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Major League Soccer's playoffs begin with knockout games in each conference between the clubs that finished in fourth and fifth place in the regular season.

In the Western Conference, FC Dallas plays host to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday. The winner faces the first-place Seattle Sounders in one of the two-game conference semifinals Sunday and Nov. 10.

The second-place Galaxy plays third-place Real Salt Lake in the other Western Conference semifinal. The first game is in Utah on Saturday and the second at StubHub Center on Nov. 9.

The winners of the conference semifinals are determined by the aggregate number of goals scored over both games.

Last year, Real Salt Lake ousted the Galaxy from the playoffs by winning a Western Conference semifinal, 2-1, on aggregate goals. The Galaxy is trying to win a record fifth championship.

In the Eastern Conference, the New York Red Bulls play host to reigning champion Sporting Kansas City in a knockout game Thursday. The winner plays first-place D.C. United in one of the conference semifinals Sunday and Nov. 8.

The New England Revolution plays the Columbus Crew in the other Eastern Conference semifinal Saturday and Nov. 9.

Winners in the semifinal rounds advance to the two-game conference championships, also decided by aggregate goals, on Nov. 23 and Nov. 29-30.

The conference winners meet in the MLS Cup championship game Dec. 7, which will be hosted by whichever of the two teams had the best regular-season record.

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Galaxy to play Saturday in first leg of two-game conference semifinal

MLS playoffs are set to begin tonight

Major League Soccers playoffs begin this week with knockout games in each conference between the clubs that finished in fourth and fifth place in the regular season.

In the Western Conference, FC Dallas plays host to the Vancouver Whitecaps tonight. The winner faces first-place Seattle in one of the two-game conference semifinals Sunday and Nov. 10. The second-place Los Angeles Galaxy plays third-place Real Salt Lake in the other Western Conference semifinal. The first game is in Utah on Saturday and the second in California on Nov. 9.

The winners of the conference semifinals are determined by the aggregate number of goals scored over both games.

In the Eastern Conference, the New York Red Bulls play host to reigning champion Sporting Kansas City in a knockout game Thursday. The winner plays first-place D.C. United in one of the conference semifinals Sunday and Nov. 8. The New England Revolution plays the Columbus Crew in the other Eastern Conference semifinal Saturday and Nov. 9.

Winners in the semifinal rounds advance to the two-game conference championships, also decided by aggregate goals, on Nov. 23 and Nov. 29-30.

The conference winners meet in the MLS Cup championship game Dec. 7, which will be hosted by whichever of the two teams had the best regular-season record. (Los Angeles Times)

Zidanes ban criticized The French Football Federation says it disagrees with a three-month coaching ban imposed on Zinedine Zidane, saying UEFA rules allow him to coach while studying for his coaching badge. A Spanish judge on Monday banned Zidane from coaching Real Madrids reserves following a complaint by Miguel Galan, the president of Spains national training center for football coaches. Galan said Frances 1998 World Cup winner did not have the required qualifications. But FFF President Noel Le Graet says its a pity for European football that an iconic player like Zidane, who is worldwide famous and has decided to take a course to earn his French coaching badge, cannot do his job like UEFA entitles him to. Madrid, where Zidane played from 2001 until retiring in 2006, can appeal the judges ruling. (AP)

Russia, Ukraine could meet FIFA, soccers governing body, said it has not decided to keep Russia and Ukraine apart in the group stage of the 2018 World Cup despite reports to the contrary. Against the backdrop of the Ukraine crisis, Russian media quoted FIFA President Sepp Blatter as saying Ukraine would not be allowed to play host nation Russia in group matches. However, those reports were based on a translation mistake, FIFA spokeswoman Delia Fischer told The Associated Press. No decision has been made but the situation will be assessed when the groups are drawn in 2017, if Ukraine qualifies, she said. Russia potentially could be drawn against Ukraine if both teams qualify for Euro 2016. (AP)

Djokovic wins In his initial match since the birth of his first child, defending champion Novak Djokovic stayed on course to finish the season ranked No. 1 by defeating Philipp Kohlschreiber 6-3, 6-4 in the second round of the Paris Masters tennis tournament. The top-seeded Djokovic took a 5-1 lead in the first set and broke his German opponent in the opening game of the second.

