Tuesday 27 October 2015 15:27, UK
The Major League Soccer regular season has come to an end, leaving 12 teams to battle it out for the prestigious MLS Cup - live on Sky Sports on December 6.
Ahead of the first round of knockout games on Wednesday night, our handy guide explains how each team reached the play-offs.
New York Red Bulls
Position: 1 - East
Top scorer: Bradley Wright-Phillips - 17 goals (joint fourth in MLS)
Top creator: Sacha Kljestan - 13 assists (joint third in MLS)
Consistency has not been the main reason for the Red Bulls' strong standing to reach the top of the MLS standings and be crowned MLS Supporter's Shield winners. Instead, it has been their uncanny ability to bounce back from dropping points. Since late June, the Red Bulls have followed a draw or loss with a win, not dipping into a poor run of form and not going lower than seventh all season.
There are no major stars in this team, having the lowest payroll across the entire league. Bradley Wright-Phillips has proved he can still consistently score without his old strike partner Thierry Henry, whilst USA U20 international Matt Miazga has received rave reviews for his defensive performances. There is a well-established spine running through the new look Red Bulls team under Jesse Marsch.
FC Dallas
Position: 1 - West
Top scorer: Fabian Castillo - 9 goals (joint eleventh in MLS)
Top creator: Mauro Diaz - 10 assists (joint sixth in MLS)
Dallas have surprised many this season, and also appealed to those who like to see the growth of the domestic game in America, as showcased by a 3-0 win against Columbus Crew in early September where the record for most home-grown players in a starting line-up was broken with five included. Similarly to New York Red Bulls, Dallas has the second lowest payroll in the league.
A combination of the flair from Mauro Diaz and Fabian Castillo, as well as veterans Matt Hedges, Zach Loyd and Blas Perez, shows a real blend of youth and experience. This season, Dallas have gone on long runs of wins - including five straight wins between June and July - and losing streaks. At the moment, Oscar Pareja's men have won four of their last five, drawing once. With momentum being vital entering the play-offs, Dallas are certainly a team to look out for.
Columbus Crew
Position: 2 - East
Top scorer: Kei Kamara - 22 goals (joint first in MLS)
Top creator: Ethan Finlay - 13 assists (fourth in MLS)
A team which prides itself on an attractive, attacking brand of football containing some of the league's best attacking players. The free signing of Kei Kamara, on his return to MLS after spells at English clubs Norwich and Middlesbrough, has proved a crucial signing. Playing as the lone striker for most of the season, Kamara has managed to stay top of the goalscoring standings with Sebastian Giovinco, only losing out on the Golden Boot because of the assists tie-breaker.
American winger Ethan Finlay and Gonzalo Higuaín's older brother - Federico - have both been part of the support cast capable of creating a potent attacking force, but a goal difference of zero highlights a flowing attack and a defence that has been leaky all season.
Vancouver Whitecaps
Position: 2 - West
Top scorer: Octavio Rivero - 10 goals (joint tenth in MLS)
Top creator: Kekuta Manneh - 6 assists (joint tenth in MLS)
Vancouver Whitecaps have been one of the surprise packages, maintaining a play-off position for the whole season, yet they have only won once since the end of August, meaning a reliance on points accumulated at the start, but injuries to key players have played a part.
However, their rich supply of international talent and the steely leadership of Welsh manager Carl Robinson may be enough for Vancouver to get past the knockout round for the first time in their history. Robinson also likes to rotate his starting XI regularly, meaning it can be hard for the opposition manager to predict their starting line-up. Something the opposing team will have to take into account when they meet the second seeds in the semi-finals.
Montreal Impact
Position: 3 - East
Top scorer: Didier Drogba - 11 goals (joint ninth in MLS)
Top creator: Ignacio Piatti - 8 assists (joint eighth in MLS)
Grittiness combined with the introduction of expensive star signings has seen Montreal go from being outside contenders to one of the favourites. Ignacio Piatti and Didier Drogba have been two of the most instrumental players in the league since arriving in Canada a season apart each.
Drogba has been the replacement the club were craving for after the departure of their star striker Marco Di Vaio at the end of 2014. The 37-year-old's physicality, aerial threat and shooting ability makes him one of the leagues's most feared strikers - scoring 11 goals in 11 games. A coaching change midway through the season has seen an improvement in overall results while their playing style of quick, counter-attacking football remains the same.
Portland Timbers
Position: 3 - West
Top scorer: Fanendo Adi - 16 goals (joint fifth in MLS)
Top creator: Diego Valeri - 8 assists (joint eighth in MLS)
Portland's late run of form is one of the main reasons why they were able to finish the regular season in third place, meaning a home tie in the first knockout round. Four wins in the last five matches have helped them recover a season that looked in jeopardy.
The Timbers needed seven points from their last three matches to qualify and were able to get nine, including hard-fought wins against Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy.
