2008 MLS Cup Playoffs
Tournament details
CountryUnited States
Teams8
Defending championsHouston Dynamo
Final positions
ChampionsColumbus Crew (1st title)
Runner-upNew York Red Bulls
Semifinalists
Tournament statistics
Matches played11
Goals scored25 (2.27 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)Colombia Juan Pablo Ángel
United States Chad Marshall
United States John Wolyniec
(2 goals each)

The 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs were the postseason to Major League Soccer's 2008 season, and culminated with MLS Cup 2008 on November 23, 2008 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

Format

At the 2008 season's end, the top three teams of each conference made the playoffs; in addition the clubs with the next two highest point totals, regardless of conference, were added to the playoffs. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate goals over two matches determined the winners; the Conference Championships were one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, the tie-breaking method was two 15-minute periods of extra time, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. The away goals rule was not used.

Standings

Conference standings

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Columbus Crew 30 17 7 6 50 36 +14 57 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Chicago Fire 30 13 10 7 44 33 +11 46
3 New England Revolution 30 12 11 7 40 43 −3 43
4 Kansas City Wizards 30 11 10 9 37 39 −2 42
5 New York Red Bulls 30 10 11 9 42 48 −6 39
6 D.C. United 30 11 15 4 43 51 −8 37
7 Toronto FC 30 9 13 8 34 43 −9 35
Source: MLS

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Houston Dynamo 30 13 5 12 45 32 +13 51 MLS Cup Playoffs
2 Chivas USA 30 12 11 7 40 41 −1 43
3 Real Salt Lake 30 10 10 10 40 39 +1 40
4 Colorado Rapids 30 11 14 5 44 45 −1 38
5 FC Dallas 30 8 10 12 45 41 +4 36
6 LA Galaxy 30 8 13 9 55 62 −7 33
7 San Jose Earthquakes 30 8 13 9 32 38 −6 33
Source: MLS

Overall standings

Pos Team Pld W L T GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Columbus Crew (C, S) 30 17 7 6 50 36 +14 57 CONCACAF Champions League
2 Houston Dynamo 30 13 5 12 45 32 +13 51
3 Chicago Fire 30 13 10 7 44 33 +11 46 North American SuperLiga
4 Chivas USA 30 12 11 7 40 41 −1 43
5 New England Revolution 30 12 11 7 40 43 −3 43
6 Kansas City Wizards 30 11 10 9 37 39 −2 42
7 Real Salt Lake 30 10 10 10 40 39 +1 40
8 New York Red Bulls 30 10 11 9 42 48 −6 39 CONCACAF Champions League
9 Colorado Rapids 30 11 14 5 44 45 −1 38
10 D.C. United 30 11 15 4 43 51 −8 37 CONCACAF Champions League
11 FC Dallas 30 8 10 12 45 41 +4 36
12 Toronto FC 30 9 13 8 34 43 −9 35 CONCACAF Champions League[lower-alpha 1]
13 LA Galaxy 30 8 13 9 55 62 −7 33
14 San Jose Earthquakes 30 8 13 9 32 38 −6 33
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
Notes:

Bracket

Conference Semifinals Conference Finals MLS Cup 2008
          
E1 Columbus 1 2
E4 Kansas City 1 0
E1 Columbus 2
Eastern Conference
E2 Chicago 1
E3 New England 0 0
E2 Chicago 0 3
E1 Columbus 3
W4 New York 1
W1 Houston 1 0
W4 New York 1 3
W4 New York 1
Western Conference
W3 Salt Lake 0
W3 Salt Lake 1 2
W2 Chivas USA 0 2

1 The New York Red Bulls earned the eighth and final playoff berth, despite finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference. They represent the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoff bracket, as only three teams in the Western Conference qualified for the playoffs.

Conference Semifinals

Columbus Crew1 – 1Kansas City Wizards
Padula Yellow card 84'
Lenhart 90+2'
Carroll Yellow card 90+3'		 Jewsbury Yellow card 40'
Arnaud 53'
Gomez Red card 75'
Attendance: 10,385
Referee: Jorge Gonzalez
Kansas City Wizards0 – 2Columbus Crew
Arnaud Yellow card 39'
Wahl Yellow card 49'		 Evans 7' Yellow card 63'
Rogers 57' Yellow card 66'
Hejduk Yellow card 87'
Ekpo Yellow card 90'
Attendance: 11,153
Chicago Fire0 – 0New England Revolution
Soumare Yellow card 16'
Pause Yellow card 59'
Blanco Yellow card 69'		 Mansally Yellow card 42'
Castro Yellow card 73'
Attendance: 5,221
Referee: Alex Prus
New England Revolution0 – 3Chicago Fire
Albright Yellow card 7' Yellow-red card 83'
Igwe Yellow card 45+2'
Joseph Yellow card 53'		 Thorrington Yellow card 36'
Rolfe 45+2'
Conde 47'
Busch Yellow card 62'
Segares 74'
Attendance: 17,312
Referee: Jair Marrufo
Houston Dynamo1 – 1New York Red Bulls
Mullan Yellow card 53'
Kamara 85'		 Richards Yellow card 29'
Angel Yellow card 37' 48'
Attendance: 11,578
Referee: Kevin Stott
New York Red Bulls3 – 0Houston Dynamo
van den Bergh Yellow card 5'
Richards 25'
Goldthwaite Yellow card 28'
Angel 36' (pen.)
Sassano Yellow card 45+2'
Wolyniec 81'		 Robinson Yellow card 62'
Onstad Yellow card 69'
Mullan Yellow card 73'
Attendance: 30,053
Referee: Baldomero Toledo
Chivas USA0 – 1Real Salt Lake
Razov Yellow card 66'
Thomas Yellow card 75'		 Williams Yellow card 29'
Beckerman Yellow card 42'
Movsisyan 90'
Attendance: 14,719
Real Salt Lake2 – 2Chivas USA
Mathis Yellow card 10'
Borchers Yellow card 30'
Kovalenko 39' Yellow card 42'
Morales 77'		 Nagamura Yellow card 22'
Kljestan 30' (pen.)
Bornstein Yellow card 60'
Braun 83'
Razov Yellow card 86'
Thomas Yellow card 90+1'
Attendance: 19,256
Referee: Michael Kennedy

Conference finals

Chicago Fire1–2Columbus Crew
Soumare Yellow card 22'
McBride 29'
Segares Yellow card 48'
Prideaux Yellow card 67'		 Marshall 49'
Gaven 55'
O'Rourke Yellow card 57'
Hesmer Yellow card 90+2'
Attendance: 14,688
Referee: Terry Vaughn
New York Red Bulls1–0Real Salt Lake
van den Bergh 28'
Goldthwaite Yellow card 45'
Rojas Yellow card 64'
Leitch Yellow card 90+4'
Attendance: 20,008
Referee: Jair Marrufo

MLS Cup

New York Red Bulls1–3Columbus Crew
Leitch Yellow card 4'
Wolyniec 51'		 Moreno 31'
Marshall 53'
Padula Yellow card 68'
Hejduk 82'
Attendance: 27,000
Referee: Baldomero Toledo

Additional References

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