In a mere 17 days, the MLS regular season will come to its roaring conclusion with matches around the league running concurrently on what is being penned “Decision Day.” On that day – October 25 – there will be much on the line around the league as teams vie for playoff spots and jockey for postseason positioning.
With things so close up and down the Western Conference, where just the Colorado Rapids have been eliminated from postseason contention, things are heating up as just four points separate FC Dallas and the LA Galaxy atop the standings with 51 points and fifth-place Seattle with 47 points. Additionally, only three points separate the four teams battling for the sixth playoff spot, including Real Salt Lake.
According to Real Salt Lake General Manager Craig Waibel, who played in MLS from 2000-2010, this type of battle at the end of the season is one that he hasn’t seen in his time with the league.
“I have never seen the conference this equal. I think we all speculated at the beginning of the year that it would be a tight conference, but I think anyone that tells you they saw exactly how this has played out would probably be stretching the truth,” he said in his weekly segment on The Bill & OC Show on ESPN 700 on Wednesday. “It is tight from top-to-bottom and there could still be shifts with every single position. There’s nothing settled. It’s as unpredictable as it’s ever been. MLS is known for parity and this is certainly delivering that.”
RSL has three matches left in the regular season with a chance to overtake the Portland Timbers (44 points), San Jose Earthquakes (44 points) and Houston Dynamo (41 points). The gauntlet of matches to close the season starts on Oct. 14 when RSL hosts the Timbers in a crucial match. The final two matches are at home against FC Dallas on Oct. 17 and on the road against Seattle Sounders FC on Oct. 25.
To hear the full interview, click here.
