NYCFC, Timbers advance in MLS Cup playoffs

NEW YORK: New York City qualified for the quarter-finals of the MLS Cup playoffs on Wednesday with a 3-1 victory over Philadelphia in the opening knockout round.

The New York club seized control at Yankee Stadium in the first half thanks to Ismael Tajouri-Shradi’s 10th-minute strike and a 26th-minute goal from inexhaustible captain David Villa.

Spain’s Villa, 36, scored his 15th goal of the season.

In the other knockout game Wednesday, Diego Valeri scored twice as the 10-man Portland Timbers beat FC Dallas 2-1 on the road.

Under attack early in the second half, City, coached by Domenec Torrent since the departure of Patrick Vieira for Nice in August, sealed the victory with a 78th minute strike by Maximiliano Moralez.

“He was fantastic,” Torrent said of Moralez. “Maxi is one of the best players in the conference.

“Not just because he was able to score. The performance was very good, because when we decide to play in between the lines, he played fantastic.”

The victory put City into an Eastern Conference semifinal clash with Atlanta, who were able to skip the knockout round after finishing second in the conference in the regular season.

City, who beat Philadelphia for the second time in four days, reached the conference semifinals for the third straight year.

Villa’s flick set up TajouriShradi for the early lead, and the Spaniard doubled the score with a well-placed shot past Philadelphia keeper Andre Blake after a crisp pass from Moralez.

Moralez clinched it with a chip over Blake after he was freed by a long pass from Anton Tinnerholm. - AFP