Photo by Steven Bisig/USA TODAY Sports
By DAN KARELL
The race to the MLS Cup final on Dec. 7 is set to begin.
The New York Red Bulls closed out the 2014 MLS regular season with an impressive 2-0 road victory against Sporting Kansas City, setting up a juicy Eastern Conference knockout-round rematch as the playoff bracket is complete.
On the other side of the bracket, FC Dallas will kick off the MLS playoff schedule when they host the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Western Conference knockout round, with the winner taking on the Supporters Shield winning Seattle Sounders this Sunday. The winner of the Red Bulls-Sporting KC game will take on D.C. United on Sunday as well.
Thanks to a late-season push with only one defeat in their last two months, the Columbus Crew finished third place in the Eastern Conference and will take on the New England Revolution starting this Saturday, with the LA Galaxy visiting Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference 2/3 matchup.
For the first time, both the Conference semifinals and finals will be decided by the away goals rule if the two teams are tied on aggregate at the end of 180 minutes of soccer. If tied in the second leg after regulation time, two 15 minute extra time periods will be played before a penalty kick shootout.
Here’s a closer look at the 2014 MLS playoff bracket and matchups:
2014 MLS PLAYOFF BRACKET
KNOCKOUT ROUND
FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps (Wednesday, 9 p.m., MLS Live/TSN)
New York Red Bulls vs. Sporting Kansas City (Thursday, 8 p.m., ESPN2)
CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS
EASTERN CONFERENCE
D.C. United vs. TBD
First Leg – RBNY/Sporting KC vs. D.C. United (Sunday, 4 p.m., MLS Live/Univision Deportes)
Second Leg – D.C. United vs. RBNY/Sporting KC (Sat. Nov 8, 2:30 p.m., NBC)
New England Revolution vs. Columbus Crew
First Leg – Columbus Crew vs. New England Revolution (Saturday, 4 p.m., MLS Live)
Second Leg – New England Revolution vs. Columbus Crew (Sun. Nov. 9, 5 p.m., ESPN2)
WESTERN CONFERENCE
Seattle Sounders vs. TBD
First Leg – FC Dallas/Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Seattle Sounders (Sunday, 9 p.m., ESPN2)
Second Leg – Seattle Sounders vs. FC Dallas/Vancouver Whitecaps (Mon. Nov. 10, 10:30 p.m. NBCSN)
LA Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake
First Leg – Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy (Saturday, 8 p.m., NBCSN)
Second Leg – LA Galaxy vs. Real Salt Lake (Sun. Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m., ESPN2
CONFERENCE FINALS
First Leg – Nov. 22-23
Second Leg – Nov. 29-30
MLS CUP FINAL
East vs. West (higher seed at home) (Dec. 7., 3 p.m., ESPN/UniMas)
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What do you think of the 2014 MLS playoff schedule? Who has the best path to the MLS Cup final?
Share your thoughts below.
LA (50%) SEA (40%) or FCD (10%) vs NE (90%) or DCU(10%)
Landon Donovan MLS Cup mvp
Good to see that MLS is getting with the program and using away goals.
RBNY must be shaking its head, would have won the series against the Dynamo last year if away goals were in place. Watch RBNY get eliminated this year on away goals.
That franchise finds any way it can to shoot itself in the foot.
West Conf will be fun. LA Sea Dal and RSL. All good teams. FCD is a dark horse
I just wish all of these games were on national TV.
Only three that are not though ( I am assuming the Conf semis are ? ) out of 13 games….
Hah don’t you wish. The Vancouver Dallas match isn’t even being televised in the US at all. Bananas.
Columbus vs Vancouver final!
Yes, I’m sure Crew Stadium will be at least half full for that one!
Better than half empty…
I’m predicting an fc Dallas vs revolution MLS cup. The worst game for the league and the two teams stuck in MLS 1.0.
Hopefully we get a sounders vs red bull or galaxy vs red bull but I don’t think so.
Why would you care what is best for the league ? This isn’t 1980, the league is here to stay for a while. The owners have plenty of money, they will be fine. Worry about what you want to see and enjoy the heck out of it.
Dallas trying to avenge a few years ago when they were the best team, but couldn’t pull it off, and it would be a nice final against New England. Both with great young players. Exciting.
Not as exciting as Seattle winning every game 5-0, but a close second.
The MLS final is never a good game football wise. Not that many MLS game are but any game with some importance turns into a slow and painful hack-fest.
Seattle vs LA it’s the most recent example.
Kind of like every single time the EPL top four play each other, they just don’t want to lose it early on.
You think having exciting players like Jermaine Jones, Lee Nguyen and Fabian Castillo showcased would be bad for the league? You’d rather see 4 aging stars Cahill, Henry, Dempsey and Martins?
You obviously have no idea what you’re talking about re: MLS 1.0, Dallas is leading the youth academy revolution.
This is going to be fun.
Columbus / NE
SL / LA
Dallas / Seattle
Are you kidding me ? Go ahead and pick em, because the other guy has completely different picks.