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San Jose Earthquakes strengthen position atop MLS Supporters’ Shield standings

The San Jose Earthquakes rise above the competition in the race for the 2012 MLS Supporters' Shield.
The San Jose Earthquakes rise above the competition in the race for the 2012 MLS Supporters' Shield.

A busy weekend of MLS saw each of the teams competing for the Supporters’ Shield in action, and after all the results were tabulated, the San Jose Earthquakes remained at the top of the standings.

The Quakes lead over second place Sporting Kansas City increased to 5 points courtesy of their 2-0 win on the road at Chivas USA. Meanwhile, the next seven teams in the standings were separated by the equivalent 5 points. With just 6 games remaining for each of the 5 teams that realistically has a chance to capture the Shield, the Earthquakes position at the top looks safe for the immediate future.

2012 MLS Supporters’ Shield Standings (updated September 17)

#

Club

Pts

GP

PPG

W

L

T

HGR

AGR

1

San Jose Earthquakes

56

28

2.00

17

6

5

3

3

2

Sporting Kansas City

51

28

1.82

15

7

6

2

4

3

Chicago Fire

50

28

1.79

15

8

5

3

3

4

New York Red Bulls

49

28

1.75

14

7

7

4

2

5

Seattle Sounders FC

48

28

1.71

13

6

9

4

2

GP: Games Played; PPG: Points Per Game; HGR: Home Games Remaining; AGR: Away Games Remaining

By virtue of their road win at Chivas, San Jose increased their points-per-game average to 2.00. In the 16 year history of MLS, only three teams have finished the season with a PPG at or higher than that number, and all three teams won the Supporters’ Shield. With 3 home games and 3 road games left to play, if the Earthquakes are able to collect maximum points at Buck Shaw Stadium and draw their opponents on the road, then San Jose can retain that lofty PPG average. The franchise last accomplished that record in 2005.

For the other contenders, both New York and Chicago posted home wins against Columbus and Montreal respectively. Seattle survived a trip to Portland to earn a point, and Sporting KC could only manage a draw at home against Houston. If one presumes that teams are expected to win at home and draw on the road, then only San Jose improved their position based on the weekend’s results.

Remaining schedules for teams in the Supporters' Shield Race:

San Jose Earthquakes (17W-6L-5T, 56 points, 2.00 PPG)
Portland Timbers
At Seattle Sounders
FC Dallas

At Colorado Rapids
Los Angeles
Galaxy
At Portland Timbers
(3 Home games,
3 away games)

Sporting Kansas City (15-7-6, 51 points, 1.82 PPG)
At New York Red Bulls
At Montreal Impact
Chicago
Fire
At Columbus Crew
At New York Red Bulls
Philadelphia
Union
(2 Home games,
4 away games)

Chicago Fire (15-8-5, 50 points, 1.79 PPG)
Columbus
Crew
At Sporting Kansas City
Philadelphia
Union
At New York Red Bulls
At New England Revolution
DC United

(3 Home games,
3 away games)

New York Red Bulls (14-7-7, 49 points, 1.75 PPG)
Sporting Kansas City

At New England Revolution
Toronto
FC
Chicago
Fire
Sporting Kansas City

At Philadelphia Union
(4 Home games,
2 away games)

Seattle Sounders (13-6-9, 48 points, 1.71 PPG)
San Jose
Earthquakes
At Vancouver Whitecaps
Portland
Timbers
Real
Salt Lake
FC Dallas

At Los Angeles Galaxy
(4 Home games,
2 away games)