Last week, we went in-depth on the various scenarios that would affect RSL’s playoff seeding, chances of hosting MLS Cup and potential qualification for CONCACAF Champions League. In that post, we told you we’d be back with an update after the regular season wrapped up this weekend.
Well, here we are. Let’s get right to it:
RSL secures No. 2 seed
As you probably know by now, Real Salt Lake’s 0-0 draw against Vancouver on Saturday combined with L.A.’s 1-0 win over Seattle on Sunday night gave RSL the Western Conference’s No. 2 seed for the MLS Cup Playoffs. The Claret-and-Cobalt will kick off its postseason campaign on Friday night at No. 3 seed Sounders FC (8 p.m. MT on NBC Sports Network). The return leg for that series will be on Thursday, Nov. 8 at Rio Tinto Stadium.
Get your tickets for all of RSL’s playoff games here.
Claret-and-Cobalt unlikely to host MLS Cup
Unfortunately, it’s not looking very likely that RSL will host MLS Cup should the team advance all the way to the final. The Claret-and-Cobalt would only host MLS Cup at Rio Tinto Stadium on Dec. 1 if it was playing Chicago or Houston. One of the Fire or the Dynamo will be eliminated on Wednesday night, when the two teams play each other in the Eastern Conference knockout game at Toyota Park outside Chicago.
If RSL qualifies for MLS Cup against Kansas City, D.C. or New York, it would play the game on the road.
Cup or bust for CCL qualification
Had RSL won on Saturday, it would’ve finished the season in third-place in MLS and thereby could’ve qualified for the 2013/14 CONCACAF Champions League if: A) The team made MLS Cup or B) San Jose and/or Kansas City made MLS Cup.
Of course, the Claret-and-Cobalt didn’t win on Saturday, it drew. That result left the team in fifth-place in the overall MLS standings, meaning that the only way it can qualify for the 2013/14 CCL is by advancing to MLS Cup.
The takeaway, as always: Let’s just win the whole thing.
