By gaining a single point this weekend, Chicago became the 5th team to guarantee themselves a spot in the playoffs. The next 6 teams are all withing 2 points of each other and will be fighting for only 3 remaining positions.
Here are those 6 teams and their remaining schedules:
Kansas City Wizards
The Wizards are currently tied on points (36) with the Red Bulls, but own the tiebreaker to put them into 4th place and hold the first wildcard spot.
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES
@ New England Revolution
New York Red Bulls
The Red Bulls are currently in 5th place, but they have the last wildcard position as of today. The Red Bulls might have the toughest remaining 2 games of any of these six teams.
COLUMBUS CREW
@ Chicago Fire
Real Salt Lake
RSL have the 3rd position in the West right now, but only 1 point ahead of FC Dallas and 2 ahead of the Colorado Rapids – the two teams they have to face yet this year.
FC DALLAS
@ Colorado Rapids
FC Dallas
FCD is the only one of these teams that won’t get back home in either of their remaining games. This game against RSL is going to be a critical game for both teams.
@ Real Salt Lake
@ LA Galaxy
DC United
You could argue that DC United have the toughest remaining games. One plus is that when they have to go to Columbus on the last day of the season – the Crew won’t have a lot to play for. The Crew have already wrapped up the best record in the league.
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION
@ Columbus Crew
Colorado Rapids
The Rapids have a habit recently of sticking around right outside the playoff picture. While Chivas USA and FC Dallas are playing each other – the Rapids will have a tough game at Chivas USA. Then the fate of several teams could be decided by the Rapids vs. Chivas USA on the last day of the season.
@ Chivas USA
REAL SALT LAKE
So how is this all going to end up? My predictions: Real Salt Lake stay in 3rd place to get that automatic spot in the West. The Kansas City Wizards keep the top wildcard spot, but FC Dallas sneaks ahead of NYRB to take the last wildcard.
1. Columbus Crew vs. 4. Kansas City Wizards
2 Chicago Fire vs. 3. New England Revolution
1. Houston Dynamo vs 4. FC Dallas
2. Chivas USA vs. Real Salt Lake
What do you think?
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2 Comments
I don’t see any of the 6 teams listed winning out. I see KC, RSL, DCU and Colorado getting 3 points and I see NYRB and FCD each losing both games.
That would leave RSL #3 seed in West, KC #4 seed in East and DCU / Colorado tied at 37 points for the final spot. In the DCU v. Colorado series, DCU won 3-0 at home and lost 0-2 away giving them the tiebreaker. DCU winds up #4 seed in the west.
1. Columbus Crew vs. 4. Kansas City Wizards
2. Chicago Fire vs. 3. New England Revolution
1. Houston Dynamo vs 4. DC United
2. Chivas USA vs. 3. Real Salt Lake
In the Semifinals…
Columbus v. Chicago
Houston v. Chivas
Chicago beats Chivas in the final
We were both close!
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