Red Bulls top MLS table, look toward playoffs
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Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls captured the Supporters' Shield for best regular-season record on Sunday with a 2-1 win over Chicago Fire on the final day of the campaign.
The Red Bulls claimed the honour for the second time in three years, but this time they had to do it without the likes of departed French star Thierry Henry, and under the guidance of first-year coach Jesse Marsch.
The victory gave the Red Bulls 60 points. FC Dallas also finished on 60, but New York lifted the prize courtesy of superior goal difference. The Shield brings home field advantage throughout the playoffs, which means the Red Bulls would host the MLS Cup to decide the league champion on 6 December if they advance to the final.
Bradley Wright-Phillips couldn't match last year's Golden Boot-winning haul of 27 goals but led the Red Bulls with 17 and Sacha Kljestan, who converted a penalty against the Fire, had 13 assists.
"We've got five games left to win another title," Kljestan said. "To put together the most points in the league over the course of the season is really the test of a true champion, but we have the big trophy that we want, and that's MLS Cup. We're going to keep going, we're going to celebrate a little bit tonight, but we're going to keep going."
The MLS Cup playoffs begin this week, with single elimination Knockout Round matches from each conference on Wednesday and Thursday.
On Wednesday, DC United will play Eastern Conference rivals New England Revolution and Seattle Sounders will take on Los Angeles Galaxy in the West.
The Galaxy are the reigning MLS Cup champions, but they dropped a 2-1 decision at Sporting Kansas City on Sunday and must now beat the Sounders in Seattle to keep their hopes of a sixth Cup crown alive.
On Thursday, Montreal Impact host Toronto FC and Portland Timbers face Sporting Kansas City.
The Red Bulls and Eastern Conference second place team Columbus Crew and the West's top two, FC Dallas and Vancouver Whitecaps, have first-round byes.