The MLS playoffs are reaching their climax as we arrive at the Conference finals second leg.
After their 3-0 hammering away to Atlanta United in the first leg, New York Red Bulls have a real mountain to climb if they are to win their first ever Eastern Conference Championship.
Meanwhile, in the Western Conference, Sporting Kansas City vs Portland Timbers is delicately poised after a 0-0 draw at Providence Park in the first leg.
Read on for Squawka’s preview of the MLS Conference finals, as well as TV channel info, live stream options and betting tips.
When does the Eastern Conference final take place?
Competition: MLS Eastern Conference final
Venue: Red Bull Arena
Date: Friday, 30 November
Kick-off: 12:30 AM GMT
When does the Western Conference final take place?
Competition: MLS Western Conference final
Venue: Children’s Mercy Park
Date: Friday, 30 November
Kick-off: 2:30 AM GMT
MLS Eastern Conference final preview
The Eastern Conference final is perceived to be a clash between the two strongest sides in MLS right now, with NY Red Bulls finishing top on 71 points and Atlanta United just two points behind them, 13 points clear of third-placed NYC FC.
Had Atlanta been in the Western Conference, their 69-strong points tally would have seen them finish seven points clear at the top of the table.
Judging from their first-leg demolition of the Red Bulls this is a complete mismatch. The Five Stripes took the Red Bulls apart in some style, running away with a 3-0 victory and the visitors to just one shot on target in the whole 90 minutes.
The away leg should be decidedly tougher but in Josef Martinez, Atlanta have the league’s runaway top scorer with 31 goals in the regular season, nine clear of Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and the Venezuelan could really hurt the Red Bulls on the break as they seek to overturn their three-goal deficit.
MLS Western Conference preview
The Western Conference final, which few expect to produce the MLS Cup winner, is much closer than its Eastern counterpart.
Portland Timbers and Sporting Kansas City played out a tense 0-0 draw at Providence Park, with both sides registering just seven shots on target.
The Timbers generate a fervent atmosphere on their home turf, so Sporting KC will be very happy to be taking a 0-0 draw back to Children’s Mercy Park.
Sporting KC will be made slight favourites, but if the first leg is anything to go by, it really will be a toss of a coin for who wins.
Where can I watch live?
Both Conference finals can be viewed by UK residents on Sky Sports Football, channel 403 for Sky customers and channel 513 for Virgin Media users.
The game can also be streamed on Unibet TV.
READ MORE: Everything you need to know about Unibet TV
Can NY Red Bulls perform a miracle comeback to end their Conference final hurt?
In the regular season, New York Red Bulls are serial winners, topping the Eastern Conference standings in five out of the last nine years.
However, the playoffs are a completely different story. The Red Bulls lost 4-3 on aggregate to New England Revolution in the 2014 Conference final, before falling 2-1 on aggregate to Columbus Crew at the same stage in 2015, and have fallen at the semi-final stage in each of the past two seasons.
Heading into this year’s playoffs, many pundits picked the Red Bulls as the best team in MLS, especially considering they claimed the Supports Shield (most points in MLS overall) in the regular season.
Despite losing 1-0 in the first leg, the Red Bulls put three past Columbus Crew in the second leg to cruise past the semi-finals and set up their tie with Atlanta United. After losing the first leg against Atlanta 3-0, they must now score three unanswered goals against the most potent attack in MLS just to stay in the game, let alone reach that much coveted MLS Cup final. 20-goal Bradley Wright-Phillips will be crucial.
READ MORE: The 10 US wonderkids to watch
Can Portland Timbers finally score against Sporting KC?
Portland Timbers’ 0-0 draw with Sporting KC in the Western Conference final first leg was the third time this season that Giovanni Savarese’s side were shutout against the Wizards this season.
Home advantage meant the Timbers were the slightly more dominant side in a tense and sometimes aggressive affair at Providence Park, but the fact that they didn’t manage to secure a win in the home leg will be a real worry to the fans.
However, Savarese isn’t letting the pressure get to him and says his side are just focussing on keeping a winning mentality.
“I don’t see it as what kind of pressure. We have to go there and try to get a win,” Savarese said (via MLSsoccer.com). “We have to go there with the mentality that it’s one game, like it is in the regular season, and we have to go there to try and get a win. Prepare the plan, prepare the players to make sure that we get there, recover a few of the guys that today were not available and then make sure we go there to win.”
The Timbers had scored 14 goals in their last six MLS games before their 0-0 draw with Sporting KC and will need to draw on all of that potency, as well as their manager’s confidence, if they are to reach only their second MLS Cup final.
Eastern Conference head-to-head
Atlanta ran out 3-0 winners in the first leg, but the Red Bulls’ record against the Five Stripes in the regular season will give them real hope that they can at least make a fist of the second leg, having beating Atlanta 2-0 and 3-1 in their previous two meetings.
