With only three weeks left in the USL League One regular season, most of the playoff picture has been sorted - however, there are two spots up for grabs and four teams vying for contention. Can it be figured out this week? Additionally, there is the subject of the wooden spoon to discuss - so let’s get stuck in!

For a fleeting moment, the Mingos were the first place team and since then they have only one win in 8 games. They absolutely cannot afford to lose any more - they have three games left and two of which are in the comfy confines of Breese Stevens and they need to make them count. For Northern Colorado, the draw in Wisconsin and that loss at home were critical hits to their hopes of winning the league - I mean, they’ve clinched a playoff spot and may very well make it to, and win, the Final, but the number one spot might have just been lost. Not only are they not first, but Union Omaha won so NoCo now slip to third.

Greenville’s match with Kickers had been postponed to Sunday - After the belated win, they jumped up to fifth and still hold a playoff spot with hope to keep extending the magic number to keep Tormenta and One Knox at bay. Now, the Kickers are out of the playoff picture, but can impact the rest of the season with two home games and an away match remaining. At the very least, they can give the great fans at City Stadium something to cheer for.

The Champs have strung together two wins in a row and have even earned their first clean sheet since early May. They leapfrogged Knoxville into 7th and are only four points out of the playoff picture with three games left to make a late run to redemption.

Well… that’s that. Lexington put up 3 goals at home against the second worst team in the league and still lost - giving up 5 is no way to keep the playoff fight alive and now they join Kickers, Fuego, and Red Wolves on the elimination list. They play one more home game and two on the road against playoff hopefuls and now its their turn to play spoilers.

Results from September 20 - 24

Forward Madison 0-0 Northern Colorado Hailstorm
Central Valley Fuego 0-3 North Carolina FC
Charlotte Independence 2-0 Forward Madison
Lexington SC 3-5 Chattanooga Red Wolves
Union Omaha 2-1 Central Valley Fuego
Northern Colorado Hailstorm 0-2 North Carolina FC
Richmond Kickers 1-2 Greenville Triumph

THIS WEEK’S FIXTURES:

North Carolina FC vs Union Omaha
These two face off in what could very well be a preview of the final, and at the very least, of a semi-final. NCFC have two away wins in a row and three wins from their last four - they’re holding onto their precarious lead in the standings. With three games left, and two of which at home, North Carolina have to first contend with the hottest team in the league. Union Omaha have ten in a row! All of them count - but how about that come from behind thriller last week to leapfrog into a first round bye spot and now face the team built for USL Championship next week to stake their claim to the tie-breaker.

Chattanooga Red Wolves vs Central Valley Fuego
At the opposite end of the table are the two worst teams of the season - and in a bid to not finish dead last, Fuego put up a great fight in Omaha - scoring early in the second half and looking like they may hold onto it. Unfortunately, the league’s hottest team - and record breakers - did what champions do and came from behind to ruin the day. Central Valley now have three games left, including a head-to-head match with Red Wolves, to decide who isn’t the wooden spoon of USL League One. Last week, I said Red Wolves could surprise you - I said to watch out. Chattanooga ate Lexington up and knocked them out of the playoff running. They host Fuego and Greenville then go away to NoCo - who else's season can they ruin?

Charlotte Independence vs One Knoxville SC
Charlotte are steady as they go - the Independence do what they need to in order to stay in the hunt and 7 points from their last 3 league encounters has them sustaining their 4th place spot with three huge games left - two of which are at home against two teams on the outside of the playoffs; however, those two are desperate to get in. First up is One Knoxville SC, who have only one win in their last five games and two losses in a row to the teams immediately above and below them fighting for the last spot and that is not good. Mathematically, they are still in but will need at least a win, a pair of draws, and for Greenville to choke completely. Or they can win out… but would still need both Forward and Greenville to struggle. A result this weekend is imperative.

Friday, September 29th

Greenville Triumph SC vs Northern Colorado Hailstorm - 4:00pm (PT) / 7:00pm (ET)
North Carolina FC vs Union Omaha - 4:00pm (PT) / 7:00pm (ET)

Saturday, September 30th

Charlotte Independence vs One Knoxville SC - 2pm (PT) / 5pm (ET)
Richmond Kickers vs SG Tormenta FC - 3:00pm (PS) / 6:00pm (ET)
Forward Madison vs Lexington SC - 3:00pm (PT) / 6:00pm (ET)
Chattanooga Red Wolves SC vs Central Valley Fuego FC - 4:30pm (PT) / 7:30pm (ET)

Wednesday, October 4th

Union Omaha vs Charlotte Independence - 4:30pm (PT) / 7:30pm (ET)
Central Valley Fuego FC vs Greenville Triumph - 7:00pm (PT) / 10:00pm (ET)

Go Under the Surface and Listen to the latest episode of One League Under the C!

by Joshua Duder