MLS: Austin FC eliminate Real Salt Lake in a penalty-kick shootout, and CF Montreal outlast Orlando

Sebastian Driussi scored two goals and Brad Stuver stopped two shots in the deciding penalty shootout as host Austin FC defeated shorthanded Real Salt Lake 3-1 on penalties after a 2-2 draw Sunday afternoon in their first round Western Conference playoff game .

Driussi, Diego Fagundez and Emiliano Rigoni converted their penalties in the shootout for Austin FC, and Stuver stopped shots from Andrew Brody and Braian Ojeda before Tate Schmitt finished his attempt over the bar.

Driussi’s second goal of the game, on a penalty four minutes into second half stoppage time, sent the game into two additional 15 minutes of overtime. That was the last thing Real Salt Lake needed after falling a man behind in the final 44 minutes of the regular season when Rubio received Rubin for his second yellow card in the 52nd minute.

Neither team scored in overtime, prompting Stuver’s heroism in the shootout.

Austin FC, the second seed in the West, will advance to the conference semifinals to play the winner of Monday’s first-round match between third-seeded FC Dallas and sixth-seeded Minnesota United.

Sergio Cordova scored two goals for seventh-seeded Real Salt Lake, who were ejected from the playoffs in the first round for the first time since 2016.

The visitors struck early as Brody’s cross from outside the right side of the penalty area was perfectly placed on the post for Cordova, who jumped high to head the ball into the far left corner of the net in the third minute.

Sebastian Driussi celebrates first half against Real Salt Lake in Q2 Stadium

Cordova scored his second goal in the 15th minute from the spot after Austin’s Jhojan Valencia was whistled for a handball in the penalty area. It was the first time this season that a Real Salt Lake player has scored more than one goal in a game.

Austin halved the lead in the 31st minute as Driussi split defenders and jumped to deflect Fagundez’s pass into the goal mouth out of reach of RSL goalkeeper Zac MacMath.

Rubin received his second yellow card of the game and was eliminated in the 52nd minute for a foul on Stuver in the penalty area while chasing a long pass into the attacking end.

Driussi, who scored 22 goals in the regular season, equalized the match at the PK after RSL’s Scott Caldwell committed a handball in the penalty area in added time.

Driussi (7) added a second in second half stoppage time to take the match to penalty shootout

CF Montreal players celebrate after beating Orlando City SC Sunday night at Stade Saputo

Later in the day, Ismael Kone scored his first MLS Cup Playoff goal midway through the second half to help CF Montreal to a 2-0 Eastern Conference first-round win over a visit to Orlando City.

Djordje Mihailovic converted a penalty deep into injury time in the second half to seal Montreal’s first home win in the playoffs since 2016.

That also marked the last time Montreal advanced to the next round of the postseason, when the two-game competition consisted of semifinals and finals of the Eastern Conference.

James Pantemis booked his first playoff elimination of his career, despite failing to make a single save for second-seeded Montreal (20-9-5, 65 points), who will be the winner of Monday’s first-round game between No. 3 New York City FC and No. 6 Inter Miami next Sunday.

CF Montreal midfielder Ismael Kone (28) controls the ball between Orlando City midfielder Mauricio Pereyra (10) and Orlando City defender Antonio Carlos (25) during the second half

Ercan Kara and Ivan Angulo had the best scoring opportunities for Orlando with No. 7 (14-14-6, 48 points), who came from behind to beat the Columbus Crew 2-1 on the final day of the regular season to qualify for the play. -offs.

Orlando has made it to the playoffs in all three seasons under head coach Oscar Pareja, but is now 0-3-1 in four games after the season, taking the lead just once after a first-round draw against NYCFC in 2020 .

After a mediocre first half, Montreal had more control in the second and found the breakthrough in the 68th minute.

Former Kansas City Chiefs offensive lineman Laurent Duvernay-Tardif (center) rings the bell after CF Montreal midfielder Ismael Kone (not pictured) scores a second half goal

Kei Kamara got a pass near the penalty arc with his back to goal and played a first ball back into Mihailovic’s path.

Mihailovic sent another first-touch pass to the left to send Kone running into the penalty area. Kone deftly controlled the ball with his first touch to make room for his low, left-footed shot through goalkeeper Pedro Gallese’s legs.

The visitors had the better chances of the first half, but were unable to convert.

Kara might have had the best shot, firing his effort high from the left side of the box after racing into space on Mauricio Pereyra’s through ball.

Angulo missed 10 minutes later from a similar position on another serve from Pereyra, this time a cross from the right flank.