The 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs is the postseason to Major League Soccer's 2009 season. MLS Cup 2009 concluded the season on November 22, 2009, at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. Real Salt Lake won the Cup in penalties over the L.A. Galaxy.

2009 MLS Cup Playoffs
Tournament details
CountryUnited States
Teams8
Defending championsColumbus Crew
Final positions
ChampionsReal Salt Lake (1st title)
Runner-upLos Angeles Galaxy
Semifinalists
Tournament statistics
Matches played11
Goals scored21 (1.91 per match)
Attendance259,149 (23,559 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)United States Landon Donovan
United States Robbie Findley

(3 goals each)
← 2008
2010 →

Format

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At the 2009 season's end, the top two teams of each conference made the playoffs; in addition, the clubs with the next four highest point totals, regardless of conference, were added to the playoffs. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate goals over two matches determined the winners; the Conference Championships were one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, the tie-breaking method was two 15-minute periods of extra time, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. The away goals rule was not used.[1]

Standings

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Conference standings

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Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Columbus Crew 30 13 7 10 41 31 +10 49 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Chicago Fire 30 11 7 12 39 34 +5 45
3 New England Revolution 30 11 10 9 33 37 −4 42
4 D.C. United 30 9 8 13 43 44 −1 40
5 Toronto FC 30 10 11 9 37 46 −9 39
6 Kansas City Wizards 30 8 13 9 33 42 −9 33
7 New York Red Bulls 30 5 19 6 27 47 −20 21
Source: MLS

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 LA Galaxy 30 12 6 12 36 31 +5 48 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Houston Dynamo 30 13 8 9 39 29 +10 48
3 Seattle Sounders FC 30 12 7 11 38 29 +9 47
4 Chivas USA 30 13 11 6 34 31 +3 45
5 Real Salt Lake 30 11 12 7 43 35 +8 40
6 Colorado Rapids 30 10 10 10 42 38 +4 40
7 FC Dallas 30 11 13 6 50 47 +3 39
8 San Jose Earthquakes 30 7 14 9 36 50 −14 30
Source: MLS

Overall standings

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Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Columbus Crew (S) 30 13 7 10 41 31 +10 49 CONCACAF Champions League
2 LA Galaxy 30 12 6 12 36 31 +5 48
3 Houston Dynamo 30 13 8 9 39 29 +10 48 North American SuperLiga
4 Seattle Sounders FC 30 12 7 11 38 29 +9 47 CONCACAF Champions League
5 Chicago Fire 30 11 7 12 39 34 +5 45 North American SuperLiga
6 Chivas USA 30 13 11 6 34 31 +3 45
7 New England Revolution 30 11 10 9 33 37 −4 42
8 Real Salt Lake (C) 30 11 12 7 43 35 +8 40 CONCACAF Champions League
9 Colorado Rapids 30 10 10 10 42 38 +4 40
10 D.C. United 30 9 8 13 43 44 −1 40
11 FC Dallas 30 11 13 6 50 47 +3 39
12 Toronto FC 30 10 11 9 37 46 −9 39 CONCACAF Champions League
13 Kansas City Wizards 30 8 13 9 33 42 −9 33
14 San Jose Earthquakes 30 7 14 9 36 50 −14 30
15 New York Red Bulls 30 5 19 6 27 47 −20 21
Source: MLS
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) goal difference; 4) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield

Bracket

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Conference semifinals Conference finals MLS Cup
          
E1 Columbus 0 2
E4 Salt Lake 1 3
E4 Salt Lake (AET) (PEN) (0)5
Eastern Conference
E2 Chicago (0)4
E3 New England 2 0
E2 Chicago 1 2
E4 Salt Lake (AET) (PEN) (1)5
W1 Los Angeles (1)4
W1 Los Angeles 2 1
W4 Chivas USA 2 0
W1 Los Angeles (AET) 2
Western Conference
W2 Houston 0
W3 Seattle 0 0
W2 Houston (AET) 0 1

1 Real Salt Lake earned the eighth and final playoff berth, despite finishing fifth in the Western Conference. They represent the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, as only three teams in the Eastern Conference qualified for the playoffs.

