2012 Major League Soccer season

The 17th Major League Soccer season began in spring 2012 with the Regular Season. Then the play-offs were held in the fall of 2012, which ended on December 1 with the game to the MLS Cup. Like last year, the Los Angeles Galaxy won the final against Houston Dynamo.

3.2.1 Knockout Round
3.2.2 Conference semi-finals and finals
3.2.3 MLS Cup final
3.2.4 results

Innovations

The Canadian franchise Montreal Impact took off this season at the Major League Soccer in part. They were taken to the Eastern Conference.
The Schedule has been adjusted. The teams from the Western Conference played against each other three times and met only once on the teams in the Eastern Conference. The Eastern Conference teams contested against seven opponents three games against two teams and two games. Against the Western franchises a game has been played.
The Wildcard and crossover rules was abolished. Pro Conference is the first five teams qualified for the play- offs.
The holding of the Conference Final ( Play-off semi-final ) changed from one game to two games.
The venue for the MLS Cup was no longer neutral.
With the NBC Sports TV, a new partner was found. The subsidiary of NBC signed with the Major League Soccer a three -year contract in August 2011. Thus be on the broadcasters Fox Soccer and Fox Deportes no more games transmitted. The separate contracts with broadcasters ESPN, ESPN2, ESPN Deportes and Galavisión, as well as with the Canadian broadcasters TSN, TSN2 and GolTV remained unaffected.

Participating teams in 2012

Course of the season

The first games of the season took place on March 10, 2012, the last regular season games were played on October 28. The championship of the regular season, the MLS Supporters' Shield, won the San Jose Earthquakes, who stood firm after its penultimate season game first the overall table.

Since the new BBVA Compass Stadium in Houston could be opened on May 12, Houston Dynamo played the first seven games away season. The opening game in the new stadium against D.C. United was won 1-0. Houston has lost in the new stadium in the entire 2012 season a competitive match, neither in the championship, still in the cup and not even in the Champions League.

Toronto failed to reach a point in his first nine MLS games this season, but won on 23 May, the Canadian Championship and thereby plays in the CONCACAF Champions League 2012/13. Sporting Kansas City put with seven wins from their first seven games a good start to the season and won on August 8, the U.S. Open Cup. Kansas City could therefore qualify as the first team for the CONCACAF Champions League 2013/14 and is available after the end of the regular season at the top of the table in the Eastern Conference.

Weaknesses in the season came last year's champion LA Galaxy, the Table of the Western Conference was after 13 games played, but could be improved in the following weeks on a playoff place. Also, the first derby at local rivals CD Chivas USA went 0-1 lost after they had previously defeated six times in the years this team in a row on May 19. The other two season games against Chivas one then won with 3:1 and 4:0. In the playoffs, LA Galaxy reached the finals and won again like last year against Houston Dynamo.

In the highest-scoring games of the season, there were eight gates. The San Jose Earthquakes and D.C. United parted on May 2, with the final score of 5-3, the Portland Timbers were subject to the LA Galaxy on July 14 with 3:5 and Chivas USA won with 2:6 on August 25 against the Seattle Sounders. The highest Home wins achieved by the San Jose Earthquakes on July 14 against Real Salt Lake and FC Dallas on July 21 against Portland, each with 5-0. Away LA Galaxy were ( 0:4 on August 12 ), Seattle ( 2:6 on August 25 ) and Real Salt Lake ( 0-4 on September 29 ) each at Chivas USA recorded the highest wins.

Tables

Eastern Conference

Western Conference

(M) = Champion 2011, (Sup ) = MLS Supporters' Shield 2011, ( CC) = Canadian Cup Winners 2011 (OC ) = American Cup Winners 2011

1Toronto FC, Vancouver Whitecaps and Montreal Impact can not qualify on the Major League Soccer for the CONCACAF Champions League, as the three teams are from Canada and the starting places will be allocated according to the state. If the teams finish the season on a qualifying spot for the Champions League, this draw will be automatically assigned to the next lower team. The three Canadian teams to qualify for this competition just across the Canadian Championship.

Control level on points

If two or more teams are equal on points in the table, the following comparison rules are applied to determine the placement of teams in succession. The comparison is decided when one of the rules can determine a ranking of the teams in question. Unlike, for example, in the Bundesliga does not decide the first goal difference.

