MLS Monday: Everything you need to know about Decision Day

Decision Day lived up to the billing: Goals were scored, games were won, and the 14 teams going to the 2022 MLS Cup playoffs were decided. Just as important for fans of NYCFC and any other club that already qualified for the postseason, today’s games set the seeding which determines the First Round matchups – such as New York City hosting Inter Miami at Red Bull Arena. Can’t wait for the NYCFC faithful to welcome David Beckham to memorable Harrison, NJ.

Top Games

Inter Miami 1 - 3 CF Montréal
Inter Miami not only lost on the road to second-place CF Montréal, they didn’t even manage to score: Their own goal was accidentally knocked in by the Montréal defense. No matter, Miami had already qualified for the playoffs for the first time in club history, and other games in the Eastern Conference dropped them to the No 6 seed, and a date to dance with NYCFC at Red Bull Arena on Monday, October 17 at 7 pm ET.

Orlando City 2 - 1 Columbus Crew
A do-or-die game for both teams: Orlando did it, and Columbus died. Orlando’s come-from-behind win was sealed by an 84th-minute penalty, and now the Purple Cobras are set to face cool-as-a-concombre FC Montréal on Sunday, October 16 at 7 pm ET.

New Jersey Red Bulls 2 - 0 Charlotte FC
Our roommates ended the season with a comfortable win after posting crystal-clear losses to NYCFC and Columbus. But that’s water under the Dock Bridge: New Jersey will host FC Cincinnati at Red Bull Arena on Saturday, October 15 at noon ET.

LAFC 0 - 1 Nashville SC
In the biggest upset of the day, Nashville grabbed a one-goal win against Supporters’ Shield-winning LAFC at Banc of California Stadium in Los Angeles. Impressive. The result lifted them into the No 5 seed in the Western Conference, and set them up to return to the left coast to play LA Galaxy on Saturday, October 15 at 3 pm ET.

Real Salt Lake 3 - 1 Portland Timbers
It was a thrilla’ in Utah: Salt Lake dominated Portland in another do-or-die game, taking hold of the No 7 seed and knocking last year’s MLS Cup finalists out of playoff contention. Portland looked flat and devoid of ideas – you hate to lean on a sports cliché, but Real wanted it more. They get to travel to Central Texas for their troubles and face a No 2 seed Austin FC that gave up a stoppage-time equalizer to Colorado Rapids.

Decision Day Scoreboard

NYCFC 2 - 1 Atlanta United

Inter Miami 1 - 3 CF Montréal

Orlando City 2 - 1 Columbus Crew

New Jersey Red Bulls 2 - 0 Charlotte FC

DC United 2 - 5 FC Cincinnati

Philadelphia Union 4 - 0 Toronto FC

Chicago Fire 1 - 1 New England Revolution

Austin FC 1 - 1 Colorado Rapids

Houston Dynamo 1 - 3 LA Galaxy

LAFC 0 - 1 Nashville SC

Minnesota United 2 - 0 Vancouver Whitecaps

Real Salt Lake 3 - 1 Portland Timbers

2022 MLS Final Tables