FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps: Keys to the Western Conference Knockout Round

The MLS playoffs begin on Wednesday, with FC Dallas hosting the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Western Conference knockout round. The winner will face the Seattle Sounders in the conference semifinals. Dallas and Vancouver split the season series. Each team earned a win, a draw and a loss in three matches. However, the Hoops have won all five games at Toyota Stadium against Vancouver since they entered the league. That makes this matchup all the more intriguing. Here are the main storylines and keys to the game.Begin Slideshow

MLS Player Power Rankings After Matches from October 24-26

After eight months of play and plenty of terrific individual performances, the Major League Soccer regular season came to an end Sunday. During the final set of regular-season games, some players gave voters for the Most Valuable Player award more to think about, while a few were sidelined with injuries.  Others played a part in major goals that handed their respective teams the upper hand in regards to playoff qualification and seeding.  Here's a look at the final regular-season edition of the MLS Player Power Rankings. Begin Slideshow

Chivas USA Contracts as MLS Announces Realignment, Los Angeles Market Strategy

In a move everybody saw coming, MLS club Chivas USA will officially cease operations effective immediately, as the league will realign its current structure with plans to add a second team in Los Angeles in 2017.    MLS commissioner Don Garber confirmed the news to Sports Illustrated's Brian Straus, while releasing a statement on the new franchise:As part of our new strategy for Southern California—a major hotbed of soccer participation and fan support—we believe that engaging with a new ownership group which has the resources and local community ties, and a plan for a dedicated soccer-specific stadium, provides us with the best chance for success.He also wrote a letter to the club's fans, via the MLS' official website: Dear Chivas USA Supporters, Later today, the League will announce a new strategy for the Los Angeles market. After conducting a comprehensive strategic review of the market and Chivas USA’s operations, we will announce that effective this afternoon, Chivas USA will cease operations. This was a very difficult decision. We want to thank you, the fans, for ten years of unconditional support. We are grateful for your commitment to the club and to the sport. Chivas went through a multitude of issues in the front office and ...

5 Things We Learned from MLS Matches from October 24-26

In the final weekend of the Major League Soccer season, there was still plenty to play for, highlighted by the Supporters' Shield race, one final playoff spot up for grabs in the West and the MLS single-season goal-scoring record on the line. Catch up on all the action, and see all of the important goals in this week's edition of "Five Things We Learned from MLS."Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week for Matches from October 24-26

The final week of the Major League Soccer regular season saw plenty of individuals step up to score in games with a ton of playoff implications.  The two biggest goals were scored by Seattle and Vancouver, who earned the Supporters' Shield and final playoff spot in the Western Conference respectively.  In the final match of the regular season, we saw one player's chase for history end in style. Due to the amount of attacking stars from this weekend, we opted to go with a 4-3-3 to include as many forwards as possible.  Here's a look at the final regular-season MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow

MLS Cup Playoffs 2014: Dates, TV Schedule, Live Stream and Predictions

The MLS Cup playoffs are officially set.  With the Seattle Sounders' capture of the Supporters Shield on Saturday, and the Columbus Crew avoiding the knockout round with a 2-1 win over Philadelphia on Sunday, we now know the path for each of the 10 playoff contenders.  We enter the playoffs on some interesting comments from Seattle—and future Tottenham—right-back DeAndre Yedlin: It's certainly a compelling debate, and supporters of Yedlin's argument will point to many of the top leagues around the world that determine their champion based on season-long results.  No matter how you feel about the importance of the MLS Cup, though, one thing is certain: It's a month-long tournament featuring some of the best players in North America. There will be heaps of entertainment, excitement and stellar play.  Let's take a look at what's in store.    Schedule Note: Schedule courtesy of MLSSoccer.com   Some may point to Yedlin's comments as a lack of motivation for Seattle, but recent history for Supporters Shield winners is perhaps the more concerning fact for the Sounders, as illustrated by ESPN Stats & Info: Unfortunately for this Seattle native, there's a good chance that trend continues.  While it's difficult to pick against a team with the unbelievable attacking power of Clint Dempsey and MVP candidate ...

