Last Word Soccer Club proudly announces it’s first-ever MLS Playoff Bracket Challenge, where some of LWSC’s contributors go head-to-head to see who can best-predict the unpredictable MLS postseason. For those who choose to fill out a bracket and compare with our writers from home, the score system is as follows:
- Correct Series Prediction — 1 Point
- Correct Series Prediction + Aggregate Score — 2 Points
- Correct Series Prediction + Full Scoreline — 5 Points
- Play-in matches do not count, seeing as they already happened.
Without further delay, we’ve linked our experts’ brackets on Google Drive and let them explain how they see the 2014 MLS Playoffs unfold!
John Bava III (@LWOS_JB3) — New England seems to be a pretty sexy pick in terms of making a run for the Cup Final, but Columbus is going to prove a tough nut to crack in the semifinals. Both teams went on white hot runs to end their respective seasons, but in the end I think the Crew will inevitably prevail in a physical series that comes down to away goals. They will face DC United in the conference finals who will figure out a way to defeat a Red Bulls team riding high after their comeback win in the knockout round over Kansas City. In the end, United upends the Crew and advances to the final game.In the West, I’ll keep it short and sweet. I think the seeds will hold in the semifinals and we will be treated to a conference final for the ages as Seattle and Los Angeles, already coming off their little regular season home-and-home, tussle for the right to meet my Eastern Conference champ DC United in the MLS Cup Final. Seattle will undoubtedly be favored but I think the Galaxy pull off the upset. Both teams will be tied on goals, will go at it through 30 minutes of extra time in the second leg, then face off in a penalty kick shootout that gets won by LA. In the Final, we have a matchup of the league’s winningest franchises, both tied on four MLS Cup titles. These two teams faced each other in the inaugural championship game way back in 1996 which was won by DC. On this day, however, the Galaxy get revenge at home and break the tie, claiming their fifth title.
Roger Cleaves (@TheCleavesiest) — Riding high off the momentum of a great victory over LA, the Seattle Sounders will knock off Dallas quickly, before squeaking out a win at home against the Galaxy. LA will come out strong against Salt Lake City, but their offense will be stifled by the Sounders. In the east, the Revolution’s fast paced offense, combined with the creative prowess of Jermaine Jones and Lee Nguyen, will get them through a tricky D.C. United team, and on to the finals. But going into Seattle is no easy task, and that’s where their journey will end, and the Sounders will hoist their first MLS Cup.
Laura McFayden (@LWOSlaura) — DC United will continue their run “from worst to first” and won’t have a problem shutting down the Red Bulls and will stop Columbus Crew’s momentum cold. Real Salt Lake will put up a fight against LA Galaxy, but LA will advance. FC Dallas, missing a key element due to an unfortunate disciplinary red card after their controversial win, will fall to the Seattle Sounders. The Sounders will repeat their previous meetings with the Galaxy and advance. As much as I love an underdog story, the MLS cup will go to Seattle.
Russell McKenzie (@Russ_McKenzie) — This is the Sounders year. They are going to complete the treble and not even Landon Donovan and his retirement tour are going to stop them. Meanwhile in the East, everyone is going to call me a homer for picking Red Bulls over DC. But, New York has done some things this season that have defied reason (Beat NE at home, won a home playoff game), and with the rumor of this being Henry’s final season, I think they’ll pull off the upset. However, I think New England is the team to beat. If I had to pick the only team in the east that could possibly upset Seattle in an MLS Cup Final, it would be New England.
Alec Rivera (@LWOSAlec) — The conventional wisdom this season says not only that the winner will come out of the West, but that the winner will be either the Seattle Sounders or LA Galaxy; I don’t feel comfortable making that prediction. When East finally does meet West, they will face a team that is defensively stalwart (DC or NY) or one that can run at them just as relentlessly (NE or CLB). This tournament is poised to showcase the best that MLS can bring to the table, as rivalries will be showcased throughout the tournament. The Red Bulls got a monkey off their back against Kansas City, winning their first home playoff match in a decade. Between tired legs and a stout United defense, however, DC will take the series in impressive fashion. In the West, FC Dallas stumbling out of a mid-week match to face Seattle doesn’t bode well for their chances. I expect this to be a captivating tournament, but the top seeds in each conference will meet in the conference finals. Seattle will rock LA’s world in the second leg and Clint Dempsey will rush over to Landon Donovan and bottle his tears to wear like Angelina Jolie wore Billy Bob Thornton’s blood in a vial around his neck. DC will face New England in arguably the most entertaining match up of the post-season, where the East’s best sides will go down to the wire. In the MLS Cup match, DC United will shock Seattle with a come-from-behind overtime win at Century Link Field. The dreams of the Emerald City will be dashed as DC United host their record fifth MLS Cup and their first in over a decade.
Eric Walcott (@ericwalcott) — NY and Dallas will be hurt by having to play midweek and it will cost them early. RSL will give LA a battle but the 2nd leg at home for the Galaxy will be key. In the conference finals expect LAs playoff experience to be the difference as they top Seattle. In the East, New England will squeak by Columbus in what might be the best series of the playoffs, before exposing DC United and advancing to the final. No matter who makes it, West beats East in the final.
JC Zambrano (@lwosjczambrano) — Seattle will finally break through and show why they have been the league’s most exciting and explosive team this year while showing that the team is more than just Dempsey and Martins. The Red Bulls finally make a run to the final just in time to bid Henry adiu while knocking off my beloved DC United and the underrated Columbus Crew. Donovan’s swan song will occur in Seattle as he receives a standing ovation from Seattle fans as he is substituted before the end of the game.
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