The 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs (branded as the 2017 Audi MLS Cup Playoffs for sponsorship reasons) began on October 25 and ended on December 9 with MLS Cup 2017, the 22nd league championship match for MLS.[1] This is the 22nd version of the MLS Cup Playoffs, the tournament culminating the Major League Soccer regular season. Twelve teams, the top six of each conference, compete in the MLS Cup Playoffs.

2017 MLS Cup Playoffs
Tournament details
CountryUnited States
Canada
DatesOctober 25 – December 9
Teams12
Defending championsSeattle Sounders FC
Final positions
ChampionsToronto FC
(1st title)
Runner-upSeattle Sounders FC
Semifinalists
Tournament statistics
Matches played17
Goals scored34 (2 per match)
Attendance453,781 (26,693 per match)
Top goal scorer(s)United States Clint Dempsey
(3 goals)
← 2016
2018 →

The first round of each conference has the third-seeded team hosting the sixth seed while the fourth-seed hosts the fifth seed in a single match to determine who advances to the Conference Semifinals. In the Conference Semifinals, the top seed plays the lowest remaining seed while the second plays the next-lowest. The winners advance to the Conference Finals. Both the Conference Semifinals and Conference Finals are played as a two-legged aggregate series. The winners advance to the MLS Cup, a single match hosted by the participant with the better regular season record.

Conference standings

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The top six teams from each conference advance to the MLS Cup playoffs. Chicago and Portland won seeding tiebreakers over Atlanta and Seattle, respectively, based on total wins.

Bracket

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Knockout round Conference semifinals Conference finals MLS Cup
December 9 – Toronto, Ontario
                
E5 Columbus Crew 4 0 4
October 26 – Atlanta, Georgia
E2 New York City FC 1 2 3
E4 Atlanta United FC 0 (1)
E5 Columbus Crew (p) 0 (3)
E5 Columbus Crew 0 0 0
Eastern Conference
E1 Toronto FC 0 1 1
E6 New York Red Bulls 1 1 2
October 25 – Bridgeview, Illinois
E1 Toronto FC 2 0 2 (a)
E3 Chicago Fire 0
E6 New York Red Bulls 4
E1 Toronto FC 2
W2 Seattle Sounders FC 0
W4 Houston Dynamo 0 2 2
October 26 – Houston, Texas
W1 Portland Timbers 0 1 1
W4 Houston Dynamo (a.e.t.) 1
W5 Sporting Kansas City 0
W4 Houston Dynamo 0 0 0
Western Conference
W2 Seattle Sounders FC 2 3 5
W3 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 0 0 0
October 25 – Vancouver, British Columbia
W2 Seattle Sounders FC 0 2 2
W3 Vancouver Whitecaps FC 5
W6 San Jose Earthquakes 0

Knockout round

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Summary

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Team 1  Score  Team 2
Eastern Conference
Chicago Fire (E3) 0–4 New York Red Bulls (E6)
Atlanta United FC (E4) 0–0
(1–3 p)
Columbus Crew SC (E5)
Western Conference
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (W3) 5–0 San Jose Earthquakes (W6)
Houston Dynamo (W4) 1–0 (a.e.t.) Sporting Kansas City (W5)

Matches

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Chicago Fire0–4New York Red Bulls
Report
Attendance: 11,647
Referee: Ismail Elfath

Atlanta United FC0–0 (a.e.t.)Columbus Crew SC
Report
Penalties
1–3

Vancouver Whitecaps FC5–0San Jose Earthquakes
Report
Attendance: 21,083
Referee: José Carlos Rivero

Houston Dynamo1–0 (a.e.t.)Sporting Kansas City
Report

Conference semifinals

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Summary

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Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Eastern Conference
New York Red Bulls (E6) 2–2 (a) Toronto FC (E1) 1–2 1–0
Columbus Crew SC (E5) 4–3 New York City FC (E2) 4–1 0–2
Western Conference
Houston Dynamo (W4) 2–1 Portland Timbers (W1) 0–0 2–1
Vancouver Whitecaps FC (W3) 0–2 Seattle Sounders FC (W2) 0–0 0–2

Matches

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New York Red Bulls1–2Toronto FC
Report
Toronto FC0–1New York Red Bulls
Report
Attendance: 29,974
Referee: Chris Penso

2–2 on aggregate. Toronto FC won on away goals.


Columbus Crew SC4–1New York City FC
Report
Attendance: 14,416
Referee: Alan Kelly
New York City FC2–0Columbus Crew SC
Report
Attendance: 23,246
Referee: Kevin Stott

Columbus Crew won 4–3 on aggregate.


Vancouver Whitecaps FC0–0Seattle Sounders FC
Report
Seattle Sounders FC2–0Vancouver Whitecaps FC
Report

Seattle Sounders FC won 2–0 on aggregate.


Houston Dynamo0–0Portland Timbers
Report
Attendance: 15,169
Referee: Robert Sibiga
Portland Timbers1–2Houston Dynamo
Report
Attendance: 21,144
Referee: Ismail Elfath

Houston Dynamo won 2–1 on aggregate.

Conference finals

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Summary

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Team 1 Agg.Tooltip Aggregate score Team 2 1st leg 2nd leg
Eastern Conference
Columbus Crew SC (E5) 0–1 Toronto FC (E1) 0–0 0–1
Western Conference
Houston Dynamo (W4) 0–5 Seattle Sounders FC (W2) 0–2 0–3

Matches

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Columbus Crew SC0–0Toronto FC
Report
Attendance: 21,289
Referee: Robert Sibiga
Toronto FC1–0Columbus Crew SC
Report
Attendance: 30,392
Referee: Jair Marrufo

Toronto FC won 1–0 on aggregate.


Houston Dynamo0–2Seattle Sounders FC
Report
Seattle Sounders FC3–0Houston Dynamo
Report

Seattle Sounders FC won 5–0 on aggregate.

MLS Cup

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Toronto FC2–0Seattle Sounders FC
Report
Attendance: 30,584

Goalscorers

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Rank Player Club Goals
1   Clint Dempsey Seattle Sounders FC 3
2   Jozy Altidore Toronto FC 2
  Will Bruin Seattle Sounders FC
  Nicolás Mezquida Vancouver Whitecaps FC
  Daniel Royer New York Red Bulls
  Víctor Vázquez Toronto FC
  David Villa New York City FC
  Bradley Wright-Phillips New York Red Bulls
9   Harrison Afful Columbus Crew SC 1
  Artur Columbus Crew SC
  Alberth Elis Houston Dynamo
  Sebastian Giovinco Toronto FC
  Ola Kamara Columbus Crew SC
  Sacha Kljestan New York Red Bulls
  Justin Meram Columbus Crew SC
  Fredy Montero Vancouver Whitecaps FC
  Víctor Rodríguez Seattle Sounders FC
  Andraž Struna New York City FC
  Gustav Svensson Seattle Sounders FC
  Cristian Techera Vancouver Whitecaps FC
  Gonzalo Verón New York Red Bulls
  Kendall Waston Vancouver Whitecaps FC

[2]

References

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  1. ^ "Audi 2017 MLS Cup Playoffs schedule revealed, final to be played on Dec. 9". Major League Soccer. August 23, 2017. Retrieved September 19, 2017.
  2. ^ "Playoffs". Major League Soccer.