Following Real Salt Lake’s 2-1 win over Chivas USA Wednesday night at Rio Tinto Stadium, the Portland Timbers’ playoff seeding scenarios (and MLS Supporters’ Shield hopes) have come into a bit clearer of a focus. With the goal of approaching every match with the goal of three points, that remains the same key heading into Portland’s final regular-season match at Chivas USA on Saturday at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif.
A win will vault the Timbers back into first place in the Western Conference, lock up the conference’s top seed in the MLS Cup Playoffs and put Portland in a position to challenge for the Supporters’ Shield. Here is a run-down of all the remaining scenarios that could see the Timbers finish anywhere from a No. 1 seed to the No. 4 seed as well as a complete look at playoff scenarios across MLS
The Timbers would clinch the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference IF:
- The Timbers win over Chivas
The Timbers would clinch the No. 2 seed in Western Conference IF:
- The Timbers draw at Chivas AND
- LA loses or ties at Seattle on Sunday
OR
- The Timbers lose at Chivas AND
- a tie occures in Seattle/LA match AND
- Colorado loses or ties with Vancouver on Sunday
The Timbers would clinch the No. 3 seed in the Western Conference IF:
- The Timbers draw at Chivas AND
- LA wins over Seattle
OR
- The Timbers lose at Chivas AND
- Either team wins in Seattle vs. LA AND
- Colorado draws or loses at Vancouver
OR
- The Timbers lose at Chivas AND
- Seattle/LA tie AND
- Colorado wins vs. Vancouver
The Timbers would clinch the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference IF:
- Portland loses vs. Chivas AND
- Seattle or LA with their game AND
- Colorado wins vs. Vancouver
In addition to earning the top spot in the Western Conference with a win, the Timbers could walk away from the weekend as Supporters’ Shield winners if the chips fall the right way in other games around the league.
Portland Timbers will clinch the Supporters’ Shield IF
- Portland Timbers win vs. Chivas USA on Saturday AND
- New York Red Bulls lose vs. Chicago Fire on Sunday AND
- Sporting Kansas City tie or lose vs. Philadelphia Union on Saturday
UP-TO-DATE MLS STANDINGS
New York Red Bulls, Sporting Kansas City, Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake, LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders FC have clinched a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
D.C. United, Toronto FC, Chivas USA, FC Dallas, Columbus Crew and Vancouver Whitecaps FC have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Supporters' Shield
New York Red Bulls will clinch the Supporters’ Shield IF
- New York Red Bulls win vs. Chicago Fire on Sunday
OR
- New York Red Bulls tie vs. Chicago Fire on Sunday AND
- Sporting Kansas City lose or tie vs. Philadelphia Union on Saturday
OR
- New York Red Bulls lose vs. Chicago Fire on Sunday AND
- Sporting Kansas City lose or draw vs. Philadelphia Union on Saturday and don't score 8 goals more than NY AND
- Portland Timbers lose or tie vs. Chivas USA on Saturday AND
- Real Salt Lake lose or tie vs. Chivas USA on Wednesday
Sporting Kansas City will clinch the Supporters’ Shield IF
- Sporting Kansas City win vs. Philadelphia Union on Saturday AND
- New York Red Bulls tie or lose vs. Chicago Fire on Sunday
Real Salt Lake will clinch the Supporters’ Shield IF
- Sporting Kansas City tie or lose vs. Philadelphia Union on Saturday AND
- Kansas City does not score 8 more goals than RSL
AND
- New York Red Bulls lose vs. Chicago Fire on Sunday AND
- New York does not score 3 more goals than RSL
AND
- Portland Timbers tie or lose vs. Chivas USA on Saturday
Western Conference
- Four teams have officially qualified (Portland Timbers, RSL, LA Galaxy, Seattle Sounders)
- Portland and RSL can finish no lower than No. 4
- Any of the four qualified teams or the Rapids can finish No. 1
Colorado will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs IF
- Colorado Rapids win or tie vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Sunday
OR
- San Jose Earthquakes tie or lose vs. FC Dallas on Saturday
OR
- Colorado Rapids lose vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Sunday AND
- San Jose Earthquakes win vs. FC Dallas on Saturday AND
- San Jose does not score 13 more goals than Colorado
San Jose will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs IF
- San Jose Earthquakes win vs. FC Dallas on Saturday AND
- Colorado Rapids lose vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC on Sunday AND
- San Jose scores 13 more goals than Colorado
Eastern Conference
