2010 MLS Cup playoffs

2010 MLS Cup Playoffs
Tournament details
Country	United States; Canada
Teams	8
Defending champions	Real Salt Lake
Final positions
Champions	Colorado Rapids (1st title)
Runner-up	FC Dallas
Semifinalists	Los Angeles Galaxy; San Jose Earthquakes;
Tournament statistics
Matches played	11
Goals scored	25 (2.27 per match)
Attendance	214,885 (19,535 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)	Edson Buddle; Conor Casey; Bobby Convey; David Ferreira; (2 goals each)
	← 2009 2011 →

The 2010 MLS Cup Playoffs was the postseason tournament subsequent to Major League Soccer's 2010 season.

The playoffs began on October 30, with the Los Angeles Galaxy defeating the Seattle Sounders FC in the quarterfinal-round. Three weeks later, the Colorado Rapids defeated FC Dallas 2-1 in the Cup final at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario. It was Colorado's first title and second MLS Cup final appearance, and it was FC Dallas's first appearance in an MLS Cup final.

Of the eight MLS clubs to earn qualification into the tournament, only four of them qualified the season before; Columbus Crew, Los Angeles Galaxy, Seattle Sounders FC, and the defending-champions, Real Salt Lake. The San Jose Earthquakes were making their first playoff appearance since 2005, Dallas' since 2007. It was Colorado's and New York Red Bulls's first time since 2008.

Format

At the 2010 season's end, the top two teams of each conference advanced to the playoffs; in addition the clubs with the next four highest point totals, regardless of conference, were also added to the playoffs for a total of eight clubs. In the first round of the knockout tournament, aggregate (total) goals over two matches would determine the winners; the Conference Championships was one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, the tie-breaking method would be 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 v t e	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	New York Red Bulls	30	15	9	6	38	29	+9	51	MLS Cup Playoffs
2	Columbus Crew	30	14	8	8	40	34	+6	50	MLS Cup Playoffs
3	Kansas City Wizards	30	11	13	6	36	35	+1	39
4	Chicago Fire	30	9	12	9	37	38	−1	36
5	Toronto FC	30	9	13	8	33	41	−8	35
6	New England Revolution	30	9	16	5	32	50	−18	32
7	Philadelphia Union	30	8	15	7	35	49	−14	31
8	D.C. United	30	6	20	4	21	47	−26	22

Source: MLS

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	LA Galaxy	30	18	7	5	44	26	+18	59	MLS Cup Playoffs
2	Real Salt Lake	30	15	4	11	45	20	+25	56
3	FC Dallas	30	12	4	14	42	28	+14	50
4	Seattle Sounders FC	30	14	10	6	39	35	+4	48
5	Colorado Rapids	30	12	8	10	44	32	+12	46
6	San Jose Earthquakes	30	13	10	7	34	33	+1	46
7	Houston Dynamo	30	9	15	6	40	49	−9	33
8	Chivas USA	30	8	18	4	31	45	−14	28

Source: MLS

Overall standings

Pos	Team v t e	Pld	W	L	T	GF	GA	GD	Pts	Qualification
1	LA Galaxy (S)	30	18	7	5	44	26	+18	59	CONCACAF Champions League
2	Real Salt Lake	30	15	4	11	45	20	+25	56
3	New York Red Bulls	30	15	9	6	38	29	+9	51
4	FC Dallas	30	12	4	14	42	28	+14	50	CONCACAF Champions League
5	Columbus Crew	30	14	8	8	40	34	+6	50
6	Seattle Sounders FC	30	14	10	6	39	35	+4	48	CONCACAF Champions League
7	Colorado Rapids (C)	30	12	8	10	44	32	+12	46	CONCACAF Champions League
8	San Jose Earthquakes	30	13	10	7	34	33	+1	46
9	Kansas City Wizards	30	11	13	6	36	35	+1	39
10	Chicago Fire	30	9	12	9	37	38	−1	36
11	Toronto FC	30	9	13	8	33	41	−8	35	CONCACAF Champions League
12	Houston Dynamo	30	9	15	6	40	49	−9	33
13	New England Revolution	30	9	16	5	32	50	−18	32
14	Philadelphia Union	30	8	15	7	35	49	−14	31
15	Chivas USA	30	8	18	4	31	45	−14	28
16	D.C. United	30	6	20	4	21	47	−26	22

Source: MLS
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	New York	1	1

E4	San Jose	0	3
				E4	San Jose	0
Eastern Conference
				E3	Colorado	1
E2	Columbus	0	2

E3	Colorado (5–4, PSO)	1	1
							E3	Colorado	2

							W3	Dallas	1
W1	Los Angeles	1	2

W4	Seattle	0	1
				W1	Los Angeles	0
Western Conference
				W3	Dallas	3
W2	Salt Lake	1	1

W3	Dallas	2	1

Conference semifinals

October 30, 2010

7:00PM PDT

New York Red Bulls	1–0	San Jose Earthquakes
Ballouchy 46' Lindpere 56' Miller 71' Coundoul 83'	Report	Wondolowski 65'

Buck Shaw Stadium
Santa Clara, California

Attendance: 10,525

Referee: Paul Ward

November 4, 2010

8:00PM EDT

San Jose Earthquakes	3–1	New York Red Bulls
Corrales 32' Convey 8', 76' Wondolowski 81' Busch 81'	Report	Ángel 78'

Red Bull Arena
Harrison, New Jersey

Attendance: 22,839

Referee: Mark Geiger

San Jose Earthquakes advance 3–2 on aggregate

October 28, 2010

7:00PM MDT

Columbus Crew	0–1	Colorado Rapids
Carroll 57'	Report	Mastroeni 23' Mastroeni 90+2'

Dick's Sporting Goods Park
Commerce City, Colorado

Attendance: 11,872

Referee: Jair Marrufo

November 6, 2010

4:00PM EDT

Colorado Rapids	1–2	Columbus Crew
Mullan 38' Casey 48' Casey 84'	Report	Gaven 22' Schelotto 31' Ekpo 52' Carroll 56' Francis 64' Rogers 70' Rogers 70'
Penalties
Casey Kandji Larentowicz Lopez Baudet	5–4	Schelotto Garey Gaven Brunner Carroll