Disappointing result for Whitecaps on Decision Day
Decision Day did not disappoint. The chaotic final day of Major League Soccer’s regular season — with all 11 matches played at the same time — featured goodbyes to both a historic stadium and a beloved player, a record crowd in Atlanta, and plenty of jockeying for post-season position.
Chicago forward Nemanja Nikolic won the season’s Golden Boot award for most goals this season with 24, a single-season record for the Fire.
The expansion Atlanta United set the MLS record for attendance for a stand-alone game with 71,874 on hand for the season finale against Toronto.
With the 2-2 draw, Toronto finished atop the Eastern Conference at 20-5-9, and set an MLS season record with 69 points.
D.C. United fell to the New York Red Bulls 2-1 in the final MLS match at RFK Stadium. After 22 seasons there, United is moving to Audi Field next year.
Toronto, which won the Supporters Shield, and second-place finisher NYCFC get byes until the two-legged conference semifinals. The Fire host the Red Bulls, while Atlanta hosts the Columbus Crew in knockout games.
In the Western Conference, the Portland Timbers beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 for the first-place finish in the standings as well as the Cascadia Cup Trophy.
Kendall Watson scored in the 29th minute to put the Whitecaps up first, but the Timbers answered with defender Liam Ridgewell’s goal in the 32nd. The Timbers took the lead on Darren Mattocks’ goal in the 48th minute and held on for the win.
The Timbers and rival Seattle Sounders get the byes in the West, with the Whitecaps now set to host the San Jose Earthquakes and Kansas City slated to visit the Houston Dynamo for knockout games this week.