Major League Soccer made changes to its playoff format this season and adjusted its scheduling formula to accommodate the inclusion of its 19th team, the Montreal Impact.
The Eastern Conference now has 10 teams, the Western Conference nine. Like last year, teams will play 34 regular-season games. Western Conference teams will play three games against each of the other conference teams and play each team from the Eastern Conference once.
Ten teams will make the playoffs, the same number as recent years, but wild cards have been eliminated. The top five teams from each conference will make the playoffs.
In each conference, the fourth-place team will host the fifth-place team in a single-elimination match. The winner of those games will play the conference’s top seed in a two-game series, while the second and third seeds meet. With the elimination of wild cards, no longer can a team from one conference become the champion of the other conference, as happened when the Rapids won the Eastern Conference final two years ago en route to becoming MLS champions.
In past years, the conference semifinals were two-game sets, but the conference final was one game. This year the conference finals will be two-game series as well.
The MLS Cup final will not be played at a neutral site, as in years past. The league’s championship game will be played at the home of the team that reaches the finals with the most points in regular-season play.
John Meyer, The Denver Post
COLUMBUS AT COLORADO
4 p.m. today, ALT
Spotlight on Oscar Pareja: He makes his debut as the sixth head coach of the Rapids, having spent most of his MLS career as a player and assistant coach for FC Dallas. A native of Medellin, Colombia, Pareja played in the MLS from 1998-2005 after beginning his professional career in 1987 with Independiente Medellin. He was a playmaking midfielder and wants to bring a creative, attacking style to the Rapids.
NOTEBOOK
Rapids: Look for newcomer Luis Zapata to debut at left back, a position the Rapids have had trouble filling in recent years. Other newcomers likely to start are midfielder Jaime Castrillón, forward Tony Cascio and midfielder Martin Rivero, although Rivero won’t be able to play unless international transfer paperwork is finished in time. Cascio, a rookie, was drafted No. 14 in the MLS draft from the University of Connecticut and got a lot of playing time in preseason games. Others likely to start are defenders Drew Moor, Marvell Wynne and Kosuke Kimura, midfielders Jeff Larentowicz and Pablo Mastroeni, forward Omar Cummings and goalkeeper Matt Pickens. Quincy Amarikwa also is a possible starter up front.
Crew: Columbus was eliminated from the playoffs by Colorado in each of the past two seasons. … Key offseason acquisitions include Chilean midfielder Milovan Mirosevic and Costa Rican forward Olman Vargas. … The Crew was hit by injuries in the preseason. Midfielders Eddie Gaven (knee), Danny O’Rourke (knee), Rich Balchan (sports hernia) and Dilly Duka (ankle) all were sidelined, and goalkeeper William Hesmer (sprained ankle) did not play in any preseason matches. Gaven and defender Chad Marshall were able to return for the final preseason game.
John Meyer, The Denver Post