Entering the play-offs, Portland have momentum and players in form. Fanendo Adi has four goals in his last three matches whilst Darlington Nagbe has three goals in his last two.
D.C. United
Position: 4 - East
Top scorer: Chris Rolfe - 10 goals (joint tenth in MLS)
Top creator: Fabian Espindola - 7 assists (joint ninth in MLS)
After a very strong start to the season, DC United suffered a slump from mid-August to the end of September. However, the tide has been turning in recent weeks to put them in an advantageous position during the play-offs.
D.C. United's season has been based on hard-work and defensive solidity, scoring the least amount of goals between all sides in the eastern conference standings but also conceding the lowest before their 5-0 loss to Columbus Crew on Decision Day. Playing in a rigid 4-4-2 formation for the majority of the season, manager Ben Olsen has successfully created a competitive side filled with experience.
Seattle Sounders
Position: 4 - West
Top scorer: Obafemi Martins - 15 goals (joint sixth in MLS)
Top creator: Clint Dempsey - 10 assists (joint sixth in MLS)
Seattle started the season looking like one of the strong favourites to lift MLS Cup after building a sturdy lead at the top of the western conference standings after 15 games, but the mid-summer months saw a remarkable slump in form after both key players Obafemi Martins and Clint Dempsey went missing. Obafemi Martins was sidelined with a groin injury from mid-June to mid-August while Dempsey was out with a combination of injuries and suspensions as Seattle lost eight of nine games during the summer.
But at the end of August, form picked up again as the two returned, winning four and drawing four as well as staying undefeated. A convincing win against Real Salt Lake on the final day of the regular season puts them in a good stead entering their crucial knockout match against LA Galaxy on home turf.
New England Revolution
Position: 5 - East
Top scorer: Charlie Davies - 10 goals (joint tenth in MLS)
Top creator: Lee Nguyen - 10 assists (joint sixth in MLS)
New England's goal difference made it difficult for them to drop out of the play-off places entering Decision Day, but their poor form needed recovering should they wish to go far in the play-offs. The Revolution put their four game winless streak to an end against New York City, a 3-1 win with striker Charlie Davies scoring one to get his first goal in six matches, he also grabbed an assist.
The July-September period perhaps shows New England's contrasting form best this season. Six losses in a row followed by seven wins and one draw put Jay Heaps' side in a very strong position entering the last month of the regular season.
Although form dipped again, winning the last game should help create a positive atmosphere for the play-offs.
LA Galaxy
Position: 5 - West
Top scorer: Robbie Keane - 20 goals (third in MLS)
Top creator: Robbie Keane - 8 assists (joint eighth in MLS)
The club with arguably the strongest squad on paper, LA's arsenal was greatly added to in the summer months with the introductions of Steven Gerrard and Giovani Dos Santos, resulting in a vast improvement in results. Sebastian Lletget - a free signing from West Ham in May - has surprised many with his consistently impressive performances whilst Robbie Keane has had another year of high production despite a groin injury that ruled him out for seven matches.
Head coach Bruce Arena has led teams to MLS Cup glory more than any other, winning it five times in total and on three occasions with LA Galaxy in the last four seasons. The Galaxy are looking to add to their cup tally and history shows that they should. But their cohesion defensively has been questioned in recent weeks, particularly after winning just once in their last six and they have to play Seattle Sounders in a knockout game, but they can never be written off.
Toronto FC
Position: 6 - East
Top scorer: Sebastian Giovinco - 22 goals (joint first in MLS) Golden Boot winner
Top creator: Sebastian Giovinco - 16 assists (first in MLS)
Toronto will enter the play-offs for the first time in their history, and they have Sebastian Giovinco to thank a lot for their success. Giovinco is having arguably the best season an individual ever has in MLS, being top of the standings for goals and assists.
The expectation on him to deliver in the play-offs will be immense, as it will be on manager Greg Vanney. The Toronto fan-base's long wait for their first piece of silverware could be ended this season with US internationals Jozy Altidore and Michael Bradley also in good form.
Sporting Kansas City
Position: 6 - West
Top scorer: Dom Dwyer - 13 goals (joint eighth in MLS)
Top creator: Benny Feilhaber - 15 assists (joint second in MLS)
With a US Open Cup already secured this season, Sporting KC have a legitimate chance of making it a double this season after another strong year under highly-rated head coach Peter Vermes.
It took Kansas City until their third attempt to secure a berth in the play-offs, but their third try was a confidence boosting win against 2014 champions LA Galaxy at home, winning 2-1. Dom Dwyer got the decisive goal to make sure the final spot in the play-offs was secured.
For a team that has struggled defensively at times, the creativity from midfield has helped them greatly in securing their play-off position. Former Derby County midfielder Benny Feilhaber has been a huge influence with 15 assists from central midfield, and his presence will be counted upon against Portland.
