MLS Playoff Player Rankings: Ousted Top After Conference Semifinals 1st Leg
For the entire Major League Soccer regular season, we ranked the top 20 players in the league based on form.
Just because the regular season is over, it doesn't mean we can't stop ranking players, but we did have to make some adjustments for the MLS Cup playoffs.
Instead of listing the top 20 stars, we narrowed the list down to 10 in order to honor the best performances of the postseason to date from a limited amount of teams.
Our first ranking of the playoffs mainly focuses on the displays in the conference semifinal first legs, but those who were involved in the knockout-round matches had their showings from those contests considered as well.
Continue reading on to see who landed in the first playoff edition of our MLS Player Rankings.
Honorable Mentions
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These players impressed during the first weekend of the playoffs, but their performances left them just outside the top 10.
Mauro Diaz (FC Dallas)
Sacha Kljestan (New York Red Bulls)
Wil Trapp (Columbus Crew)
Jorge Villafana (Portland Timbers)
Donny Toia (Montreal Impact)
Ignacio Piatti (Montreal Impact)
10. Tim Parker, CB, Vancouver Whitecaps
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Tim Parker's development as a key cog in the Vancouver defense was one of the most underrated storylines in the final months of the regular season.
With the spotlight fully focused on the Whitecaps defense in a tough matchup against the Portland attack, the 22-year-old rookie from St. John's University thrived next to Kendall Waston in the middle of the Vancouver back four.
The No. 13 overall pick in the 2015 MLS SuperDraft helped limit Fanendo Adi's influence on the match for 90 minutes, and he also dealt well with crosses sent in by Diego Valeri, Darlington Nagbe and others in the Portland attack during the 0-0 draw.
If he continues to turn in strong showings for the rest of the postseason, Parker will fly onto Jurgen Klinsmann's radar as the United States men's national team searches for fresh talent.
9. Diego Valeri, AM, Portland Timbers
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Despite being unable to link up with Adi for most of the match at Providence Park due to the play of Parker and Waston, Diego Valeri was a constant threat moving forward for the Timbers.
The 29-year-old almost handed Portland a one-goal advantage heading into the second leg in Vancouver, but he was denied by David Ousted, who makes an appearance near the top of this list.
In order for the Timbers to net a much-needed away goal in the second leg on Sunday, Valeri must continue his immense amount of production for Caleb Porter's side.
8. Andreas Ivanschitz, AM, Seattle Sounders
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With all the options Seattle has on the wings, it was hard to imagine Andreas Ivanschitz having a massive impact on the team's playoff run just a month ago.
That all changed on Sunday as the Austrian struck the Sounders' first goal of the 2-1 win over FC Dallas into the back of the net after a superb run from midfield into the left side of the penalty area.
The former Levante and Mainz man could have the same impact on the wing that Stefan Ishizaki had on the LA Galaxy in the past two years.
With plenty of experience under his belt, the 32-year-old could be the veteran presence on the wing the Sounders need to get over their playoff hump and into the MLS Cup.
7. Federico Higuain, CAM, Columbus Crew
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In all honesty, Federico Higuain should have left Stade Saputo with two goals, but because he decided to get too cute early in the first half, he went back to Columbus with only one.
Higuain got in on goal in the third minute, but instead of lashing a shot past Evan Bush, he decided to chip the Montreal goalkeeper. That lapse in judgement kept the match scoreless until the 33rd minute, when the Argentinian benefited from a mis-hit clearance by Didier Drogba.
Unfortunately for the 31-year-old, he was one of the only active parts of the Crew attack in the 2-1 first-leg loss to Montreal as Kei Kamara and Ethan Finlay were shut down by the Montreal defense.
6. Fabian Castillo, AM, FC Dallas
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Fabian Castillo scored, arguably, the most important goal of the weekend in the 18th minute of FC Dallas' road match at CenturyLink Field against the Sounders.
The Colombian's first-half strike came off a beautiful counter started by goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez's quick thinking and handed Oscar Pareja's side a vital away goal.
Although the No. 1 seed in the Western Conference heads into the second leg down by a goal to the Sounders, it has a crucial away goal in its back pocket.
If Castillo and Mauro Diaz can find holes in the Seattle defense and the FC Dallas back line can hold firm at Toyota Stadium, they will be able to avenge last season's loss in the conference semifinal round to Seattle.
5. Clint Dempsey, FW, Seattle Sounders
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The stands at CenturyLink Field may still be shaking after the eruption caused by Clint Dempsey's 86th-minute free-kick goal on Sunday.
The 32-year-old won the final game of the four-match slate with a booming free kick that soared into the top-right part of the net past Gonzalez.
Seattle still has plenty of work to do in Texas in the second leg, but it looks like the Sounders have the motivation and momentum to possibly make a run at their first MLS Cup this season.
4. Kendall Waston, CB, Vancouver Whitecaps
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For most of the regular season, Kendall Waston's play at center back for Vancouver was underappreciated by most of the league.
The towering 27-year-old Costa Rica international changed that with his stellar display in a physical battle with Adi for 90 minutes at Providence Park.
Not only did the 6'5" Waston take Portland's top aerial threat out of the contest, he also had a few key involvements in front of the Vancouver goal to deny scoring opportunities.
A repeat performance in the second leg would hand the Whitecaps either a rematch with FC Dallas or a two-legged tie with a familiar foe in Seattle.
3. Dax McCarty, CM, New York Red Bulls
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It seemed fitting that the heart and soul of the New York Red Bulls scored the game-winning goal against the team's biggest rival in the first leg of the Eastern Conference semifinal on Sunday.
Dax McCarty knocked in a rare headed goal off a Sacha Kljestan free kick in the 72nd minute to hand the Red Bulls an advantage on away goals heading into the second leg at Red Bull Arena.
The defensive midfielder, who should receive a look from Klinsmann in the near future, was also a part of a Red Bulls defense that held D.C. to zero shots on goal in the 1-0 win.
2. Patrice Bernier, CM, Montreal Impact
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It turns out Patrice Bernier's wife was right when she complained about her husband's lack of playing time under former Impact boss Frank Klopas.
The 36-year-old, who made six starts in the regular season, scored his second goal of the postseason in Montreal's 2-1 win over Columbus at Stade Saputo.
In one of the most unlikely developments of the postseason to date, Bernier is now a key contributor in the Montreal midfield, and he is one step away from clinching a spot in the Eastern Conference final.
1. David Ousted, GK, Vancouver Whitecaps
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The best performance of the weekend came from Vancouver goalkeeper David Ousted, who made six saves in his side's goalless draw with the Portland Timbers at Providence Park.
Ousted made the best save of the playoff quadruple-header on Sunday in the 71st minute as he leaped and knocked away Valeri's free kick that was destined to strike the top-right portion of the net.
The Danish netminder also made a key play 16 minutes prior as he rushed off his line and deflected an Adi touch away from goal.
Although the 30-year-old may not win the award because of his low profile nationally during the regular season, Ousted certainly deserves plenty of votes for Goalkeeper of the Year.
Joe Tansey covers MLS for Bleacher Report. You can follow him on Twitter, @JTansey90.
