With two weeks left in the USL regular season, the Western Conference race has gotten much tighter.
Swope Park Rangers
7th place: 11-10-6, 39 points
Maximum Points Available: 48
Remaining Games: at OKC Energy, Sunday. at Tulsa, Sept. 21. vs. Seattle, Sept. 24.
Swope Park picked the perfect time to get hot, winning three of its last four matches including a 3-0 victory against Tulsa on Saturday. Not only have the Rangers taken charge in the race for the final playoff spots, they are now just three points out of fourth place.
Orange County Blues FC
8th place: 11-13-4, 37 points
Maximum Points Available: 43
Remaining Games: vs. RGV FC, Saturday. vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks, Sept. 24.
Orange County moved past San Antonio FC and dealt an uppercut to Real Monarchs’ playoff chances with a 2-0 win over the Monarchs on Friday. SAFC still has a game in hand over Orange County, and the Blues’ remaining matches are against third-place Rio Grande Valley FC and second-place Colorado Springs.
San Antonio FC
9th place: 9-10-8, 35 points
Maximum Points Available: 44
Remaining Games:, at Real Monarchs, Wednesday. vs. Tulsa Roughnecks, Saturday. at RGV FC, Sept. 24.
Saturday’s 3-1 loss against Saint Louis FC was a disappointing loss for SAFC, but by no means does it put the team out of the playoff race. It’s a busy week ahead with a trip to Utah to face 11th place Real Monarchs on Wednesday, then back home against 15th place Tulsa in the final regular season match at Toyota Field. A six-point week could put SAFC in sixth place.
Seattle Sounders 2
10th place: 9-11-8, 35 points
Maximum Points Available: 41
Remaining Games: at Colorado Switchbacks, Saturday. at Swope Park, Sept. 24.
Seattle is on a dramatic four-match unbeaten streak, earning a 2-2 tie against OKC Energy on Sunday with a goal in the last minute of stoppage time. With just two games remaining though, Seattle needs three points instead of one to stay in the playoff hunt.
Real Monarchs SLC
11th place: 9-12-6, 33 points
Maximum Points Available: 42
Remaining Games: vs. San Antonio FC, Wednesday. at Arizona United, Saturday. at LA Galaxy II, Sept. 24.
A 2-0 loss against Orange County Blues on Friday was Real Monarchs’ first loss in more than a month. Like SAFC’s loss against Saint Louis, it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Wednesday’s match against SAFC will have major playoff implications, and SAFC will watch for Monarchs forward Maikon Orellana, who has scored twice in the last three matches.
Saint Louis FC
12th place: 8-11-9, 33 points
Maximum Points Available: 39
Remaining Games: vs. Louisville City FC, Sept. 17. at OKC Energy, Sept. 24
Saint Louis left San Antonio with a 3-1 win and three points, while a loss would have eliminated it from playoff contention. Saint Louis’ remaining matches are against Louisville, which is second place in the Eastern Conference, and OKC, which tied Saint Louis in all three of their previous matches. It will be eliminated with a tie or a loss against either team.
With two weeks left in the USL regular season, the Western Conference race has gotten much tighter.
Swope Park Rangers
7th place: 11-10-6, 39 points
Maximum Points Available: 48
Remaining Games: at OKC Energy, Sunday. at Tulsa, Sept. 21. vs. Seattle, Sept. 24.
Swope Park picked the perfect time to get hot, winning three of its last four matches including a 3-0 victory against Tulsa on Saturday. Not only have the Rangers taken charge in the race for the final playoff spots, they are now just three points out of fourth place.
Orange County Blues FC
8th place: 11-13-4, 37 points
Maximum Points Available: 43
Remaining Games: vs. RGV FC, Saturday. vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks, Sept. 24.
Orange County moved past San Antonio FC and dealt an uppercut to Real Monarchs’ playoff chances with a 2-0 win over the Monarchs on Friday. SAFC still has a game in hand over Orange County, and the Blues’ remaining matches are against third-place Rio Grande Valley FC and second-place Colorado Springs.
San Antonio FC
9th place: 9-10-8, 35 points
Maximum Points Available: 44
Remaining Games:, at Real Monarchs, Wednesday. vs. Tulsa Roughnecks, Saturday. at RGV FC, Sept. 24.
Saturday’s 3-1 loss against Saint Louis FC was a disappointing loss for SAFC, but by no means does it put the team out of the playoff race. It’s a busy week ahead with a trip to Utah to face 11th place Real Monarchs on Wednesday, then back home against 15th place Tulsa in the final regular season match at Toyota Field. A six-point week could put SAFC in sixth place.
Seattle Sounders 2
10th place: 9-11-8, 35 points
Maximum Points Available: 41
Remaining Games: at Colorado Switchbacks, Saturday. at Swope Park, Sept. 24.
Seattle is on a dramatic four-match unbeaten streak, earning a 2-2 tie against OKC Energy on Sunday with a goal in the last minute of stoppage time. With just two games remaining though, Seattle needs three points instead of one to stay in the playoff hunt.
Real Monarchs SLC
11th place: 9-12-6, 33 points
Maximum Points Available: 42
Remaining Games: vs. San Antonio FC, Wednesday. at Arizona United, Saturday. at LA Galaxy II, Sept. 24.
A 2-0 loss against Orange County Blues on Friday was Real Monarchs’ first loss in more than a month. Like SAFC’s loss against Saint Louis, it couldn’t have come at a worse time. Wednesday’s match against SAFC will have major playoff implications, and SAFC will watch for Monarchs forward Maikon Orellana, who has scored twice in the last three matches.
Saint Louis FC
12th place: 8-11-9, 33 points
Maximum Points Available: 39
Remaining Games: vs. Louisville City FC, Sept. 17. at OKC Energy, Sept. 24
Saint Louis left San Antonio with a 3-1 win and three points, while a loss would have eliminated it from playoff contention. Saint Louis’ remaining matches are against Louisville, which is second place in the Eastern Conference, and OKC, which tied Saint Louis in all three of their previous matches. It will be eliminated with a tie or a loss against either team.