Sporting Kansas City enter the penultimate week of the 2019 MLS regular season with their club-record eight-year playoff streak hanging by a thread.
With 37 points in the bag and three matches remaining, Sporting must win out to have any chance of breaking into the Audi 2019 MLS Cup Playoffs.
They will also need some help along the way.
As the age-old sports saying goes, it's a "one game at a time" approach for Manager Peter Vermes' men ahead of a midweek visit to Minnesota United FC. This fixture is one of three on Wednesday night that Sporting fans will want to keep an eye on, as the Portland Timbers and San Jose Earthquakes both play later that evening.
In order for Sporting to preserve their playoff chances heading into Sunday's home finale against Portland, here's what must happen on Wednesday.
HOW SPORTING CAN STAY ALIVE IN THE PLAYOFF RACE ON WEDNESDAY
- Sporting must win at Minnesota United FC, AND
- Portland must lose or tie at home vs. New England, OR
San Jose must lose or tie at home vs. Philadelphia
To clarify, if Portland and San Jose both notch home wins, Sporting will be eliminated from playoff contention regardless of their result against Minnesota.
Sporting's best possible point total stands at 46. Sixth-place FC Dallas, seventh-place San Jose and eighth-place Portland all remain catchable, but only if Sporting win out and the three aforementioned teams stutter down the stretch.
Wednesday's showdown at the new Allianz Field in St. Paul, Minnesota, will kick off at 7 p.m. CT with live coverage on FOX Sports Kansas City Plus, FOX Sports Midwest Plus, FOX Sports GO, Sports Radio 810 WHB and La Grande 1340 AM.
Below is a current look at the Western Conference table. Remarkably, LAFC is the only club assured of a playoff berth and Vancouver is the only team mathematically eliminated. Take note that the clubs in bold are those that Sporting can still pass between now and the end of Decision Day on Oct. 6.
MLS WESTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS (as of Sept. 23, 2019)
<strong>#</strong> |
<strong>Club</strong> |
<strong>PTS</strong> |
<strong>GP</strong> |
<strong>W</strong> |
<strong>L</strong> |
<strong>T</strong> |
<strong>Remaining Schedule</strong> |
1 |
LAFC <strong>(clinched)</strong> |
65 |
31 |
19 |
4 |
8 |
vs. HOU, at MIN, vs. COL |
2 |
Seattle Sounders FC |
50 |
32 |
14 |
10 |
8 |
at SJ, vs. MIN |
3 |
Minnesota United FC |
49 |
31 |
14 |
10 |
7 |
vs. SKC, vs. LAFC, at SEA |
4 |
LA Galaxy |
48 |
31 |
15 |
13 |
3 |
at RSL, vs. VAN, at HOU |
5 |
Real Salt Lake |
47 |
31 |
14 |
12 |
5 |
vs. LA, vs. HOU, at VAN |
<strong>6</strong> |
<strong>FC Dallas</strong> |
<strong>45</strong> |
<strong>32</strong> |
<strong>12</strong> |
<strong>11</strong> |
<strong>9</strong> |
<strong>at COL, vs. SKC</strong> |
<strong>7</strong> |
<strong>San Jose Earthquakes</strong> |
<strong>44</strong> |
<strong>31</strong> |
<strong>13</strong> |
<strong>13</strong> |
<strong>5</strong> |
<strong>vs. PHI, vs. SEA, at POR</strong> |
<strong>8</strong> |
<strong>Portland Timbers</strong> |
<strong>44</strong> |
<strong>31</strong> |
<strong>13</strong> |
<strong>13</strong> |
<strong>5</strong> |
<strong>vs. NE, at SKC, vs. SJ</strong> |
<strong>9</strong> |
<strong>Colorado Rapids</strong> |
<strong>39</strong> |
<strong>32</strong> |
<strong>11</strong> |
<strong>15</strong> |
<strong>6</strong> |
<strong>vs. DAL, at LAFC</strong> |
<strong>10</strong> |
<strong>Houston Dynamo</strong> |
<strong>37</strong> |
<strong>31</strong> |
<strong>11</strong> |
<strong>16</strong> |
<strong>4</strong> |
<strong>at LAFC, at RSL, vs. LA</strong> |
11 |
Sporting Kansas City |
37 |
31 |
10 |
14 |
7 |
at MIN, vs. POR, at DAL |
12 |
Vancouver Whitecaps FC<br><strong>(eliminated)</strong> |
31 |
32 |
7 |
15 |
10 |
at LA, vs. RSL |
