Home teams went unbeaten on the first weekend of the MLS Playoffs, setting up a quartet of nail-biters for the second legs of all four series.
The New England Revolution and Real Salt Lake held serve at home, posting key victories, while the Houston Dynamo and Los Angeles Galaxy were able to take draws in their visits to Seattle and, well, Los Angeles.
So who has the advantage heading into game two? Real Salt Lake has to be feeling good heading to Columbus, but the Crew are great at home and RSL has been awful on the road and will likely be looking to bunker its way to a series victory. The Revs will head to Toyota Park with similar plans, to frustrate Chicago's attack and hope Shalrie Joseph can deliver some more magic.
The Houston-Seattle and LA-Chivas USA series are still too close to call, but if the first legs were any indication, we should be in for two unforgettable closeout games.
What did you think of the first weekend of MLS playoff games? Think RSL can knock off the champions? Who do you see winning the tightly-contested Dynamo-Sounders series? Who takes the Home Depot Clasico?
Share your thoughts below.
Ives Galarcep is an American soccer columnist for ESPNsoccernet.com and creator of SoccerByIves.net.
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