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Digest: MLS playoffs start tonight

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KANSAS CITY, Kan. It's been a few years, but Peter Vermes has been through this sort of thing before and come out on top.

Sporting Kansas City's manager will take his club to Red Bull Arena on Thursday for the Eastern Conference Knockout Game, a quick rematch of Sunday's 2-0 home defeat to New York in the regular-season finale. Kansas City went winless against the Red Bulls in three regular-season matches, but Vermes said after Sunday's game that the playoffs represent a clean slate for his injury-plagued side.

I was playing for Colorado in 1997, and we made the final playoff spot, and we played Kansas City four times that year, Vermes recounted in his postmatch news conference. They won all four and outscored us 15-2. Our first game in the two playoff games was here [in Kansas City]. They were the No. 1 seed, and we beat them 3-0.

That Rapids team went on to reach the MLS Cup final before falling 2-1 to D.C. United, but three years later Vermes helped Kansas City then the Wizards bring home their first title.

I can tell you that I think anything is possible when you step into the playoffs, he said, but at the same time, were a team that has some things to overcome.

Those things have been well chronicled: A run of injuries, several of them season-ending, that began in late March and never let up. Sporting limp into the playoffs tired, banged up and with midfielder Benny Feilhaber (ankle) and right back Igor Juliao (hamstring) questionable for Thursday.

It's what we have right now, midfielder Paulo Nagamura told reporters after Sunday's match. We cannot make any excuse. We have to deal with who we have in our group now. It's a short turnaround, only four days, but we're playing the team we just played, and the guys are going to come back with a different energy and mentality, I believe.

And despite their struggles down the stretch, left back Seth Sinovic said on Sunday, We're a team to be feared. We're the defending champs. We've got playoff experience, and we're ready to go.

Even if Feilhaber can't go on Thursday, Sporting still have plenty of players available Sinovic and Nagamura among them who either started or saw significant time in last year's MLS Cup shootout victory over Real Salt Lake. And for several of them including Sinovic and a trio of perennial MLS All-Stars in winger Graham Zusi and center backs Matt Besler and Aurelien Collin this will be their fourth straight postseason with Kansas City.

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Entering playoffs, Sporting Kansas City hope to erase rough end to season: "Anything is possible"

It wasnt the game-winner he hoped for to end a 20-career in professional soccer, but Marco Di Vaio still left the Montreal Impact with a goal to remember him by.

The 38-year-old Italian, who finished off a stellar career with three Major League Soccer seasons in Montreal, scored in the 27th minute only to see Fabian Espindola get the equalizer in the 86th as the Impact played to a 1-1 draw with D.C. United on Saturday.

To finish my career is a little bit sad, but this has been a big day for me and my family, so Im happy, said Di Vaio. Scoring goals was my life, and this was the last time I will feel that emotion.

But I received a lot of emotion from everyone in Montreal, inside and outside the stadium. I feel like a lucky guy.

The game meant nothing in the standings to either side.

Montreal (6-10-18) finished last in the 19-team MLS after a difficult season, although they took heart from going undefeated three wins and three ties in the last six home games.

D.C. United (17-8-9), which finished on a six-game unbeaten string, came first in the Eastern Conference and will face the winner of the fourth versus fifth place knockout game in the playoffs.

It poured cold rain throughout the match, but the crowd of 15,242 were there mostly to celebrate the career of perhaps the best player ever to put on the Impacts blue, white and black uniform.

The goal, scored on a solo run up the left side with a low shot slotted past goalkeeper Bill Hamid, was like many of the 34 he scored in 76 games for Montreal.

When he went in, Di Vaio performed his signature goal celebration he kissed the ring on his left hand and lifted his arm to the sky.

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Marco Di Vaio scores in last career game as Impact draws with United

Oakland University sounding off on alleged "Knockout Game" incident
Oakland University sounding off on alleged "Knockout Game" incident.

By: WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7

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Oakland University sounding off on alleged "Knockout Game" incident - Video