Down The Stretch WATCH: MLSsoccer.com looks at the latest postseason picture http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=112&id=19316
Who's In? Who's Close? WATCH: MLSsoccer.com looks at the latest postseason picture http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=112&id=19591
Down To The Wire Nine points separate postseason contenders; who misses the cut? There are 18 days left in the MLS regular season, and 10 teams are still vying for seven remaining playoff positions. And the field is crowded: nine points separate the contenders. For those on the outside of the postseason picture looking in, there's no margin for error, and those on the inside looking out do so with more than a small amount of nervousness as they fight to punch their ticket to the dance. Seven of these teams will get in. But what about the three that will miss out? http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/10/05/poll-which-teams-wont-make-playoffs
Who's Hot, Who's Not Which teams have the edge heading down the homestretch? http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=112&id=19817
Race Wide Open WATCH: With two weeks left, tight East still up for grabs http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=112&id=19965
League announces fixture dates for 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs Postseason begins Oct. 26; two-week break before MLS Cup NEW YORK — Major League Soccer announced dates for this season’s MLS Cup Playoff matches, culminating in MLS Cup 2011 on Sunday, Nov. 20 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif. The road to the League’s 16th championship consists of 13 total games, with a break for FIFA fixture dates (Nov. 11 & 15) between the conference championships and MLS Cup. The broadcast schedule and kickoff times for playoff games will be announced at a later date. Ten teams will qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs upon the conclusion of the regular season on Sunday, Oct. 23. The top three teams in each conference will enter as automatic qualifiers and the next four teams, regardless of conference, will enter the Wild Card Games. The 2011 MLS Cup Playoff schedule Wild Card Games – hosted by higher seed; single elimination •Wed., Oct. 26 •Thurs., Oct. 27 Conference Semifinals, First Leg – hosted by lower seed •Sat., Oct. 29 •Sat., Oct. 29 •Sun., Oct. 30 •Sun., Oct. 30 Conference Semifinals, Second Leg –hosted by higher seed; winner by aggregate goals •Wed., Nov. 2 •Wed., Nov. 2 •Thurs., Nov. 3 •Thurs., Nov. 3 Conference Championships – hosted by higher seed; single elimination •Sat., Nov. 5 •Sun., Nov. 6 NOTE: A break occurs here due to FIFA fixtures on Nov. 11 &15. MLS Cup 2011 – at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.; single-game final •Sun., Nov. 20 http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/artic...announces-fixture-dates-2011-mls-cup-playoffs
Wild Card • FC Dallas vs. New York Red Bulls – Wed., Oct. 26, 9 p.m. ET (FOX Soccer, TSN2) • Colorado Rapids vs. Columbus Crew – Thurs., Oct. 27, 10 p.m. ET (Altitude 2, ONN, TSN2) Eastern Conference Semifinals First Leg • FC Dallas vs. Sporting Kansas City – Sat., Oct. 29, 7:30 p.m. ET (FOX Soccer, TSN) ... OR ... • Colorado Rapids / Columbus Crew vs. Sporting Kansas City – Sun., Oct. 30 7 p.m. ET (FOX Soccer, TSN2) • Philadelphia Union vs. Houston Dynamo – Sun., Oct. 30, time TBD, (ESPN2, Deportes, ESPN3) Second Leg • Sporting Kansas City vs. FC Dallas / Columbus Crew / Colorado Rapids – Wed., Nov. 2, time TBD (FOX Soccer) • Houston Dynamo vs. Philadelphia Union – Thurs., Nov 3, 8:30 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes, ESPN3, TSN2) Western Conference Semifinals First Leg • Real Salt Lake vs. Seattle Sounders FC – Saturday, Oct. 29, 10 p.m. ET (FOX Soccer, TSN2) • Colorado Rapids / Columbus Crew / New York Red Bulls vs. LA Galaxy – Sun., Oct. 30, time TBD (ESPN or ESPN2, Deportes, ESPN3, TSN2) Second Leg • Seattle Sounders FC vs. Real Salt Lake – Wed., Nov. 2, time TBD (ESPN2, Deportes, ESPN3, TSN2) • LA Galaxy vs. Colorado Rapids / Columbus Crew / New York Red Bulls – Thurs., Nov. 3, 11 p.m. ET (ESPN2, Deportes, ESPN3, TSN2) Conference Championships • Hosted by highest remaining seed – Sun., Nov. 6, 5:30 p.m. ET (FOX Soccer) • Hosted by highest remaining seed – Sun., Nov. 6, time TBD (ESPN or ESPN2, Deportes, ESPN3, TSN2) http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/10/24/houston-victory-mls-cup-playoffs-matchups-set
Big D Stampede RBNY weather the storm, lock down 2-0 Wild Card win at Dallas http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2011-10-26-fc-dallas-vs-new-york-red-bulls/highlights
Mile High Mojo Cummings, Rapids hold off Columbus, book semi date with SKC COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – If it’s just about freezing outside and the Rapids are playing at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park, that’s good news in Colorado. The Rapids endured a 32-degree temperature at kickoff and a pesky effort from the Columbus Crew to surge into the Eastern Conference semifinals on Thursday night, riding a first-half goal from Omar Cummings to a 1-0 win in a do-or-die match between the two wild card teams. Colorado, who topped Columbus in the postseason last year before winning the Eastern Conference Championship at home in similarly frigid fashion, will host top-seeded Sporting Kansas City in the first leg of the semifinals on Sunday night (7 pm ET). The Rapids and Sporting Kansas City tied both games played against one another this season. http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcenter/2011-10-27-colorado-rapids-vs-columbus-crew/recap
