View source for 2008 MLS Cup playoffs

{{Short description|2008 edition of the MLS playoffs}}
{{use mdy dates|date=February 2022}}
{{use American English|date=February 2022}}
{{infobox football tournament season
| title               = MLS Cup Playoffs
| year                = 2008
| country             = United States
| image               = 2008 MLS Playoffs.png
| imagesize           = 350px
| num_teams           = 8
| defending champions = [[Houston Dynamo]]
| champions           = [[Columbus Crew]] (1st title)
| runner-up           = [[New York Red Bulls]]
| semi-finalist1      = [[Chicago Fire Soccer Club|Chicago Fire]]
| semi-finalist2      = [[Real Salt Lake]]
| matches             = 11
| goals               = 25
| top goal scorer     = {{nobreak|{{flagicon|COL}} [[Juan Pablo Ángel]]<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[Chad Marshall]]}}<br>{{flagicon|USA}} [[John Wolyniec]]<br>{{small|(2 goals each)}}
| prevseason          = [[2007 MLS Cup Playoffs|2007]]
| nextseason          = [[2009 MLS Cup Playoffs|2009]]
}}

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

==Format==
{{main article|MLS Cup Playoffs}}
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 ===
{{2008 Major League Soccer Eastern Conference table}}
{{2008 Major League Soccer Western Conference table}}

=== Overall standings ===
{{2008 Major League Soccer season table}}

==Bracket==
{{8TeamBracket|legs=2/1/1
| RD1=Conference semifinals
| RD2=Conference finals
| RD3=[[MLS Cup 2008|MLS Cup]]
| RD1-group1=[[Eastern Conference (MLS)|Eastern Conference]]
| RD1-group2=[[Western Conference (MLS)|Western Conference]]
| team-width=200px
| RD1-seed1=E1
| RD1-team1='''[[Columbus Crew|Columbus]]'''
| RD1-score1-1='''1'''
| RD1-score1-2='''2'''
| RD1-seed2=E4
| RD1-team2=[[Kansas City Wizards|Kansas City]]
| RD1-score2-1=1
| RD1-score2-2=0
| RD1-seed3=E3
| RD1-team3=[[New England Revolution|New England]]
| RD1-score3-1=0
| RD1-score3-2=0
| RD1-seed4=E2
| RD1-team4='''[[Chicago Fire S.C.|Chicago]]'''
| RD1-score4-1='''0'''
| RD1-score4-2='''3'''
| RD1-seed5=W1
| RD1-team5=[[Houston Dynamo|Houston]]
| RD1-score5-1=1
| RD1-score5-2=0
| RD1-seed6=W4
| RD1-team6='''[[New York Red Bulls|New York]]'''
| RD1-score6-1='''1'''
| RD1-score6-2='''3'''
| RD1-seed7=W3
| RD1-team7='''[[Real Salt Lake|Salt Lake]]'''
| RD1-score7-1='''1'''
| RD1-score7-2='''2'''
| RD1-seed8=W2
| RD1-team8=[[Chivas USA]]
| RD1-score8-1=0
| RD1-score8-2=2
| RD2-seed1=E1
| RD2-team1='''[[Columbus Crew|Columbus]]'''
| RD2-score1='''2'''
| RD2-seed2=E2
| RD2-team2=[[Chicago Fire S.C.|Chicago]]
| RD2-score2=1
| RD2-seed3=W4
| RD2-team3='''[[New York Red Bulls|New York]]'''
| RD2-score3='''1'''
| RD2-seed4=W3
| RD2-team4=[[Real Salt Lake|Salt Lake]]
| RD2-score4=0
| RD3-seed1=E1
| RD3-team1='''[[Columbus Crew|Columbus]]'''
| RD3-score1='''3'''
| RD3-seed2=W4
| RD3-team2=[[New York Red Bulls|New York]]
| RD3-score2=1
}}

<sup>1</sup> 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.

== Conference semifinals ==
{{football box
|date=November 1, 2008<br />7:00 PM [[Central Daylight Time|CDT]]
|team1=[[Columbus Crew]]
|score= 1 – 1
|team2=[[Kansas City Wizards]]
|goals1=[[Gino Padula|Padula]] {{yel|84}}<br>[[Steven Lenhart|Lenhart]] {{goal|90+2}}<br>[[Brian Carroll|Carroll]] {{yel|90+3}}
|goals2=[[Jack Jewsbury|Jewsbury]] {{yel|40}}<br>[[Davy Arnaud|Arnaud]] {{goal|53}}<br>[[Herculez Gomez|Gomez]] {{sent off|0|75}}
|stadium=[[Community America Ballpark]], [[Kansas City, Kansas]]
|attendance=10,385
|referee=Jorge Gonzalez
|report=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090110102851/http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081101&content_id=201151&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp]
}}

