2018 MLS Cup Playoffs
The 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the 2018 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) began on October 31 and ended on December 8 with MLS Cup 2018, the 23rd league championship match for MLS. This was the 23rd version of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season. Twelve teams, the top six of each conference, competed in the MLS Cup Playoffs.[1]
 | |
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| Teams | 12 |
| Defending champions | Toronto FC (did not qualify) |
| Champions | Atlanta United FC (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Portland Timbers |
| Semi-finalists | |
| Matches played | 17 |
| Goals scored | 52 (3.06 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) |  Josef Martínez Diego Valeri(4 goals each) |
← 2017 2019 → | |
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. The winners advanced to the MLS Cup, a single match hosted by the participant with the better regular season record which was played at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.[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.
Contents
Qualified teamsEdit
Eastern Conference
- Atlanta United FC
- Columbus Crew SC
- D.C. United
- New York City FC
- New York Red Bulls
- Philadelphia Union
Western Conference
Conference standingsEdit
The top six teams from each conference advanced to the MLS Cup playoffs.
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Eastern Conference
Source: MLS
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Western Conference
Source: MLS
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BracketEdit
| Knockout Round | Conference Semifinals | Conference Finals | MLS Cup | |||||||||||||||||||
| 10/31 – Bronx, New York | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | New York City FC | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E3 | New York City FC | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Philadelphia Union | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Atlanta United FC | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11/1 – Washington, D.C. | E2 | Atlanta United FC | 3 | 0 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E1 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| E4 | D.C. United | 2 (2) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Columbus Crew | 1 | 0 | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Columbus Crew (p) | 2 (3) | December 8 – Atlanta, Georgia | |||||||||||||||||||
| E1 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | 3 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| 10/31 – Frisco, Texas | E2 | Atlanta United FC | 2 | |||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Portland Timbers | 0 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W4 | FC Dallas | 1 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Portland Timbers (p) | 2 | 2 | 4 (4) | ||||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Portland Timbers | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 1 | 3 | 4 (2) | ||||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| 11/1 – Los Angeles, California | W5 | Portland Timbers | 0 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Sporting Kansas City | 0 | 2 | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Los Angeles FC | 2 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Real Salt Lake | 1 | 2 | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Real Salt Lake | 3 | ||||||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Sporting Kansas City | 1 | 4 | 5 | ||||||||||||||||||
Knockout RoundEdit
SummaryEdit
| 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) | ||
MatchesEdit
| FC Dallas | 1–2 | Portland Timbers |
|---|---|---|
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Report |
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| New York City FC | 3–1 | Philadelphia Union |
|---|---|---|
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Report |
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| D.C. United | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | Columbus Crew SC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
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| Penalties | ||
| 2–3 | ||
Conference SemifinalsEdit
SummaryEdit
| Team 1 | Agg. | 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 (4–2 p) |
Seattle Sounders FC (W2) | 2–1 | 2–3 (a.e.t.) |
MatchesEdit
New 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.
| Real Salt Lake | 1–1 | Sporting Kansas City |
|---|---|---|
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Report |
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- Sporting Kansas City win 5–3 on aggregate.
Conference FinalsEdit
SummaryEdit
| Team 1 | Agg. | 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 |
MatchesEdit
Atlanta United win 3–1 on aggregate.
Portland Timbers win 3–2 on aggregate.
MLS CupEdit
Top goalscorersEdit
- As of December 8, 2018[3]
MLS Cup Playoffs Best XIEdit
| Year | Goalkeeper | Defenders | Midfielders | Forwards |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 |  Jeff Attinella, Portland
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Aaron Long, Red Bulls Matt Besler, Kansas City Leandro González Pírez, Atlanta Franco Escobar, Atlanta
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Sebastián Blanco, Portland Miguel Almirón, Atlanta Diego Chará, Portland Diego Valeri, Portland
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Josef Martínez, Atlanta Johnny Russell, Kansas City
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ReferencesEdit
- ^ "Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs schedule revealed, final to be played on Dec. 8". mlssoccer.com. Major League Soccer. September 8, 2018. Retrieved October 21, 2018.
- ^ Baer, Benjamin (November 11, 2018). "Red Bull Arena or Mercedes-Benz Stadium to host 2018 MLS Cup". MLSsoccer.com. Retrieved November 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. Retrieved December 12, 2018.