Master & Commander Saborio nets 2 as RSL take imposing 3-0 lead vs. Seattle in West semifinal SANDY, Utah — RSL looked nothing like a team that hadn’t won in more than a month. With Will Johnson, Kyle Beckerman, and Javier Morales all back in the starting lineup, the Claret-and-Cobalt controlled the tempo from the outset en route to a dominating 3-0 victory over the Seattle Sounders in the first leg of their Western Conference semifinal matchup at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night. Álvaro Saborío scored two goals and Ned Grabavoy added the third as RSL took a commanding lead heading into the return match on Wednesday night at Seattle’s CenturyLink Field (10 pm ET; ESPN2, ESPN Deportes, ESPN3.com; live chat on MLSsoccer.com). http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...tle-sounders-conference-semifinal-leg-1/recap
Escape From New York Galaxy steal first-leg win in thriller that ends in postgame melee When the final whistle blew, the Supporters’ Shield-winning Galaxy left Red Bull Arena with a 1-0 victory, thanks to a first-half goal from Mike Magee. http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...vs-la-galaxy-conference-semifinal-leg-1/recap Burned-bury Two goals from Bunbury power SKC to big win in Colorado http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...as-city-conference-semifinal-leg-1/commentary Orange Rush Dynamo jump on Philly early, hold on for first-leg win at PPL http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...-dynamo-conference-semifinal-leg-1/commentary
Two Heads Above Collin, Sapong score as Sporting kill off Rapids 2-0 (4-0 agg.), thru to East final http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...-rapids-conference-semifinal-leg-2/highlights Too Little, Too Late Seattle rally comes up just short, RSL into West final on 3-2 agg. http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...al-salt-lake-conference-semifinal-leg-2/recap
Brian's Song - Ching strikes a chord in win Dynamo into Conference Championship http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...elphia-union-conference-semifinal-leg-2/recap Taming Of The Bulls Galaxy rally to beat Red Bulls, secure spot in Conference final http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...-bulls-conference-semifinals-leg-2/highlights
Countdown: MLS Conference Finals Sporting Kansas City v Houston Dynamo Sunday, November 6, 5:30pm ET 2011 Head to Head: KC @ Houston 1-1, KC v Houston 3-0 While Los Angeles v Real Salt Lake looks like the main event, KC and Houston present an exciting undercard match up with countless variables to consider in determining who will move on to the finals. Since their last meeting in early August, both of these sides are on a near identical run of form, with both undefeated in their last five, and four of those results being victories. A 3-0 win for KC must be looked at as a match that was much closer than the final scoreline indicates, as a Carlos Costly red card was followed by two more goals to blow the game open. LA Galaxy v Real Salt Lake Sunday, November 6, 9pm ET 2011 Head to Head: Los Angeles @ RSL 1-4, Los Angeles v RSL 2-1 With a prime-time slot on television, this match has all the makings of a classic and while it is of MLS Cup caliber, Don Garber must be pleased to see this year’s playoffs have been able to deliver huge games even before the big show on November 20. While it does look like two top teams going at it, it really is one of a consistent table-topper against one who have slipped down the stretch. http://www.rednationonline.ca/CountdownMLSConferenceFinals1152011.aspx
Orange Twist Minus injured Davis, Dynamo stun Sporting to return to MLS Cup http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...ton-dynamo-conference-championship/commentary KC run ends in 2-0 loss Dynamo strike twice in 2nd half to earn MLS Cup berth http://www.sportingkc.com/news/2011/11/sporting-falls-2-0-eastern-conference-final
Going Back To Carson Galaxy advance to MLS Cup final with 3-1 win over RSL http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...-salt-lake-conference-championship/highlights FINAL - LA 3:1 RSL MatchCenter: RSL's effort towards second MLS Cup berth falls short http://www.mlssoccer.com/matchcente...eal-salt-lake-conference-championship/rosters
Rulers Of The Galaxy Donovan's goal enough to win LA their third MLS Cup trophy CARSON, Calif. – The LA Galaxy spent all night on Sunday looking to land a decisive blow en route to a historic MLS championship, and finally got the moment from all three heavy hitters on The Home Depot Center marquee. Landon Donovan finished off a gorgeous buildup through fellow Designated Players David Beckham and Robbie Keane in the 72nd minute, pushing the Galaxy to a 1-0 win over the Houston Dynamo in MLS Cup 2011 and gift-wrapping the third league championship in franchise history. The moment, which played out in front of 30,281 fans that braved uncharacteristically wet and cool conditions in Southern California, also punctuated one of the best seasons for any team in league history. The Galaxy won the Supporters’ Shield during the regular season and steadily drove their way through the postseason, capped by an impressively solid performance against a Dynamo team that struggled to keep pace all night. POST GAME PRESSERS: http://www.mlssoccer.com/videos?catid=1916&id=21222
