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 In the day's other playoff game, the Portland Timbers finally got
the better of Sporting Kansas City after a penalty shootout that
went to the goalkeepers in the 11th round.
In Montreal, first-half goals from Patrice Bernier (18th minute),
Ignacio Piatti (33) and Didier Drogba (39) saw Impact advance to the
Eastern Conference semi-finals, where they will face Columbus Crew
in the first leg on Sunday.
Montreal’s campaign has been bolstered by the arrival of former
Chelsea striker Drogba, who has scored 12 goals in 12 games since
joining the club in July.
He scored both goals in a 2-1 win over Toronto on Sunday that saw
Impact finish the regular season in third.
In Portland, Rodney Wallace put the Timbers ahead in the 57th minute
but Kevin Ellis sent the game to extra time with the equalizer three
minutes from the time.
The visitors went ahead in the 96th minute through Krisztian Nemeth
but got Portland back on level terms through Maximiliano Urruti two
minutes before the end of extra time.
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A marathon shootout came down to the goalkeepers and after
Portland's Adam Kwarasey converted his kick, Kansas City's Jon
Kempin could not match him, leaving the Timbers to face Vancouver in
the Western Conference semi-finals.
(Writing by Jahmal Corner in Los Angeles; Editing by Peter
Rutherford)
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