2009 MLS Cup playoffs

2009 MLS Cup Playoffs
Tournament details
CountryUnited States
Teams8
Defending championsColumbus Crew
Final positions
ChampionsReal Salt Lake (1st title)
Runners-upLos Angeles Galaxy
Semifinalists
Tournament statistics
Matches played11
Goals scored21 (1.91 per match)
Attendance259,149 (23,559 per match)
Top goal scorer(s) Landon Donovan
Robbie Findley

(3 goals each)

The 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs is the postseason to Major League Soccer's 2009 season. MLS Cup 2009 concluded the season on November 22, 2009, at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. Real Salt Lake won the Cup in penalties over the L.A. Galaxy.

Format

At the 2009 season's end, the top two teams of each conference made the playoffs; in addition, the clubs with the next four highest point totals, regardless of conference, were added to the playoffs. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate goals over two matches determined the winners; the Conference Championships were one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, the tie-breaking method was two 15-minute periods of extra time, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. The away goals rule was not used.[1]

Standings

Conference standings

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Columbus Crew 30 13 7 10 41 31 +10 49 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Chicago Fire 30 11 7 12 39 34 +5 45
3 New England Revolution 30 11 10 9 33 37 −4 42
4 D.C. United 30 9 8 13 43 44 −1 40
5 Toronto FC 30 10 11 9 37 46 −9 39
6 Kansas City Wizards 30 8 13 9 33 42 −9 33
7 New York Red Bulls 30 5 19 6 27 47 −20 21
Source: MLS

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 LA Galaxy 30 12 6 12 36 31 +5 48 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Houston Dynamo 30 13 8 9 39 29 +10 48
3 Seattle Sounders FC 30 12 7 11 38 29 +9 47
4 Chivas USA 30 13 11 6 34 31 +3 45
5 Real Salt Lake 30 11 12 7 43 35 +8 40
6 Colorado Rapids 30 10 10 10 42 38 +4 40
7 FC Dallas 30 11 13 6 50 47 +3 39
8 San Jose Earthquakes 30 7 14 9 36 50 −14 30
Source: MLS

Overall standings

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Columbus Crew (S) 30 13 7 10 41 31 +10 49 CONCACAF Champions League
2 LA Galaxy 30 12 6 12 36 31 +5 48
3 Houston Dynamo 30 13 8 9 39 29 +10 48 North American SuperLiga
4 Seattle Sounders FC 30 12 7 11 38 29 +9 47 CONCACAF Champions League
5 Chicago Fire 30 11 7 12 39 34 +5 45 North American SuperLiga
6 Chivas USA 30 13 11 6 34 31 +3 45
7 New England Revolution 30 11 10 9 33 37 −4 42
8 Real Salt Lake (C) 30 11 12 7 43 35 +8 40 CONCACAF Champions League
9 Colorado Rapids 30 10 10 10 42 38 +4 40
10 D.C. United 30 9 8 13 43 44 −1 40
11 FC Dallas 30 11 13 6 50 47 +3 39
12 Toronto FC 30 10 11 9 37 46 −9 39 CONCACAF Champions League
13 Kansas City Wizards 30 8 13 9 33 42 −9 33
14 San Jose Earthquakes 30 7 14 9 36 50 −14 30
15 New York Red Bulls 30 5 19 6 27 47 −20 21
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) goal difference; 4) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield

Bracket

Conference semifinals Conference finals MLS Cup
          
E1 Columbus 0 2
E4 Salt Lake 1 3
E4 Salt Lake (AET) (PEN) (0)5
Eastern Conference
E2 Chicago (0)4
E3 New England 2 0
E2 Chicago 1 2
E4 Salt Lake (AET) (PEN) (1)5
W1 Los Angeles (1)4
W1 Los Angeles 2 1
W4 Chivas USA 2 0
W1 Los Angeles (AET) 2
Western Conference
W2 Houston 0
W3 Seattle 0 0
W2 Houston (AET) 0 1

1 Real Salt Lake earned the eighth and final playoff berth, despite finishing fifth in the Western Conference. They represent the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, as only three teams in the Eastern Conference qualified for the playoffs.

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference

Columbus Crew0 – 1Real Salt Lake
Carroll  19' Report  38' Beckerman
88' Findley
Attendance: 11,499
Referee: Mark Geiger
Real Salt Lake3 – 2Columbus Crew
Morales 37'
Findley 45+2' (pen.)
Olave  68'
Williams 77'
Report 17', 35' Barros Schelotto
 48' O'Rourke
 59' Moreno
Attendance: 10,109
Referee: Silviu Petrescu

Real Salt Lake advances 4–2 on aggregate.


Chicago Fire1 – 2New England Revolution
Rolfe 17'
Husidic  90+3'
Report  41' Alston
45+1' Osei
75' Joseph
Attendance: 7,416
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
New England Revolution0 – 2Chicago Fire
Mansally  17'
Jankauskas  36'
Larentowicz  85'
Report 35' Thorrington
83' Blanco
Attendance: 21,528
Referee: Alex Prus

Chicago Fire advances 3–2 on aggregate.

Western Conference

Los Angeles Galaxy2 – 2Chivas USA
Magee 14'
Birchall  27'
Donovan 41'
Report 4' Santos
50' Galindo
 81' Saragosa
Attendance: 25,218
Referee: Kevin Stott
Chivas USA0 – 1Los Angeles Galaxy
Talley  39'
Thornton  72'
Nagamura  79'
Cuesta  79'
Kljestan  90'
Report  60' Franklin
73' (pen.) Donovan
Attendance: 27,000
Referee: Ricardo Salazar

Los Angeles Galaxy advances 3–2 on aggregate.


Houston Dynamo0 – 0Seattle Sounders FC
Onstad  16'
Mullan  71'
Chabala  75'
Report  16' Montero
 64' Alonso
 68' Evans
Attendance: 35,807
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Seattle Sounders FC0 – 1
(a.e.t.)
Houston Dynamo
Marshall  24'
Riley  120'
Ljungberg  120'
Report  44' Chabala
 93' Cameron
96' Ching
Attendance: 27,465
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez

Houston Dynamo advances 1–0 on aggregate.

Conference finals

Eastern Conference

Real Salt Lake advances 5–4 on penalties.

Western Conference

Houston Dynamo0 – 2
(a.e.t.)
Los Angeles Galaxy
Mullan  26'
Boswell  111'
Landín  119'
Report  77' Kovalenko
 89' Donovan
103' Berhalter
109' (pen.) Donovan
Attendance: 25,373
Referee: Terry Vaughn

Los Angeles Galaxy advances.

MLS Cup

See also

References

  1. ^ "2009 MLS Playoff Guide" (PDF) (Press release). MLSNet.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 23, 2009. Retrieved October 29, 2009.