<div align="center"><big><b>MLS PLAYOFF RACE :: 20 OCTOBER 2003</b></big><br></div><br><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"><tbody><tr><th align="left" valign="middle" colspan="12">EASTERN CONFERENCE</th></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">CLUB</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" colspan="4"><b><font color="#ffffff">Overall</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">PTS</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">GD</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" colspan="4" rowspan="1"><b><font color="#ffffff">Games Left</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">M#</font></b></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">GP</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">W</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">L</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">T</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">Home</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">Away</font></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center" bgcolor="#333333"><b><font color="#ffffff">Conf</font><br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center" bgcolor="#333333"><b><font color="#ffffff">Total</font><br></b></td></tr><tr align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ff0000"><font color="#ffffff"><big><b>CHICAGO (E)</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>15</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>6</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><p class="smtext"><b><font color="#ffffff">53</font></b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>+14</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr align="center" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#cc0000"><font color="#000000"><big><b>METROSTARS</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>42</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>+3</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#000066"><font color="#ff0000"><big><b>NEW ENGLAND</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><font color="#000000"><b>42</font></b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>+5</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr align="center"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#000000"><font color="#ffffff"><big><b>DC UNITED</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>10</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>38</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>+2</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>0<br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffff00"><font color="#000000"><big><b>COLUMBUS</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>12</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ff0000"><p class="smtext"><b><font color="#ffffff">35</b></font></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>-4</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>0</b></td><td valign="middle" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>--</b></td></tr><tr><th align="left" valign="middle" colspan="12">WESTERN CONFERENCE</th></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">CLUB</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" colspan="4"><b><font color="#ffffff">Overall</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">PTS</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">GD</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" colspan="4" rowspan="1"><b><font color="#ffffff">Games Left</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">M#</font></b></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">GP</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">W</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">L</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">T</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">Home</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">Away</font></b></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#333333" align="center"><b><font color="#ffffff">Conf</font></b><br></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#333333" align="center"><b><font color="#ffffff">Total</font></b><br></td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#3333ff"><b><font color="#ffffff"><big>SAN JOSE (W)</big></font></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>14</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>7</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>50</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>+10</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>0</b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#4466ff"><font color="#ffffff"><big><b>KANSAS CITY</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>10</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>41</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>+4</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>0<br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#000099"><big><b>COLORADO</b></big></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>7</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>40</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>-3</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><font color="#008800"><big><b>LOS ANGELES</big></font></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><p class="smtext"><b>12</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>35</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><b>1</b></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#e3e3e3" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#e3e3e3" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#990000"><big><b>DALLAS</b></big></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>5</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>19</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>5</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ff0000"><p class="smtext"><b><font color="#ffffff">20</font></b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>-30</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>0</b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ff0000"><font color="#ffffff"><b>OUT</b></td></tr></tbody></table><div align="left"><big><b><u><small><br>SUPPORTERS' SHIELD STANDINGS</small></u></b><small><br><b>CHICAGO 53pts</b>, <i>SAN JOSE 50pts, METROSTARS 42pts, NEW ENGLAND 42pts, KANSAS CITY 41pts, <br>COLORADO 40pts, DC UNITED 38pts, LOS ANGELES 35pts, COLUMBUS 35pts, DALLAS 20pts</i></small></big><p><u><b>PLAYOFF MATCHUPS AS OF TODAY</b></u><b><br>EAST </b>:: CHICAGO v DC UNITED, METROSTARS v NEW ENGLAND<br><b>WEST </b>:: SAN JOSE v LOS ANGELES, KANSAS CITY v COLORADO<br><br><b>MLS CUP CONFERENCE SEMIFINALS</b><br>Leg 1 :: <i>1-2 November</i><br>Leg 2 :: <i>7-9 November</i><br><b>MLS CUP CONFERENCE FINALS</b><br>Final :: <i>15-16 November</i><br><b>MLS CUP FINAL</b><br>Final :: <i>23 November</i><br><p><b><u>REMAINING GAMES</u></b><br><font face="courier"><b>CHI:</b> @CLB<br><b>SJ.:</b> vLA.<br><b>MET:</b> @NE.<br><b>COL:</b> @DAL<br><b>NE.:</b> vMET<br><b>DC.:</b> vKC.<br><b>KC.:</b> DC.<br><b>LA.:</b> @SJ<br><b>CLB:</b> vCHI<br><b>DAL:</b> vCOL</p></font>
ok Here we go again... hehe... not to be a dick but the Revolution is actually in second place in the standings.... not third. :-\
Re: ok Inded you are by virtue of your 2-0-1 record against Metros. Not that it actually matters much. You play a home and home series against them. Difference is just who hosts the second game.
in a 2 game total goals series, it may not seem like a huge advantage playing the second leg at home. but if you think of it as two halfs, would you want to play the 2nd half of a game (knowing how the first half went) at home or on the road? i would guess that most would prefer to play the 2nd part at home. and should additional time be played, the higher seed gets that in their home venue as part of the match.
