Major League Soccer Playoffs Begin with New Best-of-Three Format for First Round

Players express mixed reactions as 16-team playoff kicks off; top-seeded teams include expansion St. Louis in West and Supporters' Shield winner Cincinnati in East.

The Major League Soccer playoffs are starting with a new best-of-three format for the first round, which has elicited mixed responses from players.
St. Louis City SC has claimed the top seed in the Western Conference, making it the first expansion team to achieve this feat. They will play against Sporting Kansas City, which advanced on penalties after a scoreless draw against the San Jose Earthquakes.
Inter Miami's Lionel Messi, the league's top draw, will be absent from the playoffs as the team plans to go on an international tour to China in early November.
In the Eastern Conference, Cincinnati, which won the Supporters' Shield for best regular-season performance, will face against the New York Red Bulls. Cincinnati's coach believes the pressure of the playoffs will be a positive for the team.
Should games be tied in regulation, the playoffs will move directly to penalties rather than extra-time periods. However, the conference semifinals and finals will revert to extra time before penalties, should a draw occur.

The Philadelphia Inquirer