After a wild Sunday evening, Week 32 is in the books. Four more teams have clinched their playoff berths, with only one postseason spot – the No. 6 seed in the Western Conference – still up for grabs heading into Decision Day.
The Quakes will get in with a home win against Minnesota, but the Loons – despite their 2-0 loss at LA Sunday – have been feisty of late. If San Jose slips, the door will open for Dallas and RSL – both of whom are at home – to sneak into the playoffs.
While the field is just about set, seeding is still wide open in both conferences. NYCFC, Chicago, Atlanta and Columbus are fighting for spots 2-5 in the East. Portland and Vancouver will duke it out for the West's top seed at Providence Park next Sunday, Seattle and SKC will be looking to sneak into the top-two and avoid the Knockout Round and Houston will aim to secure a home playoff match.
How will it all play out? Who knows? The only thing that's certain is that next Sunday's Decision Day should be a ton of fun.
Read below to re-live how all the Week 32 action played out in real time (you'll want to start from the bottom and work your way up):
9:34 pm ET
Four more teams have clinched their playoff berths out West.
The Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City and Houston Dynamo all secured their postseason places on Sunday. San Jose took a step towards the playoffs with a huge draw at Vancouver, while Dallas and RSL saw their hopes take a hit in losses at Seattle and Colorado.
San Jose are currently in sixth, tied with seventh-place Dallas on points and one point in front of eighth-place RSL.
The Quakes are firmly in the driver’s seat for the final playoff berth. If they win next Sunday at home against lowly Minnesota, they’re in. A draw, and Dallas and RSL would both pass them with a win. A loss by the Quakes, and Dallas would only need a point to move ahead of San Jose. RSL still would need to win.
While the field is nearly set, seeding is still wide open. Vancouver have clinched a top-two seed and a first-round bye, but would finish second to the Timbers if they lose in Portland next Sunday in the marquee Decision Day matchup.
9:12 pm ET
Vako!
The Quakes Designated Player just scored a massive equalizer for San Jose, pulling them level with Vancouver late at BC Place.
If San Jose can hold on and RSL and Dallas lose, they’ll head into their Decision Day matchup against Minnesota in sixth in the West.
The goal is also big for Vancouver, who can't clinch the first-seed in the West without a win. The 'Caps play at second-place Portland on Decision Day -- could we have a winner takes the West matchup at Providence Park?
9:04 pm ET
Playoff races are defined as much by near misses as goals.
This one might end up costing Luis Silva and Real Salt Lake.
As things stand, RSL are in seventh in the West. A draw in Colorado would put them ahead of sixth-place Dallas and above the playoff line.
9:01 pm ET
When it rains, it pours.
Will Bruin bags another to make it 3-0 for Seattle.
Barring a massive comeback, Dallas are looking at another loss in their miserable second half. FCD are still above the playoff line, however, thanks to a couple of serious assists from Vancouver and Colorado. They'll hope the 'Caps and Rapids can hang on vs. San Jose and RSL.
8:59 pm ET
Portland aren't the only Cascadia club getting in on the goals.
Will Bruin ended a nine-game goal drought to put Seattle up 2-0 on Dallas. That playoff berth is starting to look awfully secure for the Sounders, too.
8:58 pm ET
Start buying those playoff tickets, Timbers fans.
Sebastian Blanco and (who else?) Diego Valeri combined for a fantastic goal to put Portland up 3-0 against D.C.
That should about do it in Portland. The Timbers will officially be in the playoffs in about 30 minutes time.
8:49 pm ET
Portland are in firm control against D.C. after Alvas Powell doubled the Timbers’ lead to 2-0 at Providence Park.
Powell was assisted by Diego Valeri, who now has 21 goals and 10 assists this season. He's just the second player in MLS history with 20 goals and 10 assists in a single campaign.
If current results hold, Portland won't be able to finish any worse than fourth in the West. That outcome that would guarantee the Timbers a playoff home game.
8:30 pm ET
Diego Valeri converted a penalty kick to give the Portland Timbers a 1-0 lead against D.C. at the stroke of halftime, moving within three goals of Nemanja Nikolic for the MLS Golden Boot lead and pushing Portland above Seattle and into second in the live standings.
The big losers from the first half of the Western Conference slate are Sporting Kansas City, who are tied 0-0 with Houston and down from second to fourth in the table. Dallas aren’t doing themselves any favors, but San Jose and RSL aren’t taking advantage. They’re trailing at Vancouver and at Colorado, respectively, and remain below the playoff line.
