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Galaxy, Dynamo, Fire and Real advance in Major League Soccer playoffs
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LA Galaxy's David Beckham and Chivas USA's Paulo Nagamura go to the ball in the conference semifinal
The 2009 Major League Soccer playoffs continue. The home-and-home first round ended this weekend with the Los Angeles Galaxy and the Houston Dynamo advancing to the Western Conference finals. Real Salt Lake and the Chicago Fire advance to the Eastern conference finals. The first round of the playoffs require each set of opponents to host a home game with the winner having the highest point total from both games advancing to the conference championship.
The Houston Dynamo had a tough time against the Seattle Sounders this season, posting an 0-2-1 regular season record against them. But after a draw in the first game of the home-and-home series, Houston simply had to win or be eliminated. It was a tough game that ended in a scoreless tie. In the overtime period, Bryan Ching of the Dynamo banged home a nice shot to finally defeat the Sounders. Despite the win, though, the Dynamo will be without Mike Chabala who received his second yellow card during the game and will sit out the conference championship.
The Los Angeles Galaxy defeated Chivas USA by an aggregate score of 3-2. The Galaxy took a 1-0 lead on a penalty kick by Landon Donovan and held on to win the game. The Galaxy continue an improbable turn around season, vaulting from a last place Western conference finish in 2008 to a first place conference finish this year.
The L.A. Galaxy hosts the Houston Dynamo for the Western Conference championship on Friday, Nov. 13 at 11:00 pm eastern time. The game will be televised on ESPN2 and on Deportes.
In the Eastern Conference, the Chicago Fire were down by a goal after the first game of the home-and-home first round of the playoffs against the New England Revolution. John Thorrington and Cuauhtemoc Blanco came through with clutch goals to put the Fire ahead for good, winning 2-0. The Fire move on to the Conference Championship match.
Real Salt Lake were down 2-0 to the defending champion Columbus Crew but scored three goals to win home-and-home series by an aggregate score of 4-2. This was a difficult loss for the Crew, their third consecutive home loss following a 24-game unbeaten streak at home.
The Chicago Fire hosts Real Salt Lake for the Eastern Conference championship on Saturday, Nov. 14 at 8:00 pm eastern time. The game will be televised on FSC.
Unlike the first round of the playoffs, the conference championship games are single game elimination with the winners moving on to the MLS championship game and the losers eliminated. The MLS championship game is in Seattle on November 22.
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