SA Senior Editor Ridge Mahoney puts the MLS playoff picture in focus: The top two teams in MLS labored to a 0-0 tie Wednesday (Aug. 23) night, and so Kansas City (49 points) and the MetroStars (48 points) keep their places as the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds, respectively. Both teams have four matches remaining. A full Saturday (Aug. 26) schedule includes No. 3 Tampa Bay (47 points) hosting No. 4 Chicago (44). The Fire has a game in hand, and can boost its chance to win the Central by winning. The Fire has not lost to the Mutiny this season, having won 5-1 and 1-0 at home and earning a 0-0 tie in Tampa Aug. 2. Tampa Bay would grab the No. 1 seed with a win. The Fire and Mutiny game kicks off at 4:30 p.m. Eastern on Saturday and will be shown live on Telemundo. The Galaxy and the Fire could be headed to a first-round playoff showdown. They are currently deadlocked at 44 points. Chicago won the season series 1-0-1 against L.A. and would thus have the homefield advantage if the teams were to meet in a series that would be tattered by Olympic callups and injuries. The Fire also beat the Galaxy 2-1 Wednesday night (Aug. 23) in a U.S. Open Cup semifinal on a sudden-death goal by Josh Wolff. Chicago played with 10 men from the 51st minute. Dallas (40) holds the sixth spot, Columbus is at No. 7 with 38 points, and the Rapids (36) are clinging to the eighth and final spot despite being blasted by the Metros 5-3 on Sunday (Aug. 20). They are tied with New England in points, but have won the season series against the Revs 2-0-0. The first MLS tiebreaker is head-to-head results. Goal difference is used next, followed by goals scored. Miami (35) has won three of its last four to edge within a point of the Rapids. The Fusion has two more games at lame-duck D.C., including one on Saturday (Aug. 26), and with United in a tailspin, could garner enough points to crack the top eight. The Revs host the Crew on Saturday (Aug. 26) and probably can’t afford a repeat of the result the last time Columbus came to down, a 1-1 draw Aug. 5. This Saturday’s showdown begins at 7 p.m. Eastern and will be shown live on ESPN2. As of Thursday, August 24 here’s how the ladder looks and the games to play: 1. Kansas City — 49 points (4 games to play) @Rapids, Mutiny, @Revs, @Mutiny 2. MetroStars — 48 (4) @Burn, @Fusion, Fusion, @Revs 3. Tampa Bay — 47 (4) Fire, @Crew, @Wizards, Wizards 4. Chicago — 44 (5) @Mutiny, Burn, Rapids, Crew, @Crew 5. Los Angeles — 44 (4) @Quakes, Quakes, Burn, @Rapids Fire won the season series 1-0-1 by beating the Galaxy 2-1 last Saturday. 6. Dallas — 40 (4) Metros, @Fire, @Galaxy, Quakes 7. Columbus — 38 (5) @Revs, Mutiny, @Quakes, @Fire, Fire 8. Colorado –36 (4) Wizards, Fusion, @Fire, Galaxy Rapids have won the season series against the Revs 2-0-0. ———————————- 9. New England — 36 (5) Crew, United, @United, Wizards, Metros 10. Miami — 35 (5) @United, @Rapids, Metros, @Metros, @United 11. San Jose — 26 (4) Galaxy, @Galaxy, Crew, @Burn 12. D.C. — 24 (4) Fusion, @Revs, Revs, Fusion The playoff brackets would be as follows: 1.Kansas City vs. 8. Colorado, winner plays winner of 4. Chicago-5. Los Angeles. 2.MetroStars vs. 7. Columbus, winner plays winner of 3. Tampa Bay-6.Dallas. Games coming up: Saturday (Aug. 26) — Miami at D.C. United, Columbus at New England, Chicago at Tampa Bay, MetroStars at Dallas, Kansas City at Colorado, Los Angeles at San Jose. August 30 — D.C. United at New England, Tampa Bay at Columbus, Dallas at Chicago, Miami at Colorado, San Jose at Los Angeles.