8:09 pm ET
It’s raining goals in Cascadia.
Seconds after Vancouver took the lead over San Jose at BC Place, summer signing Victor Rodriguez gave Seattle a 1-0 lead against Dallas at CenturyLink Field.
As things currently stand, Seattle are in second in the West. They’ll clinch a playoff berth with a win against FCD.
8:07 pm ET
The Whitecaps have taken the lead over San Jose.
Peruvian international Yordy Reyna put Vancouver on the board, tapping home from close range for a goal that has major implications across the West.
If current results hold, Vancouver would clinch the West’s No. 1 seed. A loss would be a blow for San Jose, who entered Sunday’s set one point behind FCD for the conference’s final playoff spot.
8:00 pm ET
Seattle have suffered a potentially major blow, as Gustav Svensson has been subbed off against FC Dallas due to a left hamstring injury.
Seattle, who are already dealing with an injury to starting striker Jordan Morris, would have a much harder path to repeating as MLS Cup champs if the versatile Svensson is out for any extended amount of time.
7:53 pm ET
If FC Dallas earn a result at Seattle tonight and eventually hang on to qualify for the postseason, they might have Jesse Gonzalez to thank.
Check out the youngster’s excellent stop on Clint Dempsey:
7:48 pm ET
It won’t affect the playoff picture, but Romain Alessandrini has the LA Galaxy up 1-0 against Minnesota United FC. Perhaps the lone bright spot in LA’s brutal season, Alessandrini now has 12 goals and 10 assists in 2017.
Here's the Frenchman's strike:
7:41 pm ET
Josh Gatt needed just two minutes to deal Real Salt Lake a potentially crushing blow at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, with the Colorado winger giving the Rapids an early 1-0 lead in the Rocky Mountain Cup matchup.
That's bad news for RSL, who would be eliminated from playoff contention with a loss and an FC Dallas win.
7:34 pm ET
We're just about ready for kick in the second round of matches, with five all-Western Conference matchups and one intra-conference battle (Hi, Portland vs. D.C.!) on tap. Unlike the East, the playoff field is still very open in the West, as only Vancouver have clinched a playoff berth. We'll see who joins them tonight.
7:30 pm ET
"I'll be a Lion forever."
Watch as Kaka addresses the Orlando City crowd for the final time:
7:16 pm ET
90 minutes later, and the picture is a whole lot more muddled out East.
NYCFC’s loss, Chicago’s win, Atlanta’s draw and Columbus’ victory have the second-through-fifth spots completely up in the air. Just look at this mess:
Depending on how Decision Day shakes out, any of those four teams could finish with seeds No. 2-5. Columbus will have a great shot to climb the standings, as a win at Citi Field next Sunday would vault Crew SC above NYCFC in the standings. Chicago (the big winners from today's matches) will close out with a tough road contest at Houston, while Atlanta will host history-chasing Toronto FC.
The only sure things in the East are at the top and the bottom of the playoff field. As they have been for several weeks, Toronto are entrenched in the No. 1 spot. They’ll host the lower-seeded Knockout Round winner in the Eastern Conference Semifinals. That opponent could very well end up being the New York Red Bulls, who are locked into the No. 6 spot and will play at the East’s No. 3 seed in the Knockout Round.
6:54 pm ET
Give him the Golden Boot, give Chicago three points and… watch out for that goal record?
Nikolic completed his hat trick to give the Fire a late 3-2 lead against the Union, rolling home a low right-footer from 20 yards to move to 24 goals on the year. That’s just three shy from tying the all-time MLS single-season record heading into Chicago’s regular season finale.
If the Fire can hang on and other results hold, Chicago would move into third in the East, just one point behind NYCFC.
6:48 pm ET
Not fair, Brad Guzan.
With saves like that, the Atlanta United goalkeeper is really making his case for the USMNT’s starting spot in Russ… Oh god.
6:42 pm ET
Ola Kamara may have just spoiled Kaka’s final match in Orlando.
The Crew SC striker finished off a lovely move to give Columbus a 1-0 lead at the Lions, tapping home a Hector Jimenez cross after some excellent setup play from Federico Higuain. Kamara, who is celebrating his birthday today, now has 17 goals on the season.
As things currently stand, Columbus are ahead of the Chicago Fire for fourth in the East. That’s huge, as the No. 4 seed will host the Knockout Round matchup against the No. 5 finisher.