{{football box
|date=November 8, 2008<br />7:30 PM [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
|team1=[[Kansas City Wizards]]
|score= 0 – 2
|team2=[[Columbus Crew]]
|goals1=[[Davy Arnaud|Arnaud]] {{yel|39}}<br>[[Tyson Wahl|Wahl]] {{yel|49}}
|goals2=[[Brad Evans (soccer)|Evans]] {{goal|7}} {{yel|63}}<br>[[Robbie Rogers|Rogers]] {{goal|57}} {{yel|66}}<br>[[Frankie Hejduk|Hejduk]] {{yel|87}}<br>[[Emmanuel Ekpo|Ekpo]] {{yel|90}}
|stadium=[[Columbus Crew Stadium]], [[Columbus, Ohio]]
|attendance=11,153
|referee=[[Ricardo Salazar]]
|report=[https://web.archive.org/web/20090110073918/http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081108&content_id=202500&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp]
}}
----
{{football box
|date=October 30, 2008<br />7:30 PM [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
|team1=[[Chicago Fire S.C.|Chicago Fire]]
|score= 0 – 0
|team2=[[New England Revolution]]
|goals1=[[Bakary Soumare|Soumare]] {{yel|16}}<br>[[Logan Pause|Pause]] {{yel|59}}<br>[[Cuauhtemoc Blanco|Blanco]] {{yel|69}}
|goals2=[[Kenny Mansally|Mansally]] {{yel|42}}<br>[[Mauricio Castro|Castro]] {{yel|73}}
|stadium=[[Gillette Stadium]], [[Foxborough, Massachusetts]]
|attendance=5,221
|referee=Alex Prus
|report=[http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081030&content_id=200602&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp]
}}

{{football box
|date=November 6, 2008<br />7:30 PM [[Central Standard Time|CST]]
|team1=[[New England Revolution]]
|score= 0 – 3
|team2=[[Chicago Fire S.C.|Chicago Fire]]
|goals1=[[Chris Albright|Albright]] {{sent off|2|7|83}}<br>[[Amaechi Igwe|Igwe]] {{yel|45+2}}<br>[[Shalrie Joseph|Joseph]] {{yel|53}}
|goals2=[[John Thorrington|Thorrington]] {{yel|36}}<br>[[Chris Rolfe|Rolfe]] {{goal|45+2}}<br>[[Wilman Conde|Conde]] {{goal|47}}<br>[[Jon Busch|Busch]] {{yel|62}}<br>[[Gonzalo Segares|Segares]] {{goal|74}}
|stadium=[[Toyota Park (Bridgeview)|Toyota Park]], [[Bridgeview, Illinois]]
|attendance=17,312
|referee=[[Jair Marrufo]]
|report=[http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081106&content_id=202214&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp]
}}
----
{{football box
|date=November 1, 2008<br />4:00 PM [[Eastern Daylight Time|EDT]]
|team1=[[Houston Dynamo]]
|score= 1 – 1
|team2=[[New York Red Bulls]]
|goals1=[[Brian Mullan|Mullan]] {{yel|53}}<br>[[Kei Kamara|Kamara]] {{goal|85}}
|goals2=[[Dane Richards|Richards]] {{yel|29}}<br>[[Juan Pablo Angel|Angel]] {{yel|37}} {{goal|48}}
|stadium=[[Giants Stadium]], [[East Rutherford, New Jersey]]
|attendance=11,578
|referee=Kevin Stott
|report=[http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081109&content_id=202634&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp]
}}

{{football box
|date=November 9, 2008<br />2:00 PM [[Central Standard Time|CST]]
|team1=[[New York Red Bulls]]
|score= 3 – 0
|team2=[[Houston Dynamo]]
|goals1=[[Dave van den Bergh|van den Bergh]] {{yel|5}}<br>[[Dane Richards|Richards]] {{goal|25}}<br>[[Kevin Goldthwaite|Goldthwaite]] {{yel|28}}<br>[[Juan Pablo Angel|Angel]] {{goal|36|pen.}}<br>[[Luke Sassano|Sassano]] {{yel|45+2}}<br>[[John Wolyniec|Wolyniec]] {{goal|81}}
|goals2=[[Eddie Robinson (soccer)|Robinson]] {{yel|62}}<br>[[Pat Onstad|Onstad]] {{yel|69}}<br>[[Brian Mullan|Mullan]] {{yel|73}}
|stadium=[[Robertson Stadium]], [[Houston, Texas]]
|attendance=30,053
|referee=Baldomero Toledo
|report=[http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081109&content_id=202634&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp]
}}
----
{{football box
|date=November 1, 2008<br />4:00 PM [[Mountain Daylight Time|MDT]]
|team1=[[Chivas USA]]
|score= 0 – 1
|team2=[[Real Salt Lake]]
|goals1=[[Ante Razov|Razov]] {{yel|66}}<br>[[Shavar Thomas|Thomas]] {{yel|75}}
|goals2=[[Andy Williams (Jamaican footballer)|Williams]] {{yel|29}}<br>[[Kyle Beckerman|Beckerman]] {{yel|42}}<br>[[Yura Movsisyan|Movsisyan]] {{goal|90}}
|stadium=[[Rio Tinto Stadium]], [[Sandy, Utah]]
|attendance=14,719
|referee=[[Ricardo Salazar]]
|report=[http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081101&content_id=201078&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp]
}}

