Major League Soccer’s conference semi-finals are now set as eight teams from the league’s 29 remain in the battle to win the MLS Cup and be crowned the 2023 champion.
With the round one, game three deciders tidied up, the MLS Cup Playoffs will move to single-elimination games following the international break.
Three of the best-of-three round one games went to a decider and saw standout performances from some more experienced players as well as from promising stars of the future for the United States.
As the playoffs reach the business end, names can be written into the history books and legends emerge.
Here are a few with a chance of performing such feats.
By James Nalton, MLS expert
João Paulo 8.8 (Seattle Sounders)
MLS Cup dark horse Seattle progressed to the Western Conference semi-finals where it will face defending champions Los Angeles FC.
The Sounders put together an unbeaten run of nine games towards the end of the regular season, edging ahead of LAFC, to finish runner-up in the Western Conference.
This is extra important now as it means Seattle, as the higher seed, will be the home side in this playoff tie between the two.
Unbeaten runs are a good sign ahead of playoff football, and despite one defeat in the best-of-three round one series against FC Dallas, Seattle has continued its end-of-season progress into the playoffs.
Anchoring this performance, and this progress generally, is midfielder João Paulo.
Fifteen passes into the final third along with 12 recoveries are an example of the kind of work that has made João Paulo one of the best in his position in this league.
One of those passes into the final third was a pinpoint, perfectly weighted pass through the defence to assist Albert Rusnák’s goal, which was enough to win the game and the series against Dallas.
When he was subbed off in the 87th minute, João Paulo received a standing ovation for his efforts. Having missed most of 2022 with an ACL injury, Seattle has its midfield anchor back in form at just the right time.
Diego Rossi 8.8 (Columbus Crew)
The Crew’s attacking orchestrator was another key player in top form as his team progressed at Atlanta United’s expense.
Columbus scored three goals in 21 minutes to take control of a tie it eventually won 4-2.
It was an exaggerated version of the Ohio club’s season so far.
Going into this game, Columbus hadn’t lost back-to-back games since May. Its home record was the second-best in MLS, and it had scored 41 goals in 17 home games in the regular season.
Its defence had often left a lot to be desired, though. Two goals conceded in this game were an example of that, but the attacking play meant progress to the next round.
Rossi had five shots in the game, scoring the Crew’s fourth goal just after half time, making sure of the win, having also assisted Alexandru Mățan’s near-post blast that had made it 3-0.
The Uruguayan attacker and former LAFC player, who signed for Columbus from Fenerbahçe in the middle of the 2023 season, has a big part to play if his new side is to continue its playoff progress as it travels to Orlando City in the next round.
Aidan Morris 8.5 (Columbus Crew)
The 21-year-old American has impressed throughout this playoff series for Columbus.
Morris finished this most recent game having completed 50 of 53 passes attempted for a pass success of 94%. This is exactly what a team like Columbus needs in this area of the field as part of its style of possession football.
On the other side of the ball, Morris made nine defensive actions and completed ten ball recoveries in his midfield role.
He also gets the assist for Malte Amundsen’s wonder strike from distance, but if you’re neat and tidy with your passing, finding players in space and recycling possession, sometimes such assists will come.
It was an ideal performance alongside midfield partner Darlington Nagbe and behind the more attacking Rossi.
Héctor Herrera 8.3 (Houston Dynamo)
The Mexican designated player was once again heavily involved in the latest episode of Houston Dynamo success.
The 2023 US Open Cup champion extended its run in another competition, going through against Real Salt Lake, on penalties, following a 1-1 draw in regulation time in game three.
Herrera contributed to his side’s goal, heading a Nelson Quiñónes cross back into the path of Corey Baird.
Herrera finished the game having touched the ball 115 times — another demonstration that pretty much everything this Dynamo side does goes through him.
One thing he wasn’t required to do was take a penalty in the shootout.
A winning spot-kick from Griffin Dorsey meant the Dynamo progressed to the next round where it will host Sporting Kansas City.
Diego Luna 7.9 (Real Salt Lake)
One player who did take a penalty in that shootout was RSL’s young star Diego Luna.
Luna missed from the spot and his side was eventually knocked out, but that shouldn’t take away from what has been an impressive series and campaign overall from the 20-year-old.
He scored two goals in these three games against Houston, including another impressive finish in game three.
Long highly regarded by many in the game, 2023 has felt like a real breakout season for the American, and not before time.
He has unsurprisingly become a key player in the RSL attack and a senior international call-up is surely just around the corner.
(Cover image from IMAGO)
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