Atlanta United the team of Jamaican international Romario Williams last night placed one foot in the US Major League soccer championship match after beating Kemar Lawrence’s New York Red Bulls 3-nil in the first leg of the Eastern Conference final on Sunday.

Josef Martinez, who set an MLS record with 31 regular season goals, put Atlanta ahead in the 32nd minute before second-half goals from Franco Escobar and hector Villalba gave them a comfortable lead to take to new York for Thursday’s return leg.

In the western conference, Alvas Powell was an unused substitute as the Portland timbers and sporting Kansas City battled to a 0-0 draw in their opening leg.

The timbers are looking to reach the cup final for the second time in four years

The Red Bulls or Atlanta United will host the MLS cup on December 8 as both teams had more points in the regular season than the two Western Conference semi-finalists.