MLS Playoffs

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — David Ousted had six saves and the Vancouver Whitecaps held off the charging Portland Timbers for a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Western Conference semifinal series yesterday. Ousted, who led Major League Soccer with 13 shutouts during the regular season, deflected Diego Valeri's dangerous free kick in the 71st minute to help preserve the tie...

SEATTLE (AP) — Clint Dempsey broke a tie on a direct free kick in the 86th minute in the Seattle Sounders' 2-1 comeback victory over FC Dallas on Sunday in the first leg of their Western Conference semifinal. Dempsey drove a shot from 25 yards into the upper right side of the net...

PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Darlington Nagbe scored his fourth and fifth goals of the season to lead the Portland Timbers a 4-1 victory over the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night. The win, combined with other results around the league on the final day of the regular season, means Portland (15-11-8) finished in third place in the Western Conference with 53 points...

VANCOUVER, British Columbia (AP) — Kekuta Manneh and Kendall Waston scored in the second half and the Vancouver Whitecaps beat the Houston Dynamo 3-0 on Sunday to finish second in the Western Conference. Vancouver (16-13-5) earned a first-round bye in the playoffs with the second-place finish...

SEATTLE (AP) — Clint Dempsey scored two goals and assisted on another, all in the first 20 minutes of the game, as the Seattle Sounders beat Real Salt Lake 3-1 to wrap up an MLS playoff berth Sunday. The Sounders (15-13-6, 51 points) ended the regular season on an eight-game unbeaten streak (4-0-4)...

HOUSTON (AP) — Obafemi Martins scored in the 82nd minute and the Seattle Sounders eliminated the Houston Dynamo from playoff contention with a 1-1 draw Sunday. The Sounders (14-13-6) extended their undefeated streak to seven games, but missed a chance to clinch off a playoff spot...