KC Could Qualify for the Playoffs this Weekend

As surprising as it might seem, Sporting Kansas City can qualify for the playoffs this weekend. It requires a win over San Jose on Saturday and some help, but it can be done.

First obviously, KC needs to get a win on the road against San Jose. They also need help from DC, Houston, and Vancouver. KC also needs Houston to beat or tie Chicago in Houston on Saturday, DC to defeat Columbus on Sunday in Columbus, and Vancouver to tie Portland in Vancouver on Sunday.

That would put KC on 47 points and make Columbus and Portland (in a drew) only 47 points. In that situation, KC wins the tie breaker as their head to head record against those other two teams is 3-1 (Columbus 2-2, Portland 1-3). If Portland loses to Vancouver, KC wouldn't automatically qualify because head to head they're tied with Columbus 1-1, but have a far superior goal difference (+7 to -4), which is the second tie breaker, so they would be extremely close to qualification if Portland ends up losing in the opener at BC Place.

A tie in Houston would put Chicago's max points on 46, unable to catch KC and beat them on their head to head record (KC is 0-1-1 vs Chicago this year). That would mean that KC would be able to finish no lower than 10th in the league and would be back in the MLS playoffs after a 2 year absence.

Hat tip to YilmazOrhan on Bigsoccer for breaking this down.