Conference semifinals

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Eastern Conference

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Columbus Crew0 – 1Real Salt Lake
Carroll   19' Report   38' Beckerman
  88' Findley
Attendance: 11,499
Referee: Mark Geiger
Real Salt Lake3 – 2Columbus Crew
Morales   37'
Findley   45+2' (pen.)
Olave   68'
Williams   77'
Report   17', 35' Barros Schelotto
  48' O'Rourke
  59' Moreno
Attendance: 10,109
Referee: Silviu Petrescu

Real Salt Lake advances 4–2 on aggregate.


Chicago Fire1 – 2New England Revolution
Rolfe   17'
Husidic   90+3'
Report[permanent dead link]   41' Alston
  45+1' Osei
  75' Joseph
Attendance: 7,416
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
New England Revolution0 – 2Chicago Fire
Mansally   17'
Jankauskas   36'
Larentowicz   85'
Report[permanent dead link]   35' Thorrington
  83' Blanco
Attendance: 21,528
Referee: Alex Prus

Chicago Fire advances 3–2 on aggregate.

Western Conference

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Los Angeles Galaxy2 – 2Chivas USA
Magee   14'
Birchall   27'
Donovan   41'
Report   4' Santos
  50' Galindo
  81' Saragosa
Attendance: 25,218
Referee: Kevin Stott
Chivas USA0 – 1Los Angeles Galaxy
Talley   39'
Thornton   72'
Nagamura   79'
Cuesta   79'
Kljestan   90'
Report   60' Franklin
  73' (pen.) Donovan
Attendance: 27,000
Referee: Ricardo Salazar

Los Angeles Galaxy advances 3–2 on aggregate.


Houston Dynamo0 – 0Seattle Sounders FC
Onstad   16'
Mullan   71'
Chabala   75'
Report   16' Montero
  64' Alonso
  68' Evans
Attendance: 35,807
Referee: Ricardo Salazar
Seattle Sounders FC0 – 1
(a.e.t.)
Houston Dynamo
Marshall   24'
Riley   120'
Ljungberg   120'
Report   44' Chabala
  93' Cameron
  96' Ching
Attendance: 27,465
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez

Houston Dynamo advances 1–0 on aggregate.

Conference finals

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Eastern Conference

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Real Salt Lake0 – 0
(a.e.t.)
Chicago Fire
Morales   39'
Wingert   75'
Beckerman   99'
Johnson   110'
Report Thorrington   92'
Prideaux   101'
Blanco   116'
Penalties
Mathis  
Morales  
Findley  
Beckerman  
Johnson  
Espíndola  
Grabavoy  
5 – 4   Blanco
  McBride
  Conde
  Thorrington
  Brown
  Pause
  Prideaux
Attendance: 21,723
Referee: Ricardo Salazar

Real Salt Lake advances 5–4 on penalties.

Western Conference

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Houston Dynamo0 – 2
(a.e.t.)
Los Angeles Galaxy
Mullan   26'
Boswell   111'
Landín   119'
Report   77' Kovalenko
  89' Donovan
  103' Berhalter
  109' (pen.) Donovan
Attendance: 25,373
Referee: Terry Vaughn

Los Angeles Galaxy advances.

MLS Cup

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Los Angeles Galaxy1 – 1 (a.e.t.)Real Salt Lake
Birchall   39'
Magee   41'
Report Johnson   14'
Findley   64'
Penalties
Beckham  
Berhalter  
Kirovski  
Donovan  
Magee  
Klein  
Buddle  
4 – 5 Mathis  
Findley  
Beckerman  
Grabavoy  
Williams  
Wingert  
Russell  
Attendance: 46,011
Referee: Kevin Stott

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "2009 MLS Playoff Guide" (PDF) (Press release). MLSNet.com. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 23, 2009. Retrieved October 29, 2009.