FC Dallas wins bullfight as Seattle Sounders crash out of playoffs

More a bullfight than a football match by the close of the evening, as FC Dallas emerged from Toyota Stadium victorious, defeating the Seattle Sounders in a penalty shootout to qualify for a spot in the Western Conference Championship.

It was the story of the matador and the bull as the two teams swapped goals late in the match in pursuit of a winner. FC Dallas, the raging bull in this playoff tale, charged at the matadors of Seattle for much of the game, with the Sounders staving off each attack with grace and resilience.

Tesho Akindele thought he struck a fatal piercing horn in Seattle's side in the 85th minute, heading home to give his team a goal that, should it hold, would see Dallas through on away goals. But, Chad Marshall proved the goal nothing more than a flesh wound, striking back minutes later with a header of his own to bring the series back into the Sounders' favour.

Related - VIDEO: Insane exchange of goals forces extra time between FC Dallas, Seattle Sounders

The raging bulls would not be put down so easily, though, as substitute defender Walker Zimmerman scored the third header goal in the 93rd minute, bringing to a close a wild seven-minute dance between the two sides.

Added time was needed to separate the two sides, intertwined in a battle of wills. In the end, it was the bull who bested the torero in the shootout, Zimmerman scoring the final penalty. It was the final wind-up run, horns locked in on Seattle's lime-green cape.

Dallas is off to the Western Conference Championship, another Cascadia opponent awaiting them in either Vancouver or Portland. As they head to the end, Dallas utters but one word to sum up this epic bullfight: "Ole!"