TORONTO (AP) - Toronto FC lost 1-0 to the New York Red Bulls in an abrasive game Sunday and still advanced to the MLS Eastern Conference final on away goals after the two-leg series ended tied 2-2 on goals aggregate.
It was a feisty affair that saw Toronto striker Jozy Altidore and Red Bulls captain Sacha Kljestan sent off after a tunnel melee at halftime. The wild match also featured a pair of disallowed goals and six yellow cards, and a drink thrown at an official from the crowd.
In addition to Altidore, league-leading Toronto will be without star striker Sebastian Giovinco for the next game after his second yellow in two games. TFC will play the Columbus Crew, who advanced 3-4 on aggregate against NYCFC.
Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his 100th career goal for the sixth-seeded Red Bulls when a long-range shot deflected in off him in the 53rd minute. A Toronto goal by Jonathan Osorio in the 78th was called off due to a foul, apparently for what was considered a shove. Things got even uglier minutes later when a drink was thrown from the stands at referee Chris Penso after he booked Giovinco.
After falling 2-1 at home on Monday night, the Red Bulls needed to win and score at least two goals Sunday to avoid defeat.
NEW YORK CITY FC 2, CREW 0; CREW WIN TWO-LEG SERIES 4-3
NEW YORK (AP) - Columbus advanced to the Eastern Conference finals, beating New York City FC 4-3 in the two-leg series after falling 2-0 in the second game.
The Crew will host the Supporters Shield winner Toronto FC in Game 1 of the conference finals Nov. 21. NYC’s David Villa opened the scoring in the 16th minute on a penalty kick as Zack Steffen dove the wrong way. It came after Josh Williams tripped Rodney Wallace in a non-threatening position at the corner of the 18-yard box. Andraz Struna made it 2-0 in the 53rd on a deflected shot off the head of Crew defender Jonathan Mensah.
In the first leg Tuesday night, Artur started a three-goal outburst for Columbus in the second half, shortly after NYC went down a man, and the Crew won 4-1.
DYNAMO 2, TIMBERS 1, HOUSTON WINS 2-1 ON AGGREGATE
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) - Dylan Remick and Mauro Manotas scored to send Houston through to the Western Conference final after a victory over Portland in the second leg of their semifinal.
The teams played to a scoreless draw in the first leg in Houston on Monday. The goals gave the Dynamo a 2-1 advantage on aggregate, setting up the conference final against the Seattle Sounders.
The Timbers were decimated by injuries going into the game and dealt a big blow on Saturday when defender Roy Miller ruptured an Achilles during training.
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