We look ahead to the MLS play-off semi-finals second legs with Didier Drogba, Clint Dempsey and Bradley Wright-Phillips all on show - live on Sky Sports.
New York Red Bulls v DC United: Can New York Red Bulls disobey the record books?
New York Red Bulls achieved a 1-0 win over their I-95 rivals in the first leg at RFK stadium as holding midfielder Dax McCarty, who was arguably the man of the match, scored a header from an indirect set piece to grab a crucial away goal going into the second leg.
Red Bulls' central midfield pairing Felipe and McCarty were impressively able to control the midfield against a DC United side that were defensively solid in the most part, but achieved a pass percentage of just 54.5% - the lowest out of any club this season in any match in MLS.
The Black-and-Red will need to be on the front foot and take control against the Red Bulls, who conceded fewer goals in the Eastern Conference than any other team (43). Head coach Ben Olsen may look to exploit the loss of the Red Bulls' central defender Damien Perrinelle who suffered a torn ACL in the first leg.
The Red Bulls will surely hope not to see a repeat of 2012 after a lapse in concentration, a missed penalty kick and a late goal doomed them to an early exit; losing 2-1 on aggregate.
This year, with the game firmly poised, Wright-Phillips will want to add to his 17 goal tally to help his side get through to the Eastern Conference finals for the first time in their 19 year history.
Columbus Crew v Montreal Impact: Drogba/Piatti v Kamara/Finlay - which attacking options will thrive?
Columbus Crew may find it difficult to overcome Montreal. who have now won their last five matches which includes three wins at the end of the regular season. The reasons behind their success can mostly be pinned down to the performances of Drogba, Ignacio Piatti and a revitalised Patrice Bernier.
Over the course of their last two play-off matches - a 3-0 win against Toronto followed by a 2-1 victory over Columbus in the first leg - Drogba has scored twice (12 in 13 games) while Piatti has two assists. Bernier, the 36-year-old club captain, grabbed a goal and assist against Toronto to ensure safe passage into the semi-finals.
A defensive error by Michael Parkhurst for Columbus allowed Costa Rican midfielder Johan Vanegas to break through for the game winner in the semi-final first leg. That means Columbus need to try and overturn the deficit at home, but they can take confidence in getting an away goal through Federico Higuaín.
And although Montreal have numerous attacking options to select from, so do Columbus who have MLS' second highest goalscorer this season and a top 5 player for assists. Kei Kamara and Ethan Finlay have been two of the most devastating players in MLS with the former Middlesbrough forward scoring 22 goals and Finlay having 13 assists as well as 12 goals.
This matchup could hinge on which defence will prove sturdier and the question yet again over whether Drogba can be neutralised like he was in the first leg.
FC Dallas v Seattle Sounders: Will Clint Dempsey continue to do damage?
FC Dallas pulled off an incredibly tough task by topping the Western Conference in the regular season, fending off the conventional heavyweights Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy, alongside Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers, to take number one spot.
Now they have the challenge of overcoming Seattle Sounders after losing the first leg in Washington 2-1, Clint Dempsey's free-kick proved decisive in securing a win at CenturyLink field. His influence was also great throughout the match, drifting predominantly towards the left-side of the pitch to make his presence felt on fullback Je-Vaughn Watson who normally operates as a winger, while also recording 10 shots.
FC Dallas should still feel confident entering the contest after Fabian Castillo grabbed them an away goal early on in the first half, his goal was thanks to a pinpoint pass by Argentine playmaker Mauro Diaz whose influence will be counted on again in the second leg. Also, Dallas have not lost any other game since September 27 as well as playing a game less than Seattle after receiving a bye through the knockout round.
It is a game where youth faces experience as the average age of FC Dallas' starting XI was 24.5, compared to Seattle's who averages 30.
Two of Seattle's players over 30 are Dempsey and Obafemi Martins, who have combined for two goals already during the play-offs. If FC Dallas are to progress, then disrupting the duo will be vital.
Vancouver Whitecaps v Portland Timbers: Who will make the difference in the Cascadia clash?
After penalty dramatics saw Portland progress through the knockout round against Sporting Kansas City, the first leg of the semi-finals between these two Cascadia rivals ended in a 0-0 draw with both goalkeepers proving the stars of the show.
Portland's penalty hero - the Ghanaian goalkeeper Adam Kwarasey, was missing for the first leg because of illness, but his replacement Jake Gleeson had a strong performance after making three saves and a clean sheet on his first appearance in MLS since 2011.
Not to be outdone, Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted pulled off six saves. These stats are reflective of a consistency throughout the season between Ousted and Kwarasey, who have both recorded 13 clean sheets in 2015, more than any other goalkeeper.
It is unlikely the second leg will be filled with goals, but Darlington Nagbe of Portland Timbers has been turning in high quality performances after making the move to central midfield instead of on the wing, meaning he has been far more touches and a higher pass completion as well as dribbles completed.
For Vancouver, 20-year-old Gambian winger Kekutah Manneh's pace is likely to cause problems for Jamaican fullback Alvas Powell while attacking midfielder Pedro Morales could be set to return from injury to add greater creativity for the Whitecaps.
Both teams are filled with individual quality, and in a game which is expected to yield few goals, it may be the question of who will produce a moment of brilliance.