Major MLS Cup Playoff implications are on the line Sunday afternoon when Minnesota United FC host Sporting Kansas City in Saint Paul, Minn.
Kansas City (17-7-7) enters the weekend tied for first place in the Western Conference with the Seattle Sounders (17-8-7) with 58 points, but has a game in hand and holds the tiebreaker edge in goal differential.
The Loons (12-11-9, 45 points), meanwhile, began the weekend tied with seventh-place Real Salt Lake (13-12-6, 45 points) and two points behind fifth-place Vancouver (12-9-11, 47 points). The top seven teams make the playoffs.
There is a scenario that Minnesota United could be eliminated from the playoffs before next Sunday’s Decision Day with a loss if Real Salt Lake defeat visiting San Jose on Saturday, the L.A. Galaxy win at Seattle on Monday and the Whitecaps topple Los Angeles FC on Tuesday.
“It means we have to win the weekend,” Minnesota coach Adrian Heath told twincities.com. “We said our home form is going to be crucial and the last couple of weeks it’s been good. We go again this weekend. Very difficult opponent, but one we can win if we play as well as we can, and that’s what we got to do.”
The Loons, who handed SKC a 3-0 playoff loss last December, have yet to score against them this season with a 0-0 home draw on Aug. 21 and a 4-0 loss in Kansas City on Sept. 15. Minnesota finishes the season on the road against the Galaxy.
Sporting, which still has games remaining at Austin FC on Wednesday and at home against RSL next Sunday, already has clinched a playoff spot but still has plenty to play for. Kansas City is fighting for its third Western Conference title in four years, which would bring a first-round bye, home-field advantage in the West playoffs and a CONCACAF Champions League spot.
“We’ve got three games (left),” forward Johnny Russell told kansascity.com. “We win out and we finish top of the West again, three times in four years. It’s in our hands. It’s up to us. We go out and win our games, then that’s it — no one else has a say in it.”
Russell, the reigning MLS Player of the Week, is also in the running for the Golden Boot with 14 goals. He has an eight-game goal scoring streak during which he has scored 10 times.
“Everything I’m hitting right now seems to be going in,” Russell said.
–Field Level Media
