Five Ghanaians and their clubs clinch Audi 2015 MLS playoffs spots

Dominic Oduro

At least five Ghanaian internationals will feature for their clubs in the 2015 Major League Soccer (MLS) playoffs.

At the climax of the MLS season, clubs are busily scrambling for playoffs spots while others are only waiting for the commencement of the post season after clinching their tickets.

A minimum of five full Ghanaian internationals have already booked a place in the playoffs with their respective clubs.

Other Americans with Ghanaian background are also in the mixed.

In the Eastern Conference, Lloyd Sam and New York Red Bulls clinched this season's first playoff spot on September 20. They have avoided the Knockout Round and secured an automatic berth in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Lloyd Sam

They have also clinched the top spot in the Eastern Conference as well as a spot in the 2016-2017 CONCACAF Champions League and still remain in contention for the Supporters' Shield.

Harrison Afful’s Columbus Crew SC locked up their playoffs spot on October 17 after a road win in Toronto and they still remain in contention for an automatic berth in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Also in the playoffs is Dominic Oduro and Montreal Impact who also clinched a playoff spot on October 17 after their 1-0 road win against New England. They also remain in contention for an automatic berth in the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Kofi Opare and D.C. United clinched a playoff spot on October 2^nd and still remain in contention for an automatic berth in the Eastern Conference Semifinals as well.

Qualifying from the Western Conference is Gershon Koffie and his Vancouver 

Whitecaps who also clinched a playoff spot on October 8^th. They also remain in contention for an automatic berth in the Western Conference Semifinals.

Kofi Opare

LA Galaxy who clinched a playoff spot on October 4^th have in their mixed Gyasi Zardes who is an American with a bit of Ghanaian background. They also remain in contention for an automatic berth in the Western Conference Semifinals.

According to MLS, 12 teams - the top six from each conference - at the end of the regular season, qualify for the 2015 MLS Cup Playoffs.

In the Knockout Round, the third seed will play the sixth seed from their conference and the fourth seed will play the fifth seed from their conference in a single knockout match.

The winners from the Knockout Round matches will advance to their respective Conference Semifinals.

The lowest seeded teams that advance from the Knockout Round will play the first seed team in each of the respective Conference Semifinals while the highest seeded teams that advance will play the second seeded team in each of their respective Conference Semifinals.

The four Conference Semifinals will be decided by two-game aggregate series, with the lower seed hosting the first leg and the higher seed hosting the second leg.

 If the aggregate score is tied after 180 minutes of play, the away goals rule will apply so as to be consistent with CONCACAF and FIFA practice.

If the series remains tied, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety, followed by penalty kicks, if necessary.

The away goals tiebreaker will not apply to overtime in the second leg of any two-legged playoff series.

The two Conference Championships will be decided by a two-game aggregate series, with the lower seed hosting the first leg and the higher seed hosting the second leg.

 If the aggregate score is tied after 180 minutes of play, the away goals rule will apply so as to be consistent with CONCACAF and FIFA practice.

Gershon Koffie

If the series remains tied, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety, followed by penalty kicks, if necessary.

The away goals tiebreaker will not apply to overtime in the second leg of any two-legged playoff series.

The MLS Cup will be a single championship match hosted by the finalist with the most regular season points. If the two finalists have the same number of regular season points, the tiebreakers for playoff qualification will be applied to determine the host team.

If the score is tied after 90 minutes of play, two 15-minute extra time periods will be played in their entirety, followed by penalty kicks, if necessary.

Harrison Afful

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Ghana’s Kwadwo Poku – The hottest commodity in MLS?

At age 23, Ghana’s Kwadwo Poku has become one of the hottest commodities in Major League Soccer (MLS).

Even in the presence of legends Frank Lampard and Andrea Pirlo, the young Ghanaian midfielder was still grabbing headlines for New York City FC with 26 games, four goals and seven assists to his name.

It has remained the wishes of NYCFC fans that Poku remains in the starting XI and until October 13, Ghanaian fans have been requesting his inclusion into the national team while some United States soccer fans were harboring a subtle hope that the Ghanaian may switch nationality in the near future.