<div align="center"><big><b>MLS PLAYOFF RACE :: 20 OCTOBER 2003</b></big><br></div><br><table width="100%" border="0" cellspacing="1" cellpadding="1"><tbody><tr><th align="left" valign="middle" colspan="12">EASTERN CONFERENCE</th></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">CLUB</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" colspan="4"><b><font color="#ffffff">Overall</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">PTS</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">GD</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" colspan="4" rowspan="1"><b><font color="#ffffff">Games Left</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">M#</font></b></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">GP</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">W</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">L</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">T</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">Home</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">Away</font></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center" bgcolor="#333333"><b><font color="#ffffff">Conf</font><br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center" bgcolor="#333333"><b><font color="#ffffff">Total</font><br></b></td></tr><tr align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ff0000"><font color="#ffffff"><big><b>CHICAGO (E)</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>15</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>6</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><p class="smtext"><b><font color="#ffffff">53</font></b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>+14</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr align="center" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#000066"><font color="#ff0000"><big><b>NEW ENGLAND</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><font color="#000000"><b>42</font></b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>+5</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#cc0000"><font color="#000000"><big><b>METROSTARS</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>42</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>+3</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr align="center"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#000000"><font color="#ffffff"><big><b>DC UNITED</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>10</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>38</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>+2</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>0<br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffff00"><font color="#000000"><big><b>COLUMBUS</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>12</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ff0000"><p class="smtext"><b><font color="#ffffff">35</b></font></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>-4</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>0</b></td><td valign="middle" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>--</b></td></tr><tr><th align="left" valign="middle" colspan="12">WESTERN CONFERENCE</th></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">CLUB</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" colspan="4"><b><font color="#ffffff">Overall</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">PTS</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">GD</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" colspan="4" rowspan="1"><b><font color="#ffffff">Games Left</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle" rowspan="2"><b><font color="#ffffff">M#</font></b></td></tr><tr><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">GP</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">W</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">L</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">T</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">Home</font></b></td><td bgcolor="#333333" align="center" valign="middle"><b><font color="#ffffff">Away</font></b></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#333333" align="center"><b><font color="#ffffff">Conf</font></b><br></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#333333" align="center"><b><font color="#ffffff">Total</font></b><br></td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#3333ff"><b><font color="#ffffff"><big>SAN JOSE (W)</big></font></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>14</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>7</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>50</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>+10</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>0</b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#4466ff"><font color="#ffffff"><big><b>KANSAS CITY</b></big></font></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>10</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>41</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>+4</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>0<br></b></td><td valign="middle" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr bgcolor="#ffffff"><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#000099"><big><b>COLORADO</b></big></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>11</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><p class="smtext"><b>7</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>40</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>-3</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle"><b>1</b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><font color="#008800"><big><b>LOS ANGELES</big></font></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><p class="smtext"><b>9</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><p class="smtext"><b>12</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><p class="smtext"><b>8</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffcc00"><p class="smtext"><b>35</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><b>0</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#e3e3e3"><b>1</b></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#e3e3e3" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="top" bgcolor="#e3e3e3" align="center"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#009900"><font color="#ffffff"><b>Q</b></font></td></tr><tr><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#990000"><big><b>DALLAS</b></big></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>29</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>5</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>19</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><p class="smtext"><b>5</b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ff0000"><p class="smtext"><b><font color="#ffffff">20</font></b></p></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>-30</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1</b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>0</b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td valign="top" align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ffffff"><b>1<br></b></td><td align="center" valign="middle" bgcolor="#ff0000"><font color="#ffffff"><b>OUT</b></td></tr></tbody></table>
Here's the regulation ... "Conference Semifinal series conducted under a home-and-home, aggregate goal format; one-game Conference Championships determine MLS Cup Finalists. The higher-seeded team will host both the Conference Semifinal Game Two and the Conference Final." http://www.mlsnet.com/content/02/mls1120format.html So it's obvious why being the higher seed matters in the conference final. I think the logic for the semifinal is 1) unlike the first game you know exactly what you have to do in the second game and you get your home-field to give you every advantage and 2) should the series be drawn after the two games you get to play the tie-breaking mini-game at home. For both those reason having the second game at home is an advantage. I agree it's weak but that's what I think the advantage amounts to.
my question is this ........... in the first game of the home and away, is there going to be an OT period? or do you just get the 90 minutes at home in the first game, and then if it's tied on aggregate goals at the end of the SECOND game, then that higher seed gets the advantage of an OT time in their own building? THAT would be a little bit more of an advantage.
No OT in the first playoff game. If tied, 30 minutes of golden goal OT in the second, then penalties if no one scores. Same for the one game semi.
That actually has zero impact. Historically in international club competitions, clubs who host the second leg only win the series 50% of the time, the same as if they had hosted the first leg. This is the only advantage that the higher seed gets. Given that it's sudden-death, however, it's not that great of an advantage.
Regardless, for whatever reason, clubs still want the second leg of a two-leg series in their own venues.