One team is in. Eleven more will hope to clinch their spots over the next month.
The New York Red Bulls on Sunday became the first team to qualify for the Audi 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs, courtesy of an impressive 2-0 win over the Portland Timbers.
The win also lifted the Red Bulls to first place in the Eastern Conference and a tie with the Vancouver Whitecaps in the Supporters' Shield race. Though the Whitecaps hold the tiebreaker by virtue of having won more games, the Red Bulls have played just 28 games, one fewer than Vancouver and two fewer than the next three teams in the East. The Red Bulls now also lead MLS in points per game, with 1.71.
Six teams from each conference will qualify for the playoffs for a total of 12. The top two finishers in each conference pass straight to the Conference Semifinal stage, while the No. 3 and 4 finishers will host the No. 6 and 5 teams in a one-game Knockout Round.