{{football box
|date=November 8, 2008<br />7:30 PM [[Pacific Standard Time|PST]]
|team1=[[Real Salt Lake]]
|score= 2 – 2
|team2=[[Chivas USA]]
|goals1=[[Clint Mathis|Mathis]] {{yel|10}}<br>[[Nat Borchers|Borchers]] {{yel|30}}<br>[[Dema Kovalenko|Kovalenko]] {{goal|39}} {{yel|42}}<br>[[Javier Morales|Morales]] {{goal|77}}
|goals2=[[Paulo Nagamura|Nagamura]] {{yel|22}}<br>[[Sacha Kljestan|Kljestan]] {{goal|30|pen.}}<br>[[Jonathan Bornstein|Bornstein]] {{yel|60}}<br>[[Justin Braun (soccer)|Braun]] {{goal|83}}<br>[[Ante Razov|Razov]] {{yel|86}}<br>[[Shavar Thomas|Thomas]] {{yel|90+1}}
|stadium=[[Home Depot Center]], [[Carson, California]]
|attendance=19,256
|referee=Michael Kennedy
|report=[http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081109&content_id=202561&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp]
}}

==Conference finals==
{{football box
|date=November 13, 2008<br />7:30PM [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
|team1=[[Chicago Fire S.C.|Chicago Fire]]
|score= 1–2
|team2=[[Columbus Crew]]
|goals1= [[Bakary Soumare|Soumare]] {{yel|22}}<br>[[Brian McBride|McBride]] {{goal|29}}<br>[[Gonzalo Segares|Segares]] {{yel|48}}<br>[[Brandon Prideaux|Prideaux]] {{yel|67}}
|goals2= [[Chad Marshall|Marshall]] {{goal|49}}<br>[[Eddie Gaven|Gaven]] {{goal|55}}<br>[[Danny O'Rourke (soccer)|O'Rourke]] {{yel|57}}<br>[[Will Hesmer|Hesmer]] {{yel|90+2}}
|stadium=[[Columbus Crew Stadium]], [[Columbus, Ohio]]
|attendance= 14,688
|referee= Terry Vaughn
|report=[http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081113&content_id=203786&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp]
}}
----
{{football box
|date=November 15, 2008<br> 7:30PM [[Mountain Standard Time|MST]]
|team1=[[New York Red Bulls]]
|score= 1–0
|team2=[[Real Salt Lake]]
|goals1= [[Dave van den Bergh|van den Bergh]] {{goal|28}}<br>[[Kevin Goldthwaite|Goldthwaite]] {{yel|45}}<br>[[Jorge Alberto Rojas|Rojas]] {{yel|64}}<br>[[Chris Leitch|Leitch]] {{yel|90+4}}
|goals2=
|stadium=[[Rio Tinto Stadium]], [[Sandy, Utah]]
|attendance=20,008
|referee=Jair Marrufo
|report=[http://web.mlsnet.com/news/mls_news.jsp?ymd=20081115&content_id=204656&vkey=news_mls&fext=.jsp]
}}

==MLS Cup==
{{See also|MLS Cup 2008}}
{{football box
|date=November 23, 2008<br />12:30 PM [[Pacific Standard Time|PST]]
|team1=[[New York Red Bulls]]
|score= 1–3
|team2=[[Columbus Crew]]
|goals1=[[Chris Leitch|Leitch]] {{yel|4}}<br>[[John Wolyniec|Wolyniec]] {{goal|51}}
|goals2=[[Alejandro Moreno|Moreno]] {{goal|31}}<br>[[Chad Marshall|Marshall]] {{goal|53}}<br>[[Gino Padula|Padula]] {{yel|68}}<br>[[Frankie Hejduk|Hejduk]] {{goal|82}}
|stadium=[[Home Depot Center]], [[Carson, California]]
|attendance= 27,000
|referee=Baldomero Toledo
|report=
}}

==Additional References==
*[[MLS Cup 2008]]
*[[MLS Cup Playoffs]]
*[[2008 Major League Soccer season]]

{{MLS Cup}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:2008 Mls Cup Playoffs}}
[[Category:MLS Cup playoffs]]
[[Category:2008 Major League Soccer season|*]]