Playoff Scenarios

Here are all of RSL’s playoff scenarios and tiebreaker results as drafted by RSL Communications.  A bit of good news for RSL results from the fact that all of the other teams they are fighting with for the final 2 spots (Colorado, New England, DC United, Dallas and Toronto) are all playing on the road.  None of those teams has been spectacular on the road,

RSL Qualifying trends:

• In a six-way tie (RSL win + TOR/DC/DAL/NE ties), RSL captures the #7 seed in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs
• If TOR, DC and DAL each tie on Saturday, RSL qualifies for the Playoffs, no matter what NE does on Sunday
• RSL also qualifies Saturday night with a TOR loss, a DC loss or tie and a DAL tie
• Four- or five-way ties without Toronto FC in the mix are good for RSL
• RSL wins three-way tiebreakers with COL that include DC, DAL or NE
• A TOR tie and DC win eliminates RSL before its game ends, no matter what DAL and NE do
• TOR and DC ties, combined with a DAL win, also ends the season for RSL
• A TOR tie, a DC loss and a DAL win or tie terminate RSL’s postseason hopes
• RSL and COL both qualify for the postseason with losses by TOR, DC, DAL and NE

RSL Must Win by 2+ goals with:

• A TOR win or tie and losses by DC, DAL and NE
• Losses by TOR, DAL and NE combined with a DC win
• TOR, DC and NE losses and a DAL win, or TOR, DC and DAL losses with a NE win

With an RSL victory on Saturday, listed below are the various scenarios that will give the Claret-and-Cobalt a second consecutive berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

RSL Qualifies as MLS #7 seed (East #3) with:

1. TOR tie + DC tie + DAL tie + NE tie/loss
2. TOR loss + DC tie + DAL tie + NE tie/loss
3. TOR loss + DC tie + DAL loss + NE tie/loss
4. TOR loss + DC loss + DAL tie + NE tie/loss
5. TOR loss + DC loss + DAL loss + NE tie
6. TOR loss + DC loss + DAL loss + NE loss (needs to defeat COL by 2+ goals)

RSL qualifies as MLS #8 seed (East #4) with:

1. TOR win + DC tie + DAL tie + NE tie/loss
2. TOR win + DC tie + DAL loss + NE tie/loss
3. TOR win + DC loss + DAL tie + NE tie/loss
4. TOR win + DC loss + DAL loss + NE tie
5. TOR win + DC loss + DAL loss + NE loss (needs to defeat COL by 2+ goals)
6. TOR tie + DC tie + DAL tie + NE win
7. TOR tie + DC tie + DAL loss + NE tie/loss
8. TOR tie + DC loss + DAL loss + NE tie
9. TOR tie + DC loss + DAL loss + NE loss (needs to defeat COL by 2+ goals)
10. TOR loss + DC win + DAL tie + NE tie/loss
11. TOR loss + DC win + DAL loss + NE tie
12. TOR loss + DC win + DAL loss + NE loss (needs to defeat COL by 2+ goals)
13. TOR loss + DC tie + DAL win + NE tie/loss
14. TOR loss + DC tie + DAL tie or loss + NE win
15. TOR loss + DC loss + DAL win + NE tie
16. TOR loss + DC loss + DAL win + NE loss (needs to defeat COL by 2+ goals)
17. TOR loss + DC loss + DAL tie + NE win
18. TOR loss + DC loss + DAL loss + NE win (needs to defeat COL by 2+ goals)
19. TOR loss + DC loss + DAL loss + NE loss

Tiebreaker Info

This chart reflects the tiebreaker results depending on the size of the group that is tied, and who is included. Should RSL make it to this stage, they are in decent shape to capture one of the final spots.  This would require a win, and that they have a few other results go their way.