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USL League One Playoff Projections - Week 27

By USLLeagueOne.com Staff, 10/05/21, 3:30PM EDT

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Omaha within sight of clinching its spot ahead of a busy week


Union Omaha and Greenville Triumph SC meet this weekend in of the key games in the USL League One playoff race this week. | Photo courtesy Greenville Triumph SC

The first berth in the 2021 USL League One Playoffs could be claimed this week by Union Omaha, which can earn its return to the postseason for a second consecutive season should it claim victory in both of its games this week at Werner Park.  

There’s still so much to be decided around the playoff line, though, and with FC Tucson on the sidelines until next week’s action arrives the postseason picture could change dramatically once again before that happens. 

Here are two games to watch this week, and where everyone stands overall with four weeks to go in the campaign. 

Matches to Watch


Union Omaha
Saturday, October 9
7:00 PM EST
Werner Park
Greenville Triumph SC

Union Omaha opens this week on Wednesday night against Fort Lauderdale CF, but with its Magic Number now at 5, should it take victory in that contest it would set up a first chance to clinch a playoff berth when Greenville Triumph SC comes to visit on Saturday. A win there would send Los Buhos into the postseason, but Greenville is going to be desperate for a win as well. While sitting in third place currently, Triumph SC only has four games remaining, meaning its position is still very precarious in the bigger picture should it drop points on the road here.

North Texas SC
Sunday, October 10
7:00 PM EST
Choctaw Stadium
Richmond Kickers

Whatever happens in the Richmond Kickers’ Henny Derby against Forward Madison FC at City Stadium on Wednesday night, their visit to face North Texas SC on Sunday is going to be for a place above the playoff line with NTSC holding a two-point edge on the Kickers as the week begins while having played one game more. After Richmond took a 3-2 thriller on its home turf on July 3 in a game that saw the teams combine for 17 shots on goal, the stakes for this rematch couldn’t be much higher. Hopefully, that leads to another outstanding battle.

Standings


1. Union Omaha
1. Union Omaha
Record: 11-3-8, 41pts
Max Points Available: 59pts
Magic Number: 5pts
Upcoming: vs. FTL (10/6); vs. GVL (10/9)
The math is simple for Omaha this week; win both games, and you’re in. With Chattanooga Red Wolves SC only scheduled to play once, that would also give Los Buhos a chance to bolster their position at the top of the standings and still hold a game in hand.
2. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
2. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
Record: 10-4-10, 40pts
Max Points Available: 52pts
Magic Number: 6pts
Upcoming: @ NC (10/9)
The Red Wolves are no longer in top spot, and while they can move to the doorstep of clinching a place in the playoffs with a win against North Carolina FC on Saturday, there isn’t quite a combination of results that would drop two more teams below a maximum of 43 points by the end of this week to put them in with FC Tucson on a bye and the Richmond Kickers and North Texas SC scheduled to square off on Sunday night.
3. Greenville Triumph SC
3. Greenville Triumph SC
Record: 9-7-8, 35pts
Max Points Available: 47pts
Magic Number: 11pts
Upcoming: @ OMA (10/9)
Triumph SC is back into the top three, but it can’t take its foot off the pedal as it still sits tied for the fourth-most available points and would drop in that ranking with a loss to Omaha on Saturday night. The positive news for Greenville is it will get Los Buhos on short rest after their midweek game, which could provide an opening for road success.
4. New England Revolution II
4. New England Revolution II
Record: 10-9-4, 34pts
Max Points Available: 49pts
Magic Number: 12pts
Upcoming: @ TOR (10/8)
The Revolution II are firmly in control of their playoff path and can strengthen that further with a victory on the road against Toronto FC II in Friday’s early evening kickoff. If Madison and Richmond were to draw on Wednesday night, all the better for New England’s shot at a top-three finish.
5. FC Tucson
5. FC Tucson
Record: 9-9-6, 33pts
Max Points Available: 45pts
Magic Number: N/A
Upcoming: vs. NC (10/13)
Tucson’s loss illustrates how precarious its place currently is, and the side is now hoping for others to fall so it can regain control of its own path. A week of scoreboard watching before a must-win home contest against North Carolina FC now awaits.
6. North Texas SC
6. North Texas SC
Record: 8-7-9, 33pts
Max Points Available: 45pts
Magic Number: N/A
Upcoming: vs. RIC (10/10)
North Texas still isn’t in control of its playoff path, but it would certainly like to see the Richmond Kickers either win or draw against Forward Madison FC on Wednesday night to knock the Flamingos’ maximum available points down further. Then NTSC can assume control of its path to the playoffs by defeating Richmond at Globe Life Park on Sunday night.
7. Richmond Kickers
7. Richmond Kickers
Record: 8-8-7, 31pts
Max Points Available: 46pts
Magic Number: 15pts
Upcoming: vs. MAD (10/6); @ NTX (10/10)
Five games to go, and if the Kickers win out, they’ll be in the playoffs. It’s probably not going to be quite that simple, of course, but getting positive results against Forward Madison FC in the Henny Derby on Wednesday and then away to North Texas SC would go a very long way indeed to a postseason berth.

8. South Georgia Tormenta FC
8. South Georgia Tormenta FC
Record: 8-12-5, 29pts
Max Points Available: 38pts
Magic Number: N/A
Upcoming: @ FTL (10/10)
With only three games left, Tormenta almost certainly needs victory in all three starting with Sunday against Fort Lauderdale. Even then, it might not be enough.
9. Toronto FC II
9. Toronto FC II
Record: 7-9-8, 29pts
Max Points Available: 41pts
Magic Number: N/A
Upcoming: @ NE (10/8)
The Young Reds are a longshot at this point, but they would help a lot of teams higher up the standings if they can take points from the New England Revolution II on Friday evening.
10. Forward Madison FC
10. Forward Madison FC
Record: 6-5-11, 29pts
Max Points Available: 47pts
Magic Number: 17pts
Upcoming: @ RIC (10/6)
The Flamingos are becoming the poster team for the concept that points in hand are better than games in hand. Madison is still in control of its own destiny but hasn’t shown any inclination to grasp onto it, and now needs to beat Richmond on Wednesday to retain that control.
11. Fort Lauderdale CF
11. Fort Lauderdale CF
Record: 7-11-6, 27pts
Max Points Available: 39pts
Magic Number: N/A
Upcoming: @ OMA (10/6); vs. TRM (10/10)
Fort Lauderdale is in must-win territory as it heads to face Omaha this Wednesday. If it can’t take victory there, then the side could get mathematically eliminated on Sunday if it suffers a pair of defeats across its two games this week.
12. North Carolina FC
12. North Carolina FC
Record: 5-14-4, 19pts
Max Points Available: 34pts
Magic Number: N/A
Upcoming: vs. CHA (10/9)
North Carolina is on the verge of mathematical elimination after its loss to Toronto FC II, and now hosts a Chattanooga Red Wolves SC side that is in serious need of a victory. It’s going to be tough.

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