On Wednesday, Major League Soccer announced the new tie-breaking procedures to determine seeding in the 2012 MLS Cup Playoffs. These procedures were voted upon by the league's Board of Governors prior to the start of the year and have been in place all season. The new procedures were put in place to encourage an more attacking style of play for teams. Below is the new set of tiebreakers:
- Most total goals scored
Greatest goal differential
Fewest disciplinary points
Most road goals scored
Greatest road goal differential
Most home goals scored
Greatest home goal differential
Coin toss (for 2 teams) or drawing of lots (3 or more teams)
Currently, the Houston Dynamo are tied for first place in the Eastern Conference with Sporting KC (Click here to see updated standings). If the season ended today, the Dynamo would finish as the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference because they have out-scored Sporting KC 35-28.
Teams have been aware of the new rules since the beginning of the year, but it will be curious to see as we come to the home-stretch if teams will try to run up scores if they have the opportunity to increase their total goals.
What do you think? Do you like the new tiebreaking procedures? Leave your comments in the box below!
