2003 A-League Playoffs

Quarter Finals		Semi Finals		Championship		2003 Champion
Seattle
Sep 5 11:00 ET, SEA 0 - VAN 0		Seattle
Sep 7 10:00 ET, VAN 1 - SEA 1 (SEA advances 6-5 on PK's)
Vancouver		Sep 12 10:30 ET, MIN 1 - SEA 0		Minnesota
		Sep 14 5:00 ET, MIN 1 - SEA 0 (MIN wins 2-0 on aggregate)
Milwaukee
Sep 5 8:30 ET, MIL 1 - MIN 0		Minnesota
Sep 7 8:00 ET, MIN 1 - MIL 0 (MIN wins series on OT goal)
Minnesota				Sep 20 7:00 ET, CHS 3 - MIN 0		CHARLESTON
Montreal
Sep 5 7:30 ET, ROC 2 - MON 1		Rochester
Sep 7 4:00 ET, MON 0 - ROC 0 (ROC wins 2-1 on aggregate)
Rochester		Sep 12 8;00 ET, ROC 0 - CHS 0		Charleston
		Sep 14 6:00 ET, CHS 1 - ROC 0 (CHS wins 1-0 on aggregate)
Charleston
Sep 5 7:30 ET, VB 1 - CHS 0		Charleston
Sep 7 6:00 ET, CHS 4 - VB 1 (CHS wins 4-2 on aggregate)
Virginia Beach

2003 Playoff Rules

PLAYOFFS

Each league in USL has its own distinct playoff system that will determine the league champion.

A-League: Eight teams will qualify for the playoffs comprised of the top two teams from each of the four divisions. The playoffs start with division finals with the winners playing for the conference championship. The division and conference finals will utilize the two-leg, aggregate score playoff series system. The two conference champions will meet in the league championship game at one of the participating teams.

Single playoff matches
During postseason play, single games tied after regulation will be followed by two 15-minute sudden-death overtime periods. If still tied, FIFA penalty kicks are used to determine the winner.

Two-leg, aggregate score series
Playoffs: Each team will host a regulation 90-minute match. If the series score is tied at the conclusion of the second game (180 minutes total), two sudden-death 15-minute overtime periods are played to determine the series winner. If neither team scores, the series is then decided via FIFA penalty kicks. Rules governing the play of overtime and penalty kicks are extended from the second match.

Substitutions
Five (5) substitutions are allowed per league game with no re-entry permitted. Seven (7) substitutions will be permitted for exhibition games with no re-entry permitted.

Standings tiebreakers
The breaking of ties in the final standings, playoffs and finals is accomplished by applying the following criteria, in order of importance: 1. Head-to-head record based on total points in League games.*
2. Total wins in League games.
3. Goal difference in League games.
4. Goals scored in League games.
5. Total points within smallest Group. If number of games is unequal, then point percentage will be used.
6. Ranking based on points earned against top four group finishers. This tiebreaker will not be used if four or less teams comprise the Group. If number of games is unequal, then point percentage applies.
7. Point percentage outside/smallest division or conference in League games.
8. Total points in all regular season and Open Cup Qualifying games combined. If number of games is unequal, then point percentage applies.
9. FIFA Fair Play – Team with fewest disciplinary points in League games. (If number of games is unequal, points will be divided by games played to arrive at a common basis for comparison.)
10. Lottery conducted by USL at League office.

*** US Open Cup Qualifying: For US Open Cup qualifying purposes only, tiebreakers 3 and 4 for the PDL will have a cap of +/- 3 per game.

Point Percentage: number of total points earned / maximum possible points (3 per game)

League games: Refers solely to games that count towards the regular season standings. Open Cup qualifying specific games are NOT “league games” when it comes to determining placement in the League standings. (When determining tiebreakers for Open Cup groups, “league games” should be interpreted as all games that count toward the Open Cup group standings.)

Group: Term used to describe the primary unit a team is in (i.e. PDL – Southwest Division, USL Pro Select League – Northern region)

* Should any of the teams involved have played each other an UNEQUAL number of times, this tiebreaker will be skipped.