All Six Saturday Games Feature Playoff Implications
Published on September 25, 2006 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release
NEW YORK (Sept. 25, 2006) - This Saturday, the lines are drawn in Major League Soccer and some teams will advance while others will watch and wait. All six games have serious ramifications on the race to the MLS Cup Playoffs. Three teams have clinched playoff berths - D.C. United, FC Dallas and the Chicago Fire. Now, nine teams grapple for one of the five remaining playoff berths with just three regular season games remaining for each team.
A victory for New England puts the Revolution through to the postseason, while losses for Columbus and Los Angeles would spell the end of their chances for MLS Cup 2006. Chivas USA, Houston and Colorado could all clinch playoff spots if they win and Real Salt Lake loses.
Here are the team-by-team implications of Saturday's games:
EASTERN CONFERENCE
D.C. United - plays at Houston
D.C. United will clinch the 2006 Supporters' Shield, which goes to the MLS team with the best regular season record, IF:
D.C. United defeats Houston OR FC Dallas loses to Columbus OR Both United and FC Dallas tie Note: The Supporters' Shield winner also gets a berth in the 2007 CONCACAF Champions Cup, the region's top club competition.
Chicago Fire - plays at New York
Chicago will clinch home field advantage for the first round of the playoffs IF:
Chicago defeats New York AND New England fails to win against Colorado OR IF: Chicago ties and New England loses Note: If Chicago clinches home-field advantage, it will host the second leg of an Eastern Conference Semifinal series on Oct. 28 or Oct. 29 against the third-place finisher in the East.
New England - hosts Colorado, 7:30 p.m. ET
New England will clinch a playoff berth IF:
New England defeats Colorado OR: New York fails to win against Chicago Kansas City - hosts Real Salt Lake, 8:30 p.m. ET
Kansas City cannot clinch a playoff spot this Saturday. But, IF Kansas City defeats Real Salt Lake, Columbus is eliminated.
New York - hosts Chicago, 7:30 p.m. ET
New York cannot clinch a playoff spot this Saturday. But IF Kansas City defeats Real Salt Lake AND New York loses to Chicago, then New York will need to win its last two games and have Kansas City lose or tie against Chivas on Oct. 7 to earn a spot.
Columbus - hosts FC Dallas, 7:30 p.m. ET
In order for Columbus to make the playoffs:
Columbus must win its three remaining games AND Kansas City must earn no more than one point from its three remaining games AND New York must earn no more than four points from its three remaining games. Note: Columbus wins the head-to-head tiebreaker if it finishes tied on points with NY; Columbus loses that tiebreaker with KC.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
FC Dallas - plays at Columbus
FC Dallas will clinch home-field advantage for the Western Conference Championship IF:
FC Dallas defeats Columbus OR Chivas USA loses and Houston fails to win. Chivas USA - plays "at" Los Angeles Galaxy
Chivas USA will clinch a playoff spot IF:
Chivas USA wins Los Angeles AND Real Salt Lake fails to win against Kansas City OR IF: Houston Dynamo - hosts D.C. United, 8:30 p.m. ET
Houston will clinch a playoff spot IF:
Houston defeats D.C. United AND Real Salt Lake fails to win against Kansas City Colorado Rapids - play at New England
Colorado will clinch a playoff spot IF:
Colorado defeats New England AND Real Salt Lake loses to Kansas City Real Salt Lake - plays at Kansas City
Real Salt Lake cannot clinch a playoff spot on Saturday.
Real Salt Lake will be eliminated if it loses to Kansas City AND Houston and Colorado both win their games AND Chivas USA ties or wins its game.
Los Angeles Galaxy - hosts Chivas USA, 10:30 p.m. ET
In order to make the playoffs,
LA must win its three remaining games AND one of the following must occur: Houston loses its three remaining games OR Chivas loses its two remaining games (after losing to LA this Saturday) OR Colorado earns no more than two points in its three remaining games
The regular season ends on Sunday, Oct. 15, and the MLS Cup Playoffs begin on Saturday, Oct. 21. The third and fourth place teams from each conference host Conference Semifinal games on Oct. 21 or 22 against the second and first seeds, respectively. The return-leg games of those Conference Semifinal series will be played on Oct. 28 or 29, hosted by the higher-seeded team. For the Conference Championships, the highest remaining seeds will host a single match on Nov. 4 or 5.
MLS Cup 2006 will take place live on ABC at 3:30 p.m. ET on Nov. 12 from Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. The remaining MLS schedule follows and is available at www.MLSnet.com. Playoff schedule is tentative and subject to change.
All Times Eastern:
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup final:
Los Angeles Galaxy at Chicago Fire, 8 p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel)
Saturday, September 30, 2006
Chicago Fire at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m. (HDNet)
Colorado Rapids at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
FC Dallas at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.
D.C. United at Houston Dynamo, 8:30 p.m.
Real Salt Lake at Kansas City Wizards, 8:30 p.m.
Chivas USA at Los Angeles Galaxy, 10:30 p.m.
Saturday, October 7, 2006
New England Revolution at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m.
Chivas USA at Kansas City Wizards, 8:30 p.m.
Columbus Crew at Chicago Fire, 8:30 p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel)
Los Angeles Galaxy at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m. (HDNet)
Houston Dynamo at Real Salt Lake, 9 p.m.
New York Red Bulls at Colorado Rapids, 9 p.m.
Saturday, October 14, 2006
Columbus Crew at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m.
Kansas City Wizards at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m.
Colorado Rapids at Houston Dynamo, 8:30 p.m. (HDNet)
FC Dallas at Los Angeles Galaxy, 10:30 p.m. (Fox Soccer Channel)
Sunday, October 15, 2006
Chicago Fire at D.C. United, 5 p.m., ESPN2
Real Salt Lake at Chivas USA, 7 p.m.
END OF 2005 REGULAR SEASON
Saturday, October 21, 2006
MLS Cup Playoffs - Conference Semifinal Game 1 - TBD
MLS Cup Playoffs - Conference Semifinal Game 1 - TBD
Sunday, October 22, 2006
MLS Cup Playoffs - Conference Semifinal Game 1 - TBD (ESPN2)
MLS Cup Playoffs - Conference Semifinal Game 1 - TBD (ABC)
Saturday, October 28, 2006
MLS Cup Playoffs - Conference Semifinal Game 2 - TBD
MLS Cup Playoffs - Conference Semifinal Game 2 - TBD
Sunday, October 29, 2006
MLS Cup Playoffs - Conference Semifinal Game 2 - TBD at D.C. United (6 p.m. ESPN2)
MLS Cup Playoffs - Conference Semifinal Game 2 - TBD
Saturday, November 4, 2006
MLS Cup Playoffs - Conference Championship - TBD
Sunday, November 5, 2006
MLS Cup Playoffs - Conference Championship, 4 p.m. (ESPN2)
Sunday, November 12, 2006
MLS Cup at Pizza Hut Park, 3:30 p.m. (ABC)
Major League Soccer Stories from September 25, 2006
- Galaxy weekly update - LA Galaxy
- All Six Saturday Games Feature Playoff Implications - MLS
- Houston Dynamo Weekly - Houston Dynamo FC
- D.C. United's Gomez named MLS Player of the Week - D.C. United
- Rapids weekly notes - Colorado Rapids
- Revolution Announce 2007 Season Ticket Prices - New England Revolution
- Univision Acquires Rights to Broadcast Major League Soccer - MLS
- D.C. United to recognize Decade's Best - D.C. United
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