The dust has settled on MLS’s regular season, and the playoff picture is set—but not without some late drama and one farewell to a league legend.
The defending champion Columbus Crew failed to make the playoffs, while both L.A. teams, LAFC and the LA Galaxy, didn’t do enough either, meaning that, oddly, all of the league’s clubs from California and Texas did not make it to the 14-team postseason. Included in that are the San Jose Earthquakes, whose elimination was confirmed before the final day of the season but whose final game was notable for another reason entirely. Chris Wondolowski, MLS’s all-time leading goalscorer, added one more to his career tally before announcing in front of the fans at PayPal Park that he was indeed retiring. The 38-year-old had reversed his decision to retired after last season’s interrupted campaign, coming back for one more ride, and he capped it in style as the Earthquakes and FC Dallas played to a 1–1 draw. He finishes with 171 career regular-season goals, 173 including the playoffs. Landon Donovan, No. 2 on the all-time list, had 160 combined (145 regular season, 25 playoffs).
It was another match in the simultaneous Western Conference finales that resulted in the Galaxy missing out on the playoffs. While LA was busy playing out a wild 3–3 draw vs. Minnesota United, Real Salt Lake’s dramatic 1–0 win over Sporting Kansas City kept Chicharito & Co. out of the top seven. Justin Meram’s bicycle kick assist to Damir Kreilach in stoppage time gave that spot to RSL instead, and it’ll continue playing on with a first-round date against the Seattle Sounders, who missed out on a chance to claim the top spot in the conference—and a first-round bye—with a draw against the Vancouver Whitecaps.
LAFC had needed a win and some help, but it got neither, with Bob Bradley’s side bowing out after 5–2 capitulation to the Colorado Rapids. That resulted in a ninth-place finish for LAFC and vaulted Colorado to the top of the table.
There was some madness in the Eastern Conference finales that kicked off the day as well, with Atlanta United, the New York Red Bulls and Orlando City SC all clinching playoff berths to round out the competitors looking to lift the 2021 MLS Cup trophy after a single-elimination sprint to the Dec. 11 final.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
BYE: 1. New England Revolution (22-5-7, 73 points)
The Revolution fell in their season finale to Inter Miami in a match that was largely meaningless to both sides. New England had long clinched the top seed in the East (and the MLS Supporters’ Shield), while Miami had already been eliminated from playoff contention. As it stands, the Revs’ single-season points record will sit at 73, and they’ll be the overwhelming favorite to win a first MLS Cup, provided their top talent (and forward Adam Buksa is already nursing a foot injury) makes it through the international window unscathed. NYCFC or Atlanta will be their first opponent.
2. Philadelphia Union (14-8-12, 54 points) vs. 7. New York Red Bulls (13-12-9, 48 points)
The Union managed to finish second in the conference despite selling off Brenden Aaronson and Mark McKenzie to European clubs after last season, while the Red Bulls needed a late change in form just to eke into the playoffs with the last seed in the East—a point clear of rival D.C. United and Columbus. They played each other tight this season, with two draws in Harrison, N.J., and the Union taking 1–0 result at home.
3. Nashville SC (12-4-18, 54 points) vs. 6. Orlando City (13-9-12, 51 points)
Orlando City snuck in with a win over Montreal on Decision Day, and it will face a Nashville side that it played to three draws in their meetings this season. Daryl Dike scored for a seventh goal in nine games to punctuate Orlando’s clinching effort. Hany Mukhtar capped a 16-goal, 12-assist season with his equalizer against the Red Bulls to secure Nashville’s draw on the final day. Nashville is the only MLS club that didn’t lose at home all season (8-0-9).
4. New York City FC (14-11-9, 51 points) vs. 5. Atlanta United (13-9-12, 51 points)
NYCFC’s home draw vs. Philadelphia, secured while playing a man down, ensured it’d be hosting a first-round match vs. Atlanta, despite both finishing even on points (along with Orlando City). Taty Castellanos’s goal on the final day gave him 19 on the season and the league’s golden boot (he’s tied with D.C. United’s Ola Kamara but wins by virtue of having more assists).
WESTERN CONFERENCE
BYE: 1. Colorado Rapids (17-7-10, 61 points)
The Rapids pipped Seattle and Sporting KC to first in the conference by routing LAFC and capping one of the better stories in the league this season. Manager Robin Fraser’s side will face the winner of the Portland-Minnesota matchup in the second round.
2. Seattle Sounders vs. 7. Real Salt Lake
The Sounders go in search of a fifth MLS Cup final appearance in six seasons, but they’ll have to take a marginally more difficult path after missing out on the first-round bye following a Decision Day draw. With Jordan Morris and Nicolás Lodeiro back for the playoff run, it’s hard to pick against Brian Schmetzer’s side, but RSL will be playing with a new lease on life after the manner in which it clinched its playoff berth. They split their regular-season meetings, with each holding serve at home.
3. Sporting Kansas City vs. 6. Vancouver Whitecaps
Sporting KC entered Decision Day with a shot at a first-place conference finish but instead settles for third and a home date vs. Vancouver. The Whitecaps crept into the playoffs for the first time since 2017 thanks to a draw in Seattle to close the season, and its interim manager, Vanni Sartini, embarked on an epic array of postgame comments to add some spice to the proceedings.
4. Portland Timbers vs. 5. Minnesota United
The Timbers set a club record for wins in a season by routing Austin FC for its 17th three-point haul, while Minnesota had a far more nervy Decision Day in punching its playoff ticket. The six-goal draw vs. the Galaxy got the job done, though the Loons accounted for two of Portland’s 17 triumphs and will need to buck that trend to avoid an early exit.
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