Updated Playoff Picture: How Sporting KC can clinch a top-two seed on Decision Day

What. A. Week.

Four days after beating Vancouver Whitecaps FC 4-1 in British Columbia, Sporting Kansas City cruised to another big road win on Sunday, sinking FC Dallas 3-0 behind goals from Daniel Salloi, Roger Espinoza and Johnny Russell.

The victory — Sporting KC’s first at Toyota Stadium since 2011 — ensures that Manager Peter Vermes’ side can finish no worse than fourth place in the West heading into next Sunday’s all-important Decision Day clash with LAFC at Children’s Mercy Park. As a result, Sporting KC is guaranteed to host at least one game in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs, marking the first time the club has hosted a postseason match since winning MLS Cup on Dec. 7, 2013.

Sporting KC (17-8-8, 59 points) will enter Decision Day occupying first place in the Western Conference, two points ahead of LAFC and FC Dallas and three ahead of Seattle Sounders FC, but their job is far from finished. Sporting KC still has seeding to play for when they face LAFC at 3:30 p.m. CT next Sunday.

• VIEW: MLS Western Conference Standings

Vermes’ men can still finish anywhere between first and fourth. The top two seeds will earn a Knockout Round bye to the two-legged conference semifinals, playing away in the first leg on Nov. 4 and hosting the second leg on Nov. 11. The No. 3 and 4 seeds will host a single-elimination Knockout Round match on either Oct. 31 or Nov. 1.

With that in mind, here are Sporting KC’s seeding scenarios going into the final game of the 2018 regular season.

Sporting KC can clinch a No. 1 seed if…

• Sporting KC beats LAFC, OR
• Sporting KC ties LAFC, AND
  FC Dallas fails to beat Colorado by 15 or more goals

Sporting KC can clinch a No. 2 seed if…

• Sporting KC ties LAFC, AND
  FC Dallas beats Colorado by 15 or more goals, OR
• Sporting KC loses to LAFC, AND
  Colorado beats or ties FC Dallas, AND
  San Jose beats or ties Seattle

The math here is simple. Sporting KC can wrap up the No. 1 seed in the West and home-field advantage through the conference finals with a win over LAFC. A draw would almost certainly result in a No. 1 seed as well, as FC Dallas would then have to beat Colorado by 15 or more goals to make up the goal differential tiebreaker. A loss would drop Sporting KC to second, third or fourth.

Click here to get your tickets to next Sunday’s regular season finale as Sporting KC hosts its Fan Appreciation Match with an afternoon full of supporter-friendly festivities. Countless prizes will be up for grabs exclusively through the Sporting KC Uphoria app, including the following:

• A pair of 2019 Sporting KC season tickets
• Player-autographed merchandise
• VIP experiences
• 50 percent off authentic jerseys
• Discount offers at SportingStyle and concessions

In addition, tickets for Sporting KC’s freshly clinched home playoff tilt at Children’s Mercy Park are now on sale via SeatGeek.com. Season Ticket Members have first right to their seats for all playoff matches, excluding the MLS Cup final, and can contact their Client Services Executive for questions and further information.

Western Conference Standings (entering Oct. 28, 2018)

• "x" - Clinched playoff spot
• "e" - Eliminated from playoff race
• Tie-breaking procedures (Number of wins, then Goal Differential, then Goals For, etc.)
• Competition Rules and Regulations