What. A. Day.
Records fell, seeds were settled and San Jose, in true Goonie fashion, scored at the death to secure their first MLS Cup Playoff berth in five years.
Decision Day presented by AT&T was MLS at its best, pure madness and wonderful memories from start to finish.
Toronto set the all-time MLS record for points in a single season in front of a record crowd of 70,000+ in Atlanta, the Red Bulls broke D.C. hearts at #LastCallAtRFK, Dallas woke up just a bit too late from their late-season nightmare, Portland pipped Vancouver to win the West and the Cascadia Cup, Deuce had a moment of insanity in Seattle and Giovinco scored another ridiculous free kick.
And did I mention San Jose?
What. A. Day.
We’ve got more drama in store in the Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs, which will kick off on Wednesday with a pair of Knockout Round matchups.
Want to re-live Decision Day again? We’ve got you covered – check out our tracker for all the best from the afternoon, as it happened.
6:37 pm ET
No, it wasn't just you. Decision Day really was that wild:
6:29 pm ET
It got a bit lost in the shuffle, but Toronto’s 2-2 draw at Atlanta gave the Reds the all-time MLS record for most points in a season.
TFC finished with 69 points, one more than the 1998 LA Galaxy. Nice.
6:22 pm ET
It was an insane ride, but the East's six playoff teams ended the day in the same place they started:
1. Toronto FC
2. New York City FC
3. Chicago Fire
4. Atlanta United FC
5. Columbus Crew SC
6. New York Red Bulls
6:19 pm ET
Portland have won the West!
The Timbers hung on for a 2-1 win over the visiting Vancouver Whitecaps to vault past the Canadian club and into first in the West.
Here’s how the whole Western Conference picture shook out. What a day:
1. Portland Timbers
2. Seattle Sounders
3. Vancouver Whitecaps
4. Houston Dynamo
5. Sporting KC
6. San Jose Earthquakes
6:13 pm ET
We're final in San Jose!
The Quakes are in the playoffs for the first time since 2012. FC Dallas and RSL are out.
6:10 pm ET
SAN JOSE. BACK. IN.
Marco Urena is the hero for the Quakes, blasting in a beautiful Chris Wondolowski layoff to give the Quakes a 3-2 lead deep into second-half stoppage time.
It doesn't get any more Goonie than this. Unreal scenes at Avaya. UNREAL!
6:08 pm ET
We're in to stoppage time in San Jose.
The Quakes have five minutes to find a winner. If they can't, they'll miss the playoffs and FC Dallas will sneak in.
6:05 pm ET
SEBASTIAN GIOVINCO.
Take a bow, you magician.
That could be history for Toronto, who would set the single-season points record with a draw in Atlanta. It might be an even bigger goal for NYCFC, who are now back in second in the East thanks to that beauty from the Italian star.
5:59 pm ET
Francisco Calvo: FC Dallas legend?
Calvo just equalized for Minnesota at San Jose, heading home a corner kick to tie things up at 2-2.
If current results hold, FCD, who are demolishing LA 5-1, will make the playoffs. San Jose and RSL will be out.
5:57 pm ET
Atlanta are back in front!
Josef Martinez – the best striker in MLS, Golden Boot be damned – has scored again to put the Five Stripes ahead 2-1. Not only could that strike deny Toronto an all-time MLS record, it might just be enough for Atlanta to secure the second-seed.
Elsewhere, Philadelphia are cruising 6-1 against Orlando and New York are leading 2-1 at D.C. Houston have also scored again to take a 3-0 lead against Chicago.
Dallas are also now up 5-1 against LA. Will that beat enough for FCD to make the playoffs? They’ll need some help from Minnesota…
5:50 pm ET
Bit of a bittersweet moment in Houston, where Romell Quioto just gave the Dynamo a 2-0 lead but appeared to injure his hamstring in the process.
Houston are in control and look destined for a home playoff game, but Quioto’s injury could loom large in the Knockout Round.
5:48 pm ET
Things are heating up in Atlanta.
Jozy Altidore, who has been hearing it all game from the record crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, scored to pull Toronto level at 1-1.
Just in case conceding wasn’t bad enough, Atlanta appear to have been dealt a serious blow with defender Michael Parkhurst pulling up injured on the play that led to the goal.
In more positive news for the Five Stripes, Miguel Almiron just entered the match, marking his return from after a few weeks out with a hamstring injury.
