Sporting KC’s playoff hopes rest on regular-season finale against LA Galaxy

A stillness engulfed the Sporting Kansas City locker room late Wednesday, the kind of tranquility that stems from disappointment. For only the second time in 2015, the club lost on its home field, and the latest one — a 2-0 defeat to last-place Colorado — could leave a stinging impact.

For the second straight year, a late-season slide has left Sporting KC fighting for its postseason fate. But captain Matt Besler is insistent the similarities between the dispirited finish in 2014 and a recent losing streak in 2015 are few.

As for the differences...

“We’re not ready for the season to end,” Besler said. “Last year, I think we were all kind of holding on and hoping. This year, we feel prepared to make a deep run in the playoffs.

“I think that’s probably why (the loss) Wednesday night was so hard to explain. We feel like we’re there and we’re ready to go.”

Time will tell, of course. But how much time does Sporting KC have? It’s guaranteed only 90 more minutes.

On Sunday, Sporting KC will play host to the LA Galaxy at 6 p.m. at Sporting Park in the regular-season finale. Major League Soccer has branded its final day of the season “Decision Day,” and, well, Sporting KC certainly hoped its playoff fate would be decided long before now.

Only nine days ago, an ESPN playoff predictor labeled Sporting KC a near-lock for the postseason. The club needed one victory in its previous two games to guarantee its spot.

Instead, it faces the defending MLS Cup champions, who are still battling for a first-round bye, with an unresolved future and a multitude of playoff scenarios.

The first is simple: If Sporting KC defeats the Galaxy, it will make the playoffs. But if it either loses or draws, then it must rely on other results to sneak into one of the six spots from the Western Conference.

“It’s not complicated for us — if we win, we’re in,” keeper Tim Melia said. “That’s how we have to think of it. We can’t worry about all the rest.”

The rest is indeed a bit more complicated. Sporting KC and Seattle are tied for fifth place in the West, only one point ahead of seventh-place San Jose. Sporting KC doesn’t hold the tiebreaker against either team.

So with a draw Sunday, Sporting KC will need one of two things to happen — either Seattle loses to Real Salt Lake or San Jose fails to secure all three points in a win against FC Dallas.

With a loss Sunday, Sporting KC will only reach the postseason if San Jose also loses to FC Dallas, which has locked up the top seed in the Western Conference but can still win the Supporters’ Shield race.

All the factoring matches will be played at 6 p.m. Sunday.

“We have a big game on Sunday. This is what we like to do. This is what players want to do,” Melia said. “We want to be in competitive games. Our playoffs are now (starting) on Sunday.”

This story was originally published October 24, 2015 at 5:41 PM with the headline "Sporting KC’s playoff hopes rest on regular-season finale against LA Galaxy."