With three weeks remaining in the United Soccer League regular season, the Western Conference playoff race is coming down to the wire. One team, Sacramento Republic FC, is in. One team, Tulsa Roughnecks FC, is out. The other 13 teams, including the Swope Park Rangers (10-10-6, 36 pts), remain in pursuit of a postseason ticket. Read more below in SportingKC.com's weekly "USL Playoff Math" series.
PLAYOFFS 101
For starters, there are 15 teams in the USL's Western Conference. The top eight make the playoffs and positioning is pivotal for home field advantage. In each round, the higher seed hosts the lower seed in a single-game elimination match. Win and advance.
TABLE AS OF TODAY
<strong>TEAM</strong> |
<strong>GP</strong> |
<strong>W</strong> |
<strong>L</strong> |
<strong>T</strong> |
<strong>PTS</strong> |
<strong>PAST WEEK</strong> |
1. Sacramento Republic FC* |
27 |
13 |
6 |
8 |
47 |
2-1 W |
2. Rio Grande Valley FC |
26 |
12 |
5 |
9 |
45 |
2-0 W |
3. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC |
27 |
12 |
8 |
7 |
43 |
3-0 W |
4. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 |
27 |
11 |
7 |
9 |
42 |
2-1 L; 2-2 T |
5. OKC Energy FC |
26 |
10 |
5 |
11 |
41 |
1-1 T; 4-0 L |
6. LA Galaxy II |
26 |
10 |
7 |
9 |
39 |
2-1 W; 3-0 L |
7. Swope Park Rangers |
26 |
10 |
10 |
6 |
36 |
2-1 W; 2-0 L |
8. San Antonio FC |
26 |
9 |
9 |
8 |
35 |
2-1 L; 1-1 T |
9. Orange County Blues FC |
27 |
10 |
13 |
4 |
34 |
2-1 L |
10. Seattle Sounders FC 2 |
27 |
9 |
11 |
7 |
34 |
2-1 W; 2-1 W; 2-2 T |
11. Real Monarchs |
26 |
9 |
11 |
6 |
33 |
1-1 T |
12. Arizona United SC |
27 |
8 |
12 |
7 |
31 |
2-1 L; 1-1 T |
13. Saint Louis FC |
27 |
7 |
11 |
9 |
30 |
1-1 T; 2-1 L |
14. Portland Timbers 2 |
26 |
8 |
14 |
4 |
28 |
2-1 L; 4-0 W |
15. Tulsa Roughnecks FC** |
26 |
5 |
17 |
4 |
19 |
1-1 T |
Playoff berth clinched
*Eliminated from playoff contention
SPR INTO PLAYOFF POSITION
Among the top eight teams in the Western Conference, only one playoff spot changed hands from a week ago and it was the Swope Park Rangers who vaulted into seventh place with a 2-1 victory over San Antonio FC thanks to a stoppage time penalty kick from Ayrton. While the top three teams in the West all won in Week 23, the Rangers kept pace with sixth-place LA Galaxy II and gained two points on fifth-place OKC Energy FC and fourth-place Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2.
SPR'S FINAL FOUR MATCHES
Will SPR reach the postseason in their inaugural season? Is a top-four finish and subsequent home playoff game still in the cards? Those questions will be answered over the course of the Rangers' final four matches.
- Saturday, Sept. 10 vs. Tulsa Roughnecks FC
- Sunday, Sept. 18 at OKC Energy FC
- Wednesday, Sept. 21 at Tulsa Roughnecks FC
- Saturday, Sept. 24 vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2
Two of the team's next three matches come against last place Tulsa Roughnecks FC, who snapped a five-game losing streak on Saturday with a 1-1 road result at the Real Monarchs. Sandwiched in between those two fixtures is a trip to fifth-place OKC Energy FC as the Swope Park Rangers aim to avoid a season sweep against Jimmy Nielsen's side.
Those three tilts against Oklahoma opponents then set the stage for the regular season finale at Children's Mercy Victory Field in Swope Soccer Village against Seattle Sounders FC 2. The resurgent S2 squad has climbed within one point of playoff position with seven points in the past eight days.
Secure your seats, starting as low as $12, for the SPR home matches on Sept. 10 and Sept. 24 by calling 888-4KC-GOAL or buying online at Ticketmaster.com.
