Consider the Major League Soccer playoffs the land of immense opportunity.
After 32 games each in a season that began in April, only four of the 12 teams have been eliminated, which means 67 percent of MLS still has a chance to win a championship.
Of course, with the kind of parity that has crept in over the past five years, that may not be such a bad thing.
Just last season, the Los Angeles Galaxy floundered for vast stretches of the regular season and got into the playoffs as the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference. The Galaxy knocked off No. 1 San Jose (now the Houston Dynamo), eliminated the Rapids and defeated the New England Revolution – the No. 1 seed in the East – to clinch its second MLS Cup.
The Galaxy, however, won’t be up for an encore. Coach Steve Sampson was fired after a 2-8-1 start and Los Angeles failed to make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history.
The first-round format remains the same, with teams playing a home-and-home, aggregate-scoring series. The higher seeds begin on the road and can take care of business a week later at home.
The conference finals remain one game at the home of the higher seed and the final returns to the home of FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas, on Nov. 12.
“It’s a different ballgame. That’s the beauty of the playoffs,” FC Dallas midfielder Simo Valakari said. “I really like it.”
FC Dallas is the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference and the favorite to advance to its first MLS Cup final. FC Dallas first must get through an emotional series with the Rapids, which knocked it out last season.
This season’s heavy favorite is D.C. United, which finished with the best record, has MVP finalist Christian Gomez and four MLS Cups in the cupboard.
United gets the New York Red Bulls in the first round.
“That one is going to be a tricky one. It’s a huge rivalry,” said Rapids forward Clint Mathis, who played for New York when it was called the MetroStars.
The Red Bulls, under the guidance of former U.S. national team coach Bruce Arena, squeaked into the playoffs thanks to being awarded two questionable penalty kicks in their final game victory against Kansas City.
Footnote
Rapids goalie Joe Cannon is one of three finalists for MLS goalkeeper of the year. Cannon has won the award twice. Troy Perkins (D.C. United) and Matt Reis (New England) also were nominated. The winner will be announced today.
WESTERN CONFERENCE
No. 1 FC Dallas (16-12-4) vs. No. 4 Colorado Rapids (11-13-8)
Series: FC Dallas 3-0-1
Game 1: Saturday, 7 p.m., Invesco Field at Mile High
Game 2: Oct. 28, 5:30 p.m., Pizza Hut Park
FC Dallas
Key players: Kenny Cooper, F, 11 goals, four assists; Richard Mulrooney, M, one goal, nine assists; Ronnie O’Brien, M, one goal, 11 assists; Carlos Ruiz, F, 13 goals, five assists.
To win the series: Recall what happened last season and play with poise and vengeance.
To win the cup: Tighten up the defense. If this team has a weakness, it’s the youth of the back line. Dallas can score, but a leaky defense may hurt too much.
Rapids
Key players: Joe Cannon, G; Terry Cooke, M, 12 assists; Nicolas Hernandez, F, seven goals, six assists; Pablo Mastroeni, M-D.
To win the series: Stop being eternal underdogs and take command in Denver with a solid offensive display.
To win the cup: If the goals start to come and the defense tightens a bit more, they have the ingredients. However, they’ll have to win on the road at some point.
No. 2 Houston Dynamo (11-8-13) vs. No. 3 Chivas USA (10-9-13)
Series: Tied 1-1-2
Game 1: Sunday, 2 p.m., Home Depot Center
Game 2: Oct. 29, 2 p.m., Robertson Stadium
Dynamo
Key players: Wade Barrett, D; Brian Ching, F, 11 goals, two assists; Dwayne DeRosario, M, 11 goals, five assists; Pat Onstad, G.
To win the series: Give Ante Razov nothing and be patient. Chivas will give up plenty of chances.
To win the cup: When everything clicks, the Dynamo is probably the best team in the West. If DeRosario gets hot and Ching finds the back of the net, watch out.
Chivas USA
Key players: Jonathan Bornstein, M-D, six goals, four assists; Juan Pablo Garcia, M, eight goals, six assists; Sacha Kljestan, M, seven assists; Ante Razov, F, 14 goals, eight assists.
To win the series: Pressure. The best way to take the heat off a suspect defense is to put the other team on its heels.
To win the cup: Everything must go right. There is a lot of youth but enough talent with Razov and coach Bob Bradley to pull it off.
EASTERN CONFERENCE
No. 1 D.C. United (15-7-10) vs. No. 4 New York Red Bulls (9-11-12)
Series: D.C. United 2-0-2
Game 1: Saturday, noon, Giants Stadium
Game 2: Oct. 29, 4 p.m., RFK Stadium
D.C. United
Key players: Facundo Erpen, D; Christian Gomez, M, 14 goals, 11 assists; Jaime Moreno, F, 11 goals, 10 assists; Troy Perkins, G.
To win the series: Find a way to disrupt Amado Guevara and take the emotion out of their rivals.
To win the cup: Be ruthless. United was a machine earlier this season and then coasted to the finish. At their best, they can dominate teams across the pitch.
Red Bulls
Key players: Youri Djorkaeff, M, two goals, four assists; Amado Guevara, M, eight goals, five assists; Jeff Parke, D; Seth Stammler, M, three goals, five assists.
To win the series: Hope Guevara and coach Bruce Arena have some more magic to draw from.
To win the cup: Cross their fingers. This team is not that great and under construction. But hey, they’re here, and Guevara can be pretty special.
No. 2 New England Revolution (12-8-12) vs. No. 3 Chicago Fire (13-11-8)
Series: Fire 2-1-1
Game 1: Sunday, noon, Toyota Park
Game 2: Oct. 28, 5:30 p.m., Gillette Stadium
Revolution
Key players: Clint Dempsey, F, eight goals, four assists; Andy Dorman, M, six goals, 10 assists; Jay Heaps, D; Taylor Twellman, F, 11 goals, five assists.
To win the series: Don’t get bombed in Chicago. Contain the Fire on the road and give itself a chance to win the series at home.
To win the cup: Dempsey is the magic man on a talented team. If he shines, the Revolution can beat anyone and get back to the final for the second consecutive season.
Fire
Key players: Ivan Guerrero, M, nine assists; Andy Herron, F, nine goals, one assist; Nate Jaqua, F, eight goals, two assists; Justin Mapp, M, two goals, eight assists.
To win the series: Keep on doing what it does: attack and finish.
To win the cup: No one wants to play the Fire, known to be dangerous and unpredictable. The defense will have to raise its level, though.
