With only three weeks left in the 2007 MLS regular season four teams have clinched playoff berths, while the remaining four spots are up for grabs in a tightly contested race to the finish. FC Dallas, Kansas City and New York can punch their tickets to the playoffs this week, while Real Salt Lake was eliminated and Toronto FC's chances hang by a thread.
Heading into the last weekend of September, FC Dallas and New York had a chance to clinch a playoff berth, but could not overcome tough opponents as FC Dallas lost 3-0 to Western Conference leading Houston Dynamo and the New York Red Bulls tied Real Salt Lake - a team eliminated from playoff contention but trying to end the season on a strong note.
The Red Bulls travel to face Toronto FC on Thursday, Oct. 4 in the ESPN2 primetime match at 7 p.m. ET, and they could clinch a playoff berth with a win, or if Columbus and Los Angeles fail to win over the weekend.
FC Dallas will clinch a spot with a win or tie over Columbus on Saturday, as Columbus is the only team that could catch them in the overall standings with 40 points. The Crew sits in ninth place with 31 points, but can earn a maximum of 40 points if they win the remainder of their games. The Wizards are the only other team that can clinch a spot this weekend, but they need to win and hope that the Crew and the Los Angeles Galaxy both fail to win.
When the regular season ends on Oct. 21, the team with the most points will win the Supporters' Shield and will qualify for the 2008 CONCACAF Champions Cup. Ten MLS teams have three games remaining and three teams have four games left, including the Los Angeles Galaxy who are 3-0-1 in their last four games.
Below are the scenarios in which teams could clinch or be eliminated this week:
FC Dallas:
Will clinch a playoff spot IF:
FC Dallas ties or defeats Columbus on Saturday
Kansas City Wizards:
Will clinch a playoff spot IF:
Kansas City defeats D.C. United on Friday AND
Columbus Crew fails to win on Saturday AND
Los Angeles Galaxy fails to win on Sunday
New York Red Bulls:
Will clinch a playoff spot IF:
New York defeats Toronto FC on Thursday, OR
Columbus fails to win versus FC Dallas on Saturday AND
Los Angeles fails to win versus Houston on Sunday
Toronto FC:
Will be mathematically eliminated from playoff contention IF:
Toronto FC fails to win against New York on Thursday, OR
Chicago ties or defeats New England on Saturday
If the season ended today, the eight teams below would qualify. They are listed according to their would-be opponents in two-game, aggregate goals playoff series:
Eastern Conference Semifinals
D.C. United vs. Kansas City Wizards
New England Revolution vs. New York Red Bulls
Western Conference Semifinals
Houston Dynamo vs. Chicago Fire*
Chivas USA vs. FC Dallas
*As the fifth team to qualify from the Eastern Conference, Chicago would shift over to become the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoff bracket. Full qualification and seeding procedure is below.
MLS CUP PLAYOFF SCHEDULE
Individual clubs have information on specific dates for their respective home matches.
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS:
Game 1: Thurs., Oct. 25 - Sun., Oct. 28
Game 2: Thurs., Nov. 1 - Sun., Nov. 4
WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS:
Game 1: Thurs., Oct. 25 - Sun., Oct. 28
Game 2: Thurs., Nov. 1 - Sun., Nov. 4
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.
MLS PLAYOFF RACE
Team - Points - Games Left - Max Pts.
*D.C. United - 53 - 3 - 62
*NE Revolution - 49 - 3 - 58
*Chivas USA - 48 - 4 - 60
*Houston Dynamo - 48 - 3 - 57
FC Dallas - 40 - 3 - 49
NY Red Bulls - 39 - 3 - 48
Kansas City Wizards - 36 - 3 - 45
Chicago Fire - 33 - 3 - 42
Other contenders
Columbus Crew - 31 - 3 - 40
Colorado Rapids - 29 - 3 - 38
LA Galaxy - 27 - 4 - 39
Real Salt Lake - 24 - 3 - 33
Toronto FC - 21 - 4 - 33
Key:
* Has clinched a playoff spot
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.
