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The Short List: Five MLS Matches To Decide The Playoff Picture
By Allen Ramsey, Goal.com
It’s the first full day of fall and the summer grind of Major League Soccer is officially over. The playoff push is on!
Eleven of the league’s 15 teams are still very much in the playoff race, with only Kansas City (30 points) and New York (17 points) seemingly out of the running in the East and Dallas (27 points) and San Jose (21 points) bringing up the rear in the West.
Columbus (43 points) and Houston (43 points) look relatively safe to at least make the playoffs, but the rest of spots are up for grabs with the teams in question having anywhere from four to six matches remaining on the schedule.
The New England Revolution (34 points) and Chivas USA (37 points) have the advantage of having at least one game in hand on the other teams fighting for those final four spots, but even with an extra match the Revolution are in desperate need of a win at home against Seattle this weekend. A loss, or even a draw, would likely leave Steve Nicol’s side, one of the most consistent teams in Major League Soccer over the last decade, on the outside looking in.
The closing schedule is rough for the Revs who coughed up a golden opportunity to grab three vital road points in New York last week. After the Seattle match New England will have to travel to North Texas next Wednesday to take on the suddenly dangerous Hoops of F.C. Dallas and then head to Colorado to take on the Rapids the following Saturday. While both of those games are conceivably winnable, the final three are brutal with two matches against defending champions Columbus and a match with rivals Chicago tucked in between.
Saturday's match is just as big for Seattle. The Sounders have only one home game left and will almost certainly have to win at least once on the road to earn a trip to the postseason. Despite having 38 points, the first year franchise is far from safe. Colorado, Chivas USA and New England all have at least one game in hand on Seattle, so putting a nail in New England’s coffin would be a huge boost to Sigi Schmid and his squad.
Here’s a look at some other matches that will have a huge bearing on the MLS playoff picture.
Los Angeles Galaxy vs. Chicago Fire. Friday, October 2.
While it may seem like L.A. (41 points) and Chicago (40 points) should be safely in the playoffs the plot is not that simple. The Galaxy travel to Columbus this weekend to take on the Crew and Chicago will have to face a hungry Toronto team in Chicago before the big showdown next weekend.
The Fire also has to deal with a certain Mexican superstar possibly being sidelined with a pulled hamstring. The Fire certainly have the depth to deal with not having Blanco in the lineup, but against teams with great midfield play having their playmaker on the bench could prove to be very costly. If either team fails to get points this weekend the margin for error when they meet up will be incredibly small and should set the table for some fireworks at the Home Depot Center.
D.C. United vs. Chivas USA. Saturday, October 3.
United (36 points) are starting to show some signs of a late season slump. The congested schedule has them playing three times between now and the match with Chivas, and their home form of late has dipped substantially.
With games in hand on the rest of the league Chivas USA should be in a good spot, but their form on road had been ghastly up until a draw in Seattle Saturday night. A cross country trip is always a challenge for MLS teams, but the Goats will need to find some points on the road to help earn a trip to the second season.
Toronto F.C. vs. Real Salt Lake. Saturday, October 17.
This should prove to be a big six-pointer. Toronto (36 points) and RSL (36 points) are dead even on points and matches remaining. RSL has the easier schedule between now and the 17th (at Dallas, home to New York) but if Toronto can claim three points in Chicago this weekend the match against RSL could be a playoff clincher for a franchise desperately in need on postseason action.
Chivas USA vs. Houston Dynamo. Sunday, October 25.
Houston should be in, Chivas USA should still be fighting for a spot. This match on the final day of the season looks to me to be a decisive one for the Goats. In reality the “other” team in L.A. could be in the playoffs before this match takes place, but with matches on the road against D.C. and Chicago between now and then it’s hard to imagine them having a spot in the postseason clinched.