In fact, when he was invited to play for Ghana in a friendly against Canada, MLSsoccer.com, in their report, assured that Poku’s participation in that game will not cap-tie him to Ghana.

When Ghana head coach Avram Grant finally paid heed to Ghanaian fans and handed him an international debut against Canada in Washington DC, Poku was given only eight minutes in an advanced central midfield role, but he seized the initiative to such an extent that one journalist in the postgame press conference wondered why he wasn't called on sooner, while another asked Grant point-blank if the NYCFC cult hero would be called back in the future.

Poku's international debut is the latest and greatest milestone on his rise from obscurity to sudden fame. The powerful midfielder was playing in the fourth-tier NPSL less than two years ago, and he admitted that the eight minutes against Canada was a surreal moment.

 “It feels good. It was my first time in the team and playing with these guys is different – although I'm from there, it's really different playing with guys you've never played with”, he told MLSsoccer.com.

“It's been crazy. I know people back home – even my parents – will look at this, and it's something I've always dreamed about. It's been a long journey, but hopefully, intending to God, it's working out fine.

 “Everybody was telling me, 'great job.

 “That's one thing they were looking to bring in the team, because they didn't have that type of somebody who wants to get the ball and just make something happen. I think they are happy to have me”, Kwadwo Poku noted.

Six months ago, almost nobody knew who he was. Nowadays, you can find 25,000 New Yorkers chanting his name, begging NYCFC head coach Jason Kreis to bring on the Ghanaian.

Poku has been a revelation in NYCFC's inaugural season, and he seems to have embraced his role as a game-changing substitute.

What sets him apart is that he has the size and strength usually associated with a No. 9, but is a devastating passer of the ball from anywhere in the attacking third, especially when faced up as a No. 10.

If you can pass the ball, you can play the game, and Poku plays it well. Come next season, expect him to shed his super-sub label and become a focal point.

Those with technical eye see him to be a bit of an enigma in this league. He has some gifts on the ball – if he gets the ball in space and is running at a guy, he can wrong-foot him and hit a shot, but he also has an eye to hit a pass that can make the defense come apart.

It is believed that Kwadwo Poku averages 2.7 chances created per 90 minutes, most among players under 24years in MLS this season.

Kwadwo Poku was transferred from the Atlanta Silverbacks (NASL) on January 23, 2015.

He signed with the Atlanta Silverbacks of the NASL on January 24, 2014, made 25 appearances for Atlanta, scoring twice, including the winning goal in the 91st minute against MLS side Real Salt Lake in the fourth round of the US Open Cup.

In 2013, he led the Georgia Revolution (NPSL) in scoring while notching a team-high seven assists, scored a hat-trick in the Revolution’s 4-3 win over the Real Colorado Foxes in the first round of the US Open Cup.

He is said to have played in the youth system of his hometown club, Asante Kotoko SC, in Kumasi, Ghana.

His role model is Manchester City’s Yaya Toure, who he had a chance to meet in the preseason.

Growing up in Ghana, Poku played the same holding midfield position and was a defensive midfielder in NYCFC’s first ever match against St. Mirren.

Poku came to the United States with the hopes of playing college soccer.

However, when he couldn’t get the proper paperwork sorted out, Poku went to play for the Georgia Revolution in the NPSL.

Poku immediately proved himself one of the top players for the Revolution, leading the team in goals in 2011-12 and assists in 2013.

He scored a hat trick in a first-round 2013 US Open Cup match against Real Colorado Foxes, a match attended by then Atlanta Silverbacks technical director Eric Wynalda.

He signed Poku to his first professional contract in January 2014.

He shone again in the 2014 US Open Cup with the Silverbacks, scoring a game-winning goal against Real Salt Lake.

Real Salt Lake, Chicago and Seattle battled to obtain his rights with the Sounders eventually winning the Discovery Claim.

However, Seattle didn’t offer Atlanta much for Poku and NYCFC eventually traded a conditional 2017 draft pick for his rights.

Before he became a fan favorite at Yankee Stadium, Poku was a cult hero in Atlanta.

The son of a former professional soccer player, Poku’s aunts and uncles helped him when he was making his transition to living in the United States.

Additional Information: MLSsoccer.com.

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