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| MLS Decision Day: race for the playoffs and Supporters' Shield – live! | MLS Decision Day: race for the playoffs and Supporters' Shield – live! |
| (34 minutes later) | |
| 11.29pm GMT23:29 | |
| Goals in Portland and Seattle | |
| Darlington Nagbe has given Portland the lead over Colorado after five minutes, while almost simultaneously Clint Dempsey was putting Seattle 1-0 up over RSL. As it stands, Portland would nudge LA out of second place. | |
| 11.26pm GMT23:26 | |
| Feilhabercam™ | |
| First inevitable shots of a brooding Benny Feilhaber sitting on the Sporting bench — Sporting KC have not looked the same since Roger Espinoza got injured, and Feilhaber in particular looks to have missed Espinoza’s industry, and the time it bought him on the ball. | |
| 11.24pm GMT23:24 | |
| Cagey start in Kansas City | |
| Zardes just hoofed one over from 40 yards, but it’s been a little cautious to start this game from both sides. Still 0-0 everywhere... | |
| 11.21pm GMT23:21 | |
| Red Bulls slumping... | |
| Many seconds have passed since kick off and they haven’t scored. They were 1-0 up against Philadelphia after 7 seconds last week. They have had the ball in the net already, but it was one of those kick-it-lazily-into-the-net-after-the-offside-flag-has-gone-up jobs, so it doesn’t count. | |
| 11.19pm GMT23:19 | |
| Kick off in every game | |
| Stopwatch buttons are pressed, and we’re off... | |
| 11.19pm GMT23:19 | |
| Columbus day... | |
| Whatever happens tonight, that Columbus result was a big marker for the East — they’ve been dangerous up front all season, and as we’ve noted (we being me and highly trained team of expert stat minions, and definitely not me, some cut and paste and an affectation), they did the job without Kamara and Higuain. They’ve not been the most reliable defensively at times, but Steve Clark was fantastic in goal tonight when called upon, and they may be achieving that crucial playoff status of “Getting hot at the right time™” — and hopefully not the less desired state of “Peaking too early™” | |
| 11.13pm GMT23:13 | |
| Some interesting selections tonight | |
| No Benny Feilhaber for Sporting KC, which might make things marginally easier for an LA Galaxy team who’ve struggled to balance their midfield in recent weeks. And for New York, Matt Miazga returns to the defense after his absences for international duty and suspension — he may be a necessary stabilizing influence given the way the Red Bulls have struggled against speedy counters from Chicago twice already this season. | |
| 11.10pm GMT23:10 | |
| The Eastern Conference playoff slots are finalized | |
| Here are the final scores: | |
| NYCFC 1-3 New EnglandColumbus 5-0 D.C. UnitedPhiladelphia 1-0 OrlandoMontreal 2-1 TorontoThe tightest of the relevant games was the All-Canadian affair between Montreal and D.C. where the visitors took a 1-0 lead into half-time, only for a Didier Drogba brace to turn that game on its head — that means both teams will be back at Stade Saputo in a few days. Meanwhile D.C. slip behind Columbus and Montreal after that hammering in Ohio, and may take scant consolation in having a home playoff game against New England coming off their equal worst ever loss. Here are the Eastern Conference wild card line ups: | |
| Montreal vs TorontoD.C. United vs New England | |
| New York, Columbus— byes to Conference semi-finals | |
| 11.02pm GMT23:02 | |
| Seattle vs Real Salt Lake team news | |
| Lineup time: your @SoundersFC XI for #DecisionDay: Frei Mears Evans Marshall Gonzalez Pappa Alonso Friberg Ivanschitz Dempsey Martins | |
| #RSL XI: Attinella; Beltran Maund Olave Mansally; Stertzer Gil Morales; Martinez Sandoval… https://t.co/I1iAZdNasK | |
| 10.59pm GMT22:59 | |
