What We Want to Happen This Weekend 9/23-9/24

Sporting Kansas City’s playoff chances are hanging by a thread at this point of the season, three points out of a playoff spot, but that team, FC Dallas, with two games in hand. A win over a Houston Dynamo team that could be looking ahead to Wednesday’s US Open Cup final would keep the hopes alive for another week for KC. With KC still alive, here’s a look at the rest of this weekend’s games and what KC fans want to happen.

Atlanta vs Montreal
What we want to happen: Atlanta win

I’m at the point where I just want to put all games between Eastern Conference teams as doesn’t matter, because it really doesn’t for Sporting. Sure technically it does in a potential MLS Cup match up, but at this point making the playoffs, let alone MLS Cup is a pipe dream. That said, Sporting’s max point total at this point is 47, Atlanta United sits on 46. At this point you just hope that Sporting can make the playoffs and finish with more points than CF Montreal (currently 37) and get to host a KC vs Montreal MLS Cup.

Cincinnati vs Charlotte
What we want to happen: Cincinnati win

Simple here, Sporting can’t catch FC Cincinnati, they’re ahead of Charlotte.

DC vs New York
What we want to happen: draw

Both teams are within touching distance of KC, DC United is one point ahead of Sporting, on 36 points, while the New York Red Bulls are sitting on 31. So hope for neither team to get all three points.

NYCFC vs Toronto
What we want to happen: Toronto win

Toronto FC’s max point total is 37, two points ahead of KC’s current point total. New York City FC meanwhile is one point behind KC, so NYCFC dropping points to keep KC ahead of them is the desire here.

Philadelphia vs LAFC
What we want to happen: Philadelphia win

Simple strategy here, East vs West, choose the East team. It is helped by the fact that Sporting can’t catch the Philadelphia Union on points as they sit on 48 points already.

Chicago vs New England
What we want to happen: New England win

Another simple one because Sporting can’t catch the New England Revolution and are two points ahead of the Chicago Fire.

Dallas vs Columbus
What we want to happen: Columbus win

Copy and paste the Philadelphia vs LAFC game here for the same reasons, East vs West and Sporting being unable to catch the Eastern Conference team.

Minnesota vs St. Louis
What we want to happen: St. Louis win

Minnesota United is two points clear of KC, St. Louis City is out of reach for KC.

Salt Lake vs Vancouver
What we want to happen: Vancouver win

Similar to the match up midweek between the Vancouver Whitecaps and Houston Dynamo, Vancouver and Real Salt Lake are six and five points ahead of KC respectively. In this case you let the team ahead of KC (Vancouver) pull further ahead while keeping the team closer to KC (Real Salt Lake) within touching distance, and potentially only two points ahead of KC heading out of this weekend.

Portland vs Colorado
What we want to happen: Colorado win

The Colorado Rapids max point total at this point is 40, five points more than KC currently have, so catching Sporting seems unlikely. The Portland Timbers are four points clear of KC and have played the same number of games. So Colorado picking up the win and KC can hopefully close that gap to a single point.

San Jose vs Nashville
What we want to happen: Nashville win

East vs West, go East.

Orlando vs Miami
What we want to happen: Orlando win

Sporting can’t catch Orlando City, Inter Miami can still catch KC, go with the team that KC can’t catch.

Austin vs LA
What we want to happen: Draw

Both teams are currently behind KC with games in hand. In this case you don’t want either team picking up all three points, so give each team one.