Last five meetings: NY Red Bulls wins: 3 Atlanta United wins: 1 Draws: 1
Western Conference head-to-head
As mentioned, Sporting KC have kept a clean sheet against the Timbers three times already this season, making that four times in their last five meetings. Portland will really have their work cut out away at the Wizards, whose home crowd has the ominous name of ‘Blue Hell’, but if they can get Diego Valeri and co. firing, who know what might happen in what is essentially a one-off cup tie after the 0-0 first-leg draw.
Last five meetings: Sporting KC wins: 2 Portland Timbers wins: 1 Draws: 3
Eastern Conference final team news
NY Red Bulls will be without Florian Valot (torn ACL), Kyle Duncan (torn ACL), Tommy Redding (shoulder surgery) and Ben Mines (broken left clavicle surgery), while Kemar Lawrence is a doubt due to a meniscus injury.
Meanwhile, Atlanta are without Sal Zizzo (right knee injury), Mikey Ambrose (right knee surgery) and Brandon Vazquez (foot injury).
New York Red Bulls predicted starting XI: Luis Robles; Michael Murillo, Tim Parker, Aaron Long, Connor Lade; Tyler Adams, Sean Davis; Alex Muyl, Kaku, Danny Royer; Bradley Wright-Phillips
Atlanta United predicted starting XI: Brad Guzan; Franco Escobar, Jeff Larentowicz, Michael Parkhurst, Leonardo Gonzalez Pirez, Greg Garza; Darlington Nagbe, Eric Remedi, Julian Gressel; Josef Martinez, Miguel Almiron
Western Conference final team news
Sporting KC will be without defender Jimmy Medranda, who has been recovering from knee surgery since May, while Cristian Lobato is another long-term absentee.
Portland Timbers are without Roy Miller and Jake Gleeson, while Samuel Armenteros (thigh injury), Andy Polo (calf strain) and Larrys Mabiala (ankle injury) are all doubts.
Sporting KC predicted starting XI: Tim Melia; Graham Zusi, Ike Opara, Matt Besler, Seth Sinovic; Roger Espinoza, Ilie Sanchez, Felipe Gutierrez; Johnny Russell, Diego Rubio, Daniel Salloi
Portland Timbers predicted starting XI: Jeff Attinella; Zarek Valentin, Bill Tuiloma, Liam Ridgewell, Jorge Villafana; Diego Chara, David Guzman; Dairon Asprilla, Diego Valeri, Sebastian Blanco; Jeremy Ebobisse
Predictions and betting tips
1. Josef Martinez to score first @ 11/1
NY Red Bulls are really going to have to give it some if they are going to drag themselves back into this tie.
The biggest danger in that lies in the fact that Atlanta have Josef Martinez up front. The Venezuelan has been on fire this season, scoring 31 regular season goals and three in the playoffs already, bringing his tally to 34 strikes in 37 games.
Leave the back door open and this one will just walk right in.
Key stat: Josef Martinez was the top score in MLS during the regular season with 31 goals, nine clear of second-placed Zlatan Ibrahimovic.
Tip: Josef Martinez to score first @ 11/1 with BetBull – bet here
Odds correct at the time of publishing (29/11/2018, 17:30)
18+ only. Ts&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org
2. New York Red Bulls vs Atlanta United over 2.5 goals @ 4/7
New York Red Bulls really have to go for it in this one.
If they are to overturn a 3-0 deficit, you would think that the goals would have to start going in early. However, with Atlanta possessing such a threat in Miguel Almiron and Josef Martinez, there is every chance the Red Bulls could simply be picked off as they go hunting at the other end.
Key stat: New York Red Bulls (62) and Atlanta United (70) scored more goals than any other Eastern Conference team during the regular season.
Tip: New York Red Bulls vs Atlanta United over 2.5 goals YES @ 4/7 with BetBull – bet here
Odds correct at the time of publishing (29/11/2018, 17:30)
18+ only. Ts&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org
3. Sporting Kansas City vs Portland Timbers under 1.5 goals @ 16/5
The last five meetings between these two have been 0-0, 3-0, 0-0, 1-1 and 1-0, so it is nearly always a tight affair.
Add the fact that this is a semi-final hanging in the balance at 0-0 on aggregate and you just can’t imagine either side going gung-ho.
Instead, it is more likely to be a tense affair, with neither side wanting to overcommit and leave themselves open to a counter attack – one goal could settle this one.
Key stat: Portland Timbers have failed to score against Sporting KC in their last three meetings.
Tip: Sporting Kansas City vs Portland Timbers under 1.5 goals YES @ 16/5 with BetBull – bet here
Odds correct at the time of publishing (29/11/2018, 17:30)
18+ only. Ts&Cs apply. BeGambleAware.org
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