MLS WILD CARD PREDICTIONS
By: Brendan Ferguson
As the Fall Classic wound down with a beat-down of the Detroit Tigers there is another league winding down its season this fall. That’s right, the MLS Cup is right around the corner. 19 teams have been cut down to just 10 remaining. Four of said teams will play in the wild card round in a one-game playoff to move on to each respective semifinal. Do or die soccer matches can be great, or they can be very monotonous with no one wanting to concede a goal early. However, both matches should be very tense and should also be a lot of fun for American soccer fans to enjoy, before the semifinals begin this weekend.
First up is the Eastern Conference matchup between the Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo. Just three weeks ago it seemed certain that Frank Kloppas’ boys would end up as the two seed in the east, and worst case the three. The team struggled down the stretch and went 0-2-1 in their final three to put themselves in an unfavorable position. The Fire will take on Houston, the defending Eastern Conference champions. But, Houston just has not been very strong this season, especially away from BBVA Compass. The game will be played in frigid Chicago on Wednesday evening and I think the Fire, with all their problems the last few weeks will win this match. I say, Chicago wins 2-1 and goes to Kansas City for the weekend to take on Sporting KC.
As for the Western Conference you might ask? The Wild Card is between upstart Vancouver White Caps and the defending MLS Cup champions L.A. Galaxy. The Galaxy are star studded no doubt with the strong attacking presence of Beckham, Keane, and Guninho. They sat many of their players during CONCACAF Champion’s League matches and it looks certain the squad is playing for a repeat chance at winning MLS Cup. Vancouver is in the playoffs for the first time this season and look to knock off an experienced and strong Galaxy side at the Home Depot Center. It’s been a good run for the men from British Columbia to make it to the MLS Cup playoffs but I think L.A.’s scoring prowess is just too strong. I predict Bruce Arena’s team will win 3-0 in front of the Los Angeles home crowd. You know MLS wants L.A. to continue to roll too so they can get people to continue watching Keane and Beckham.
So, those are my picks. I’ll be at the Chicago/Houston match on Wednesday and will make sure to take a look at all four semifinal matchups coming up later this week.
By: Brendan Ferguson
As the Fall Classic wound down with a beat-down of the Detroit Tigers there is another league winding down its season this fall. That’s right, the MLS Cup is right around the corner. 19 teams have been cut down to just 10 remaining. Four of said teams will play in the wild card round in a one-game playoff to move on to each respective semifinal. Do or die soccer matches can be great, or they can be very monotonous with no one wanting to concede a goal early. However, both matches should be very tense and should also be a lot of fun for American soccer fans to enjoy, before the semifinals begin this weekend.
First up is the Eastern Conference matchup between the Chicago Fire and Houston Dynamo. Just three weeks ago it seemed certain that Frank Kloppas’ boys would end up as the two seed in the east, and worst case the three. The team struggled down the stretch and went 0-2-1 in their final three to put themselves in an unfavorable position. The Fire will take on Houston, the defending Eastern Conference champions. But, Houston just has not been very strong this season, especially away from BBVA Compass. The game will be played in frigid Chicago on Wednesday evening and I think the Fire, with all their problems the last few weeks will win this match. I say, Chicago wins 2-1 and goes to Kansas City for the weekend to take on Sporting KC.
As for the Western Conference you might ask? The Wild Card is between upstart Vancouver White Caps and the defending MLS Cup champions L.A. Galaxy. The Galaxy are star studded no doubt with the strong attacking presence of Beckham, Keane, and Guninho. They sat many of their players during CONCACAF Champion’s League matches and it looks certain the squad is playing for a repeat chance at winning MLS Cup. Vancouver is in the playoffs for the first time this season and look to knock off an experienced and strong Galaxy side at the Home Depot Center. It’s been a good run for the men from British Columbia to make it to the MLS Cup playoffs but I think L.A.’s scoring prowess is just too strong. I predict Bruce Arena’s team will win 3-0 in front of the Los Angeles home crowd. You know MLS wants L.A. to continue to roll too so they can get people to continue watching Keane and Beckham.
