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Seven Teams Contend For Three Spots In Tightest Race In MLS History

Published on October 19, 2009 under Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


Impact Game 1 of the Week: Chivas USA vs. Chicago Fire, Thursday, Oct. 22, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN, Deportes) Really, all seven games this week impact the playoff picture. But by taking place first, this one will greatly affect the landscape entering the final weekend of the regular season. Chicago can clinch a playoff spot with a win or a tie. A Chivas USA victory would not only narrow their margin on Supporters' Shield leader Columbus, it would also leave the second automatic berth in the Eastern Conference up for grabs among four teams. At 10-7-12 with 42 points, Chicago sits in second place in the East, but three teams sit behind at 39 points hoping for them to slip up so they have a shot at the Eastern Conference automatic berth.

Impact Game 2 of the Week: Colorado Rapids at Real Salt Lake, Saturday, Oct. 24, 9 p.m. ET (FSC, FSE) Another tense encounter in a growing rivalry. When they met in last season's finale, Real Salt Lake clinched a playoff berth while ousting Colorado from contention with a 90th-minute goal by Yura Movsisyan at Dick's Sporting Good's Park. The Rapids have a chance to return the favor, as a tie would eliminate RSL and could clinch Colorado's postseason berth. Adding to the excitement, RSL likely needs to win by at least two goals to provide a great goal differential, which could be a deciding factor in playoff tiebreakers.

Seven Teams Contend for Three Spots in Tightest Race in MLS History

In the final week of the MLS regular season, seven teams will contend for the three remaining berths in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

It is easily the tightest playoff chase in MLS history.

Five teams have clinched passage to the postseason: Columbus, Houston, Los Angeles, Chivas USA and Seattle.

Three teams have been eliminated from playoff contention: New York, San Jose and Kansas City.

The top seed in the Western Conference could be one by Chivas USA, Houston, Los Angeles, or Seattle. All the conference semifinal matchups are up in the air.

Below are some of the permutations of this week's games. This list is not comprehensive, but rather is intended to simplify (somewhat) the scenarios facing each club on the bubble of the MLS Cup Playoffs.

Chicago Fire will qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

- The Fire defeat or tie Chivas USA on Thursday

Note: Scenarios exist in which the Fire could qualify for the playoffs even with a loss on Thursday. In general, Chicago hopes that D.C. United and New England fail to win (see head-to-head chart below).

Colorado Rapids will qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs IF:

- Colorado defeats Real Salt Lake on Saturday OR

- Colorado ties Real Salt Lake AND

o The four teams on 39 points all lose or all tie OR IF

o Only one of TOR, NE, DC and FCD win

- Note: If Colorado loses to Real Salt Lake, it hopes to do so by less than a two-goal margin and it hopes that less than two teams with 39 points win this week.

Toronto FC, New England Revolution, D.C. United and FC Dallas (all tied with 39 points) essentially must win and hope the others among them fail to win. All of those teams hope that Chivas USA defeats Chicago, because that would leave the second automatic berth in the East up for grabs.

Real Salt Lake need to defeat Colorado on Saturday and hope that no more than one of the teams on 39 points wins. Unless all four teams with 39 points lose, RSL need to defeat Colorado by more than a one-goal margin because a win leaves them tied on points and in head-to-head (1-1-1), so goal differential could decide their fate.

First tie-breaker: The highest position shall be awarded to the team with the better win/loss record in current regular season games against all other teams equal in points. (head-to-head competition) If two teams are tied in points-per-game atop such a tiebreaker, the top team is determined by goal differential. Below are the records of each of the teams vying for a playoff spot. As an example, Toronto FC would prefer to finish the season tied on points with D.C. United and New England than it would with Chicago and FC Dallas.

Supporters' Shield Now a Two-Horse Race

Columbus Crew will win the Supporters' Shield IF:

- The Crew defeat New England on Sunday OR IF:

- Chivas USA loses either of its games this week

Note: If Chivas USA earns four points from their two games and Columbus loses to New England, the Supporters' Shield winner will be the team with superior goal differential (Entering the week, CLB has +11; CHV has +5)

Chivas USA will win the Supporters' Shield IF:

- Chivas wins both its games this week AND Columbus fails to win vs. New England Sunday

Note: If Chivas USA earns four points from their two games and Columbus loses to New England, the Supporters' Shield winner will be the team with superior goal differential (Entering the week, CLB has +11; CHV has +5)

Eight teams qualify for the playoffs. Playoff berths will be determined by points in the standings upon the completion of the regular season. All 15 teams will have played 30 games. The top two teams in each conference qualify and are seeded 1 & 2 in their respective four-team playoff conference brackets. The four MLS teams with the next most points, regardless of conference, receive "wildcard" berths:

* The four wildcard teams will be seeded according to conference first.

* If more than four teams qualify from one conference, the team(s) finishing lower than fourth in its conference will shift over to the other conference bracket.

* A team switching conference brackets will be seeded below all other teams in its new conference playoff bracket.

