What have we learned from back-to-back nights of playoff action? It’s pretty simple, really.
Every play, every call, every lineup decision, every transfer-window acquisition, every coaching change, every injury, every little detail, and every moment – mundane or marvelous – matters. And it just might be the difference between making history and making 2016 a year that fades from memory.
What if? That’s the question all but one team will ask themselves on the morning of Dec. 11, when only one team, one fanbase, one city will wake up feeling completely satisfied.
On Friday, it was D.C. United and Sporting KC’s turn to ask what if, a day after the Philadelphia Union and Real Salt Lake did the same.
What if Paulo Nagamura finishes one of those early opportunities to give Sporting an early lead to protect? What if referee Ismail Elfath sends off Osvaldo Alonso? What if the assistant referee raises his flag for offside? What if Nelson Valdez adds yet another near miss to a year defined by woodwork rattled and chances blown?
What if Laurent Ciman doesn’t edge out Rob Vincent to open the scoring at RFK Stadium just four minutes in, giving the Impact a perfect platform on which to bunker-and-break? What if Didier Drogba is healthy, and satisfied with his role? What if D.C. United don’t buy into their own hype and grind out a result at home?
What if Emmanuel Boateng doesn’t channel his inner Lionel Messi in the biggest game of his young career? What if Union center back Ken Tribbett plays it safe and launches that bouncing ball deep into the BMO Field stands?
What if?
So while Peter Vermes and Sporting’s collective rage is justified – in my opinion, both plays were offside and Elfath got the disputed Alonso tackle right – the 2016 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs march on, eight teams remaining with barely two days until the conference semifinals and four stellar matchups hold us rapt for an entire Sunday afternoon and evening.
At the end of two legs, there will be four winners and four losers, eight teams asking what if for very different reasons, a stark dichotomy of emotions resting on razor-thin margins. In the process, reputations will be cemented, futures will be decided and, yes, mistakes will be made.
That’s playoff soccer, and it promises to be a whole lot of fun – for the neutrals, anyway.
Don’t count Drogba out just yet…
Every time you think you have a handle on the current state of Drogba-gate, the saga takes another unexpected twist and turn.
Just a few days ago, it seemed likely that Didier Drogba had played his last game for Montreal. Though Drogba and the Impact mended fences after the Designated Player striker refused a reserve role in the second-to-last week of the season, the Ivorian’s balky back kept him out of training and out of contention for a place in the team against D.C.
Then, on Wednesday, head coach Mauro Biello confirmed Drogba wouldn’t travel with the team to the nation’s capital. Only Drogba showed up anyway and watched the Impact execute their gameplan perfectly to become just the third away team of 15 to advance from the Knockout Round.
Drogba even ventured down to the away locker room after Montreal’s 4-2 win to celebrate with his teammates, just in case you were wondering whether there were any lingering divisions within the squad.
Apparently, Drogba’s back problems aren’t too debilitating either, with the Impact boss hinting his star striker could be ready to play as soon as Sunday: "If he's healthy,” Biello said, “he'll be available."
That’s good news for a Montreal team that’s embraced an identity – defend deep in numbers then break via Ignacio Piatti, Dominic Oduro and Matteo Mancosu – that isn’t always pretty, but could be very effective against a Red Bulls side hoping to turn high pressure into scoring opportunities.
Also in the building on Thursday night was New York head coach Jesse Marsch, who now has to factor in the possibility that a motivated and rested Drogba could be waiting in the wings to spoil yet another Red Bulls playoff run.
Tweet of the night
Honesty is the best policy, even if you’re giving some serious shine to the man who’s poised to terrorize your backline on back-to-back Sundays.