Should more than two teams have equal points will be as soon as a team is placed and started again at rule 1 with the remaining teams finish equal on points.

Cross Table

The cross table presents the results of all games this season represents the home team is listed in the left column and the visiting team in the top and bottom row. Due to the unbalanced game plan some games are held twice in the season, while others are theoretically possible matches will not be played.

Statistic

Listed on the scoresheet the regular season is to place 20

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.

Knockout Round

The Knockout Round affects only the teams to the Conference- 4th and 5th place The team at # 4 plays a home game against the team of the same Conference 5th place A return match does not exist, but the game is a draw after the regular time decided by extra time and, where appropriate, penalties. The winner of this game to the next round. The teams ranked 1-3 in each Conference skip this first round and move directly into the Conference semifinals. The first round of the Eastern Conference was held on 31 October, the Western Conference on November 1.

Conference semi-finals and finals

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 first playoff round 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, which will be held in the same mode with return game. The first legs of the semi-finals took place from 2nd to 4th November, the return matches on 7 and 8 November. At 10-11. or 17-18. November, the Conference Finals have been played.

MLS Cup final

The MLS Cup Final was played on 1 December 2012 between the two winners of the Conference Finals in the stadium of the higher -placed team in the overall table and without return.

West champion LA Galaxy was officially introduced to Houston Dynamo, who won the final of the Eastern Conference, and won 3-1. Houston went 1-0 lead just before half- time break. LA equalized in the second half and increased shortly thereafter by a penalty at 2-1. In injury time Robbie Keane goal on a penalty to the final score of 3:1.

Results

In the Conference Semifinals between D.C. United and New York Red Bulls had to return the game to be replaced, as in New York, where there should take place in the first leg which allowed the effects of Hurricane Sandy no game mode.

National Cup Competitions

→ Main article: Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup 2012 → Main article: Canadian Championship 2012

The 16 U.S. teams in the MLS be part of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, while the three Canadian MLS teams, the Canadian Championship contest. The two tournaments are the Cup rounds of the U.S. or Canada, which are played in a knockout system. The winners qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League. Since the Canadian Competition is terminated in May, the Canadian Cup winners can still compete in the starting in the same year Champions League season, during the American Cup winner only in competes it, as the Champions League season before the U.S. Open Cup final begins. 2012 won the Toronto FC and Sporting Kansas City's cup competitions in Canada and the United States.

International Competitions

→ Main article: CONCACAF Champions League 2011/12 → Main article: CONCACAF Champions League 2012/13

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 2012 may therefore qualify for the 2013/14 Champions League season, while the Canadian team ( Toronto FC ), who has qualified through the ended in May Canadian Championship in 2012, already in the Champions League season 2012/13 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 2013/14. 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.

Other competitions

In the Major League Soccer carry various teams within a Regular Season various trophies from. The winner is the one who could decide the direct comparisons for the end. Depending on the Cup will change this rule, partly playoff games as well as games in U.S. Open Cup to be included.

Atlantic Cup - D.C. United and New York Red Bulls ( direct comparison in all competitions )
Brimstone Cup - Chicago Fire SC and FC Dallas ( direct comparison in all competitions )
California Clasico - Los Angeles Galaxy and San Jose Earthquakes ( direct comparison in the regular season )
Cascadia Cup - Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps ( direct comparison in the regular season )
Heritage Cup - San Jose Earthquakes, Seattle Sounders FC, Portland Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps ( direct comparison of the last two meetings in the regular season )
Honda superclásico - CD Chivas USA and Los Angeles Galaxy ( direct comparison in all competitions )
Lamar Hunt Pioneer Cup - FC Dallas and Columbus Crew ( direct comparison in the regular season )
Rocky Mountain Cup - Colorado Rapids and Real Salt Lake ( direct comparison in the regular season )
Texas Derby - FC Dallas and Houston Dynamo ( direct comparison in the regular season )
Trillium Cup - Columbus Crew and Toronto FC ( direct comparison in the regular season )

In addition to the cup competitions the overall standings of the MLS wins after the regular season the MLS Supporters' Shield.

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