:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/57149011/usa_today_10341199.0.jpg)
It is the penultimate weekend of the MLS season and all 22 teams are playing today across two time slots. Most of the Eastern Conference is kicking off at 4pm Central Time while the entire Western Conference, including Sporting Kansas City, kick off at 6:30pm. Kansas City can clinch their berth in the playoffs with a win, draw, or loss with some help, but there are other possibilities for KC to finish this weekend as well. KC could clinch themselves a top two spot in the West this weekend with a win and some help in other games. A win and the club clinches a top four spot and guarantees themselves their first home playoff game since MLS Cup 2013. Here’s a look at what KC want to happen in each game today.
Philadelphia at Chicago
What we want to happen - Philadelphia win
With just two games left in the season, the Fire sit four points ahead of Kansas City in the single table. With that in mind, hosting a potential MLS Cup against the Fire would require the Fire to pick up no more than one point in their final two games (they have 15 wins to KC's 12 so they'd win the first tie breaker, most wins). That starts at home against the Union. Sporting need Philadelphia to pick up a win on the road.
NYCFC at New England
What we want to happen - does not matter
Kansas City can't catch NYCFC in the single table, meaning that no matter how the final two games go, if KC and NYCFC make MLS Cup, Sporting will be on the road for the game. New England meanwhile is eliminated from the playoff race in the East, so this game is meaningless to KC.
Atlanta at New York
What we want to happen - New York win
This is a hard one to pick, because New York is just two points behind Kansas City in the single table, and a win will at least temporarily see them jump ahead of Kansas City. Atlanta on the other hand sit five points ahead of Sporting with 15 wins, meaning that if Atlanta pick up any more points a potential MLS Cup against the expansion side would be in Georgia. With that thought in mind, New York get the win this week, but hope they lose next week to keep the chance of an MLS Cup over either of them.
Columbus at Orlando
What we want to happen - Orlando win
This one is simple, Columbus is in the playoffs, two points ahead of Kansas City, Orlando is out of the playoffs. Orlando topping Columbus allows KC to jump ahead of them in the single table with a win over Houston.
Montreal at Toronto
What we want to happen - does not matter
Like NYCFC and New England earlier, one team (Toronto) is in the playoffs and can't be caught by KC, and another (Montreal) is out of the playoff picture, so this game does not matter to KC.
Salt Lake at Colorado
What we want to happen - Colorado win
With KC having not won in their last three games, the chasing pack in the West has continued to pick up points. Salt Lake is below the red line right now, but trails Kansas City by six points, meaning if KC ends up losing out, they could fall below Salt Lake in the table. With that thought in mind, the eliminated Rapids picking up all three points against their rival is what KC fans want.
Minnesota at LA
What we want to happen - does not matter
Both teams are eliminated from playoff contention so this game doesn't matter to KC.
Dallas at Seattle
What we want to happen - Dallas win
What KC wants to happen in this game is almost more dependent on how KC does in their game against Houston at the same time. A KC win and Sporting want Dallas to win, because a win by KC will mean that Dallas can't catch Sporting in the table, and clinch a top four spot for Sporting, guaranteeing a home game. That means KC would want a Dallas win because it would allow KC to jump four points ahead of Seattle in the Western Conference table, guaranteeing KC would finish no lower than fourth. Now if KC loses to Houston, KC's playoff lives begin to be questioned quite a bit more and it almost makes more sense for Seattle to win, making it so Dallas still can't catch KC on points, helping clinch a playoff berth for KC. But given KC's home form this season combined with Houston's road form KC want Dallas to win.
San Jose at Vancouver
What KC want to happen - San Jose win
Like the Dallas vs Seattle game, this game is dependent on how KC does against Houston, because a KC win combined with a San Jose win would see KC jump into a a tie with Vancouver for the top spot in the West (in second on the most wins tie breaker). It would keep KC's chances of winning the West alive. A KC loss though and San Jose could make things extremely tight for Sporting as San Jose currently sits below the playoff line with 42 points, five back of KC. As with the game above, I'm going with the result we want should KC take care of their own business against Houston.
DC at Portland
What we want to happen - DC win
DC is eliminated from the playoffs, Portland is one point behind KC, this is an easy one to pick. A KC win combined with Portland and Seattle losses would see KC clinch a top two seed and avoiding the play in round for the first time since 2013.