Sporting Kansas City crushed Minnesota United 4-0 in MLS to go top of the Western Conference standings, while Real Salt Lake prevailed in a seven-goal shoot-out.
Johnny Russell scored a goal and assisted two others as Sporting KC routed Minnesota at Children's Mercy Park on Wednesday.
Russell converted a penalty as part of a three-goal first half, with Khiry Shelton and Daniel Salloi also on target against the visitors.
Cameron Duke added a fourth goal seven minutes into the second half as Sporting KC found the back of the net in their 28th consecutive regular-season home game dating back to August 2019 – the longest active streak in MLS.
Sporting KC are a point clear in the west, though second-placed Seattle Sounders have played two games less, while Minnesota are two points outside the play-off positions.
San Jose Earthquakes star Javier Lopez scored a hat-trick, but Real Salt Lake still prevailed 4-3 in a wild clash.
Lopez opened the scoring in the 26th minute and completed his treble in the second half, however, RSL emerged victorious thanks to Rubio Rubin's brace.
The result snapped a five-match away losing streak for RSL, who ended San Jose's run of three consecutive wins over their rivals in MLS – a run that had equalled the longest streak by either team in history.
Elsewhere, former Manchester United and Real Madrid striker Javier 'Chicharito' Hernandez salvaged a 1-1 draw for LA Galaxy against Houston Dynamo.
Another ex-United star, Nani, was sent off in the first half as Orlando City were beaten 4-2 by Montreal, Ola Kamara's opening-half hat-trick lifted DC United past Chicago Fire 3-0, Atlanta United were 4-0 winners against FC Cincinnati courtesy of a Josef Martinez double, Los Angeles FC edged Austin 2-1 and 10-man Portland Timbers drew 2-2 with Colorado Rapids.
Man City stay on course for treble after beating Man United in FA Cup final
Ilkay Gundogan’s jaw-dropping double fired treble-chasing Manchester City to an unforgettable FA Cup final win against rivals Manchester United.
Wembley witnessed an all-Manchester epic on Saturday as the neighbours met in a major final for the first time, bringing the curtain down on the domestic season in enthralling fashion.
City emerged triumphant thanks to Gundogan’s fine volleys in a 2-1 victory that gives Pep Guardiola’s men the chance to emulate United’s 1999 treble heroics next weekend.
The 32-year-old midfielder has proven to be a man for the big occasions during his time with the Premier League champions and lashed home a record-breaking opener after just 12 seconds.
Gundogan’s stupendous volley was the quickest FA Cup final goal and looked set to spark a derby humiliation, only for United to draw level against the run of play.
City were enraged by the decision to award handball against Jack Grealish, but captain Bruno Fernandes kept his cool to slot home in front of the opposition support.
But Guardiola’s men would not be denied a seventh FA Cup triumph, with Gundogan volleying home what proved to be the winner from the edge of the box early in the second half.
Victory in arguably the biggest Manchester derby of all time now means City can win the treble in next weekend’s Champions League final against Inter Milan.
As for United, this was a galling end to a promising first season under Erik ten Hag. They hit the woodwork in stoppage time, but a second equaliser was beyond them.
Ilkay Gundogan makes FA Cup final history with quickfire goal inside 12 seconds
Ilkay Gundogan set a new FA Cup final record when he scored after just 12 seconds against Manchester United.
Here, the PA news agency looks at the other quickfire goals from finals.
Roberto Di Matteo (43 seconds) – Chelsea v Middlesbrough, 1997
The Italian scored after just 43 seconds to set Chelsea on their way to a 2-0 win over, with Eddie Newton getting a late second.
Dennis Wise started the move midway inside Chelsea’s half and found Di Matteo, who was still inside the centre circle.
The midfielder was allowed to continue running by the Boro midfield before rifling in high, clipping the bar, past Ben Roberts in goal.
Louis Saha (25 seconds) – Everton v Chelsea, 2009
Di Matteo’s record stood for 12 years until striker Saha bettered it against Chelsea.
A cross by Steven Pienaar was only half cleared by the Chelsea defence allowing Marouane Fellaini to nod the ball down for Saha.
The former Manchester United striker still had plenty to do but swivelled to bury a fine first-time half-volley past Petr Cech.
It failed to stop Chelsea, though, as Didier Drogba levelled 20 minutes later before Frank Lampard’s second-half winner.
Ilkay Gundogan (12 seconds) – Manchester City v Manchester United, 2023
The midfielder stunned United with a goal after just 12 seconds of this year’s final.
He had actually taken kick-off and knocked the ball back to Stefan Ortega in the City goal.
The goalkeeper launched the ball forward for Erling Haaland to nod it on.
As Kevin De Bruyne challenged Victor Lindelof, the ball dropped for Gundogan to smash in a brilliant volley past the static David De Gea from 25 yards.
Kris Doolan believes Partick Thistle have Premiership credentials
Kris Doolan believes Partick Thistle have all the ingredients of a cinch Premiership team as they stand on the brink of a return to the top flight.
The Jags will take a 2-0 lead from the first leg of their play-off final against Ross County to Dingwall for the return game on Sunday.
Doolan, who stepped up from the club’s academy to take over from Ian McCall in February – initially as interim boss – has total belief in his squad, the first team to finish fourth in the second tier to go all the way to the play-off final.
Former Thistle striker Doolan, who lost a play-off final against Livingston in 2018, said: “Ian McCall built this squad and he deserves a lot of credit for that because it is a fantastic squad.
“To me it is a Premiership squad and we have managed to find a shape and a style of play that suits us.
“We play to our strengths but ultimately there are guys in there who have played hundreds of games at Premiership level.
“It is not as if we are a young side who are wet behind the ears, we don’t understand what the games are all about. They know how to get through games.
“You look in their eyes, they are desperate to be in the Premiership.
“They have a one-track mind and that is what we have tried to instil. We have tried to instil a winning mentality, a winning environment and winning breeds winning.
“I say that all the time but it becomes a habit and it is a habit that is hard to break but likewise if you are losing games, it is a hard habit to break that as well.
“I have been on the flip side of it coming out the Premiership, I know what it is like in these play-off games, when there is so much at stake it is difficult to stop a team with momentum coming into the last game especially, even though you might be at home. It is still a difficult thing to stop.
“We have had five games under real pressure in the play-offs but the players play as if there is no pressure. We have nothing to lose. We have everything to gain.
“Ross County are the team who could potentially come out of the Premiership. But for us, we will go up there with the mentality to win and hopefully get the job done.”
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