6:40 pm ET
The Fire are level, and Nemanja Nikolic is one step closer to the MLS Golden Boot.
Nikolic scored his second goal of the game and his 23rd of the season to tie the Fire up 2-2 with Philadelphia. Halftime substitute David Accam earned the penalty, getting taken down by Union defender Jack Elliott while attempting to leave the box . Maybe let him go next time, Jack.
Nikolic is now three goals ahead of David Villa and Diego Valeri for the MLS lead.
6:27 pm ET
We’ve got an early leader for MLS Goal of the Week!
Diego Fagundez just scored a golazo for New England, collecting a ball from Andrew Farrell at the top of the box and curling an absolute beauty into the top-right corner to give the Revs a 1-0 lead.
The goal likely means that 10-man NYCFC won’t be able to clinch the East’s No. 2 seed today. If New England hang on for the win, Atlanta would be able to pass NYCFC and pull into second in the East should they beat the Red Bulls.
6:12 pm ET
Quick halftime check of the Live Standings…
If the current results hold (yeah, it’s unlikely; humor me), the Red Bulls will be locked into the No. 6 seed and would open their postseason with a Knockout Round matchup at the third-seed. Columbus and Chicago would still be fighting for seeding, but they’d have no possibility of grabbing the No. 2 spot and the first-round bye that goes with it. Atlanta would still be able to catch No. 2 NYCFC, but it’d require a Five Stripes win against Toronto and a NYCFC home loss to Columbus on Decision Day.
How much of the preceding paragraph will I be able to copy and paste in 45 minutes? Stay tuned to find out!
6:05 pm ET
Scenes in Toronto!
After Victor Cabrera was whistled for a no-doubter foul on Sebastian Giovinco to give Toronto a penalty, the Italian star missed from the spot not once, but twice (!!!) to let Montreal off before halftime. Giovinco put his first attempt off the post, but was granted a re-take after goalkeeper Maxime Crepeau was called for coming off his line too early. The Atomic Ant, who may have fully stopped during his run-up on the first attempt, couldn’t take advantage of his second try, hitting the post again before the ball trickled out of danger.
5:45 pm ET
NYCFC's quest to clinch the East’s second-seed with a win at New England just took a big hit, as Jack Harrison was shown a straight red card for a studs-up challenge. That’s tough news for City, who will be without the newly-minted England Under-21 international (and reported Manchester United and Manchester City target) for their Decision Day matchup against Crew SC.
Might we have a window of opportunity for Atlanta and Chicago to make up ground on NYCFC for the No. 2 spot and first-round bye?
5:34 pm ET
One step closer to the all-time points record for Toronto FC, and a personal milestone Jozy Altidore. The striker put Toronto up 1-0 on Montreal with a classy finish, his 14th goal of the year. That's an MLS career-high for Altidore, one better than the 13 he scored for Toronto in 2015.
5:32 pm ET
Those good feelings in Chicago? They left quickly. Philadelphia have hit back for two early goals – a Johan Kappelhoff own goal and a Alejandro Bedoya strike – to take a 2-1 lead at the Fire. Major implications there for the East standings. A loss for the Fire would likely end their hopes for a top-two seed in the East and would make a road Knockout Round game much more likely.
5:21 pm ET
They're less than three minutes in at Toyota Park, and Nemanja Nikolic already has the Fire ahead of Philadelphia. The goal has huge implications for the Golden Boot race, with Nikolic now on 22 strikes for the season, two ahead of David Villa and Diego Valeri. Nice touch from the Chicago striker to show the crowd the jersey of teammate Michael De Leeuw -- who tore his ACL recently and is out for the year -- during his celebration.
5:16 pm ET
Kaka is playing his final home match at Orlando City Stadium on Sunday, and things have already gotten a bit emotional for the Brazilian legend.
We'll see if Orlando's biggest (and first) star has anything magical in store for the home fans against Columbus.
5:15 pm ET
We start the day at BMO Field, where Toronto FC fans were presented with the club’s first-ever Supporters’ Shield ahead of their match against the rival Montreal Impact. The Reds have already clinched the Shield, but they’re still playing for history. A win on Sunday will move them to 68 points, bringing them level with the 1998 LA Galaxy for most in a single-season in MLS history.
5:10 pm ET
All set for what promises to be a wild Sunday of Week 32 action. It starts with the Eastern Conference slate and the battle for seeding with all six playoff spots already determined.
