# 2009 MLS Cup playoffs

The 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs is the postseason to Major League Soccer's 2009 season. MLS Cup 2009 concluded the season on November 22, 2009, at Qwest Field in Seattle, Washington. Real Salt Lake won the Cup in penalties over the L.A. Galaxy.

## Format

At the 2009 season's end, the top two teams of each conference made the playoffs; in addition, the clubs with the next four highest point totals, regardless of conference, were added to the playoffs. In the first round of this knockout tournament, aggregate goals over two matches determined the winners; the Conference Championships were one match each, with the winner of each conference advancing to MLS Cup. In all rounds, the tie-breaking method was two 15-minute periods of extra time, followed by penalty kicks if necessary. The away goals rule was not used.

## Standings
### Conference standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Columbus Crew | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 41 | 31 | +10 | 49 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 39 | 34 | +5 | 45 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 3 | New England Revolution | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 33 | 37 | −4 | 42 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 4 | D.C. United | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 43 | 44 | −1 | 40 | |
| 5 | Toronto FC | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 37 | 46 | −9 | 39 | |
| 6 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 33 | |
| 7 | New York Red Bulls | 30 | 5 | 19 | 6 | 27 | 47 | −20 | 21 | |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | LA Galaxy | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 36 | 31 | +5 | 48 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Houston Dynamo | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 39 | 29 | +10 | 48 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 3 | Seattle Sounders FC | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 38 | 29 | +9 | 47 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 4 | Chivas USA | 30 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 34 | 31 | +3 | 45 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 5 | Real Salt Lake | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 43 | 35 | +8 | 40 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 6 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 42 | 38 | +4 | 40 | |
| 7 | FC Dallas | 30 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 50 | 47 | +3 | 39 | |
| 8 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 36 | 50 | −14 | 30 | |

### Overall standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Columbus Crew (S) | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 41 | 31 | +10 | 49 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 2 | LA Galaxy | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 36 | 31 | +5 | 48 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 3 | Houston Dynamo | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 39 | 29 | +10 | 48 | North American SuperLiga |
| 4 | Seattle Sounders FC | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 38 | 29 | +9 | 47 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 5 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 39 | 34 | +5 | 45 | North American SuperLiga |
| 6 | Chivas USA | 30 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 34 | 31 | +3 | 45 | North American SuperLiga |
| 7 | New England Revolution | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 33 | 37 | −4 | 42 | North American SuperLiga |
| 8 | Real Salt Lake (C) | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 43 | 35 | +8 | 40 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 9 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 42 | 38 | +4 | 40 | |
| 10 | D.C. United | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 43 | 44 | −1 | 40 | |
| 11 | FC Dallas | 30 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 50 | 47 | +3 | 39 | |
| 12 | Toronto FC | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 37 | 46 | −9 | 39 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 13 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 33 | |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 36 | 50 | −14 | 30 | |
| 15 | New York Red Bulls | 30 | 5 | 19 | 6 | 27 | 47 | −20 | 21 | |

## Bracket

| Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference finals | Conference finals | Conference finals | MLS Cup | MLS Cup | MLS Cup |
| E1 | Columbus | 0 | 2 | | | | | | |
| E4 | Salt Lake | 1 | 3 | | | | | | |
| E4 | Salt Lake | 1 | 3 | E4 | Salt Lake (AET) (PEN) | (0)5 | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E4 | Salt Lake (AET) (PEN) | (0)5 | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E2 | Chicago | (0)4 | | | |
| E3 | New England | 2 | 0 | E2 | Chicago | (0)4 | | | |
| E2 | Chicago | 1 | 2 | | | | | | |
| E2 | Chicago | 1 | 2 | | | | E4 | Salt Lake (AET) (PEN) | (1)5 |
| | | | | | | | W1 | Los Angeles | (1)4 |
| W1 | Los Angeles | 2 | 1 | | | | | | | W1 | Los Angeles | (1)4 |
| W4 | Chivas USA | 2 | 0 | | | | | | |
| W4 | Chivas USA | 2 | 0 | W1 | Los Angeles (AET) | 2 | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W1 | Los Angeles (AET) | 2 | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W2 | Houston | 0 | | | |
| W3 | Seattle | 0 | 0 | W2 | Houston | 0 | | | |
| W2 | Houston (AET) | 0 | 1 | | | | | | |
$^1$ Real Salt Lake earned the eighth and final playoff berth, despite finishing fifth in the Western Conference. They represent the fourth seed in the Eastern Conference playoff bracket, as only three teams in the Eastern Conference qualified for the playoffs.

## Conference semifinals
### Eastern Conference

Real Salt Lake advances 4–2 on aggregate.
Chicago Fire advances 3–2 on aggregate.

### Western Conference

Los Angeles Galaxy advances 3–2 on aggregate.
Houston Dynamo advances 1–0 on aggregate.

## Conference finals
### Eastern Conference

Real Salt Lake advances 5–4 on penalties.

### Western Conference

Los Angeles Galaxy advances.