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.
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.
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.