Seattle Sounders FC Midfielder Freddie Ljungberg Wins MLS Player of the Week for Week 31

Sounders FC midfielder Freddie Ljungberg earned his first MLS Player of the Week award after providing two assists in Seattle's 3-2 victory on the road over the Kansas City Wizards. The victory ensured that Seattle advances to the MLS Cup Playoffs. They become only the second expansion team to accomplish the feat in their inaugural season.

The Major League Soccer Player of the Week is selected each week of the MLS regular season by a panel of journalists from The North American Soccer Reporters (NASR). The group consists of members of print, television, radio and online media. More information and membership information can be found at http://www.soccerreporters.com.

Previewing Week 32: Oct. 22 - 25, 2009 (All Times Eastern)

Thursday, October 22

Chivas USA at Chicago Fire, 8 p.m. (ESPN2, Deportes)

- Chivas USA look to extend a six-game unbeaten streak, while Chicago is looking to break a six-game winless skid. In their last meeting, Chicago beat Chivas 3-2 on May 28 thanks to two goals from Cuauhtémoc Blanco. Chivas goalkeeper Zach Thornton - who played eight seasons with the Fire - leads the league with a .78 goals against average and 12 shutouts, and is looking to complete the season with the League's all-time best goals against average (Onstad 0.82 - 2007) and will look to tie the club record in shutouts with 13.

Saturday, October 24

Toronto FC at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m. (DK, Match Center)

- Toronto and New York meet for the third time this season. Toronto won 2-0 on June 24 and 2-1 on June 13. The Red Bulls are winless since August 30 and are looking to close out Giants Stadium on a positive note; next season they will open in Red Bull Arena. Toronto has scored just seven goals in the past eight games.

D.C. United at Kansas City Wizards, 8:30 p.m. (DK, Match Center)

- United striker Luciano Emilio scored just his second goal in the past nine League games in a crucial 1-0 victory over Columbus last week. Emilio notched the only score when United beat Kansas City September 9. The teams tied 1-1 on May 6. D.C. leads the all-time series 17-13-8.

Colorado Rapids at Real Salt Lake, 9 p.m. (FSC, FSE)

- Real got inspired performances from Fabian Espindola and Robbie Findley in last week's 2-0 win over New York at home. Rapids targetman Conor Casey will look to close the season out with a couple of goals to challenge Jeff Cunningham for the Budweiser Golden Boot, while also putting his club in the playoffs. When the teams met at Rio Tinto Stadium on June 6, Omar Cummings scored an 88th-minute equalizer in a 1-1 draw.

FC Dallas at Seattle Sounders FC, 10:30 p.m. (DK, Match Center)

- FC Dallas and their League-best offense take on one of the top defenses. The Sounders are one of four teams who have allowed fewer than 300 shots against, and goalkeeper Kasey Keller's .092 goals against average and 10 shutouts rank second among goalkeepers. Freddie Ljungberg contributed two assists in a 3-2 victory over Kansas City Wizards. Dallas has won five of their last six games, and George John and Ugo Ihemelu each scored their first goals of the season in a 2-1 win versus the Colorado Rapids. Seattle tied FC Dallas 1-1 May 16 and have won four of their last six games.

San Jose Earthquakes at Los Angeles Galaxy, 10:30 p.m. (DK, Match Center)

- This is the California rivals' third meeting of the 2009 campaign. San Jose defeated LA, 2-1 June 20 and drew 1-1 April 18. The Earthquakes are winless in three games. They last tied Chivas USA 2-2 - Brandon McDonald scored his first goal of the season and Ryan Johnson added his eleventh. Galaxy's Landon Donovan also has 11 goals this season. The Galaxy could still capture the top seed in the Western Conference with a win and favorable results in other games.

Sunday, October 25

Houston Dynamo at Chivas USA, 3:00 p.m. (TeleFutura)

- While both clubs have qualified for the playoffs, this match could have a major impact on playoff seeding. Houston, LA and Chivas USA all have 45 points, but LA and Chivas will have played a match before this game takes place. Should Chivas win or tie their midweek match, they would have a shot at the Supporters' Shield crown over the Columbus Crew. Houston would be looking for home field advantage in the playoffs, but it will depend on the results from the previous games to decide their playoff seeding. Sacha Kljestan has come to life and is leading the Chivas USA midfield along with speedy forward Maykel Galindo and Maicon Santos. They will be a formidable matchup for arguably the best backline in the League - anchored by Geoff Cameron and Bobby Boswell.

New England Revolution at Columbus Crew, 5:00 p.m. (ESPN2, Deportes)

- A win by the Crew will secure the Supporters' Shield for the second consecutive season regardless of other results. New England is hoping for other results to go their way, but they essentially need a victory in arguably the most difficult place to play in the League. Recent history is not on the side of New England, as the Crew have won the last three meetings and shutout the Revolution in each of those meetings outscoring New England 6-0 during the stretch dating back to September 2008 . New England will hope to capitalize on a scoring drought by Columbus, which has seen the defending champs score only two goals in their last four games. They were shutout in two losses this month, and scored only one goal in their only win during October.

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