Major League Soccer is canceling X previously-postponed regular-season matches and will decide its playoff spots via points-per-game, the North American league announced Thursday.
COVID-19 paused the season in March and led to a number of postponements during and after the MLS is Back tournament, with Colorado Rapids the most affected team.
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Five of the six canceled matches involve the Rapids, who leap into a playoff spot due to their points-per-game standing at 1.27.
- Colorado Rapids vs. Sporting KC (originally scheduled Sept. 27 and Oct. 21)
- Colorado Rapids vs. LAFC (originally scheduled for Oct. 7)
- Colorado Rapids vs. LA Galaxy (originally scheduled for Oct. 10)
- Seattle Sounders vs. Colorado Rapids (originally scheduled for Oct. 14)
- Minnesota United vs. FC Dallas (originally scheduled for Oct. 14)
- Colorado Rapids vs. Real Salt Lake (originally scheduled for Oct. 18)
The decision does not affect the Eastern Conference due to the split schedule. Colorado has three matches between Nov. 1-8, and despite having just 15 points now could finish as high as fourth by winning all of their matches. They face first-place Seattle, third-place Portland, and 11th-place Houston.
On the flip side, Real Salt Lake will rue not getting the chance to take three points off a direct rival for a playoff spot.
The league also laid out its tiebreaking format.
- Total number of wins per match played;
- Goal Differential (GD) per match played;
- Goals For (GF) per match played;
- Fewest disciplinary points per match played;
- Away Goal Differential per away match played;
- Away Goals For per away match played;
- Home Goal Differential per home match played;
- Home Goals For per home match played;
- Coin toss (tie between two clubs) or drawing of lots (tie between three or more clubs)