Quick Crew drop Red Bulls

Justin Meram had the fastest goal in MLS Cup playoff history, Kei Kamara also scored and the Columbus Crew beat the New York Red Bulls 2-0 on Sunday night in the first leg of the Eastern Conference finals.

Meram opened the scoring at the 9-second mark. Kamara had a glancing header off a long ball, Ethan Finlay ran it down but lost control between two defenders and Meram sent the loose ball home.

Kamara scored in the 85th minute.

Cedrick used individual skill to beat three defenders in the box and sent a difficult-angled shot off the hand of goalkeeper Luis Robles. Kamara was left alone at the far post for an easy tap in.

The second game is next Sunday night in Harrison, N.J.

Timbers net win

Liam Ridgewell, Dairon Asprilla and Nat Borchers scored and the Portland Timbers beat FC Dallas 3-1 on Sunday night in the first leg of Major League Soccer’s Western Conference finals.

With a 2-0 deficit, David Texeira scored in the 61st minute to narrow it for Dallas, the West’s top seed in the playoffs. But Borchers added a goal for Portland at the 90-minute mark.

The surging Timbers have the upper hand going into the second leg set for Toyota Stadium in Texas next Sunday. The winner on aggregate will advance to the MLS Cup final on Dec. 6.

Portland is unbeaten at 5-0-2 in its last seven matches, including a 2-0 victory over the Vancouver Whitecaps to win the conference semifinal. Dallas advanced following a 4-2 penalty shootout in the second leg of its semifinal against the Seattle Sounders.

The Timbers were without key contributors Diego Valeri and Rodney Wallace because of yellow-card accumulation, but they’ll be available for the second leg.