MLS: All the possible Decision Day permutations and predictions

Who makes the playoffs from the West?

Now (6th-9th): POR 46 – FCD 45 – SJ 44 – COL 42

The final pieces in this complicated MLS playoff puzzle are the last two available playoff spots in the Western Conference, with four teams battling out for those two spots. Once again, like in the battle for the top four, two of the teams in this fight will face each other on the final day of the campaign as the San Jose Earthquakes travel to Portland to face the Portland Timbers.

If that game has a winner on Sunday evening, whichever team it is, they will qualify for the postseason. Should Portland win the match, that knocks out San Jose out of the running altogether. However, if it was the Earthquakes that took victory on Sunday at Providence Park, Portland will be looking to see if FC Dallas slip up. Anything less than a victory and the Texan team would miss out on that last playoff place.

FC Dallas know that their clash with the already-eliminated Sporting Kansas City is a win-and-in situation. Take all three points away from Frisco and they are in the playoffs. Meanwhile, if the Colorado Rapids are to make it into the playoffs, they need everything to go their way.

The Rapids, first of all, have to win. Sounds easy enough, but they are on the road at one of the best teams MLS has ever seen, Los Angeles FC. If LAFC were to put out a weakened team in order to rest some of their stars for the postseason, Colorado might have a chance, but with Carlos Vela needing just a single goal to break the single-season record of 31, it could turn into a struggle for the Rapids on Sunday.

Expect them to lose in LA, making it a three-horse race. Meanwhile, the Portland-San Jose game could go one of two ways. It will either be a tight, scrappy affair, with neither side wanting to lose, or both teams will go all-out attack to make sure they get the win they need.

Whichever way it goes, a draw seems like the most obvious result, considering how closely matched the two teams are. That would mean FC Dallas would only need a point in their clash, but they should have enough to beat SKC, booking their spot in the postseason.

Matches with Playoff Permutations:

PORTLAND TIMBERS v SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES

FC DALLAS v Sporting Kansas City

Los Angeles FC v COLORADO RAPIDS

What Each Team Needs for Top 7:

POR – Win, or Tie, or Loss & FCD tie/loss

FCD – Win, or Tie, or Loss & SJ loss & COL tie/loss

SJ – Win, or Tie & FCD loss & COL tie/loss

COL – Win & FCD loss & SJ loss

Prediction:

POR tie, FCD win, SJ tie, COL lose

(6) FCD 48 – (7) POR 47 – (8) SJ 45 – (9) COL 42

That is all for the MLS Decision Day permutations. As you can see, the whole picture is rather unclear. One thing that isn’t, however, is that this is going to be a barn-stormer of a Decision Day.