There are 2 weeks left in the MLS regular season, and the race for a playoff spot in the Western Conference could not be any tighter for soccer betting fans. FC Dallas, LA Galaxy, and the Vancouver Whitecaps have all booked their tickets, but there are still 6 teams with a chance, however slight, of picking up the remaining 3 places. Let’s take a look at what each of those teams has to do to get in.
The team under the most pressure of the chasing pack has to be the Seattle Sounders. This is a team loaded with high-priced talent, yet they continue to underachieve. Their final 2 games are against playoff hopefuls. They begin with a road trip to Houston and close out at home against Real Salt Lake. Both of those teams are out with another dropped point, so you have to favor Seattle to get the job done.
The Portland Timbers occupy the 6th and final playoff spot right now, and they got there with a huge win on Wednesday night in Salt Lake, which we predicted here. The Timbers travel to LA to face the Galaxy on Sunday, and then close out at home against Colorado a week later. If they can pick up a point in LA, and then put away the Rapids at home, they should make it into the postseason.
The San Jose Earthquakes have perhaps the toughest finish to the season of all the teams in this pack. The welcome in Sporting KC this weekend, and then have to go on the road to face Western Conference FC Dallas, who still have a legitimate shot at the Supporter’s Shield for the best overall record in the MLS. I don’t like their chances.
#MLS Western Conference playoff magic numbers after 10 October. pic.twitter.com/ct4ylw2xk0
— MLS Magic Number (@MLSmagicnumber) October 11, 2015
Sporting KC are in 4th place with 48 points, and with 3 games to play, they have the best shot at getting in. They host the San Joes Earthquakes on Friday in a game that has huge playoff implications. They then close out the season with 2 games on the road at last place Colorado and then Los Angeles. I like them to get in to the postseason, and 4 points should be enough.
The team under the most pressure of the chasing pack has to be the Seattle Sounders. This is a team loaded with high-priced talent, yet they continue to underachieve. Their final 2 games are against playoff hopefuls. They begin with a road trip to Houston and close out at home against Real Salt Lake. Both of those teams are out with another dropped point, so you have to favor Seattle to get the job done.
The Portland Timbers occupy the 6th and final playoff spot right now, and they got there with a huge win on Wednesday night in Salt Lake, which we predicted here. The Timbers travel to LA to face the Galaxy on Sunday, and then close out at home against Colorado a week later. If they can pick up a point in LA, and then put away the Rapids at home, they should make it into the postseason.
The San Jose Earthquakes have perhaps the toughest finish to the season of all the teams in this pack. The welcome in Sporting KC this weekend, and then have to go on the road to face Western Conference FC Dallas, who still have a legitimate shot at the Supporter’s Shield for the best overall record in the MLS. I don’t like their chances.
Real Salt Lake and the Houston Dynamo are both on 41 points, and 6 points off the final playoff spot. They would both have to win their final 2 games and hope that a few others slipped up. Both are still alive mathematically, but the reality is that they are essentially already done.
