2011 MLS Cup Playoffs
 | |||
| Country |
United States Canada | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Teams | 10 | ||
| Defending champions | Colorado Rapids | ||
| Champions | Los Angeles Galaxy (3rd title) | ||
| Runners-up | Houston Dynamo | ||
| Matches played | 13 | ||
| Goals scored | 27 (2.08 per match) | ||
| Top goal scorer(s) |
 Landon Donovan Mike Magee Álvaro Saborío(3 goals each) | ||
| |||
The 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs was the sixteenth post-season tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season. The tournament began on October 26 with the play-in round and concluded on November 20 with the championship match. It was the first playoff series to include ten clubs, two more than the traditional eight. Six of the ten teams earned a direct bye into the conference semifinals, while the four wildcard teams played a single-elimination match to earn a berth into the conference semis. These eight clubs played in a single-elimination tournament en route to playoffs championship MLS Cup 2011, which doubles as the league championship for the 2011 MLS season altogether.
The defending MLS Cup champions were the Colorado Rapids, who beat FC Dallas 2–1 in the 2010 championship.
As the preliminary round was eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions League, both finalists directly entered 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage, along with the Supporters' Shield winner for the regular season and the 2011 U.S. Open Cup champion. However, none of these berths were available to the league's two Canadian teams, which instead participated in the Canadian Championship for that country's single berth in the CONCACAF Champions League.
Format
The format for the tournament was announced on February 23, 2011.[1] The top three clubs in each of the league's two conferences will earn the six automatic spots in the quarterfinals.[1] The wild-card entrants, seeded seventh through tenth, will enter based upon their overall position in a single table of the league standings.[1] The new format is assembled so that the weakest seed to qualify out of the wild-card rounds will have to play the Supporters' Shield winner.[1] The other entrant will play the conference champion that did not win the Shield.[1]
The playoffs will begin with the Play-in round, which will contain the wildcard seeds. The first and second-placed wildcard seeds (seventh and eight place, respectively) will host the third and fourth-placed wildcard seeds (ninth and tenth place, respectively). The winners of each play-in proper will earn a berth into the conference semifinals, or the quarterfinals, of the playoffs.
Following the play-in round, will be the conference semifinals, where the two play-in round winners will join the six clubs that earned a direct bye into this round. The conference semifinals, will be a two-legged, aggregate series, in which each team plays their opponent twice: once at home, and once away. The team with the most goals accumulated over the two-match series will win the series and qualify for the conference championship. In this round, the lowest seeded wildcard team to advance will play against the MLS Supporters' Shield winner (regular season champion). The other wildcard seed will play against either the Eastern or Western Conference regular season champion, depending on which conference champion wins the Supporters' Shield. Also in the conference semifinals, feature the conference runners-up and third place finishes from both the Eastern and Western Conference.[1]
The semifinal round, or the conference championship, will feature the winners from the conference semifinals. This round will be a one-legged affair, in which the higher seeded club will host the lower seed. The winner of this match, earns a berth into the 2011 MLS Cup championship, as well as a guaranteed berth in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League.
The Eastern Conference and Western Conference bracket winners will meet in the MLS Cup final, which will be held at the pre-determined neutral venue. This year, the final will be held at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California, home of the Los Angeles Galaxy and Chivas USA.[1] The MLS Cup winner will be crowned league champion for the 2011 MLS season.[1]
Qualification
The top three clubs from each conference, based on final point totals, will qualify for the playoffs. From among the remaining clubs, the top 4 qualify as wild cards, and will have a 2-leg play-in round to narrow the field to 8. The Los Angeles Galaxy were the first MLS club to qualify for the playoffs, qualifying with a 1–0 win over Colorado Rapids on September 9.[2]
Conference standings
Eastern table
| Pos |
Team |
Pts |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
GD |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sporting Kansas City (E1) | 51 | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 50 | 40 | +10 | 2011 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 2 | Houston Dynamo | 49 | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 45 | 41 | +4 | |
| 3 | Philadelphia Union | 48 | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 44 | 36 | +8 | |
| 4 | Columbus Crew | 47 | 34 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 43 | 44 | −1 | 2011 MLS Cup Play-In Round |
| 5 | New York Red Bulls | 46 | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 50 | 44 | +6 | |
| 6 | Chicago Fire | 43 | 34 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 46 | 45 | +1 | |
| 7 | D.C. United | 39 | 34 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 49 | 52 | −3 | |
| 8 | Toronto FC | 33 | 34 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 36 | 59 | −23 | |
| 9 | New England Revolution | 28 | 34 | 5 | 16 | 13 | 38 | 58 | −20 |
Updated to matches played on October 20, 2011. Source: MLSSoccer.com
Notation Key:
- (E1) = Eastern Conference champion
- ^Note 1 - The top three clubs in each conference are guaranteed spots in the 2011 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals. The other four clubs in the playoffs enter via-wild card entrees, regardless of their conference, based on their overall standings in a single table.
