2009 MLS Cup playoffs
2009 edition of the MLS playoffs
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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.
| |
| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Teams | 8 |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | Real Salt Lake (1st title) |
| Runners-up | Los Angeles Galaxy |
| Semifinalists | |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 11 |
| Goals scored | 21 (1.91 per match) |
| Attendance | 259,149 (23,559 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) |  Landon Donovan Robbie Findley(3 goals each) |
Format
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
Conference standings
| 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 |
| 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 |
Overall standings
| 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 |
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) head-to-head record; 3) goal difference; 4) number of goals scored
(C) Champions; (S) Supporters' Shield
Bracket
| 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
Eastern Conference
| Columbus Crew | 0 – 1 | Real Salt Lake |
|---|---|---|
Carroll  19' |
Report | 38' Beckerman 88' Findley |
| Real Salt Lake | 3 – 2 | Columbus Crew |
|---|---|---|
| Morales 37' Findley 45+2' (pen.)Olave 68'Williams 77' |
Report | 17', 35' Barros Schelotto 48' O'Rourke 59' Moreno |
Real Salt Lake advances 4–2 on aggregate.
| Chicago Fire | 1 – 2 | New England Revolution |
|---|---|---|
| Rolfe 17' Husidic 90+3' |
Report[permanent dead link] | 41' Alston 45+1' Osei 75' Joseph |
| New England Revolution | 0 – 2 | Chicago Fire |
|---|---|---|
| Mansally 17' Jankauskas 36'Larentowicz 85' |
Report[permanent dead link] | 35' Thorrington 83' Blanco |
Chicago Fire advances 3–2 on aggregate.
Western Conference
| Los Angeles Galaxy | 2 – 2 | Chivas USA |
|---|---|---|
| Magee 14' Birchall 27'Donovan 41' |
Report | 4' Santos 50' Galindo 81' Saragosa |
Los Angeles Galaxy advances 3–2 on aggregate.
| Houston Dynamo | 0 – 0 | Seattle Sounders FC |
|---|---|---|
| Onstad 16' Mullan 71'Chabala 75' |
Report | 16' Montero 64' Alonso 68' Evans |
| Seattle Sounders FC | 0 – 1 (a.e.t.) | Houston Dynamo |
|---|---|---|
| Marshall 24' Riley  120'Ljungberg 120' |
Report | 44' Chabala 93' Cameron 96' Ching |
Houston Dynamo advances 1–0 on aggregate.
Conference finals
Eastern Conference
Real Salt Lake advances 5–4 on penalties.
Western Conference
Los Angeles Galaxy advances.