So, those are my picks. I’ll be at the Chicago/Houston match on Wednesday and will make sure to take a look at all four semifinal matchups coming up later this week.
MLS PLAYOFF RACE UPDATE: 10/22/2012
By: Brendan Ferguson
As many of you were probably at your various college football games across the land on Saturday I was plopped down in front of the couch seeing if Houston would clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference. They did so after defeating Philadelphia 3-1 at BBVA Compass and the defending Eastern Conference champions are in the Wild Card round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
So the east is set, well, in terms of who is in the playoffs. There can still be some shifting within seeding between Chicago, DC United, and Red Bulls. DC is all but assured of avoiding the wild card round while Chicago could stay at the three seed, or move up to the two. The Fire could still drop down to the fourth seed if they cannot defeat DC in their final match. As you scan down the Western Conference you will see much more clarity.
There is one spot open to be filled in the Western Conference playoff chase. This spot is between Vancouver and FC Dallas. FC Dallas plays Seattle on the road this evening while Vancouver has a tough Cascadia Cup match against Portland to close things out in British Columbia. It is simple. If FC Dallas loses to Seattle tonight Vancouver will make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Vancouver plays first today and could wrap things up with just a draw against their Pacific Northwest rivals. Dallas has to hope for a Vancouver loss if they want their final match of the season to mean something next weekend. Sunday might be about the NFL, but for American (and Canadian) soccer fans, there is a lot still up in the air for the playoff races. Should be an exciting final week of regular season action.
By: Brendan Ferguson
As many of you were probably at your various college football games across the land on Saturday I was plopped down in front of the couch seeing if Houston would clinch a spot in the Eastern Conference. They did so after defeating Philadelphia 3-1 at BBVA Compass and the defending Eastern Conference champions are in the Wild Card round of the MLS Cup Playoffs.
So the east is set, well, in terms of who is in the playoffs. There can still be some shifting within seeding between Chicago, DC United, and Red Bulls. DC is all but assured of avoiding the wild card round while Chicago could stay at the three seed, or move up to the two. The Fire could still drop down to the fourth seed if they cannot defeat DC in their final match. As you scan down the Western Conference you will see much more clarity.
There is one spot open to be filled in the Western Conference playoff chase. This spot is between Vancouver and FC Dallas. FC Dallas plays Seattle on the road this evening while Vancouver has a tough Cascadia Cup match against Portland to close things out in British Columbia. It is simple. If FC Dallas loses to Seattle tonight Vancouver will make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Vancouver plays first today and could wrap things up with just a draw against their Pacific Northwest rivals. Dallas has to hope for a Vancouver loss if they want their final match of the season to mean something next weekend. Sunday might be about the NFL, but for American (and Canadian) soccer fans, there is a lot still up in the air for the playoff races. Should be an exciting final week of regular season action.
MLS PLAYOFF RACE UPDATE:
MATCH DAY 33:
The Eastern Conference of the MLS is a jumbled mess right now with only two of the five sides clinching a playoff spot with two matches left this month. Over on the left coast things are much more in order and only two teams are still left with their seasons up in the air. FC Dallas and the Vancouver White Caps are still battling for the final wild card spot with the Canadian side holding a four-point lead. We have all seen Brek Shea have a tumultuous season with FC Dallas on and off the pitch but a team that looked dead in the water a couple months ago still has something left to play for. The only problem for FC Dallas is that their next match is at Seattle where the Sounders play extraordinary soccer at home. It looked like, for much of the season that Vancouver would surrender that fifth seed out west because they had played more games than anyone but with FC Dallas’ tough schedule all they would need is a win in their final two games. Vancouver takes on Cascadia Cup rival, Portland then closes against Real Salt Lake. I would imagine that Vancouver will sneak into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
The rest of the Western Conference does not have much drama left. San Jose is easily going to win the Supporter’s Shield for MLS and own the league’s best record. They are scoring goals at a dramatic pace and Chris Wondolowski and company looked poised to go through the playoffs. In second place is RSL who is only three points ahead of Seattle. The Sounders are only two points up on the LA Galaxy who are in a wild card spot at number four. If I were Seattle, I would definitely want to stay out of a Cascadia Cup rivalry match in the playoffs against Vancouver. But, for Freddy Montero and manager Hans Backe they would like to get three points against RSL to tie things up and assure themselves a spot in the top three of the conference.
