Coming on strong late in the 2016 USL season due to a scintillating four-game winning streak, Portland Timbers 2 have a chance at qualifying for the postseason for the first time. The top eight teams from both the Western and Eastern Conferences qualify with Portland currently sitting in ninth place on 37 points heading into their regular-season finale Saturday against Arizona United SC at Merlo Field (7pm PT, TICKETS, WEBSTREAM)
To make the playoffs, here's what T2 will need to do and what help they'll need:
- If T2 wins and both San Antonio AND Orange County lose or draw, Portland will qualify.
- If San Antonio draws against Rio Grande Valley, T2 would need to win, and at least match Orange County’s margin of victory to remain ahead on goal difference. If OC manages to equal T2’s goal differential with its win, and scores more goals than T2 – for example POR wins 2-1, OC wins 3-1 – then OC would go through on goals scored, 37-38. If T2 and OC finish tied on total goals – for example if POR wins 2-1, OC wins 2-0, leaving both with a -4 goal differential and 37 goals – then it would come down to results against the top four teams in conference.
- There is also a way in for T2 to get in with a draw. If San Antonio loses, a draw would move T2 ahead on total wins – 11-10 – which is the first tiebreaker. In this scenario, T2 would also need OC to at least draw, or lose, and the Real Monarchs to fail to win. Seattle could move even with T2, San Antonio and Orange County on 38 points in this scenario with a victory, but that win would only get them to 10 for the season, leaving S2 on the outside of the postseason picture with both T2 and OC holding the first tiebreaker with 11 wins.
Games to track
Rio Grande Valley vs. San Antonio :: Sept. 24, 5:30pm PT :: WEBSTREAM
Orange County vs. Colorado Springs :: Sept. 24, 7pm PT :: WEBSTREAM
LA Galaxy II vs. Real Monarchs :: Sept. 24, 7pm PT :: WEBSTREAM