5:44 pm ET
Seattle are up two goals, and they’re no longer down a man.
Colorado defender Axel Sjoberg was shown a straight red card and the Sounders were given a penalty following another video review at CenturyLink Field.
Nicolas Lodeiro buried the penalty kick for the Sounders, who look like they’ll cruise to a win and the West’s No. 2 seed.
5:40 pm ET
Ball don’t lie.
Moments after they had a penalty appeal denied, Crew SC scored to make it 2-2 at NYCFC.
Defender Josh Williams had the goal, rising up for a powerful header off of a corner kick.
5:37 pm ET
Who else but Wondo?
The San Jose legend has scored to put the Quakes back in front of Minnesota and back into the playoff field. If they can hold onto their 2-1 lead, San Jose will be in the postseason, regardless of what happens in Dallas and Salt Lake.
With that goal, we’re right back where we started with the West playoff field. Hope the whiplash hasn’t been too bad.
5:34 pm ET
Bullet dodged in Seattle!
Colorado forward Dominque Badji had a chance to equalize from the spot, but put his penalty kick off the post to keep the 10-man Sounders out front.
Elsewhere in Cascadia, Darren Mattocks has scored to give Portland a 2-1 lead against Vancouver. If they can hold on for the win, the Timbers would secure the West’s first seed and the Cascadia Cup.
5:30 pm ET
That should about do it in Dallas.
Roland Lamah has scored his second to give FCD a 3-1 lead against the visiting Galaxy.
The clock is ticking for San Jose, who need to take the lead against Minnesota if they want to qualify for the playoffs. Time might be up for RSL, who can’t qualify for the playoffs if Dallas beat LA.
5:18 pm ET
We’re at the break in all 11 matches, so let’s play a little catchup from some of the games we haven’t looked at.
D.C. are out front in their final match at RFK Stadium, getting a goal from Paul Arriola to head into the half with a 1-0 lead against the rival Red Bulls:
Things are knotted at 1-1 in Montreal, where Diego Fagundez gave the Revs an early 1-0 lead before Patrice Bernier – playing the final match of his illustrious career – converted a penalty to bring the Impact level.
Ringing the goal bell in Montreal’s supporters’ section? Yeah, that’d be Bernier’s parents. Very nice moment at Stade Saputo:
Orlando’s miserable year is coming to a tough end in Philadelphia, where the Union hold a dominant 4-0 lead over the visiting Lions. Ilsinho and CJ Sapong both have one goal for the hosts, while Fafa Picault bagged a first-half brace. Sapong’s goal was his 15th of the year, a single-season Union record.
Here's how all the matches stand after a wild first 45 minutes featuring 22 (22!!) total goals:
5:09 pm ET
NYCFC are back in pole position for the second-seed in the East.
David Villa scored his second of the afternoon to give the Blues a 2-1 lead over Columbus. NYCFC would clinch the No. 2 seed and avoid the Knockout Round with a win against Crew SC.
Zack Steffen’s gonna want this one back:
5:07 pm ET
Scenes in Frisco!
Minutes after Roland Lamah pulled FCD level, Matt Hedges bungled home a loose ball in the box to give FCD the lead. With San Jose currently level with Minnesota, that strike is enough to pull FCD into sixth-place in the wild, wild West.
5:05 pm ET
It’s a party at the RioT.
Brooks Lennon just scored to give RSL a 2-0 lead against SKC heading into the break.
It looks like RSL will get the win they’ll need, but will San Jose and Dallas cooperate to let the Claret-and-Cobalt into the playoffs?
5:00 pm ET
Dallas: Not dead yet!
Roland Lamah just buried a close-range finish to pull FCD level at 1-1 against LA.
That’s a big-time goal for Dallas, who would qualify for the playoffs with a win coupled with a San Jose loss/draw.
This is all happening entirely too fast.
4:59 pm ET
The Loons aren’t making it easy on San Jose.
Minnesota have equalized at Avaya Stadium, with Jerome Thiesson scoring a beautiful goal – best of the day so far – to make it 1-1.
As things currently stand, RSL are in the playoffs. San Jose and Dallas are out.
4:57 pm ET
Back-to-back goals in Portland!
Vancouver defender Kendall Waston headed home to give the ‘Caps a 1-0 lead, but their advantage would prove to be short-lived. Portland center back Liam Ridgewell equalized just three minutes later, restoring parity at the top of the West.
