
NEW YORK, NY (November 9, 2015) – The Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs Conference Championships are set following the conclusion of the Conference Semifinals:
First Leg: Sunday, November 22 (Home team listed first)
Eastern Conference Championship:
#2 Columbus Crew SC vs. #1 New York Red Bulls – 5 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
#3 Portland Timbers vs. #1 FC Dallas - 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Deportes; TSN2)
The second leg of both Conference Championships will be played on Sunday, November 29 at the home of the higher-seeded teams. The national television schedule for both second legs will be determined following the first legs.
The winners of the Conference Championships’ aggregate-goal series’ will advance to the 2015 MLS Cup, which will be played at the home stadium of the team that had the best regular season record on Sunday, December 6 at 4 p.m. ET (ESPN, UniMás, TSN, and RDS2).
All four second legs of the Conference Semifinals were played on Sunday, with two matchups needing more than 180 minutes to determine the winners.
The Red Bulls advanced past D.C. United with a 2-0 aggregate score after winning the second leg 1-0 at Red Bull Arena in front of a sold-out crowd of over 25,000 fans (HIGHLIGHTS). In the other semifinal, Columbus Crew SC and the Montreal Impact were tied 3-3 through 180 minutes. In added extra time, Crew SC’s MLS MVP finalist Kei Kamara scored his second goal of the night and Columbus held on to advance with a 4-3 aggregate score (HIGHLIGHTS).
Out West, FC Dallas and Seattle Sounders FC played one of the wildest second legs in MLS Cup Playoffs history, as the teams traded three goals in the final five minutes of regulation and stoppage time – including two by FC Dallas – to tie 3-3 through 180 minutes. After a scoreless 30 minutes of added extra time, FC Dallas’s 20-year-old goalkeeper, Jesse Gonzalez, stopped two Seattle penalty kicks while Dallas went 4-4 to win the penalty shootout 4-2 and advance (HIGHLIGHTS).
In the other semifinal and after playing to a scoreless first leg, the Portland Timbers went on the road and defeated Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 2-0, Sunday night in front of nearly 28,000 fans to advance to their second Western Conference Championship in the past three years (HIGHLIGHTS).
The Conference Championships are also two-leg, aggregate goal series. If the series is tied after two legs, the team with the most away goals will advance. If the total goals and away goals are equal, then an additional 30 minutes (two 15 minute periods) of added extra time will be played in its entirety. Away goals do not count in extra time. If the score is still tied after extra time, the match will be decided by kicks from the penalty spot in accordance to FIFA’s Laws of the Game.
Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs Schedule:
Knockout Round
(Home team listed first)
Wed., Oct. 28
- D.C. United 2-1 New England Revolution
- Seattle Sounders FC 3-2 LA Galaxy
Thurs., Oct. 29
- Montreal Impact 3-0 Toronto FC.
- Portland Timbers 2-2 (7-6) Sporting Kansas City
(Home team listed first; Two-game series, aggregate-goal format)
First Leg – Sunday, Nov. 1
- D.C. United 0-1 New York Red Bulls
- Montreal Impact 2-1 Columbus Crew SC
- Seattle Sounders FC 2-1 FC Dallas
- Portland Timbers 0-0 Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Second Leg – Sunday, Nov. 8
- New York Red Bulls 1-0 D.C. United
- Columbus Crew SC 3-1 Montreal Impact (AET)
- FC Dallas 2-1 Seattle Sounders FC (FC Dallas advances 4-2 on penalty kicks)
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0-2 Portland Timbers
Conference Championships
(Two-game series, aggregate-goal format)
First Leg – Sunday, Nov. 22
- Columbus Crew SC vs. New York Red Bulls - 5 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
- Portland Timbers vs. FC Dallas - 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Deportes; TSN2)
Second Leg – Sunday, Nov. 29
- 5 p.m. ET (ESPN, ESPN Deportes)
- 7:30 p.m. ET (FS1, FOX Deportes)
2015 MLS Cup
Sunday, December 6 (hosted by finalist with best regular season record)
4 p.m. ET (ESPN, UniMás, TSN, and RDS2)