The 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the 2021 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) was the 26th edition of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the post-season championship of Major League Soccer (MLS), the top soccer league in the United States and Canada. The tournament culminated the 2021 MLS regular season. The tournament began on November 20 and concluded with MLS Cup 2021 on December 11.[1]
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| Tournament details | |
|---|---|
| Country | United States Canada |
| Dates | November 20 – December 11 |
| Teams | 14 |
| Defending champions | Columbus Crew (did not qualify) |
| Final positions | |
| Champions | New York City FC (1st title) |
| Runner-up | Portland Timbers |
| Semifinalists | |
| Tournament statistics | |
| Matches played | 13 |
| Goals scored | 32 (2.46 per match) |
| Attendance | 299,891 (23,069 per match) |
| Top goal scorer(s) |  Valentín Castellanos Hany Mukhtar(3 goals each) |
The Columbus Crew were the defending MLS Cup champions, but failed to qualify for the playoffs after finishing ninth in the Eastern Conference.
The 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs marked the first time since 2004 that no club from Texas qualified, and the first time ever that no club from California qualified.[2]
Qualified teams
editConference standings
editThe top seven teams in the Eastern and Western Conference qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs, with the conference champions receiving second round byes. Background colors denote playoff teams, with green also qualifying for the 2022 CONCACAF Champions League.
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Eastern Conference
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Western Conference
Source: MLS
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Bracket
edit| First round November 20–21, 23 | Conference semifinals November 25, 28, 30 | Conference finals December 4–5 | MLS Cup December 11 | ||||||||||||||||
| E1 | New England Revolution | 2 (3) | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | New York City FC (p) | 2 (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | New York City FC | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| E5 | Atlanta United FC | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | New York City FC | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Eastern Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Philadelphia Union | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Nashville SC | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| E6 | Orlando City SC | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E3 | Nashville SC | 1 (0) | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Philadelphia Union (p) | 1 (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| E2 | Philadelphia Union (a.e.t.) | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| E7 | New York Red Bulls | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| E4 | New York City FC (p) | 1 (4) | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Portland Timbers | 1 (2) | |||||||||||||||||
| W1 | Colorado Rapids | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Portland Timbers | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Portland Timbers | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W5 | Minnesota United FC | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W4 | Portland Timbers | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| Western Conference | |||||||||||||||||||
| W7 | Real Salt Lake | 0 | |||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Sporting Kansas City | 3 | |||||||||||||||||
| W6 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W3 | Sporting Kansas City | 1 | |||||||||||||||||
| W7 | Real Salt Lake | 2 | |||||||||||||||||
| W2 | Seattle Sounders FC | 0 (5) | |||||||||||||||||
| W7 | Real Salt Lake (p) | 0 (6) | |||||||||||||||||
Note: The higher seeded teams hosted matches, with the MLS Cup host determined by overall points.
First round
editThe second through fourth-seeded teams in each conference hosted the first-round matches. The team with the best record in each conference got a bye to the Conference Semifinals.
Eastern Conference
edit| Philadelphia Union | 1–0 (a.e.t.) | New York Red Bulls |
|---|---|---|
Glesnes  120+3' |
Report |
Western Conference
edit| Sporting Kansas City | 3–1 | Vancouver Whitecaps FC |
|---|---|---|
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Report | Dájome 39' (pen.) |
Conference semifinals
editThe higher-seeded teams in each match-up as determined by regular season ranking hosted the matches.
Eastern Conference
edit| Philadelphia Union | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | Nashville SC |
|---|---|---|
| Gazdag 45+2' |
Report | Mukhtar 38' |
| Penalties | ||
| 2–0 | ||
| New England Revolution | 2–2 (a.e.t.) | New York City FC |
|---|---|---|
| Report |
|
|
| Penalties | ||
| 3–5 | ||
Western Conference
editConference finals
editThe higher-seeded teams in each conference as determined by regular season ranking hosted the matches.
Eastern Conference
edit| Philadelphia Union | 1–2 | New York City FC |
|---|---|---|
| Callens 63' (o.g.) |
Report |
|
Western Conference
editMLS Cup 2021
editThe highest-ranked team remaining in the overall table (Portland Timbers) hosted the match.
| Portland Timbers | 1–1 (a.e.t.) | New York City FC |
|---|---|---|
| Mora 90+4' |
Report | Castellanos 41' |
| Penalties | ||
| 2–4 | ||
Top goalscorers
edit
References
edit- ^ "MLS announces Audi 2021 MLS Cup Playoffs schedule". MLSSoccer.com. Major League Soccer. September 9, 2021. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ Creditor, Avi (November 7, 2021). "MLS Decision Day: No Playoffs for Defending Champ Columbus, California or Texas Teams". Sports Illustrated. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
- ^ Serrano, Rodrigo (September 22, 2021). "New England Revolution first team in MLS to clinch playoff spot". Diario AS. PRISA. Retrieved September 24, 2021.
- ^ "Stats". MLSsoccer.com. Major League Soccer. Retrieved December 11, 2021.