2012 MLS Cup playoffs

Format

For 2012, the league's previous system of "wild card" qualification—which had the potential for "crossover" series in which one team could play in the other conference's bracket—was scrapped. Instead, the top five teams in each conference will qualify for the playoffs and the two conference brackets are entirely separate. The First Round of each conference is a one-off match between the 4th and 5th place teams, similar to the previous wild card system, with the 4th-place team hosting. The First Round winner advances to play the conference's best regular season record in the Conference Semifinals.

Conference Semifinals and Conference Championship series are conducted in a home-and-away aggregate-goal format, with the higher-seeded team hosting the second leg. If the teams are tied after two games, a 30-minute extra time period (divided into two 15-minute periods) will be played followed by penalty kicks, if necessary. The away goals rule or golden goal is not used.

In the case of ties in the First Round and MLS Cup, extra time and penalty kicks are used in the same manner as above.

Qualification

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

Tiebreak rules

When two or more teams are tied in standings on points the following tiebreak rules apply:

1. Goals for
2. Goal differential
3. Fewest disciplinary points in the official points table (foul – 1 pt, first yellow – 3 pts, second yellow – 5 pts, straight red – 6 pts, disciplinary commission suspension – 6 pts, etc.)
4. Road goals
5. Road goal differential
6. Home goals
7. Home goal differential
8. Coin toss (2 teams) or drawing of lots (3 or more teams)

Bracket

|RD1-omit= 1/2/5/6/7/8/9/10/13/14/15/16 | RD2-group1=Eastern Conference | RD2-group2=Western Conference | team-width=200px

|RD1-seed1 = E4 |RD1-team1 = Chicago |RD1-score1 = 1 |RD1-seed2 = E5 |RD1-team2 = Houston |RD1-score2 = 2

|RD1-seed3 = W4 |RD1-team3 = Los Angeles |RD1-score3 = 2 |RD1-seed4 = W5 |RD1-team4 = Vancouver |RD1-score4 = 1

| RD2-seed01=E1 | RD2-team01=Kansas City | RD2-score01-1=0 | RD2-score01-2=1 | RD2-score01-agg=1 | RD2-seed02=E5 | RD2-team02=Houston | RD2-score02-1=2 | RD2-score02-2=0 | RD2-score02-agg=2

| RD2-seed03=E2 | RD2-team03=D.C. United | RD2-score03-1=1 | RD2-score03-2=1 | RD2-score03-agg=2 | RD2-seed04=E3 | RD2-team04=New York | RD2-score04-1=1 | RD2-score04-2=0 | RD2-score04-agg=1

| RD2-seed05=W1 | RD2-team05=San Jose | RD2-score05-1=1 | RD2-score05-2=1 | RD2-score05-agg=2 | RD2-seed06=W4 | RD2-team06=Los Angeles | RD2-score06-1=0 | RD2-score06-2=3 | RD2-score06-agg=3

| RD2-seed07=W2 | RD2-team07=Salt Lake | RD2-score07-1=0 | RD2-score07-2=0 | RD2-score07-agg=0 | RD2-seed08=W3 | RD2-team08=Seattle | RD2-score08-1=0 | RD2-score08-2=1 | RD2-score08-agg=1

| RD3-seed01=E5 | RD3-team01=Houston | RD3-score01-1=3 | RD3-score01-2=1 | RD3-score01-agg=4 | RD3-seed02=E2 | RD3-team02=D.C. United | RD3-score02-1=1 | RD3-score02-2=1 | RD3-score02-agg=2

| RD3-seed03=W4 | RD3-team03=Los Angeles | RD3-score03-1=3 | RD3-score03-2=1 | RD3-score03-agg=4 | RD3-seed04=W3 | RD3-team04=Seattle | RD3-score04-1=0 | RD3-score04-2=2 | RD3-score04-agg=2 | RD4-seed01=E5 | RD4-team01=Houston | RD4-score01=1 | RD4-seed02=W4 | RD4-team02=Los Angeles | RD4-score02=3

Schedule

Knockout round

Donovan

Conference semifinals

Eastern Conference

Bruin Houston Dynamo won 2–1 on aggregate

D.C. United won 2–1 on aggregate. Note: While D.C. United won the right to host the second leg as the higher seed, the order of the legs was reversed due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy. The second leg was originally scheduled for November 7 but was postponed one day due to snow.

Western Conference

Magee Los Angeles Galaxy won 3–2 on aggregate

Seattle Sounders won 1–0 on aggregate

Conference finals

Bruin Sarkodie Houston Dynamo won 4–2 on aggregate

Magee Scott Los Angeles Galaxy won 4–2 on aggregate

MLS Cup

Main article: MLS Cup 2012

Donovan Keane

Post-season statistical leaders

Note: Statistics only for post-season games.

Top scorers

Most assists

References

References

1. "Competition Rules and Regulations". MLSsoccer.com.
2. (November 20, 2011). "Big changes for MLS Cup Playoffs format in 2012". MLSsoccer.com.
3. "History: MLS Cup 2011". MLSsoccer.com.
4. "Champions League Qualifying 2013-14". CONCACAF.
5. "New tiebreakers designed to encourage attacking play". MLSSoccer.com.
6. (November 2012). "Hurricane Sandy forces Red Bulls, D.C. United to switch home dates for playoff series". NJ.com.
7. "Snow postpones Red Bulls-DC United". ESPNFC.com.
8. "2012 MLS Cup Playoffs". MLSsoccer.com.