The2018 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the2018Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) began on October 31 and ended on December 8 withMLS Cup 2018, the 23rd league championship match for MLS. This was the 23rd version of theMLS Cup Playoffs, the tournament culminating theMajor League Soccer regular season. Twelve teams, the top six of each conference, competed in the MLS Cup Playoffs.[1]
 | |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Dates | October 31 – December 8 |
| Teams | 12 |
| Defending champions | Toronto FC (did not qualify) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Atlanta United FC (1st title) |
| Runner-up | Portland Timbers |
| Semifinalists | |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 17 |
| Goals scored | 52 (3.06 per match) |
| Attendance | 494,421 (29,084 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) |  Josef Martínez Diego Valeri(4 goals each) |
The first round of each conference had the third-seeded team hosting the sixth seed while the fourth-seed hosted the fifth seed in a single match to determine who advanced to the Conference Semifinals. In the Conference Semifinals, the top seed played the lowest remaining seed while the second played the next-lowest. The winners advanced to the Conference Finals. Both the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals were played as a two-legged aggregate series, with the higher-seed hosting the second leg. The winners advanced to the MLS Cup, a single match hosted by the participant with the better regular season record which was played atMercedes-Benz Stadium inAtlanta.[2]
Toronto FC were the defending MLS Cup champions, but failed to qualify for the playoffs.Atlanta United FC won their first MLS Cup title.
Qualified teams
editEastern Conference
Western Conference
Conference standings
editThe top six teams from each conference advanced to the MLS Cup playoffs.
Eastern Conference
Source:MLS | Western Conference
Source:MLS |
Bracket
edit| Knockout round | Conference semifinals | Conference finals | MLS Cup December 8 –Atlanta, Georgia | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | New York City FC | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10/31 –New York, New York | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Atlanta United FC | 1 | 3 | 4 | |||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | New York City FC | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Philadelphia Union | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Atlanta United FC | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| E1 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | 1 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Columbus Crew | 1 | 0 | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 11/1 –Washington, D.C. | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| E1 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| E4 | D.C. United | 2 (2) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Columbus Crew (p) | 2 (3) | |||||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Atlanta United FC | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Portland Timbers | 0 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Portland Timbers (p) | 2 | 2 | 4 (4) | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10/31 –Frisco, Texas | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 1 | 3 | 4 (2) | |||||||||||||||||||
| W4 | FC Dallas | 1 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Portland Timbers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Portland Timbers | 0 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Sporting Kansas City | 0 | 2 | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Real Salt Lake | 1 | 2 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||
| 11/1 –Los Angeles, California | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Sporting Kansas City | 1 | 4 | 5 | |||||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Los Angeles FC | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Real Salt Lake | 3 | |||||||||||||||||||||
Knockout round
editSummary
edit| Team 1 | Score | Team 2 | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||||
| New York City FC (E3) | 3–1 | Philadelphia Union (E6) | ||
| D.C. United (E4) | 2–2 (2–3 p) | Columbus Crew SC (E5) | ||
| Western Conference | ||||
| Los Angeles FC (W3) | 2–3 | Real Salt Lake (W6) | ||
| FC Dallas (W4) | 1–2 | Portland Timbers (W5) | ||
Matches
edit| FC Dallas | 1–2 | Portland Timbers |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
| New York City FC | 3–1 | Philadelphia Union |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
| D.C. United | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | Columbus Crew SC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
| |
| Penalties | ||
| 2–3 | ||
Conference semifinals
editSummary
edit| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||||
| Columbus Crew SC (E5) | 1–3 | New York Red Bulls (E1) | 1–0 | 0–3 |
| New York City FC (E3) | 1–4 | Atlanta United FC (E2) | 0–1 | 1–3 |
| Western Conference | ||||
| Real Salt Lake (W6) | 3–5 | Sporting Kansas City (W1) | 1–1 | 2–4 |
| Portland Timbers (W5) | 4–4 (4–2p) | Seattle Sounders FC (W2) | 2–1 | 2–3 (a.e.t.) |
Matches
editNew York Red Bulls win 3–1 on aggregate.
Atlanta United win 4–1 on aggregate.
- Tied 4–4 on aggregate. Portland Timbers win 4–2 on penalties.
- Sporting Kansas City win 5–3 on aggregate.
Conference finals
editSummary
edit| Team 1 | Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score | Team 2 | 1st leg | 2nd leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Eastern Conference | ||||
| Atlanta United FC (E2) | 3–1 | New York Red Bulls (E1) | 3–0 | 0–1 |
| Western Conference | ||||
| Portland Timbers (W5) | 3–2 | Sporting Kansas City (W1) | 0–0 | 3–2 |
Matches
editAtlanta United win 3–1 on aggregate.
Portland Timbers win 3–2 on aggregate.
MLS Cup
editTop goalscorers
edit
MLS Cup Playoffs Best XI
edit| Year | Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 |  Jeff Attinella (POR) | Aaron Long (NYR) Matt Besler (SKC) Leandro González Pírez (ATL) Franco Escobar (ATL) | Sebastián Blanco (POR) Miguel Almirón (ATL) Diego Chará (POR) Diego Valeri (POR) | Josef Martínez (ATL) Johnny Russell (SKC) |
References
edit- ^"Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs schedule revealed, final to be played on Dec. 8".mlssoccer.com.Major League Soccer. September 8, 2018. Archived fromthe original on September 24, 2018. RetrievedOctober 21, 2018.
- ^Baer, Benjamin (November 11, 2018)."Red Bull Arena or Mercedes-Benz Stadium to host 2018 MLS Cup".MLSsoccer.com. RetrievedNovember 12, 2018.
- ^"Playoffs Top Scorers".Major League Soccer.
- ^Boehm, Charles (December 11, 2018)."Team of the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs: Who made the postseason Best XI?".MLSSoccer.com. RetrievedDecember 12, 2018.