The MLS playoffs kickoff tonight, and 12 teams will battle it out to lift the MLS Cup in December. It is as wide open a field as we have ever seen, making predictions tougher than ever.
The SBI editorial staff has made its picks, and while none of us are going to bank on getting rich due to the accuracy of the picks, you can rest assured there will be plenty of gloating if anybody actually comes close to mapping out how this year’s playoffs actually go.
Here are SBI’s staff picks for the 2015 MLS Playoffs:
FRANCO PANIZO, Senior Writer
First Round
Revolution beat D.C. United, Impact beat Toronto FC
Sounders beat Galaxy, Sporting Kansas City beats Timbers
Conference Semifinals
Red Bulls beat Revs
Impact beat Crew
FC Dallas beat Sporting KC
Sounders beat Whitecaps
Conference Finals
Impact beat Red Bulls
Sounders beat FC Dallas
MLS Cup Final
Sounders beat Impact
The Seattle Sounders lift the elusive MLS Cup at last against the first Canadian club to reach the championship game.
———————-
AARON CRANFORD, Assistant Managing Editor
First Round
Revolution beat D.C. United, Toronto FC beats Impact
Sounders beat LA Galaxy, Timbers beat Sporting KC
Conference Semifinals
Red Bulls beat Toronto FC
Crew beat Revolution
FC Dallas beats Sounders
Whitecaps beat Timbers
Conference Finals
Red Bulls beat Crew
FC Dallas beats Whitecaps
MLS Cup Final
FC Dallas beats Red Bulls
Unable to win it during his eight-year playing career with FC Dallas, Oscar Pareja finally lifts the MLS Cup as head coach of the same team in 2015.
—————–
RYAN TOLMICH, Managing Editor
First Round
Revolution beats D.C. United, Impact beat Toronto FC
Galaxy beat Sounders, Timbers beat Sporting KC
Conference Semifinals
Red Bulls beat Revs
Impact beat Crew
Galaxy beat FC Dallas
Timbers beat Whitecaps
Conference Finals
Red Bulls beat Impact
Galaxy beat Timbers
MLS Cup Final
Red Bulls beat LA
After being written off before a ball was even kicked, the Red Bulls prove doubters wrong one more time by toppling star-studded LA for the MLS Cup.
——————-
IVES GALARCEP, Editor-in-Chief
First Round
Revolution beat D.C. United, Impact beat Toronto FC
Sounders beat Galaxy, Timbers beat Sporting KC
Conference Semifinals
Red Bulls beat Revolution
Crew beat Impact
Sounders beat FC Dallas
Timbers beat Whitecaps
Conference Finals
Red Bulls beat Crew
Sounders beat Timbers
MLS Cup Final
Sounders beat Red Bulls
Sigi Schmid’s side finally lifts an MLS Cup, doing so at Red Bull Arena in a final for the ages. Obafemi Martins is the star, as the Sounders land the trophy they had been waiting for.
Wow,…no love for DC United,…at home no less. A big ‘goose egg’ for the SBI prognosticators.
“Revolution beats D.C. United”
Haha, you all will have ZEROS. Ha.
Underestimated yet again, story of 2015.
So will there be a new trophy? That one is engraved with the old MLS logo…
Ryan knows the Bulls Will lift the Cup. Ives I am disappointed in you. You know the Bulls won’t lose at home.
the reason people think Ives hates Dallas is because he does!
Heart – Impact to witness Drogba Effect in full force
Head – LA Galaxy has too much talent & experience to lose
If LA miraculously escapes with a win in Seattle tonight, I’d LOVE to see an Red Bulls-Galaxy MLS Cup final. I’m not holding my breath though.
If the Galaxy played up to potential (or the way they were playing 2 months ago) they would be a favorite. I don’t know what happened, but they have looked like a shell of themselves, especially defensively and with their lack of finishing. They’ve created so many chances, but they go begging with bad decisions in the final third.
Aaron has my vote.
Two guys picked the Sounders?