For the 13th straight year, the New York Red Bulls are in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs.
The Eastern Conference side entered 2022’s postseason mix following Week 31 results elsewhere, sitting third behind fellow East qualifiers Philadelphia Union and CF Montréal.
LAFC are the only Western Conference team to punch a postseason ticket thus far, forming four of 14 teams that’ll play postseason soccer come mid-October.
Playoff history, key pieces
RBNY’s postseason berth matches the MLS record qualification streak Seattle Sounders FC established a year ago – a mark the 2022 Concacaf Champions League winners could surpass if they reach the West’s seven-team field this fall. New York last didn't qualify in 2009.
Head coach Gerhard Struber’s group boasts the league’s best road record (9W-3L-3D) and the third-best defense in the Eastern Conference (37 goals allowed). That unit is led by the likes of goalkeeper Carlos Coronel, US international Aaron Long and Sean Nealis at center back, and left back John Tolkin.
Key pieces in attack are midfielders Cristian Casseres Jr., Luquinhas and Lewis Morgan, as well as striker Patryk Klimala. Morgan, acquired in an offseason trade from Inter Miami CF, is their leading scorer with 14g/4a.
Audi 2022 MLS Cup Playoffs
MLS Cup 2022 is set for Nov. 5, while the playoffs will get underway Oct. 15 with Round One games (the top seed in each conference gets a bye).
The timeline takes into consideration the FIFA 2022 World Cup starting Nov. 20 in Qatar, rather than during the event’s typical summer months.
