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Earthquakes, Chivas USA eliminated from playoff contention with Red Bulls win

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Photo by Kelley L. Cox/ISIphotos.com

With the New York Red Bulls' victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy Tuesday night, two more teams had their playoff hopes officially dashed. The San Jose Earthquakes and Chivas USA joined Toronto FC, New England and Vancouver as teams who will be missing out on the MLS postseason, leaving 13 of the league's 18 teams vying for 10 spots.

Three of those places are spoken for, with Los Angeles, Seattle and Real Salt Lake already clinching playoff berths. FC Dallas, Colorado, Sporting Kansas City, Philadelphia and Columbus are currently locked into postseason spots but haven't clinched anything just yet.

New York and Houston occupy the final two spots, with each sitting on 43 points through 32 of the season's 34 games. Portland, whose current -6 goal differential could come into play in a tiebreaker scenario, is three points behind both teams but has a game in hand (and a huge match against Houston next Friday). D.C. United is five points back but has two games in hand, and Chicago is the longshot remaining in the field, six points off the pace through 31 games.

Which teams do you see missing out on the postseason? Did you think San Jose and/or Chivas would make the playoffs when the season started?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Hey Quakes2012mlsCupChamps

    I think I must have been in the other room when they were passing out the Kool Aid your drinking. Even with Lenhart and Gordon no way SJ makes it to the title game much less the playoffs. Our Quakes need a ton of help this offseason.

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  2. Rest of the league got so lucky that Lenhart and Gordon went down for the season otherwise the Quakes would be easy 2011 title favorites.

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  3. If we don’t get a stadium built in SoCal within the next 2 seasons, we’ll be moving to New York under new ownership. Hello Cosmos!

    My prediction. Suck it haters!

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  4. Goals per game and assists per game are both a step up this year from the past two seasons, so the team was a bit more productive on the field.

    New coach, and a fair amount of turnover in starting XI:

    2010 = Thornton
    Trujillo, Umana, Delgado, Bornstein/Jazic
    Lahoud, Zemanski, Nagamura, Esponoza
    Padilla, Braun

    2011 = Kennedy
    Valentin, Umana, Pearce, Jazic
    Zemanski, LaBrocca, Elliott, Flores/Courtois
    Angel, Moreno/Braun/Mondaini

    Overall, a talent improvement, but not enough to make them a top team. Props to Kennedy and LaBrocca on break-through seasons.

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  5. Would love to see some SBI season-in-review type articles on the eliminated teams. I think’s that’s something that’s been done in the past. Every team has + and -, but the poor play extending over multiple seasons has got to be a concern for clubs like NE and TFC.

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  6. I’m not a C-USA fan, but I think they do what they can despite being the number two team in their stadium. The “shirts off their back” thing, the way they always made their players availible to the old Fox Fone-In show, to the way their front-office guys handle requests. I just wish they could get the product right on the field.

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  7. He must be from Seattle since he didn’t say “I hate everything there is about Portland and Seattle” like everyone else in the country.

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  8. Good job by the red bulls one of their better games this season, Marquez should stay in that center mid role. Way better performance from him but hes not out of the dog house yet, he needs to take this team to the Cup final and get a trophy. But even if the red bulls by some miracle win mls cup they got to do some adjustments to the roster. After much debate i think Hans and Soler should stick around, for me the jurys still up on them. Id like them to deff take back chigardze, sign jhonny arteaga, sign a good left back back up like Tetteh, a backup right back who isnt injury prone and young like perhaps veeder, move tainio to right back. have solli compete with richards for right mid. They said it was possible to get Rost for non Dp which would be awesome…with that Dp spot they should go for an attacking minded midfielder, idk whose contract offers are expiring…perhaps rosisky? Deco? would be nice…id also like them to make another bid for another backup forward perhaps cam weaver? Then they need to find a good centerback who can organize his defence and who is agile and quick to get back and cover ground on the counter. They can also use another left mid…perhaps nanchoff. And for them to draft a top college goal keeper. Id also like them to trade coundoul, nielson, sutton (who is on loan), and ballouchy. They do that then red bulls will have a great season

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  9. chivas “USA” eliminated from playoff contention … love it. Can we please change their name or get rid of them all together?

    I have a lot of respect for their players (Dan Kennedy needs a callup), but I hate everything chivas.
    Man, that is one ugly crest.

    So long chivas “USA”

    Since chivas de g only employes Mexican internationals they should do the same for thier sister club. No? Ok, whatever.

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  10. I hope NY and DCU take the final spots because even though I dislike them as rivals I respect their players and fans: I hate everything there is about Portland and Houston.

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  11. I’m hoping you’re wrong and knocking on wood. For a team that got the better of RSL, Seattle, and RBNY across each series this year, they sure have squandered a ton of points, settling for draws.

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  12. I hate to say this but i really don’t have much faith in the Dynamo making it to the playoffs. Something I would have never thought off a few years ago.

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  13. Chicago’s season is done. Being a masochist, I will watch their remaining games, and probably go to the DC game. But I the NY win puts the finishing line all but out of reach.

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  14. I have a strong distaste for Chivas USA as well as their big brothers in Mexico.

    Now they are negotiating to develop land on my Golf Course…F Chivas USA

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