# 2008 MLS Cup playoffs

The 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs were the postseason to Major League Soccer's 2008 season, and culminated with MLS Cup 2008 on November 23, 2008 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, California.

## Format

At the 2008 season's end, the top three teams of each conference made the playoffs; in addition the clubs with the next two 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 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 50 | 36 | +14 | 57 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 44 | 33 | +11 | 46 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 3 | New England Revolution | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 43 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 4 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 42 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 5 | New York Red Bulls | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 39 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 6 | D.C. United | 30 | 11 | 15 | 4 | 43 | 51 | −8 | 37 | |
| 7 | Toronto FC | 30 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 34 | 43 | −9 | 35 | |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Houston Dynamo | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 51 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Chivas USA | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 43 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 3 | Real Salt Lake | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 40 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 4 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 38 | |
| 5 | FC Dallas | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 36 | |
| 6 | LA Galaxy | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 55 | 62 | −7 | 33 | |
| 7 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 33 | |

### Overall standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Columbus Crew (C, S) | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 50 | 36 | +14 | 57 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 2 | Houston Dynamo | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 51 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 3 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 44 | 33 | +11 | 46 | North American SuperLiga |
| 4 | Chivas USA | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 43 | North American SuperLiga |
| 5 | New England Revolution | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 43 | North American SuperLiga |
| 6 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 42 | North American SuperLiga |
| 7 | Real Salt Lake | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 40 | |
| 8 | New York Red Bulls | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 39 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 9 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 38 | |
| 10 | D.C. United | 30 | 11 | 15 | 4 | 43 | 51 | −8 | 37 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 11 | FC Dallas | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 36 | |
| 12 | Toronto FC | 30 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 34 | 43 | −9 | 35 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 13 | LA Galaxy | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 55 | 62 | −7 | 33 | |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 33 | |
* ↑ As winners of the 2009 Canadian Championship

## Bracket

| Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference semifinals | Conference finals | Conference finals | Conference finals | MLS Cup | MLS Cup | MLS Cup |
| E1 | Columbus | 1 | 2 | | | | | | |
| E4 | Kansas City | 1 | 0 | | | | | | |
| E4 | Kansas City | 1 | 0 | E1 | Columbus | 2 | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E1 | Columbus | 2 | | | |
| Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | Eastern Conference | E2 | Chicago | 1 | | | |
| E3 | New England | 0 | 0 | E2 | Chicago | 1 | | | |
| E2 | Chicago | 0 | 3 | | | | | | |
| E2 | Chicago | 0 | 3 | | | | E1 | Columbus | 3 |
| | | | | | | | W4 | New York | 1 |
| W1 | Houston | 1 | 0 | | | | | | | W4 | New York | 1 |
| W4 | New York | 1 | 3 | | | | | | |
| W4 | New York | 1 | 3 | W4 | New York | 1 | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W4 | New York | 1 | | | |
| Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | Western Conference | W3 | Salt Lake | 0 | | | |
| W3 | Salt Lake | 1 | 2 | W3 | Salt Lake | 0 | | | |
| W2 | Chivas USA | 0 | 2 | | | | | | |
$^1$ The New York Red Bulls earned the eighth and final playoff berth, despite finishing fifth in the Eastern Conference. They represent the fourth seed in the Western Conference playoff bracket, as only three teams in the Western Conference qualified for the playoffs.

## Additional References

* MLS Cup 2008
* MLS Cup Playoffs
* 2008 Major League Soccer season