Credit: Inter Miami
Vancouver advanced on penalties 4-3 over LAFC after drawing 2-2 in regulation. Emmanuel Sabbi put the Whitecaps up in the 30th and Mathias Laborda doubled the lead a minute into first-half stoppage time. LAFC’s Son Heung-min pulled a goal back in the 60th. Vancouver’s Tristan Blackmon saw red two minutes into stoppage time. Heung-min equalized for LAFC in the fifth minute of stoppage time to send the game to extra time. LAFC failed to convert in rounds one and three of penalties while the Whitecaps didn’t score in round four.
Inter Miami advanced 4-0 at FC Cincinnati on Sunday, going ahead from a Lionel Messi goal in the 19th. Mateo Silvetti doubled the Miami lead in the 57th and Tadeo Allande scored in the 62nd and 74th minutes.
“I think today the players showed incredible personality throughout and played a virtually perfect match.” Inter Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. “Now we’ll focus on Saturday, and we’ll try to prepare for the match in the best way possible.”
NYCFC shutout Philadelphia 1-0 on the road to take the other spot in the Eastern Conference final. Maxi Moralez scored NYCFC’s goal in the 27th minute. “The game plan from the first whistle was to fight, and we were ready to do that as soon as the game kicked off,” NYCFC midfielder Justin Haak said. “Going into halftime with the lead, we knew they would press us. They’re a very aggressive team, but we handled it well and slowed the game down when we needed to. I think that’s what got us over the line.”
San Diego shutout Minnesota 1-0 on Monday night at Snapdragon Stadium. Anders Dreyer scored San Diego’s goal in the 72nd minute. “Again, you play against a very well coached team, very clear in their identity, very good in the direct play,” San Diego coach Mikey Varas said. “So, you better be ready to make plays in both boxes. And our guys were up for that challenge today, and I think you saw in all of those set pieces that they each guy in that zone wanted to be the one who made the play, and that hunger is massively important.”
Conference Finals
| Home | Away | Date | Conference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Inter Miami | NYCFC | 11/29 | Eastern |
| Vancouver | San Diego | 11/29 | Western |
Quotes courtesy of MLS team press releases.
Photo by Inter Miami