Winners and Losers from MLS Matches from October 24-26

Major League Soccer saw an incredible end to its regular season, and there was plenty of drama over the final three days of play. Seattle became the first team to bring some clarity to the playoff picture by winning the Supporters' Shield on Saturday afternoon, while a few other sides locked up postseason seeds with major wins.  On the other end of the spectrum, a few sides were forced to suffer a rough end to their respective seasons. Here's a look at the winners and losers from the final regular-season weekend in MLS. Begin Slideshow

Seattle’s Sigi Schmid Throws Tactical Knockout Punch to Win Supporters’ Shield

For the second consecutive match against the LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders manager Sigi Schmid played his tactics to perfection.  Following a 2-2 draw at StubHub Center six days ago, all the Sounders needed was a draw at home in front of 57,673 boisterous fans at CenturyLink Field to clinch the Supporters' Shield.  For the second game in a row, Schmid opted to take a more defensive approach to his starting 11 by aligning Brad Evans in front of DeAndre Yedlin on the right side. That move was made in order to shut down the attacking threat on the left wing put forth by the Galaxy. The plan once again worked, as the Galaxy were held to three shots on target in a game where they held 59 percent of the possession, per MLSSoccer.com.  Schmid let the game play out until the 73rd minute, when he opted to bring on Guatemalan winger Marco Pappa in favor of Evans.  Six days after the same substitution produced two goals to earn a road draw, Pappa scored both goals in the 2-0 victory to hand Seattle its first Supporters' Shield in franchise history. Goal USA's Seth Vertelney gave an update on Seattle's history-making path:  Once Pappa entered the match, the ...

New York Red Bulls Help Fulfill the Dreams of 5-Year-Old Girl with Rare Disease

MLS' New York Red Bulls made one of their classiest signings yet, and it helped fulfill the dreams of a five-year-old girl.  Red Bulls brought on Irelyn Maloney on a one-day contract. Young Irelyn was born with Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), which is a rare genetic disease that has prevented her from competing in sports.  Irelyn always wanted to become a footballer, so the Red Bulls helped her make good on that with a contract. She even scored in training!  She donned the No. 31 shirt of her favourite footballer, Luis Robles, and got her own locker.  "If she could play soccer every day, and every minute of every day, she would," he mother, Shannon, told the Red Bulls' official website. "She wears her cleats to school, she wears her cleats to the food store and to the doctor's. She just absolutely adores it."  She added that Irelyn's had 40 hospital stays and six surgeries in five years.  In spite of this, prior to her visit with Red Bulls, she got to compete in an actual match. Earlier this month her sister's team held a special game that she competed in as part of the Twin County Soccer Association.  [New York Red Bulls]Read more MLS news on ...

Seattle’s Attack Set to Thrive at Home with Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez Suspended

The entire dynamic of the season-ending home-and-home series between the Seattle Sounders and LA Galaxy changed in the 88th minute of Sunday's 2-2 draw at StubHub Center.  Galaxy center-back Omar Gonzalez, who was already on a yellow card, picked up a second caution for his tackle on Seattle's Gonzalo Pineda.  As Gonzalez walked into the tunnel, the hopes of LA returning from Seattle Saturday with the Supporters' Shield, and the top seed in the Western Conference playoffs, disappeared.  Gonzalez, who spoke to LAGalaxy.com about the decision Wednesday, was not happy with the decision made by referee Ismail Elfath.  I had a few days to think about it and look at the play again and from my standpoint, it wasn’t a yellow. I think that I went to the ground because I thought that I was going to the ball and I did get the ball first. He continued running and then tripped over me. Since returning from the World Cup, Gonzalez has been in terrific form in the middle of a back four that has seen its share of injuries in 2014.  Saturday afternoon's match at CenturyLink Field was supposed to be a great test for how the healthy back four of A.J. DeLaGarza, Dan Gargan, Robbie Rogers ...