So there is a little bit of shifting left to do in the Western Conference. The most intriguing storyline will be if FC Dallas can make a miracle type of run to an unexpected playoff berth. Too bad we have to sit around and wait a week before the matches start back up.
MATCH DAY 33:
The Eastern Conference of the MLS is a jumbled mess right now with only two of the five sides clinching a playoff spot with two matches left this month. Over on the left coast things are much more in order and only two teams are still left with their seasons up in the air. FC Dallas and the Vancouver White Caps are still battling for the final wild card spot with the Canadian side holding a four-point lead. We have all seen Brek Shea have a tumultuous season with FC Dallas on and off the pitch but a team that looked dead in the water a couple months ago still has something left to play for. The only problem for FC Dallas is that their next match is at Seattle where the Sounders play extraordinary soccer at home. It looked like, for much of the season that Vancouver would surrender that fifth seed out west because they had played more games than anyone but with FC Dallas’ tough schedule all they would need is a win in their final two games. Vancouver takes on Cascadia Cup rival, Portland then closes against Real Salt Lake. I would imagine that Vancouver will sneak into the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
The rest of the Western Conference does not have much drama left. San Jose is easily going to win the Supporter’s Shield for MLS and own the league’s best record. They are scoring goals at a dramatic pace and Chris Wondolowski and company looked poised to go through the playoffs. In second place is RSL who is only three points ahead of Seattle. The Sounders are only two points up on the LA Galaxy who are in a wild card spot at number four. If I were Seattle, I would definitely want to stay out of a Cascadia Cup rivalry match in the playoffs against Vancouver. But, for Freddy Montero and manager Hans Backe they would like to get three points against RSL to tie things up and assure themselves a spot in the top three of the conference.
So there is a little bit of shifting left to do in the Western Conference. The most intriguing storyline will be if FC Dallas can make a miracle type of run to an unexpected playoff berth. Too bad we have to sit around and wait a week before the matches start back up.
MLS races still up for grabs
MLS PLAYOFF RACE UPDATE:
MATCH DAY 33
By: Brendan Ferguson
The MLB Postseason, NFL, and college football regular season are covering the sporting landscape here in the month of October but the other kind of football in America will be wrapping up its regular season in a few short weeks. Actually, there will be no MLS games until October 17th due to FIFA World Cup Qualifying happening around the world and CONCACAF this week. Even with a nine-day hiatus until the MLS resumes I thought I would paint the picture of how things may shake out with only two matches remaining for 17 of the 19 MLS clubs (Seattle and Philadelphia both have three matches remaining). Today we will talk about the jumbled up Eastern Conference.
In the Eastern Conference only two teams have clinched playoff berths. The Chicago Fire and Sporting Kansas City have both clinched spots and those two sides are only separated by three points with SKC holding a goal differential far superior to Chicago’s. In third is D.C. United who is playing really well down the stretch even without Dwyane De Rosario who was lost for the year with an ACL tear. They will play the Fire in the final match of the year, which could determine second in the conference. Remember DC beat down Chicago 4-2 the last time these two teams played August 22nd.
Next, is the New York Red Bulls who are scoring plenty of goals under the brilliant play of Kenny Cooper and Thiery Heny. Red Bulls look to be a top five Eastern Conference side and they very likely will get there if they can take care of business against the Union in their final match. What they should be worried about is the lackluster starts to games that have been plaguing the club for a better part of the last month. New York plays SKC in an important match that will have the top in the Eastern Conference paying close attention.
