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New York Red Bulls Reach Record Playoff Clinching Feat; Are Sounders FC Next?: Week 30 MLS News & Notes

September 25, 2019 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


After clinching their place in the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs last weekend, the New York Red Bulls have now equaled the record for the most consecutive seasons reaching the postseason in Major League Soccer history.

The Red Bulls have now reached the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs each season since 2010 - matching the record first set by the LA Galaxy when they made it to the postseason in each of MLS's first 10 seasons, from 1996-2005.

But the Red Bulls' hold on the mark could be short-lived. Also having reached the postseason in 10 consecutive seasons are Seattle Sounders FC - who have never missed out on the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs since the club came into the league in 2009. Sounders FC are on the verge of reaching the postseason in a record 11th consecutive season, with the possibility of securing their place in the 2019 dance in Week 30.

CONSECUTIVE APPEARANCES - MLS CUP PLAYOFFS

TEAM SEASONS START STOP

New York Red Bulls 10 2010 current

Seattle Sounders FC 10 2009 current

LA Galaxy 10 1996 2005

Sporting Kansas City 8 2011 current

LA Galaxy 8 2009 2016

New England Revolution 8 2002 2009

FC Dallas 7 1996 2002

Real Salt Lake 7 2008 2015

NYCFC'S MAXI MORALEZ CHASING HISTORY IN ASSIST LEADERSHIP

While the race for the 2019 MLS Golden Boot presented by Audi has turned into one of the greatest in league history, there has been a chase toward history in the MLS assist leadership as well.

Maximiliano Moralez of New York City FC collected his 19th assist of the season in his club's 1-1 draw at FC Dallas last Sunday afternoon, leading MLS this season. The total is now tied for the third-most in a season in MLS history. He is only one assist from becoming just the third player in league annals to record 20 assists in a season, with three games still to be played entering Week 30.

MOST ASSISTS, SINGLE SEASON

YEAR PLAYER TM GP ASTS

2000 Carlos Valderrama TB 32 26

2016 Sacha Kljestan NYR 32 20

2019 Maximiliano Moralez NYC 26 19

2014 Landon Donovan LA 31 19

2008 Guillermo Barros Schelotto CLB 27 19

2002 Steve Ralston NE 27 19

1998 Marco Etcheverry DC 29 19

1997 Carlos Valderrama TB 20 19

1996 Marco Etcheverry DC 26 19

RED BULLS SHARING THE WEALTH AT RECORD PROPORTIONS

When Kyle Duncan netted the opening goal of the game for the New York Red Bulls in their 2-0 win at the Portland Timbers last week, he became the 18th different goalscorer for the club this season.

That total matches the most of any team in a single season in MLS history, joining D.C. United in 2016, who also saw 18 different players score at least one league goal.

MOST GOALSCORERS, SINGLE SEASON

18 New York Red Bulls 2019

18 D.C. United 2016

17 FC Dallas 2018

17 Montreal Impact 2013

17 FC Dallas 2012

17 Houston Dynamo 2011

17 Chicago Fire 2005

17 D.C. United 1997

Credit: Elias Sports Bureau

KEEPING IT CLEAN: HISTORY REPEATS AS FEWEST FOULS OCCUR

It took nearly 24 full seasons for a team to commit just a single foul over the course of an MLS game. Then it took less than 24 hours for the feat to be repeated.

On Saturday evening, in regular season game No. 5,841 in MLS history, the Montréal Impact committed just one foul in their 2-1 loss to the LA Galaxy at Dignity Health Sports Park. Then the following afternoon, Minnesota United FC committed just a single foul in their scoreless draw with the Portland Timbers at Providence Park.

Over the first 23-plus seasons in MLS, a team had committed as few as two fouls in a game on just four occasions, the last coming in 2013.

FEWEST FOULS COMMITTED, ONE GAME (ONE TEAM)

FC TEAMS DATE SCORE

1 MTL 9/21/2019 MTL 1 at LA 2

1 MIN 9/22/2019 MIN 0 at POR 0

2 DAL 7/4/2009 DAL 2 vs NY 1

2 CHI 9/26/2009 CHI 2 vs TOR 2

2 COL 8/5/2011 COL 2 vs CLB 0

2 LA 5/5/2013 LA 0 vs HOU 1

EAST VS. WEST - WHO HAS THE ADVANTAGE?

With this weekend's interconference clashes between the San Jose Earthquakes and Philadelphia Union, and the Portland Timbers and the New England Revolution, the slate of matches between the Eastern and Western conferences for the 2019 season will be completed.

Heading into the midweek matches, the Western Conference holds the edge with 61 victories against the East, while the East has won 54 games vs. the West (there have been 27 draws).

CONFERENCE VS. CONFERENCE, 2019

EAST WEST DRAWS

54 61 27

JOSEF MARTÍNEZ CEMENTS HIS PLACE IN WORLD FOOTBALL HISTORY

When Josef Martínez was forced off by injury in Atlanta United's 3-1 win against the San Jose Earthquakes at Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Saturday afternoon, his MLS-record streak of 15 consecutive league games with a goal also came to an end.

The 15-game streak with at least one goal now ranks tied for the fifth-longest in all of world football history, according to FIFA, and it is the second-longest since the launch of MLS in 1996. Martínez ended six games behind the all-time recordholder, Lionel Messi, who netted 33 goals over a 21-game streak for FC Barcelona in Spain's La Liga in 2013-14.

LONGEST GOALSCORING STREAKS IN WORLD FOOTBALL HISTORY

PLAYER CLUB START STOP GMS GLS

Lionel Messi FC Barcelona (ESP) 11/11/2013 5/3/2014 21 33

Josef Bican Slavia Praha (CZE) 1939 1940 19 40+

Teodor Peterek Ruch Chorzow (POL) 10/3/1937 9/11/1938 16 22

Gerd Müller Bayern München (GER) 9/27/1969 3/3/1970 16 23

Josef Martínez Atlanta United (USA) 5/24/2019 9/18/2019 15 21

Tor Henning Hamre Flora Tallinn (EST) 6/16/2003 10/17/2003 15 21

Juan Pedro Young Peñarol (URU) 7/2/1933 10/21/1933 15 22

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