Western table
| Pos |
Team |
Pts |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
GD |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA Galaxy (SS) (W1) | 67 | 34 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 48 | 28 | +20 | 2011 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 63 | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 56 | 37 | +19 | |
| 3 | Real Salt Lake | 53 | 34 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 44 | 36 | +8 | |
| 4 | FC Dallas | 52 | 34 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 42 | 39 | +3 | 2011 MLS Cup Play-In Round |
| 5 | Colorado Rapids | 49 | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 46 | 42 | +4 | |
| 6 | Portland Timbers | 42 | 34 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 40 | 48 | −8 | |
| 7 | San Jose Earthquakes | 38 | 34 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 40 | 45 | −5 | |
| 8 | Chivas USA | 36 | 34 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 41 | 43 | −2 | |
| 9 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 28 | 34 | 6 | 18 | 10 | 35 | 55 | −20 |
Updated to matches played on October 22, 2011. Source: MLSSoccer.com
Notation Key:
- (SS) = Supporters Shield winner
- (W1) = Western Conference champion
- ^Note 1 - The top three clubs in each conference are guaranteed spots in the 2011 MLS Cup Conference Semifinals. The other four clubs in the playoffs enter via wild card entrees, regardless of their conference, based on their overall standings in a single table.
Overall standings
| Pos |
Team |
Pts |
GP |
W |
L |
T |
GF |
GA |
GD |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | LA Galaxy (SS) (W1) | 67 | 34 | 19 | 5 | 10 | 48 | 28 | +20 | 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage 2 |
| 2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 63 | 34 | 18 | 7 | 9 | 56 | 37 | +19 | |
| 3 | Real Salt Lake | 53 | 34 | 15 | 11 | 8 | 44 | 36 | +8 | |
| 4 | FC Dallas | 52 | 34 | 15 | 12 | 7 | 42 | 39 | +3 | |
| 5 | Sporting Kansas City (E1) | 51 | 34 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 50 | 40 | +10 | |
| 6 | Houston Dynamo | 49 | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage 2 |
| 7 | Colorado Rapids | 49 | 34 | 12 | 9 | 13 | 44 | 41 | +3 | |
| 8 | Philadelphia Union | 48 | 34 | 11 | 8 | 15 | 44 | 36 | +8 | |
| 9 | Columbus Crew | 47 | 34 | 13 | 13 | 8 | 43 | 44 | −1 | |
| 10 | New York Red Bulls | 46 | 34 | 10 | 8 | 16 | 50 | 44 | +6 | |
| 11 | Chicago Fire | 43 | 34 | 9 | 9 | 16 | 46 | 45 | +1 | |
| 12 | Portland Timbers | 42 | 34 | 11 | 14 | 9 | 40 | 48 | −8 | |
| 13 | D.C. United | 39 | 34 | 9 | 13 | 12 | 49 | 52 | −3 | |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 38 | 34 | 8 | 12 | 14 | 40 | 45 | −5 | |
| 15 | Chivas USA | 36 | 34 | 8 | 14 | 12 | 41 | 43 | −2 | |
| 16 | Toronto FC | 33 | 34 | 6 | 13 | 15 | 36 | 59 | −23 | 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round 3 |
| 17 | New England Revolution | 28 | 34 | 5 | 16 | 13 | 38 | 58 | −20 | |
| 18 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 28 | 34 | 6 | 18 | 10 | 35 | 55 | −20 |
Updated to matches played on October 22, 2011 (NER v TFC). Source: MLSSoccer.com
Notation Key:
- (SS) = Supporters Shield winner
- (E1) = Eastern Conference champion
- (W1) = Western Conference champion
- ^Note 1 Teams qualify for the MLS Cup Conference Semifinals by finishing 1st, 2nd or 3rd in their respective conferences.
- ^Note 2 Since the LA Galaxy won both the 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield and the 2011 MLS Cup, a place in the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League became available. The Seattle Sounders, the 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield runner-up, had already qualified as they also won the 2011 U.S. Open Cup. Therefore, the CCL place went to Real Salt Lake, the 2011 MLS Supporters' Shield third place. Houston Dynamo, the 2011 MLS Cup runner-up, also qualified for the 2012–13 CONCACAF Champions League. All four teams directly enter the Group Stage as the Preliminary Round has been eliminated from CCL.
