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Playoffs · 1998

The 1998playoffs.

Chicago Fire beat D.C. United in MLS Cup 1998. The league grew to 12 clubs but the playoffs kept eight places: the top four in each conference.

Final

Western Conference

Conference semifinalsBest of three
Conference finalsBest of three
Best of 3Oct 10 · Oct 16
W1LA Galaxy01(1)0
W2Chicago11(2)2
CHI won series 2–0
Best of 3Oct 1 · Oct 4
W1LA Galaxy632
W4Dallas120
LA won series 2–0
Best of 3Oct 1 · Oct 5
W2Chicago1(3)12
W3Colorado1(2)00
CHI won series 2–0

Eastern Conference

Conference semifinalsBest of three
Conference finalsBest of three
Best of 3Oct 11 · Oct 18 · Oct 21
E1D.C.2232
E2Columbus0401
DC won series 2–1
Best of 3Sep 30 · Oct 4
E1D.C.20(3)2
E4Miami10(2)0
DC won series 2–0
Best of 3Sep 30 · Oct 3
E2Columbus51(3)2
E3MetroStars31(2)0
CLB won series 2–0

MLS Cup

Oct 25

One matchOct 25
E1D.C.0
W2Chicago2
CHI won 2–0
1998 championChicago Fire

MLS Cup 1998

Chicago Fire over D.C. United.

0–2

Venue
Rose Bowl
Attendance
51,350
MVP
Piotr Nowak (Chicago Fire)
Field
8 of 12 clubs

The format

How 1998 worked.

The league grew to 12 clubs but the playoffs kept eight places: the top four in each conference. Conference semifinals and finals were best-of-three series and MLS Cup a single match at a predetermined venue. Games level after 90 minutes were settled by the MLS shootout.

  • Expansion to 12 clubs (Chicago Fire, Miami Fusion); still eight qualifiers, four per conference.
  1. 01Conference semifinalsBest of three · Games level after 90 minutes were decided by the MLS 35-yard shootout (decidedBy 'so'); Wikipedia's boxes label these 'penalties'.Sep 30 – Oct 5
  2. 02Conference finalsBest of threeOct 10 – 21
  3. 03MLS CupSingle matchOct 25
Seeding
Seeded 1–4 within each conference on regular-season points (3 for a win, 1 for a shootout win). Pairings E1 v E4, E2 v E3, W1 v W4, W2 v W3. Expansion Chicago Fire were placed in the West and Miami Fusion in the East.
Hosting
1-1-1 series: the higher seed hosted Game 1 and any Game 3; the lower seed hosted Game 2. MLS Cup at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena, as the predetermined venue.
Ties
A game level after 90 minutes went to the MLS shootout; the shootout winner took the game. Series were first to two wins.

Open the 1998 season · Wikipedia — 1998 Major League Soccer season (MLS Cup Playoffs section; 1998 MLS Cup Playoffs redirects here) · Wikipedia — MLS Cup 1998 · Wikipedia — Template:1998 Major League Soccer season table (regular-season standings used for seeds)