4:53 pm ET
More fun with VAR, this time in Atlanta.
The Five Stripes were given a penalty kick following video review for a Drew Moor handball in the box. The play was initially missed by officials, but corrected on replay.
Yamil Asad converted the spot kick to give Atlanta the lead. That’s huge for the expansion club, who have now pulled ahead of NYCFC and into second in the East.
4:47 pm ET
They still have the lead against Colorado, but Seattle just suffered a huge, huge blow.
Star forward Clint Dempsey has been shown a straight red card for an elbow to the head of Rapids defender Mike Da Fonte. The play was initially missed by the officials, who ejected Dempsey following a video review.
Thanks to the red, Dempsey will be suspended for Seattle's first playoff match.
4:40 pm ET
NYCFC didn’t need much time to get things even against Columbus.
Star striker David Villa scored to pull the Cityzens level at 1-1, heading home a corner kick for his 21st goal of the season.
With the goal, NYCFC are back in second in the East.
4:38 pm ET
Head spinning yet? Good, me neither.
Absolutely CRITICAL goal in San Jose, as Danny Hoesen finished off a breakaway to give the Quakes a 1-0 lead against Minnesota at Avaya Stadium. That’s great news for San Jose, who will sew up the West’s sixth-seed with a win, and a serious blow for RSL and FC Dallas.
4:35 pm ET
We’ve got huge moves in Seattle and New York City.
Out West, Will Bruin tapped home to give Seattle an early 1-0 lead against Colorado. Should the Sounders hold on against the lowly Rapids, they’ll clinch the second-seed and a first-round bye.
Back in the Big Apple, Columbus have taken a surprising early lead at NYCFC. Crew SC leading scorer Ola Kamara did the deed, giving Columbus the edge win what’s no doubt a hugely emotional match for the Black-and-Gold. As things currently stand, Crew SC are in second in the East.
4:28 pm ET
More goals!
We’re off to a flying start, as RSL and Houston both took early leads seconds after LA pulled ahead in Dallas.
Luis Silva scored for the Claret-and-Cobalt, poking a shot past Andrew Dykstra to give Salt Lake a crucial advantage.
Leonardo scored a similarly scrappy goal for Houston, heading home following a long throw-in to give the Dynamo a 1-0 lead against Chicago.
Both goals have huge playoff implications: As things stand, RSL are in the six seed out West, while Houston have moved ahead of SKC.
4:25 pm ET
That didn’t take long.
The LA Galaxy have scored the first goal of Decision Day, with defender Michael Ciani heading home a Romain Alessandrini cross to put FC Dallas in an early 1-0 hole.
FCD just can't help themselves.
4:20 pm ET
Let's check out some tifos, shall we?
D.C.:
Portland:
Seattle:
4:16 pm ET
This is what an all-time MLS record crowd looks like:
Well done to Atlanta, who are breaking the single-game attendance record they set earlier this year today AND setting the all-time single-season attendance record. Quite the expansion season.
4:12 pm ET
All six of the conference’s playoff berths have already been clinched, but still plenty of storylines are still in play out East.
First up: Seeding. Supporters’ Shield winners Toronto are locked into the No. 1 seed and the New York Red Bulls will head into the playoffs as the No. 6 seed, but spots 2-5 are completely up for grabs. NYCFC will clinch the second seed and avoid the Knockout Round with a home win against Columbus, while Crew SC, Atlanta and Chicago will be hoping for full points to finish as high as possible.
There’s plenty of other activity in the East, too. Toronto will set the all-time MLS single-season points record with a draw or win in front of a record crowd of 70,000+ in Atlanta, D.C. United are set to play their final match at RFK Stadium and Montreal legend Patrice Bernier will take his final runout for the Impact before retiring following Sunday’s match.
4:06 pm ET
Let's set the table for some of the day's top storylines. The highest-stakes match is out in San Jose, where the Earthquakes will host Minnesota with a playoff berth on the line. The equation is simple for the Quakes: A win, and they're in. A loss or draw, and the door creaks open for FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake to sneak into the playoffs.
The top of the West is also in doubt. Portland and Vancouver are contending for the No. 1 spot, and they just happen to be squaring off at Providence Park. A home win for Portland would give the Timbers the West's top-seed; a draw or victory for Vancouver and they'd clinch first-place.
