2011 Major League Soccer season
The 16th Major League Soccer season began on 15 March 2011 with the Seattle Sounders FC game against Los Angeles Galaxy. The Californians won 1-0. The first goal of the season scored the Brazilian Juninho.
All other teams started on 19 March in the season. The regular season ended on 22 October 2011. Subsequently, the MLS play-offs took place, which were concluded by the game for the MLS Cup. Winner of the 2011 series was the Los Angeles Galaxy. Californians have been able to win the Supporters Shield in advance as a point Best of the regular season.
- 3.2 Playoffs
- 3.3 International Qualifications
- 4.1.2 Western Conference
Innovations
- The Portland Timbers and the Vancouver Whitecaps FC take part as new franchises in Major League Soccer. You will be guided in the Western Conference.
- Houston Dynamo will move to the Eastern Conference. This was announced on 28 January 2011. This is due to the two new expansion in the league, both of which will play in the Western Conference.
- The Kansas City Wizards are called from the 2011 season, Sporting Kansas City and will move into their new stadium. The Livestrong Sporting Park was opened on 9 June 2011. Until then, the home games of the Sporting Community America Ballpark were held.
- The MLS Reserve Division returns. So the teams can make squads totaling 30 players again.
- Increase the number of participants in the MLS play-offs from 8 to 10 teams.
- The waste management company Greenstar is new jersey sponsor Houston Dynamo.
- The League guaranteed for at least 500 seats in the stadiums for fans at away games. Before there were 150 guaranteed places.
- The MLS SuperDraft 2011 is not as far to go five rounds, but only three rounds. This was changed for the first time in the history of the MLS draft system.
- The company UnitedHealth Group is first shirt sponsor at New England Revolution.
Coaching change
- Tom Soehn took over May 29, 2011 as coach for the Vancouver Whitecaps FC Teitur Thordarson of.
- Frank Klopas took over on 30 May 2011 as coach at Chigaco Fire by Carlos de los Cobos.
Participating teams in 2011
1Trainerwechsel during the season have been updated accordingly. As of June 8, 2011
Mode
The 18 teams will play first in the regular season ( regular season ) twice each against each other. Thus, each team completed a total of 34 games. The top three teams in each Conference qualify for the MLS Cup Semifinals ( quarterfinals ) and the four runners-up, regardless of their Conference qualify for the MLS Cup Playoffs play -in round. The team with the most points in the regular season won the MLS Supporters' Shield.
Playoffs
The playoffs are played after the 34 days of game regular season in several rounds with partly different mode. Except for the finals take place all games within the respective Conference.
Wild Card Series
In the newly introduced wild card Series each of the Fourth and Fifth of each conference meet. Home right has each of the Fourth Regular Season. The winner will qualify for each of the Conference semi-finals. They were held on 26 and 27 October 2011.
Conference semi-final
The Conference semi-finals will be played with return game, where in addition to the sum of the goals the away goals rule, which is also applied in European cup competitions. The Conference championship leader plays against the winner of the Wild Card Series and the Second Conference of the table against the third party. The first leg will take place in the stadium in the Conference table lower ranked team, the return match at the stadium of the other team. The fixed after winning two games to reach the Conference Finals. The first legs will find on 29-30. Of October, the return matches on 2/3 November.
Conference Finals
The Conference Finals were held 6 November 2011 between the winners of the Conference semi-finals. They are played without leg and optionally decided by extra time and penalties.
MLS Cup final
The MLS Cup final was played November 20, 2011 between the two winners of the Conference Finals in the stadium of the higher -placed team in the overall table and without leg and optionally decided by extra time and penalties.
International Qualifications
The best team in the regular season and the winner of MLS Cup will qualify directly for the CONCACAF Champions League. The losing finalist and U.S. Open Cup winners qualify for the qualifying round of the Champions League.
Toronto FC and Vancouver Whitecaps FC can not qualify via the MLS for the Champions League as a Canadian team. This just goes on Canadian Championship.
Results
Eastern Conference
Western Conference
(M) = Champion 2010, (SS ) = MLS Supporters' Shield 2010, (CC ) = Canadian Cup Winners 2010 (OC ) = American Cup Winners 2010
Playoffs
Top scorers
See also: List of scorers of the Major League Soccer
MLS All -Star Game
The 15th MLS All -Star Game will take place at the Red Bull Arena on July 27, 2011. Like last year, the opponents of the All-Star team Manchester United will be.
National Competitions
Canadian Championship → Main article: Canadian Championship 2011
International Competitions
→ Main article: CONCACAF Champions League 2010/11 → Main article: CONCACAF Champions League 2011/12
Unlike the MLS season, the Champions League will be played in a season that begins in June and ends in May of the following year. The U.S. teams of the MLS season in 2011 may therefore qualify for the 2012/13 Champions League season, while the Canadian team ( Toronto FC ), who has qualified through the ended in May Canadian Championship 2011, already in the Champions League season 2011/12 compete.
In addition to the trophy winners of the two countries, the winner of the MLS Supporters' Shield and the two finalists of the MLS finals also qualified as long as they come from the USA for the Champions League season 2012/ 13. If one of the Canadian teams win the MLS Supporters' Shield or reach the MLS Cup final, or Supporters' -Shield winner to the finals of the tournament, advances to the next U.S. team to the Champions League berth. The Canadian federation is basically just a starting place in the Champions League is available, which is occupied with the winner of the Canadian Championship.
MLS Rivalry Cup
In the Major League Soccer carry various teams within a Regular Season various trophies from. The winner is the one who has completed the best regular season at the end or could decide the direct comparisons for themselves. Depending Cup changes for this scheme.
- Atlantic Cup - D.C. United and New York Red Bulls
- Brimstone Cup - Chicago Fire SC and FC Dallas
- California Clasico - Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes
- Cascadia Cup - Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Heritage Cup - San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Rocky Mountain Cup - Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake
- Honda superclásico - CD Chivas USA and Los Angeles Galaxy
- Texas Derby - FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo
- Trillium Cup - Columbus Crew and Toronto FC