- New York Red Bulls and Sporting KC will finish No. 1 and 2 in either order
- Montreal Impact and Chicago Fire can finish anywhere from No. 3 to No. 6. Either can miss the playoffs, but not both
- New England Revolution and Houston Dynamo can finish as high as No. 3, but as low as No. 7
- Both New England and Houston can miss the playoffs, or both could make it
Montréal will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs IF
- Montréal Impact win vs. Toronto FC on Saturday
OR
- New England Revolution tie or lose vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday
OR
- Houston Dynamo tie or lose vs. D.C. United on Sunday
OR
- Montréal Impact tie vs. Toronto FC on Saturday AND
- Chicago Fire lose vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday OR
- Chicago Fire do not score 5 goals more than MTL in tie vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday
OR
- Montréal Impact lose vs. Toronto FC on Saturday AND
- Chicago Fire do not score 5 goals more than MTL in loss vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday
Chicago will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs IF
- Chicago Fire win vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday
OR
- New England Revolution tie or lose vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday
OR
- Houston Dynamo tie or lose vs. D.C. United on Sunday
OR
- Chicago Fire tie vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday AND
- Score 5 goals more than MTL does in tie vs. Toronto FC on Saturday OR
- Montréal Impact lose vs. Toronto FC on Saturday
OR
- Chicago Fire lose vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday AND
- Score 5 goals more than MTL does in loss vs. Toronto FC on Saturday
New England will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs IF
- New England Revolution win vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday
AND
- Montréal Impact tie or lose vs. Toronto FC on Saturday OR
- Chicago Fire tie or lose vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday OR
- Houston Dynamo tie or lose vs. D.C. United on Sunday OR
- Houston Dynamo do not score 9 goals more than NE in win vs. D.C. United on Sunday
OR
- New England Revolution tie vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday
AND
- Houston Dynamo lose vs. D.C. United on Sunday OR
- Houston Dynamo do not score 10 goals more than NE in tie vs. D.C. United on Sunday
AND
- Philadelphia Union tie or lose vs. Sporting Kansas City on Saturday OR
- Philadelphia Union do not score 8 goals more than NE in win vs. Sporting Kansas City on Sunday
OR
- New England Revolution lose vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday
AND
- Houston Dynamo lose and do not score 10 goals more than NE vs. D.C. United on Sunday
AND
- Philadelphia Union tie or lose vs. Sporting Kansas City on Saturday
Houston will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs IF
- Houston Dynamo win vs. D.C. United on Sunday
AND
- Montréal Impact tie or lose vs. Toronto FC on Saturday OR
- Chicago Fire tie or lose vs. New York Red Bulls on Sunday OR
- New England Revolution tie or lose vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday OR
- Score 10 goals more than NE does in win vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday
OR
- Houston Dynamo tie vs. D.C. United on Sunday
AND
- New England Revolution lose vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday OR
- Score 10 goals more than NE does in tie vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday
AND
- Philadelphia Union tie or lose vs. Sporting Kansas City on Saturday OR
- Score 2 goals than PHI does in win vs. Sporting Kansas City on Sunday
OR
- Houston Dynamo lose vs. D.C. United on Sunday
AND
- Score 10 goals more than NE does in loss vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday
AND
- Philadelphia Union tie or lose vs. Sporting Kansas City on Saturday
Philadelphia will clinch a berth in the MLS Cup Playoffs IF
- Philadelphia Union win vs. Sporting Kansas City on Saturday
AND
- New England Revolution lose vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday AND
- Houston Dynamo lose vs. D.C. United on Sunday
OR
- New England Revolution lose vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday AND
- Houston Dynamo tie vs. D.C. United on Sunday AND
- Does not score 2 goals than PHI does in win vs. Sporting Kansas City on Sunday
OR·
- Houston Dynamo lose vs. D.C. United on Sunday AND
- New England Revolution tie vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday AND
- Score 8 goals more than NE does in tie vs. Columbus Crew on Sunday
