Minnesota United beats Rapids for first playoff win

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Kevin Molino scored two goals, Robin Lod added another and Minnesota United beat the Colorado Rapids 3-0 on Sunday night for the first playoff victory in franchise history.

Fourth-seeded Minnesota, unbeaten in its last nine games will play top-seeded Sporting Kansas City in the conference semifinals. Sporting beat San Jose in a shootout earlier Sunday.

Molino rolled a left-footer from the top of the area inside to post to open the scoring in the 22nd minute.

Dayne St. Clair, a 23-year old in his first playoff appearance, had six saves for Minnesota.

Lod ran onto a long through ball from Emanuel Reynoso at the top of the area, cut back to evade a defender and flicked in a left-footed side-netter to make it 2-0 in the 54th minute. Jan Gregus tapped a cross to a charging Molino who chipped it over sliding goalkeeper William Yarbrough to cap the scoring in the 79th.

Molino also scored twice in Minnesota’s 3-0 win over Dallas in the regular-season finale.

Colorado had won three in a row heading into the playoffs.