Important scenarios, injury news and notes ahead of Major League Soccer’s 2015 “Decision Day,” Western Conference edition (find the Eastern Conference HERE):
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FC Dallas vs. San Jose Earthquakes (7 p.m. ET, MLS Live/ESPN3)
Scenarios: FCD have clinched first place (and home-field advantage) in the West; San Jose can finish as high as fourth, or as low as seventh, in the West.
FC Dallas will win the Supporters’ Shield IF
- FC Dallas win vs. San Jose Earthquakes
AND
- New York Red Bulls draw or lose vs. Chicago Fire
OR
- FC Dallas win vs. San Jose Earthquakes by seven more goals than so do New York Red Bulls win vs. Chicago Fire
San Jose Earthquakes will finish fourth in the West IF
- San Jose Earthquakes win vs. FC Dallas
AND
- Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City lose vs. Colorado Rapids, Real Salt Lake and LA Galaxy
San Jose Earthquakes will clinch a playoff berth in the West IF
- San Jose Earthquakes win vs. FC Dallas
AND
- One of Portland Timbers, Seattle Sounders or Sporting Kansas City lose vs. Colorado Rapids, Real Salt Lake or LA Galaxy
OR
- San Jose Earthquakes draw vs. FC Dallas
AND
- Sporting Kansas City lose to LA Galaxy
Injuries: FCD — OUT: Rolando Escobar (facial fracture); QUESTIONABLE: Bakary Soumare (concussion), Kellyn Acosta (hamstring) | Earthquakes — OUT: Jordan Stewart (Achilles), Paulo Renato (quad), Jean-Baptiste Pierazzi (foot)
Suspensions: SJ — Anibal Godoy (YC accumulation)
This year: 3/7 — FCD 1-0 SJ; 6/7 — SJ 0-0 FCD
[ MORE: Four must-watch games on “Decision Day” ]
Sporting Kansas City vs. LA Galaxy (7 p.m. ET, ESPN)
Scenarios: Sporting KC can finish as high as second, or as low as seventh, in the West; LA can finish as high as second, or as low as sixth, in the West.
Sporting Kansas City will finish second in the West IF
- Sporting Kansas City win vs. LA Galaxy by five goals or more
AND
- Vancouver Whitecaps, Portland Timbers and Seattle Sounders lose vs. Houston Dynamo, Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake
Sporting Kansas City will clinch a playoff berth in the West IF
- Sporting Kansas City win vs. LA Galaxy
OR
- Sporting Kansas City draw or lose vs. LA Galaxy
AND
- San Jose Earthquakes lose vs. FC Dallas
Injuries: Sporting KC — QUESTIONABLE: Ike Opara (Achilles), Roger Espinoza (foot), Seth Sinovic (hamstring), Amadou Dia (knee) | Galaxy — OUT: Bradford Jamieson IV (concussion); QUESTIONABLE: Todd Dunivant (foot), Baggio Husidic (leg)
This year: 4/18 — LA 2-1 SKC
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Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Houston Dynamo (7 p.m. ET, MLS Live/ESPN3)
Scenarios: Vancouver can finish as high as second, or as low as sixth, in the West; Houston have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Vancouver Whitecaps will finish second in the West IF
- Vancouver Whitecaps win vs. Houston Dynamo
AND
- LA Galaxy draw or lose vs. Sporting Kansas City
Injuries: Whitecaps — OUT: Pedro Morales (hamstring); QUESTIONABLE: Nicolas Mezquida (hamstring), Mauro Rosales (adductor), Cristian Techera (hamstring) | Dynamo — QUESTIONABLE: Jermaine Taylor (quad), Nathan Sturgis (hip)
Suspensions: VAN — Pa Modou Kah (YC accumulation)
This year: 8/29 — HOU 2-0 VAN
[ MORE: Week 33 Team of the Week | Player of the Week ]
Portland Timbers vs. Colorado Rapids (7 p.m. ET, MLS Live/ESPN3)
Scenarios: Portland can finish as high as second, or as low as seventh, in the West; Colorado have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Portland Timbers will finish second in the West IF
- Portland Timbers win vs. Colorado Rapids
AND
- LA Galaxy and Vancouver Whitecaps draw or lose vs. Sporting Kansas City and Houston Dynamo
Portland Timbers will clinch a playoff berth in the West IF
- Portland Timbers win vs. Colorado Rapids
OR
- Portland Timbers draw or lose vs. Colorado Rapids
AND
- One of Seattle Sounders, Sporting Kansas City or San Jose Earthquakes draw or lose vs. Real Salt Lake, LA Galaxy or FC Dallas
Injuries: Timbers — QUESTIONABLE: Will Johnson (leg) | Rapids — OUT: Michael Harrington (foot); DOUBTFUL: Drew Moor (foot), Dillon Serna (hamstring), Jared Watts (toe)
Suspensions: POR — Diego Valeri (YC accumulation) | COL — Sam Cronin (red card/YC accumulation)
This year: 5/30 — COL 1-2 POR
[ MORE: Update on Jason Kreis’s future at NYCFC ]
Seattle Sounders vs. Real Salt Lake (7 p.m. ET, MLS Live/ESPN3)
Scenarios: Seattle can finish as high as second, or as low as seventh, in the West; RSL have been eliminated from playoff contention.
Seattle Sounders will finish second in the West IF
- Seattle Sounders win vs. Real Salt Lake
AND
- LA Galaxy, Vancouver Whitecaps and Portland Timbers lose to Sporting Kansas City (by an aggregate of six goals combined with Seattle Sounders’ winning margin), Houston Dynamo and Colorado Rapids
Seattle Sounders will clinch a playoff berth in the West IF
- Seattle Sounders win vs. Real Salt Lake
OR
- Seattle Sounders draw or lose vs. Real Salt Lake
AND
- One of Sporting Kansas City or San Jose Earthquakes draw or lose vs. LA Galaxy or FC Dallas
Injuries: Sounders — OUT: Roman Torres (knee), Andres Correa (adductor), Andy Craven (knee); QUESTIONABLE: Oniel Fisher (hamstring) | RSL — OUT: Chris Schuler (foot)
Suspensions: RSL — Kyle Beckerman (YC accumulation)
This year: 8/22 — RSL 2-0 SEA