Today the Chicago Fire seized the eighth and final spot in the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs by defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy, 1-0. Surging in to the playoffs on an eight-game unbeaten streak, the Fire will host D.C. United in the opening game of the playoffs this Thursday night on ESPN2.
The pairings and schedule for the MLS Cup Playoffs are below. Each of the conference semifinals is decided by a two-game, total-goals series.
Each of the two conference championships is determined by a single game played at the higher seed's home venue.
MLS Cup 2007 is Sunday, Nov. 18 at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C., at Noon ET (ABC and TeleFutura).
All times Eastern; schedule subject to change
EASTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS:
Thurs., Oct. 25 Game 1: D.C. United at Chicago Fire, 8:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Thurs., Nov. 1 Game 2: Chicago Fire at D.C. United, 7:30 p.m. (ESPN2)
Sat., Oct. 27 Game 1: New England Revolution at New York Red Bulls, 7:30 p.m. (FSC, FSE)
Sat., Nov. 3 Game 2: New York Red Bulls at New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m. (FSC, FSE)
WESTERN CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS:
Sat., Oct. 27 Game 1: Chivas USA at Kansas City Wizards, 8:00 p.m. (Regional TV, DK)
Sat., Nov. 3 Game 2: Kansas City Wizards at Chivas USA, 10:30 p.m. (HDNet, Regional TV, DK)
Sat., Oct. 27 Game 1: Houston Dynamo at FC Dallas, 8 p.m. (HDNet, Regional TV, DK)
Fri., Nov. 2 Game 2: FC Dallas at Houston Dynamo, 8:30 p.m. (Regional TV, DK)
CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIPS:
Thurs., Nov. 8 Teams, time and location TBD (ESPN2)
Sat., Nov. 10 Teams, time and location TBD (FSC, FSE, HDNet)
MLS CUP:
Sun., Nov. 18 Noon (ABC and TeleFutura) at RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C.
Key:
FSC - Fox Soccer Channel
FSE - Fox Sports en Español
DK - Direct Kick
Regional TV - Check local listings
Notes:
• As the fifth-place team in the Eastern Conference, Kansas City shifted over to become the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoff bracket. Full qualification procedure is described below.
• The team that scores the most goals in a home-and-home Conference Semifinal series advances to the single-game Conference Championship. If the teams are tied after 180 minutes, a 30-minute extra time period (two 15-minute halves) will be played. If the teams remain tied after that period, a penalty-kick tiebreaker will determine the team that advances. The same tiebreaking procedures are used if a Conference Championship is tied after 90 minutes.
FINAL MLS PLAYOFF RACE STANDINGS
Key:
Blue - Secured automatic berths in MLS Cup Playoffs
Black - Secured wildcard berths in MLS Cup Playoffs
Red - Did not qualify for playoffs
^ Chicago finished ahead of Kansas City due to a superior head-to-head record.
The qualification and seeding for the MLS Cup Playoffs 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.
