And as it turns out Boxy may not even be required by Minny in LA on Decision Day.
For them the Galaxy match a bit of a nothing fixture.
I should have looked at this earlier.
The top 7 teams in each Conference enter the MLS playoffs, while spots 8th & 9th play a oneoff wildcard game to determine the 8th quarterfinalist.
Minny (4th in the West, 58 pts, GD +18) can only finish as high as 2nd, and that requires that they win in LA, plus both San Diego (2nd, 60 pts, GD +19) or LAFC (3rd, 59 pts) not winning.
Seattle (5th, 52 pts) can't catch Minny, and the top 4 teams all get the advantage of hosting 2 of the 3 Round One playoff games (Conference quarters), if a 3rd QF game is required. Vancouver (1st, 63 pts, GD +29) are virtually guaranteed finishing top in the West, barring a massive win by San Diego.
The remaining three MLS Playoff rounds — the conference semifinals, the conference final, and MLS Cup final — are single-elimination matches.
Playoffs pause between 10th-21st November, for the Nov FIFA window.
https://www.mnufc.com/news/preview-loons-look-to-climb-conference-standings-on-decision-day
Think about the mindset of a Loons’ player heading into this one: You’re already guaranteed to host two games in round one of the playoffs. You can’t finish first in the conference anymore, you can’t finish any lower than you already are, and though a win could change your path to the MLS Cup Final, there really isn’t a whole lot of anything riding on this weekend’s match. Plus, the Galaxy have lost more games than you’ve won, they’re dead last in the conference, and their best player is still out. If you ask me, that’s not the easiest game in the world to get yourself excited for.
For Coach Ramsay and the squad, the best way to approach Decision Day is as though it’s the beginning of the playoffs. At this time of year, the only thing that really matters in this league is form; if you were good enough to make the postseason and you’re playing your best soccer in October, you’ve got a real shot at winning the title. If the Loons come into this match thinking about all the reasons I listed before, they’ll be at risk of falling flat, denting their momentum, and hitting an unfortunate domino that ends in their early exit from the playoffs. If they lock in—as they’ve seemingly done all season—they can hand the defending champs one last resounding L in 2025 on their way to what could be a deep run.
For them the Galaxy match a bit of a nothing fixture.
I should have looked at this earlier.
The top 7 teams in each Conference enter the MLS playoffs, while spots 8th & 9th play a oneoff wildcard game to determine the 8th quarterfinalist.
Minny (4th in the West, 58 pts, GD +18) can only finish as high as 2nd, and that requires that they win in LA, plus both San Diego (2nd, 60 pts, GD +19) or LAFC (3rd, 59 pts) not winning.
Seattle (5th, 52 pts) can't catch Minny, and the top 4 teams all get the advantage of hosting 2 of the 3 Round One playoff games (Conference quarters), if a 3rd QF game is required. Vancouver (1st, 63 pts, GD +29) are virtually guaranteed finishing top in the West, barring a massive win by San Diego.
The remaining three MLS Playoff rounds — the conference semifinals, the conference final, and MLS Cup final — are single-elimination matches.
Playoffs pause between 10th-21st November, for the Nov FIFA window.
https://www.mnufc.com/news/preview-loons-look-to-climb-conference-standings-on-decision-day
Think about the mindset of a Loons’ player heading into this one: You’re already guaranteed to host two games in round one of the playoffs. You can’t finish first in the conference anymore, you can’t finish any lower than you already are, and though a win could change your path to the MLS Cup Final, there really isn’t a whole lot of anything riding on this weekend’s match. Plus, the Galaxy have lost more games than you’ve won, they’re dead last in the conference, and their best player is still out. If you ask me, that’s not the easiest game in the world to get yourself excited for.
For Coach Ramsay and the squad, the best way to approach Decision Day is as though it’s the beginning of the playoffs. At this time of year, the only thing that really matters in this league is form; if you were good enough to make the postseason and you’re playing your best soccer in October, you’ve got a real shot at winning the title. If the Loons come into this match thinking about all the reasons I listed before, they’ll be at risk of falling flat, denting their momentum, and hitting an unfortunate domino that ends in their early exit from the playoffs. If they lock in—as they’ve seemingly done all season—they can hand the defending champs one last resounding L in 2025 on their way to what could be a deep run.