A busy slate of midweek MLS matches saw Sporting Kansas City's playoff picture become even clearer.
Manager Peter Vermes' men can clinch a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs as early as Saturday, when the side welcomes Western Conference leaders Vancouver Whitecaps FC to Children's Mercy Park at 8 p.m. CT. It would be a club-record seventh straight appearance in the MLS Cup Playoffs, an active streak surpassed only by Seattle Sounders FC (since 2009) and the New York Red Bulls (since 2010).
Sporting KC's magic number is 4
If Sporting KC take four points from their last five MLS matches, they will be guaranteed a playoff berth — regardless of how other teams fare in the Western Conference. That playoff berth could come as soon as Saturday, according to PlayoffStatus.com, if any one of the following three scenarios occurs.
Sporting KC will clinch a playoff spot Saturday if...
- SKC beats Vancouver AND Real Salt Lake loses or ties at LA Galaxy, or
- SKC beats Vancouver AND Houston loses vs. Minnesota, or
- SKC ties Vancouver, AND Real Salt Lake loses at LA, AND San Jose loses or ties vs. Portland
If any of the three scenarios come to fruition, Sporting KC will punch its ticket to the postseason with three games to spare.
Tickets for Saturday's all-important showdown with Vancouver are available at SeatGeek.com. Sporting KC is currently riding a 24-game home unbeaten run in the MLS regular season, the third-longest such streak in MLS history.
