MLS Play-off Preview

East Conference

DC United (1) at Red Bull New York (4)
2:00pm ET, Saturday Oct. 21
TV: Direct Kick, HDNet

These teams do not like each other. United finished the regular season a little flat and Red Bull was invigorated with some youthful talent.

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NE Revolution (2) at Chicago Fire (3)
1:00pm ET, Sunday Oct. 22
TV: Fox Soccer Channel

The Fire won the regular season match-up with 2 wins, a draw and a loss. Noonan and Twellman are slightly injured for the Revs but are listed as Probable.

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West Conference

FC Dallas (1) at Colorado Rapids (4)
9:00pm ET, Saturday Oct. 21
TV: ABC

Dallas also finished a little flat but won the regular season meetings with the Rapids with three wins, a draw and no losses.

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Houston Dynamo (2) at Chivas USA (3)
1:00pm ET, Sunday Oct. 22
TV: ESPN2

They split the regular season: each side won once with two draws. This is just Chivas’ second season and they are in the play-offs. This is the Dynamo’s first season in Houston, previously they were the San Jose Earthquakes.

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Play-off Format

In each conference the number one seed plays the number four seed while the number two seed plays the number three seed. Two games are played, one at each team’s home field. Aggregate goals are used and if necessary extra time and a penalty shoot-out after the second game.

The winners then go on to face each other in a similar fashion (2 games, home-and-home).

The conference winners play in the MLS Cup which is just one game with extra time and a penalty shoot-out if necessary.