MLS Cup Playoff Race Update

If the MLS regular season ended today, here are the eight teams who would have a shot at reaching MLS Cup on Nov. 18 in Washington, D.C., listed according to their would-be opponents in a two-game, aggregate goals playoff series:

But seven weeks remain for these pairings to change. The Columbus Crew is tied on points with Colorado for the final wildcard spot, but the Rapids currently cling to the berth by virtue of a better goal differential. The Chicago Fire are just two points behind Colorado and Columbus and travels to play the Crew this weekend in a vital match for both teams.
At the top of the table, D.C. United has burst into the lead on the strength of a six-game winning streak that included a thorough, 4-0 lashing of host FC Dallas. But that winning streak will be severely tested as United must travel to play Chivas USA, winners of three straight, on Thursday night before returning home for a Sunday afternoon battle with fellow East power New England. A win by United in either game would mean that Toronto FC cannot mathematically catch D.C., and would move United a step closer to clinching a playoff spot.
The MLS regular season ends on Oct. 21, but if it were to end today this is what the playoff qualification picture would look like:

Automatic berths:

EASTERN CONFERENCE
1 D.C. United 42 points


2 New England Revolution 42 points
WESTERN CONFERENCE
1 Houston Dynamo 39


2 Chivas USA 36

Wildcard berths:

New York Red Bulls 36


FC Dallas 36


Kansas City Wizards 33


Colorado Rapids 28
The pairings for the two-leg Conference Semifinal series would be:
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS:
Game 1 Thurs., Oct. 25 - Sun., Oct. 28


Game 2 Thurs., Nov. 1 - Sun., Nov. 4
1 D.C. United vs. 4 Kansas City Wizards


2 New England Revolution vs. 3 New York Red Bulls


WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS:
Game 1 Thurs., Oct. 25 - Sun., Oct. 28


Game 2 Thurs., Nov. 1 - Sun., Nov. 4
1 Houston Dynamo vs. 4 Colorado Rapids


2 Chivas USA vs. 3 FC Dallas
CONFERENCE FINALS:
Thurs., Nov. 8 teams and site TBD (ESPN2)


Sat., Nov. 10 teams and site TBD
MLS CUP
Sun., Nov. 18, Noon (ABC) at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
These matchups are hypothetical, especially since not all teams have played an equal number of games. Teams currently on the outside looking in (with the minimum number of points they need to make up) are: Columbus Crew (1), Chicago Fire (2), Toronto FC (8), Real Salt Lake (10), Los Angeles Galaxy (14).
The qualification and seeding are as follow:
• Eight teams qualify for the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs
• Playoff berths will be determined by points in the standings upon the completion of the regular season on Oct. 21; all 13 teams will have played 30 games.
• If two teams are tied on points, the first tiebreaker is head-to-head results, the second tiebreaker is goal differential, and the third is goals scored for the season. (Subsequent tiebreakers are available in the Fact and Record Book).
• 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, those finishing lower than fourth in their 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.
NOTE: The seeding is incorrectly described in the 2007 Fact and Record Book.
This week's schedule of games follows:
(All times Eastern)


Thursday, September 6


D.C. United at Chivas USA, 10:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Saturday, September 8


Chicago Fire at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m.


Real Salt Lake at Houston Dynamo, 8:30 p.m. (HDNet)


Toronto FC at FC Dallas, 8:30 p.m. (CBC)


Colorado Rapids at Los Angeles Galaxy (FSC, FSE)




Sunday, September 9


New England Revolution at D.C. United, 3:00 p.m. (TeleFutura)


New York Red Bulls at Chivas USA, 8:00 p.m.