Didier Drogba scored as Montreal Impact trounced Canadian rivals Toronto FC 3-0 to book an Eastern Conference play-off semi-final against Columbus Crew.
The former Chelsea striker, who has scored 12 goals in 12 games since his move from Stamford Bridge in the summer, added to strikes from Patrice Bernier and Ignacio Piatti before half-time on Thursday at Saputo Stadium in Quebec.
Toronto had waited nine years for a taste of the MLS play-offs, after two Drogba goals confined them to a 2-1 defeat to the Impact on the final day of the regular season and a third-place finish.
It was Piatti who set up Bernier for Montreal's opener on the break, sliding him in for a sidefoot shot past Chris Konopka on 18 minutes.
Piatti, who came into the staring line-up on the left wing, added the second on 33 minutes before Drogba smashed in six minutes later to put the game beyond Toronto.
In the day's other play-off game, the Portland Timbers needed 11 penalties to beat Sporting Kansas City in a dramatic shoot-out after the sides drew 2-2 after extra time.
The Portland Timbers are through to the MLS Western Conference semi-finals, after beating Sporting Kansas City on penalties
The game finished 1-1 after 90 minutes at Providence Park, Kevin Ellis cancelling out Rodney Wallace's 57th-minute opener for the Timbers three minutes from time.
Visitors Kansas City then went ahead six minutes into the extra 30 through Krisztian Nemeth, but Portland equalised through Maximiliano Urruti two minutes before the end.
A marathon shoot-out came down to the goalkeepers and after Portland's Adam Kwarasey converted his kick, Kansas City's Jon Kempin could not match him, leaving the Timbers to face Vancouver in the Western Conference semi-finals.
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