The Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs kicks off with the Knockout Round on Wednesday while the New York Red Bulls and Columbus Crew SC wait to discover their opponents for the Eastern Conference semifinals. Last week the Red Bulls clinched the Supporters’ Shield for the best record in MLS and will have home-field advantage throughout the postseason. This also means that New York will face the lowest remaining seed to advance from the Knockout Round and can’t face Crew SC or third-seed Montreal Impact in the semifinals.
Eastern Conference Knockout Round:
D.C. United (4) vs. New England Revolution (5) – Wednesday, Oct. 28, 7:30 p.m. ET (TV: UniMas)
D.C. United hosts New England Revolution in the first match of the Knockout Round on Wednesday. For the Red Bulls, who would face the winner of this matchup if Montreal defeats Toronto on Thursday, both clubs are very familiar postseason opponents.
The Red Bulls have faced D.C. in five separate playoff appearances. The Red Bulls lost the first four series’ against their Atlantic Cup rivals, but eliminated D.C. from the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time in 2014. RBNY won the regular season series against United this year, going 2-0-1 in three meetings.
New York has taken on New England in four postseason series’ and the Revolution have prevailed in all four matchups. Last season, New England eliminated the Red Bulls in the 2014 Eastern Conference championship, 4-3 on aggregate. New York lost the season series against the Revs, posting a 1-2-0 record in three matches.
Montreal Impact (3) vs. Toronto FC (6) – Thursday, Oct. 29, 7:00 p.m. ET (TV: UniMas)
On the second and final day of the Knockout Round, Montreal Impact takes on Canadian rivals Toronto FC at Stade Saputo. If Toronto FC defeat the Impact in TFC’s inaugural postseason match, they will face the Red Bulls in the Eastern Conference semifinals since they are the lowest seeded team in the conference. If Montreal wins, the Red Bulls will face the winner of D.C. and New England.
New York has never faced either club in the playoffs, and cannot play Montreal in the conference semifinals because they are the highest seeded team in the Knockout Round. RBNY split the season series with Toronto, which included a victory at Red Bull Arena on Aug. 15, 3-0, and a loss in Toronto on Oct. 14, 2-1.
Rules and Regulations of the Conference semifinals
The Eastern Conference semifinals, in addition to the Eastern Conference championship, are played as a two-game series where the winner is determined by total goals, or aggregate scoring.
Here’s everything you need to know about the two-legged playoff series format.
Aggregate scoring
The MLS Playoff Conference semifinal and final rounds each consist of a two-game playoff series. Each team hosts one game, with the lower seed hosting the first game in each round. Since the Red Bulls are the top-seeded team in the Eastern Conference, they will play the first-leg on the road on Sunday, Nov. 1 (TV: FS1 or ESPN). Red Bull Arena will host the second-leg the following weekend on Sunday, Nov. 8 (TV: FS1 or ESPN).
Unlike playoff series in other sports, wins and losses are not the determining factor in the MLS playoffs. The winner of the two-leg series is determined by a team’s total goals scored between the two games, also known as aggregate scoring.
For example, if the Red Bulls win game one, 2-0, but lose the second game, 1-0, they will advance by the ‘final’ score of 2-1.
Tie breakers
The first tiebreaker for the two-leg series is away goals. If the teams are tied in total goals scored after two games, the team that has scored more goals away from home will advance.
For example, if New York wins the first game on the road 2-1, but loses at home, 1-0, then the two teams are tied in aggregate scoring, 2-2. The Red Bulls would advance, because they scored two away goals, and conceded only one goal in their home game.
Extra time
If the teams are also tied on away goal, the match will continue on to extra time. For example, say both games ended in 1-1 draws. Each team has two total goals, and one away goal. If the teams are tied in both categories at the conclusion of the second game, the series moves to overtime – two 15 minute periods, followed by a shootout, if necessary. The overtime session does not count towards the aggregate, and the away goals rule is wiped out. Meaning, if the teams are tied after two full 90 minute games, the overtime exists separately to determine a winner for the series, not the second game.
The winner of the Eastern Conference will meet the winner of the Western Conference in a one-game, winner take all championship game on Sunday, Dec. 6.