| Vancouver vs Houston team news | |
| #VWFC Starting XI: Ousted; Beitashour, Waston, Parker, Harvey; Laba, Teibert; Techera, Koffie, Manneh; Rivero https://t.co/wgHyT9u7cC | |
| Tonight's @GEICO starting XI and bench for #VANvHOU. Catch the final Dynamo match of 2015 on @ROOTSPORTSSW at 6pm! pic.twitter.com/RuUEPO8NHm | |
| 10.58pm GMT22:58 | |
| Chicago Fire vs New York Red Bulls team news | |
| Here's your #cf97 Starting XI and bench presented by @UIHealth for #CHIvNY. Kickoff in one hour on @CSNChicago. pic.twitter.com/ylSGyN9HSo | |
| STARTING XI vs @ChicagoFire: Robles, Zizzo, Perrinelle, Miazga, Lawrence, Sam, Felipe, Kljestan, McCarty, Grella, Wright-Phillips #CHIvNY | |
| 10.56pm GMT22:56 | |
| Portland Timbers vs Colorado Rapids team news | |
| Timbers XI vs. COL: Kwarasey, Powell, Borchers, Ridgewell ©, Villafaña, Chara, Fochive, Wallace, Nagbe, Melano, Adi #RCTID #DecisionDay | |
| Your #Rapids96 Starting XI for #PORvCOL #COYR #DecisionDay pic.twitter.com/uJaWAQo6A4 | |
| In Montreal, Didier Drogba just went close to grabbing a hat trick. He’s quite important for Montreal... | |
| 10.54pm GMT22:54 | 10.54pm GMT22:54 |
| FC Dallas vs San Jose team news | FC Dallas vs San Jose team news |
| Your final 2015 regular season @FCDallas Starting XI and bench, powered by @txuenergy! #FCDvSJ #DecisionDay pic.twitter.com/iAdKgiOvwU | Your final 2015 regular season @FCDallas Starting XI and bench, powered by @txuenergy! #FCDvSJ #DecisionDay pic.twitter.com/iAdKgiOvwU |
| Starting XI: Bingham, Wynne, Bernardez, Goodson, Francis, P. Garcia, Alashe, Pelosi, Salinas, Wondolowski, Amarikwa pic.twitter.com/2Ub2zE98wv | Starting XI: Bingham, Wynne, Bernardez, Goodson, Francis, P. Garcia, Alashe, Pelosi, Salinas, Wondolowski, Amarikwa pic.twitter.com/2Ub2zE98wv |
| 10.51pm GMT22:51 | 10.51pm GMT22:51 |
| Sporting KC vs LA Galaxy team news | Sporting KC vs LA Galaxy team news |
| #SportingKC starting XI vs #LAGalaxy. Coverage begins at 6pm on @ESPN! #SKCvLA pic.twitter.com/JTBNZgra3o | #SportingKC starting XI vs #LAGalaxy. Coverage begins at 6pm on @ESPN! #SKCvLA pic.twitter.com/JTBNZgra3o |
| #LAGalaxy XI: Ricketts; DLG, Gonzalez, Leonardo, Rogers; Zardes, Juninho, Gerrard, Lletget; Keane, Dos Santos pic.twitter.com/xr3A9V1tRq | #LAGalaxy XI: Ricketts; DLG, Gonzalez, Leonardo, Rogers; Zardes, Juninho, Gerrard, Lletget; Keane, Dos Santos pic.twitter.com/xr3A9V1tRq |
| 10.50pm GMT22:50 | 10.50pm GMT22:50 |
| Twitter stirs: | Twitter stirs: |
| Champagne football in Columbus. @KidWeil | Champagne football in Columbus. @KidWeil |
| It looks pretty good. Bear in mind also that Higuain and Kamara aren’t playing for Columbus tonight... | It looks pretty good. Bear in mind also that Higuain and Kamara aren’t playing for Columbus tonight... |
| 10.48pm GMT22:48 | 10.48pm GMT22:48 |
| What's at stake tonight? | What's at stake tonight? |
| Here are the standings at the start of this evening’s play — with Dallas confirmed as Conference winners, but needing to at least match New York to take the Shield. As it stands San Jose are outside the playoff spots. | Here are the standings at the start of this evening’s play — with Dallas confirmed as Conference winners, but needing to at least match New York to take the Shield. As it stands San Jose are outside the playoff spots. |
| FC Dallas 57pts GD +12LA Galaxy 51pts GD +11Vancouver 50pts GD +6Portland 50pts GD -1Seattle 48pts GD +6Sporting KC 48pts GD +2San Jose 47pts GD +3 | FC Dallas 57pts GD +12LA Galaxy 51pts GD +11Vancouver 50pts GD +6Portland 50pts GD -1Seattle 48pts GD +6Sporting KC 48pts GD +2San Jose 47pts GD +3 |
| Here are tonight’s games: | Here are tonight’s games: |
| East:Chicago Fire vs New York Red Bulls | East:Chicago Fire vs New York Red Bulls |
