marc Burch, the Uruguayan stepped up and fired past MacMath to put Seattle up 2-1.

And Lodeiro nearly doubled the lead in the 76th minute, beating two Colorado defenders, cutting back to his left foot and curling a shot that sailed just over the crossbar.

Seattle will travel to Colorado to face the Rapids in the second leg at Dick's Sporting Goods Park on Nov. 27 to determine which team will represent the West in the MLS Cup.

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