MLS Cup Playoffs: Breaking down what your team needs on Decision Day
By Matt Coles
Who Takes Top Spot In The West?
Current Standings:
- SKC – 36 from 20 (1.8 PPG)
- POR – 38 from 22 (1.73)
- SEA – 36 from 21 (1.71)
‘Decision Day’ Fixtures: SKC @ Real Salt Lake, POR @ Los Angeles FC, SEA v San Jose
Although the Supporters’ Shield title is out of reach for the top three sides in the Western Conference, Sporting Kansas City, Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders are all still battling it out for the top seed in the West, with PPG being the key factor in this one, as the three sides have all played a different amount of regular-season games.
Sporting currently holds the top spot thanks to a 1.8 PPG, with 36 points from their 20 regular-season matches. Portland have 38 points from 22 matches, with Seattle just 0.02 PPG behind the Timbers in 3rd, thanks to their record of 36 points from 21 games.
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A win for SKC on Sunday in their ‘Decision Day’ clash with Real Salt Lake and the No.1 seed will be theirs for the post-season. Anything less than that and they will have to hope for results to go their way elsewhere. If they draw against RSL at the weekend, then they need both Portland and Seattle to fail to win as well.
For Portland, the equation is simple. They have to win and Sporting Kansas City have to fail to take all three points. The Timbers will do battle with reigning Supporters’ Shield holder Los Angeles FC, in one of the matches of the final weekend.
Seattle needs more. They need much more. The Sounders have to beat San Jose Earthquakes on ‘Decision Day’, and then hope that Sporting and Portland both fail to win. If that is the case, then the Rave Green will leapfrog both sides and take the Western Conference title and the No.1 seed into the post-season
- SKC need: Win OR Draw & POR fail to win, SEA fail to win
- POR need: Win & SKC fail to win
- SEA need: Win & SKC, POR both fail to win