| West:Sporting KC vs LA GalaxyVancouver vs HoustonSeattle vs Real Salt LakeFC Dallas vs San JosePortland vs Colorado | West:Sporting KC vs LA GalaxyVancouver vs HoustonSeattle vs Real Salt LakeFC Dallas vs San JosePortland vs Colorado |
| The top two teams in the Conference (Dallas and A.N. Other) will have a first round bye. The next four teams will play a single game elimination this week: 3rd vs 6th, 4th vs 5th | The top two teams in the Conference (Dallas and A.N. Other) will have a first round bye. The next four teams will play a single game elimination this week: 3rd vs 6th, 4th vs 5th |
| Columbus are still putting an absolute tormenting onto D.C. by the way. Aaron Schoenfeld has just made it 5-0... | Columbus are still putting an absolute tormenting onto D.C. by the way. Aaron Schoenfeld has just made it 5-0... |
| 10.45pm GMT22:45 | 10.45pm GMT22:45 |
| The East | The East |
| Here’s how the Eastern playoff spots stood stood before kick off this afternoon: | Here’s how the Eastern playoff spots stood stood before kick off this afternoon: |
| New York Red Bulls 57 pts GD +18D.C. United 51pts GD +3Columbus 50pts GD 0Toronto 49pts GD +1Montreal 48pts GD +3New England 47pts GD -1All those teams have qualified for the playoffs barring a big goal swing for Orlando in Philadelphia combined with a New England loss — Orlando have 44 pts but -9 GD | New York Red Bulls 57 pts GD +18D.C. United 51pts GD +3Columbus 50pts GD 0Toronto 49pts GD +1Montreal 48pts GD +3New England 47pts GD -1All those teams have qualified for the playoffs barring a big goal swing for Orlando in Philadelphia combined with a New England loss — Orlando have 44 pts but -9 GD |
| That’s not going to happen though. Here’s how the scores stand right now with around 15 minutes left:Columbus 4-0 D.CPhiladelphia 1-0 OrlandoMontreal 2-1 TorontoNYCFC 0-3 New England | That’s not going to happen though. Here’s how the scores stand right now with around 15 minutes left:Columbus 4-0 D.CPhiladelphia 1-0 OrlandoMontreal 2-1 TorontoNYCFC 0-3 New England |
| So as it stands, D.C. will be hosting New England and Montreal hosting Toronto in the single game play-in round, while Columbus will have a first round bye for finishing second in the Conference. And that’s a pretty emphatic way to seal their spot — handing D.C. their biggest defeat since their terrible 2013 season. And if Montreal hold on they’ll have a two minute / two goal second half burst from Didier Drogba to thank, having fallen behind in their game just before half-time. | So as it stands, D.C. will be hosting New England and Montreal hosting Toronto in the single game play-in round, while Columbus will have a first round bye for finishing second in the Conference. And that’s a pretty emphatic way to seal their spot — handing D.C. their biggest defeat since their terrible 2013 season. And if Montreal hold on they’ll have a two minute / two goal second half burst from Didier Drogba to thank, having fallen behind in their game just before half-time. |
| 10.41pm GMT22:41 | 10.41pm GMT22:41 |
| Preamble | Preamble |
| Evening all, and welcome to our coverage of MLS Decision Day — we hope you’ll stay with us for the rest of the evening. But it’s your choice. You decide. Make a decision. | Evening all, and welcome to our coverage of MLS Decision Day — we hope you’ll stay with us for the rest of the evening. But it’s your choice. You decide. Make a decision. |
| We’re already nearly through one round of “Choose your own adventure” games this afternoon, which kicked off at 5pm ET to determine the Eastern Conference playoff places (more on those in a moment). And now we’re going to the West to try and settle the wide open array of playoff places still up for grabs beneath Conference winners FC Dallas. | We’re already nearly through one round of “Choose your own adventure” games this afternoon, which kicked off at 5pm ET to determine the Eastern Conference playoff places (more on those in a moment). And now we’re going to the West to try and settle the wide open array of playoff places still up for grabs beneath Conference winners FC Dallas. |
