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Playoffs · 2016

The 2016playoffs.

Seattle Sounders FC beat Toronto FC in MLS Cup 2016. Twelve clubs qualified, the top six in each conference.

Final

Western Conference

Knockout roundSingle match
Conference semifinalsTwo legs, aggregate
Conference finalsTwo legs, aggregate
Two legsNov 22 · Nov 27
2Colorado101
4Seattle213
SEA won 3–1 on aggregate
Two legsOct 30 · Nov 6
2Colorado01(3)1
3LA Galaxy10(1)1
COL 1–1 on aggregate; won 3–1 on penalties
One matchOct 26
3LA Galaxy3
6Salt Lake1
LA won 3–1
Two legsOct 30 · Nov 6
1Dallas022
4Seattle314
SEA won 4–2 on aggregate
One matchOct 27
4Seattle1
5Sporting KC0
SEA won 1–0

Eastern Conference

Knockout roundSingle match
Conference semifinalsTwo legs, aggregate
Conference finalsTwo legs, aggregate
Two legsNov 22 · Nov 30
3Toronto257
5Montreal325
TOR won 7–5 on aggregate
Two legsOct 30 · Nov 6
2NYCFC000
3Toronto257
TOR won 7–0 on aggregate
One matchOct 26
3Toronto3
6Philadelphia1
TOR won 3–1
Two legsOct 30 · Nov 6
1Red Bulls011
5Montreal123
MTL won 3–1 on aggregate
One matchOct 27
4D.C.2
5Montreal4
MTL won 4–2

MLS Cup

Dec 10

One matchDec 10
3Toronto0(4)
4Seattle0(5)
SEA won 5–4 on penalties after 0–0 a.e.t.
2016 championSeattle Sounders FC

MLS Cup 2016

Seattle Sounders FC over Toronto FC.

0–0(4–5 penalties after extra time)

Venue
BMO Field, Toronto
Attendance
36,045
MVP
Stefan Frei
Field
12 of 20 clubs

The format

How 2016 worked.

Twelve clubs qualified, the top six in each conference. Seeds 3–6 played a single-match knockout round (3 v 6, 4 v 5) at the higher seed; the winners were re-seeded against seeds 1 and 2 in two-legged conference semifinals and finals decided on aggregate goals, then away goals, then extra time and penalties. MLS Cup was a single match hosted by the finalist with the better regular-season record.

  • No format change from 2015 (12 qualifiers, two-legged semifinals and finals with the away-goals rule).
  1. 01Knockout roundSingle matchOct 26–27
  2. 02Conference semifinalsTwo legs, aggregateOct 30 – Nov 6
  3. 03Conference finalsTwo legs, aggregateNov 22–30
  4. 04MLS CupSingle matchDec 10
Seeding
Top six per conference by points. After the knockout round the 1 seed met the lowest remaining seed and the 2 seed the other survivor.
Hosting
Higher seed hosted the knockout-round match and the second leg of each two-legged series; MLS Cup hosted by the finalist with the better regular-season record.
Ties
Two-legged series: aggregate goals, then away goals (regulation only — away goals did not count in extra time), then 30 minutes of extra time and a penalty shoot-out. Single matches: extra time then penalties.

Open the 2016 season · Wikipedia — 2016 MLS Cup Playoffs · Wikipedia — MLS Cup 2016 · American Soccer Analysis match data (fixtures/asa)