Update: With Seattle's 3-2 win over LA on Wednesday night and Portland's win over Sporting KC in PKs, FC Dallas will face Seattle in the Conference Semifinal Round
It’s a waiting game for FC Dallas as the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs get started on Wednesday and Thursday night. On Wednesday night at 9 CT, Seattle and LA will square off on UniMas, with Portland facing Sporting KC occupying the same time slot on Thursday night. The two Western Conference Knockout Round matches will determine where and who Dallas will play in the 1st Leg of the Conference Semifinal Round beginning on Sunday.
Of the four teams in the Knockout Round, FCD could only potentially see
three
two of them – Seattle (4),
LA (5) and Sporting KC (6)
.
Dallas will face the lowest remaining seed
after Wednesday and Thursday’s matches, and with Vancouver occupying the 2nd seed and Portland in 3rd, there is no possibility of a trip to Oregon in this round of action.
WHAT TO WATCH FOR
Seattle – In order for Dallas to have a chance for revenge against the team that knocked them out of the 2014 Playoffs, the two top seeds must take their Knockout Round matches. If Portland (3) and Seattle (4) knock off SKC (6) and LA (5), respectively, FCD will be heading to Washington for Sunday’s match.
LA
– For Dallas to make their second trip of the year to Carson, Portland (3) would have to beat Sporting KC (6) and LA (5) would have to upset the Sounders (4) at Century Link Field.
Sporting KC
– Only one thing would have to happen for Dallas to face their closest geographical foe still alive – a Sporting (6) win at Portland (3). Regardless of the outcome of the Seattle-LA game, SKC would be the lowest remaining seed in the Semifinal Round.
SEASON SERIES
Seattle – The two sides played to a 0-0 draw in Frisco in the season’s opening month, while Seattle handed a shorthanded Dallas lineup a 3-0 road defeat in June.
LA
– Tesho Akindele came up with the late winner in a come-from-behind win for Dallas, 2-1, in May at home. LA returned the favor, coming from a 1-0 deficit in August to win by the same score line in Frisco. The Galaxy took the rubber match in California with FCD falling short on the come-back attempt in a 3-2 loss.
Sporting KC
– Dallas took the first meeting in Week 2 at home, 3-1, but it was all KC from there with three matches in Kansas City. Sporting took a 4-0 result on May 29, Dallas fell 6-2 in U.S. Open Cup play to the eventual champions on July 1 and SKC took the final meeting of the regular season, 3-1, on Sept. 18.