| Dallas are at home this evening against the team currently just below the red line, San Jose, but even though they’ve won the Conference, Dallas are still playing for more in that game. Currently behind New York Red Bulls in the Supporters Shield race, a Dallas win tonight coupled with New York drawing or losing in Chicago, would hand Dallas the regular season title. That Chicago v Red Bulls game has been moved to the evening to coincide with the Dallas kick off, and we’ll keep you informed of what’s going on there as well. | Dallas are at home this evening against the team currently just below the red line, San Jose, but even though they’ve won the Conference, Dallas are still playing for more in that game. Currently behind New York Red Bulls in the Supporters Shield race, a Dallas win tonight coupled with New York drawing or losing in Chicago, would hand Dallas the regular season title. That Chicago v Red Bulls game has been moved to the evening to coincide with the Dallas kick off, and we’ll keep you informed of what’s going on there as well. |
| Some tense games beckoning in the playoff race — especially the one at Sporting Park, where Sporting KC inexplicably slipped up in midweek against Colorado Rapids, and must now face LA Galaxy, themselves humiliated last week in a 5-2 home loss to Portland Timbers. As it stand Sporting could finish anywhere from second, avoiding a one game play-in round, to out of the playoffs altogether, depending on results. | Some tense games beckoning in the playoff race — especially the one at Sporting Park, where Sporting KC inexplicably slipped up in midweek against Colorado Rapids, and must now face LA Galaxy, themselves humiliated last week in a 5-2 home loss to Portland Timbers. As it stand Sporting could finish anywhere from second, avoiding a one game play-in round, to out of the playoffs altogether, depending on results. |
| Dallas, Vancouver (home to the eliminated Houston Dynamo) and LA have already clinched playoff spots, but Seattle (home to eliminated RSL), Portland (home to very eliminated Colorado), and Sporting, will all be very wary of leaving the door open for San Jose, should they somehow get a result in Dallas. | Dallas, Vancouver (home to the eliminated Houston Dynamo) and LA have already clinched playoff spots, but Seattle (home to eliminated RSL), Portland (home to very eliminated Colorado), and Sporting, will all be very wary of leaving the door open for San Jose, should they somehow get a result in Dallas. |
| More on the current standings and results so far in a minute. For now, get your tweets and emails coming in to @KidWeil or graham.parker@theguardian.com and I’ll be back shortly with more DECISIONS. It’s that kind of DAY. | More on the current standings and results so far in a minute. For now, get your tweets and emails coming in to @KidWeil or graham.parker@theguardian.com and I’ll be back shortly with more DECISIONS. It’s that kind of DAY. |
| 4.59pm BST16:59 | 4.59pm BST16:59 |
| Graham will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Richard Whittall on the permutations for the playoffs and the Supporters’ Shield: | Graham will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Richard Whittall on the permutations for the playoffs and the Supporters’ Shield: |
| Related: MLS previews: 'Decision Day' for Seattle, Sporting and San Jose | Related: MLS previews: 'Decision Day' for Seattle, Sporting and San Jose |