2018 MLS Cup Playoffs
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Teams | 12 |
| Defending champions | Toronto FC (did not qualify) |
| Matches played | 12 |
| Goals scored | 41 (3.42 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) | (3 goals each) |
← 2017 2019 → | |
The 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the 2018 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) began on October 31 and will end on December 8 with MLS Cup 2018, the 23rd league championship match for MLS. This is the 23rd version of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season. Twelve teams, the top six of each conference, compete in the MLS Cup Playoffs.[1]
The first round of each conference has the third-seeded team hosting the sixth seed while the fourth-seed hosts the fifth seed in a single match to determine who advances to the Conference Semifinals. In the Conference Semifinals, the top seed plays the lowest remaining seed while the second plays the next-lowest. The winners advance to the Conference Finals. Both the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals are played as a two-legged aggregate series. The winners advance to the MLS Cup, a single match hosted by the participant with the better regular season record which will be hosted at either Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta or Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey, depending on the outcome of the Eastern Conference finals.[2]
Toronto FC are the defending MLS Cup champions, but failed to qualify for the playoffs.
Contents
Qualified teams[edit]
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
Conference standings[edit]
The top six teams from each conference advance to the MLS Cup playoffs.
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Eastern Conference
Source: MLS
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Western Conference
Source: MLS
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Bracket[edit]
| Knockout Round | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | MLS Cup | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10/31 – Bronx, New York | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | New York City FC | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | New York City FC | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Philadelphia Union | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Atlanta United FC | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11/1 – Washington, D.C. | E2 | Atlanta United FC | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E1 | New York Red Bulls | |||||||||||||||||||||
| E4 | D.C. United | 2 (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Columbus Crew | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Columbus Crew (p) | 2 (3) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E1 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 10/31 – Frisco, Texas | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| W4 | FC Dallas | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Portland Timbers (p) | 2 | 2 | 4 (4) | ||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Portland Timbers | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 1 | 3 | 4 (2) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11/1 – Los Angeles, California | W5 | Portland Timbers | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Sporting Kansas City | |||||||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Los Angeles FC | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Real Salt Lake | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Real Salt Lake | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Sporting Kansas City | 1 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
Knockout Round[edit]
Summary[edit]
| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||||
| New York City FC (E3) | 3–1 | Philadelphia Union (E6) | ||
| D.C. United (E4) | 2–2 (2–3 p) |
Columbus Crew (E5) | ||
| Western Conference | ||||
| Los Angeles FC (W3) | 2–3 | Real Salt Lake (W6) | ||
| FC Dallas (W4) | 1–2 | Portland Timbers (W5) | ||
Matches[edit]
| FC Dallas | 1–2 | Portland Timbers |
|---|---|---|
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Report |
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| New York City FC | 3–1 | Philadelphia Union |
|---|---|---|
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Report |
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| D.C. United | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | Columbus Crew |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
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| Penalties | ||
| 2–3 | ||
Conference Semifinals[edit]
Summary[edit]
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||||
| Columbus Crew (E5) | 1–3 | New York Red Bulls (E1) | 1–0 | 0–3 |
| New York City FC (E3) | 1–4 | Atlanta United FC (E2) | 0–1 | 1–3 |
| Western Conference | ||||
| Real Salt Lake (W6) | 3–5 | Sporting Kansas City (W1) | 1–1 | 4–2 |
| Portland Timbers (W5) | 4–4 (4–2 p) |
Seattle Sounders FC (W2) | 2–1 | 2–3 (a.e.t.) |
Matches[edit]
New York Red Bulls won 3–1 on aggregate.
Atlanta United won 4–1 on aggregate.
- Tied 4–4 on aggregate. Portland Timbers won 4–2 on penalties.
| Real Salt Lake | 1–1 | Sporting Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
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Report |
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- Sporting Kansas City won 5–3 on aggregate.
Conference Finals[edit]
Summary[edit]
| Team 1 | Agg. | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||||
| Atlanta United FC (E2) | v | New York Red Bulls (E1) | Nov 25 | Nov 29 |
| Western Conference | ||||
| Portland Timbers (W5) | v | Sporting Kansas City (W1) | Nov 25 | Nov 29 |
Matches[edit]
| Portland Timbers | v | Sporting Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
MLS Cup[edit]
| v | ||
|---|---|---|
Top goalscorers[edit]
- Last updated: November 11, 2018[3]
References[edit]
- ^ "Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs schedule revealed, final to be played on Dec. 8". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. September 8, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
- ^ Baer, Benjamin (November 11, 2018). "Red Bull Arena or Mercedes-Benz Stadium to host 2018 MLS Cup". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved November 12, 2018.
- ^ "Playoffs Top Scorers". Major League Soccer.