Tony Sanneh's goal with three seconds remaining in the first half turned out to be crucial in D.C. United's 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew on Sunday in the best-of-3 Eastern Conference finals at RFK Stadium.
United, the defending MLS champions, led 3-0 at the half, thanks to goals from Sanneh in the ninth minute and Raul Diaz Arce in the 29th. Then the Crew made it interesting with goals from Jason Farrell and Thomas Dooley.Columbus keeper Brad Friedel allowed only one goal in a two-game sweep over Tampa Bay during the first round of the playoffs, but D.C. scored quickly Sunday.
The early goal came off John Harkes' corner kick. Crew defender Mike Clark tried to clear the ball away with his head, but his flick went right to an unmarked John Maessner who took a bouncing shot through traffic.
Sanneh redirected Maessner's shot for the goal.
United's second score came after Jaime Moreno made a long run on the right side and passed to Diaz Arce, who was all alone at the far post where he easily beat Friedel.
In the final seconds of the first half, Maessner spotted Harkes in the box and sent a pass to him. Harkes one-touched the ball off his head to Sanneh who scored from 10 yards out.
Columbus scored in the 57th minute on a nice cross by Clark. Farrell, at the far post, beat United keeper Scott Garlick.
The Crew cut United's lead to a goal in the 73rd minute on a spectacular score by Dooley.
Brian Maisonneuve headed the ball to Dooley, who got off a twisting shot from 15 yards out while falling down with his back to Garlick.
United was without playmaker Marco Etcheverry, who played for Bolivia Sunday in a World Cup qualifier against Ecuador.
The attendance was 11,820. The series continues Wednesday at Ohio Stadium.
Rapids 1, Burn 0
At Dallas, Sean Henderson headed a 12-yarder just inside the far post of the net to give the Colorado Rapids a 1-0 win over the Dallas Burn in a rain-sodden Cotton Bowl on Sunday.
The victory gave Colorado a 1-0 edge in the best-of-three Major League Soccer Western Conference finals. The series continues Wednesday at Mile High Stadium in Denver.
The goal came in the game's 42nd minute and was set up by Matt Kmosko's cross-field pass. The Burn defense was shifting toward the right to cover the ball when Henderson headed the ball across the goal mouth and into the edge of the net.
It was the first postseason goal against the Burn. The team advanced to the second round after shutting out Los Angeles in two straight games.
The Burn was kept out of the box for virtually the entire first half by Colorado's back line. A header by the Burn's Dante Washington ricocheted off the chest of Rapids goalkeeper Marcus Hahnemann as time ran out in the half.
Dallas tried to score during the last half-minute of the game when the entire team, including goalkeeper Mark Dodd, surged forward on Jason Kreis' 45-yard free kick. The ball floated over the defensive wall to Damian, whose header clipped the left post and bounced back into play before the rebound was hammered harmlessly into the side netting.