And the most interesting spot left for grabs in the east is the fifth and final seed. If the season ended today, the Houston Dynamo (last year’s Eastern Conference representative in the MLS Cup final) would barely eek their way into the wild card match. They are only one point up on Columbus for that final spot. Columbus takes on DC United and ends with Toronto, MLS’ worst team this season. Houston will finish with two disappointing teams in Philly and Colorado. But what is interesting is that sandwiched between those two matches is an important CONCACAF Champion’s League match against Olimpia out of Honduras. Houston is fighting for a spot in both events and it will really be interesting to see what will take a back seat. Right now the Dynamo are three points up on Olimpia in their group with two matches remaining. Luckily for them they have a +4 goal differential over the Honduran champions. It may make playing for a draw in that match and resting some in the starting 11 a real option for the Dynamo to assure themselves a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
So, the Eastern Conference is certainly still up for grabs right now. Columbus is on the outside looking in right now, but are only a mere one point from getting in. They have been apart of some amazing matches this season and hope to get rewarded in a wild card match. Over on the left coast the west is much less complicated with two more match days remaining. I will preview them tomorrow, so until then, hold tight.
MATCH DAY 33
By: Brendan Ferguson
The MLB Postseason, NFL, and college football regular season are covering the sporting landscape here in the month of October but the other kind of football in America will be wrapping up its regular season in a few short weeks. Actually, there will be no MLS games until October 17th due to FIFA World Cup Qualifying happening around the world and CONCACAF this week. Even with a nine-day hiatus until the MLS resumes I thought I would paint the picture of how things may shake out with only two matches remaining for 17 of the 19 MLS clubs (Seattle and Philadelphia both have three matches remaining). Today we will talk about the jumbled up Eastern Conference.
In the Eastern Conference only two teams have clinched playoff berths. The Chicago Fire and Sporting Kansas City have both clinched spots and those two sides are only separated by three points with SKC holding a goal differential far superior to Chicago’s. In third is D.C. United who is playing really well down the stretch even without Dwyane De Rosario who was lost for the year with an ACL tear. They will play the Fire in the final match of the year, which could determine second in the conference. Remember DC beat down Chicago 4-2 the last time these two teams played August 22nd.
Next, is the New York Red Bulls who are scoring plenty of goals under the brilliant play of Kenny Cooper and Thiery Heny. Red Bulls look to be a top five Eastern Conference side and they very likely will get there if they can take care of business against the Union in their final match. What they should be worried about is the lackluster starts to games that have been plaguing the club for a better part of the last month. New York plays SKC in an important match that will have the top in the Eastern Conference paying close attention.
And the most interesting spot left for grabs in the east is the fifth and final seed. If the season ended today, the Houston Dynamo (last year’s Eastern Conference representative in the MLS Cup final) would barely eek their way into the wild card match. They are only one point up on Columbus for that final spot. Columbus takes on DC United and ends with Toronto, MLS’ worst team this season. Houston will finish with two disappointing teams in Philly and Colorado. But what is interesting is that sandwiched between those two matches is an important CONCACAF Champion’s League match against Olimpia out of Honduras. Houston is fighting for a spot in both events and it will really be interesting to see what will take a back seat. Right now the Dynamo are three points up on Olimpia in their group with two matches remaining. Luckily for them they have a +4 goal differential over the Honduran champions. It may make playing for a draw in that match and resting some in the starting 11 a real option for the Dynamo to assure themselves a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
So, the Eastern Conference is certainly still up for grabs right now. Columbus is on the outside looking in right now, but are only a mere one point from getting in. They have been apart of some amazing matches this season and hope to get rewarded in a wild card match. Over on the left coast the west is much less complicated with two more match days remaining. I will preview them tomorrow, so until then, hold tight.