With Major League Soccer’s announcement of the date and broadcast home for 2016 MLS Cup, it’s a good sign that the 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs are fast approaching.
Keeping the December 10, MLS Cup final date in mind and still with seven more matches on the MLS slate for Real Salt Lake, here is a look at how the postseason would shake out if the season ended today.
Real Salt Lake (12-8-7, 43 points) is currently tied with the Colorado Rapids (11-5-10, 43 points) and LA Galaxy (10-4-13, 43 points) for second on points in the Western Conference. Because RSL has more victories, it holds the tie-breakers over the other two clubs and would get a bye to the Western Conference Semifinals, along with first place FC Dallas (15-7-6, 51 points). Salt Lake would hold home-field advantage in the semifinal series against whichever team advanced with the highest seed out of the Knockout Round. As of now, Colorado would face the sixth-seeded Portland Timbers (9-11-8, 35 points) at Dick’s Sporting Goods Park while the LA Galaxy would host Sporting Kansas City (11-12-5, 38 points) in the Knockout Round.
The San Jose Earthquakes (7-8-11, 32 points), Seattle Sounders (9-13-4, 31 points) and Vancouver Whitecaps (8-13-7, 31 points) are all within striking distance of a playoff position with less than two months to play.
This week’s Western Conference matchups include:
Wednesday
Real Salt Lake vs. LA Galaxy (7:30 p.m. MT, KMYU)
Friday
Sporting Kansas City vs. Houston Dynamo (6:00 p.m. MT, UniMas, MLS Live)
Saturday
Columbus Crew vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC (4:00 p.m. MT, MLS Live)
FC Dallas vs. Colorado Rapids (7:00 p.m. MT, MLS Live)
Portland Timbers vs. Real Salt Lake (8:30 p.m. MT, KMYU)
San Jose Earthquakes vs. Seattle Sounders FC (8:30 p.m. MT, MLS Live)
Sunday
LA Galaxy vs. Orlando City SC (5:00 p.m. MT, FS1)