- ^Note 3 Toronto FC qualified for the 2011–12 CONCACAF Champions League as winners of the 2011 Canadian Championship.
Tiebreakers
- Head-to-Head (Points-per-match average)
- Overall Goal Differential
- Overall Total Goals Scored
- Tiebreakers 1–3 applied only to matches on the road
- Tiebreakers 1–3 applied only to matches at home
- Fewest team disciplinary points in the League Fair Play table
- Coin toss
If more than two clubs are tied, once a club advances through any step, the process reverts to Tiebreaker 1 among the remaining tied clubs recursively until all ties are resolved.[3]
Bracket
| Knockout Round | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | MLS Cup 2011 | ||||||||||||||||
| E1 | Sporting Kansas City | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| 8 | Colorado Rapids | 1 | WC | Colorado Rapids | 0 | 0 | |||||||||||||
| E1 | Sporting Kansas City | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| 9 | Columbus Crew | 0 | Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Houston Dynamo | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Houston Dynamo | 2 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Philadelphia Union | 1 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Houston Dynamo | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | LA Galaxy | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Real Salt Lake | 3 | 0 | ||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Real Salt Lake | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| 7 | FC Dallas | 0 | Western Conference | ||||||||||||||||
| W1 | LA Galaxy | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| 10 | New York Red Bulls | 2 | W1 | LA Galaxy | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||
| WC | New York Red Bulls | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||
Note: The LA Galaxy, as MLS Supporters Shield winners, were assured of playing the lower seeded Wild Card series winner (New York Red Bulls) in the Conference Semifinals, while Sporting Kansas City would play the higher seeded Wild Card series winner (Colorado Rapids).
Schedule
Major League Soccer released the schedule for its playoffs on August 9, 2011.[4]
- Key
- SS = MLS Supporters' Shield winner
- E1/W1 = Eastern or Western Conference winner
- E2/W2 = Eastern or Western Conference runner-up
- E3/W3 = Eastern or Western Conference third place
- WC1 = Top wildcard seed (7th place overall)
- WC2 = Second wildcard seed (8th place overall)
- WC3 = Third wildcard seed (9th place overall)
- WC4 = Fourth wildcard seed (10th place overall)
Play-in round
Conference semifinals
Eastern conference
Sporting advances 4 - 0 on aggregate.
October 30, 2011 17:00 EDT |
| Philadelphia Union | 1 – 2 | Houston Dynamo |
|---|---|---|
Le Toux  7' |
Report | Hainault 6' Carr 30' |
Houston advances 3 - 1 on aggregate.
Western conference
November 3, 2011 20:00 PDT |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 2 – 1 | New York Red Bulls |
|---|---|---|
| Magee 42' Donovan 75' (pen.) |
Report | Rodgers 4' |
Los Angeles advances 3 - 1 on aggregate.
October 29, 2011 20:00 MDT |
| Real Salt Lake | 3 – 0 | Seattle Sounders FC |
|---|---|---|
| Saborío 41', 53' Grabavoy 88' |
Report |
November 2, 2011 19:00 PDT |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 2 – 0 | Real Salt Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Alonso 56' (pen.) Neagle 61' |
Report |
RSL advances 3 - 2 on aggregate.
Conference finals
Host will depend on the higher seeded team. Single elimination match.[4]
November 6, 2011 18:00 PST |
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 3 – 1 | Real Salt Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Donovan 23' (pen.) Magee 58'Keane 68' |
Report | Saborío 25' |
Championship
Post-season statistical leaders
Note: Statistics only for post-season games.[5]
References
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "MLS reveals expanded playoffs structure for 2011". Major League Soccer. MLSSoccer.com. February 23, 2011. Retrieved September 9, 2011.
- ↑ Bueno, Luis (September 10, 2011). "Recap: Galaxy dominant in 1-0 home win over Colorado". Major League Soccer. MLSSoccer.com. Retrieved September 10, 2011.
- ↑ "Playoff Standings: Complete table (UPDATED)". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved 2011-10-24.
- 1 2 "League announces fixture dates for 2011 MLS Cup Playoffs". MLS Communications. MLSSoccer.com. Retrieved August 9, 2011.
- ↑ "2011 MLS Cup Playoffs". Retrieved November 21, 2011.