MLS Decision Day: Philadelphia Union win East, playoff bracket is set
By Doug McIntyre
FOX Sports Soccer Writer
With four MLS Cup playoff spots still up for grabs and seven teams still in the running for an invitation, Decision Day was primed for drama.
Sunday's final round of matches to close out the league's 2022 regular season more than lived up to the billing. Here are five takeaways now that the 14-team postseason field is set.
Union claim Eastern Conference title
Philadelphia came into their final regular season game on a two game winless streak that included an ugly 4-0 defeat at Charlotte a week ago. The lull cost the Union the Supporters Shield. It would've cost them a second conference title in three seasons had they not rebounded in a big way against long since eliminated Toronto FC on Sunday, stomping the visiting Reds 4-0 behind Daniel Gazdag's hat trick. (Michael Uhre scored the hosts' other goal.)
With Montreal prevailing 3-1 in Miami on Sunday, Philly needed all three points to avoid being leapfrogged by the second-place Canadians on the final day of the season. Inter Miami had won three in a row, clinching their spot in the playoffs midweek. (They'll take on defending Cup champ New York City in what could be the final match of former Argentina and Real Madrid forward's Gonzalo Higuaín decorated career.)
Philadelphia will meet the winner of the fourth-seed New York Red Bulls and No. 5 FC Cincinnati — either its closest geographical rival or the club where FCC coach Pat Noonan cut his teeth — in the semis. Sunday's victory by Jim Curtin's team guarantees them a first-round bye and home field advantage through the conference final.
Meantime, Montreal will host Orlando City (more on them below) at Stade Saputo.
Orlando, Cincinnati nab final East berths
The requirements for both sides Sunday were pretty straightforward. A Crew win or tie in central Florida would be enough to send them to the playoffs, while Orlando needed a win to guarantee their trip.
In front of a raucous home crowd at Exploria Stadium, the Lions appeared doomed when Derrick Etienne gave the visitors a first half lead. Only once all season had Orlando come back to win a game they were trailing. But come back they did, equalizing through Júnior Urso shortly after the break and then going ahead for good on Facundo Torres' 84th minute penalty kick.
It's the third time in three years under coach Óscar Pareja that Orlando, which missed the postseason in each of its first five seasons in MLS, has qualified. They face a tough task against an excellent Montreal side in what are sure to be chilly conditions north of the border. But the resilient Lions, which Pareja led the U.S. Open Cup title last month, will be a tough out.
Same for Cincy, which needed a win and got a big one, 5-2 over D.C. United on Brazilian forward Brenner's 29-minute hatty in the first half:
Minnesota, Real Salt Lake clinch out West
Four Western Conference teams were still alive heading into Decision Day. All four just so happened to meet one of their direct competitors in Week 34.
Portland had the advantage in Salt Lake City, the 2021 MLS Cup runner-up needing only a point to return to the dance. There was even a chance that the Timbers could climb to fourth if other results went their way. But RSL made no mistake against an organization reeling from its role in former acting U.S. attorney general Sally Yates damning investigation into abuse in women's professional soccer; Timbers general manager Gavin Wilkinson, who previously held the same role with the Portland Thorns of the National Women's Soccer League, and another high-ranking executive were fired last week, while owner Merritt Paulson announced he was relinquishing decision-making duties until another investigation, by the NWSL and its players union, is complete.
Against an opponent it had beaten in four of its last five tries, Portland fell behind 3-0 before Darion Asprilla pulled a consolation goal back for the guests before the final whistle. Salt Lake will face No. 2 seed Austin in round one.
In Minnesota, the Loons found their feet just in time. Vancouver had won three straight and knew three points would be enough, while the hosts were on a dreadful 0W-5L-1T run. Somehow, Adrian Heath's side conjured up their midseason form, running out with a win that Jonathan González sealed when he made it 2-0 just 13 minutes before full time. The Loons will travel to Dallas for their playoff opener.
Columbus doomed by another late goal
The Crew have bled late goals all season, so it was probably inevitable that their season ended on one. It's the second straight year that Columbus has missed the playoffs after winning the 2020 MLS Cup, and it has to make one wonder about coach Caleb Porter's future in Ohio's capital.
The two-time MLS Cup winner's resume speaks for itself; Porter also led the Timbers to the crown in 2015. But not making the playoffs in back to back seasons with players like Cucho Hernández and Lucas Zelarayán at his disposal isn't great. And deserved or not, Porter also has a reputation for losing his effectiveness over time. He left Portland two years after leading that club to MLS' ultimate prize, and he's now been in Columbus for four full seasons. It will be fascinating to see if he's back for a fifth — and if so, if Columbus can figure out how to finish off games.
Galaxy-Nashville highlights round one
The LA Galaxy and Nashville SC both won their respective finales, ensuring that they'll meet in round one. Should the former prevail, it would set up the second postseason El Trafico between the Galaxy and cross Los Angeles rival LAFC, which won a 5-3 thriller in the opening round in 2019. LAFC lost 1-0 to Nashville on Sunday a week after snaring their second Supporters Shield in four years. Nashville's Hany Mukhtar didn't score (veteran Teal Bunbury got the winner) but finished the season with a league leading 23 goals, one more than Gazdag and Austin's Sebastián Driussi.
An intra-state playoff derby will also happen in Texas if the favorites (Austin, Dallas) advance. In the East, it would take a pair of first round upsets for Miami and Orlando to clash in the final four. NYCFC (the third seed) and the Red Bulls (fourth) could only face off in the conference final.
One of the leading soccer journalists in North America, Doug McIntyre has covered United States men’s and women’s national teams at multiple FIFA World Cups. Before joining FOX Sports in 2021, he was a staff writer with ESPN and Yahoo Sports. Follow him on Twitter @ByDougMcIntyre.
