TAMPA, Fla. – The pressure continues to mount in the USL Western Conference this weekend as a number of key games in the race to clinch a playoff berth highlight a 13-game slate of action. The action kicks off on Friday night with a potential make-or-break contest between Real Monarchs SLC and Orange County Blues FC, while the remaining contenders around the eighth-place cutoff are also in action. Elsewhere, Louisville City FC can clinch a home quarterfinal in the Eastern Conference in a marquee contest against the Richmond Kickers on Saturday night.

Every game of the 2016 USL season will be available on the league’s Match Center, with updates from across the league also available via Twitter, Facebook, Vine and Instagram.

GAMES TO WATCH
Friday, September 9
Real Monarchs SLC vs. Orange County Blues FC
9 p.m. ET, Rio Tinto Stadium
Both the Monarchs and the Blues sit on the wrong side of the red line that separates the chasing pack from the teams in the playoff positions, making Friday night’s clash between the sides a must-win for both.

The Monarchs (9-11-6, 33pts) missed out on a chance to bolster their playoff credentials further last Saturday night when they were held to a 1-1 draw by a Tulsa Roughnecks FC side that had already been eliminated from playoff contention. A win on Friday would at least move the side into the top eight temporarily, but Real would need other results to go their way to remain there after this weekend is over.

The Blues (10-13-4, 34pts) face an even more precarious situation, with only three games remaining in their season compared to four for the Monarchs, and seventh-place Swope Park and eighth-place San Antonio. After suffering a late defeat to Sacramento last Saturday night, Orange County’s back is against the wall as it looks to return to the postseason.

Saturday, September 10
Louisville City FC vs. Richmond Kickers
7:30 p.m. ET, Slugger Field
Louisville City FC can become the second team in the Eastern Conference to book a home quarterfinal in the 2016 USL Playoffs with a win on Saturday night, but to do so the side will have to knock off a Richmond Kickers side that is in the middle of its best run of form this season.

Louisville (15-4-8, 56pts) took its second consecutive 1-0 victory last Saturday afternoon as Aodhan Quinn’s goal proved the difference against FC Montreal, but saw its hopes of claiming the top spot denied by the New York Red Bulls II’s 4-1 win against Harrisburg that clinched the USL Regular Season Championship. A win against Richmond would lock up at least one home playoff game, however, and keep City’s grip on second place secure.

The Kickers (12-6-8, 44pts) enter the game on a 10-game undefeated streak, however, after a 1-1 draw with the Charleston Battery in their last outing on August 31. The Kickers are 7-0-3 in that span, which has put them firmly in contention for a top-four finish of their own. With a small rivalry developing between the two teams, Saturday’s game should be a fascinating contest.

San Antonio FC vs. Saint Louis FC
8:30 p.m. ET, Toyota Field
San Antonio will look to maintain its hold on a top-eight position when it plays host to a Saint Louis FC side whose playoff hopes got put onto life support on Monday night after a devastating late loss on the road against FC Cincinnati.

Eighth-place San Antonio (9-9-8, 35pts) currently holds a one-point lead on the teams chasing it for a place in the playoffs, and the pressure to pick up all three points could depend on the result between the Monarchs and Blues on Friday night. San Antonio played to a 1-1 draw with Arizona the last time out, and will enter knowing three points would be a big boost.

Saint Louis (7-11-9, 30pts) is in the position of likely needing to win all three of its remaining games and hoping for help to reach the postseason after a 2-1 defeat to Cincinnati on Labor Day. The side should be boosted by the return of goalkeeper Ryan Thompson and leading scorer Irvin Herrera after international duty, but a loss could see the side be eliminated from playoff contention this weekend.

Sunday, September 11
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
5 p.m. ET, Thunderbird Stadium
Two of the top-four teams in the Western Conference meet on Sunday afternoon in British Columbia as the third-place Switchbacks visit the fourth-place WFC2 in a massive game for both teams’ aspirations of remaining in that position.

Vancouver (11-7-9, 42pts) led the Western Conference as recently as two weeks ago, but a turn of form that saw the side go 1-3-3 since the start of August has dropped the side to fourth in the standings. With three games remaining, all on home turf, WFC2 needs to pick things up to first book a place in the playoffs, but also claim a home quarterfinal.

The Switchbacks (12-8-7, 43pts) also have only three games remaining, but are coming off one of their best performances of the season that saw the side take a 3-0 win against the LA Galaxy II last Saturday night. Mike Seth scored twice in the contest, and Luke Vercollone had a goal and assist, in a victory that could provide a springboard for a big finish to the season, and a strong run in the playoffs.

NUMBER CRUNCHING
1,000 – Seattle Sounders FC 2’s Jordan Schweitzer scored the 1,000th goal in the USL this season with his 21st-minute goal against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on Monday afternoon.

62 – The New York Red Bulls II claimed the USL Regular Season Championship with a 4-1 win against Harrisburg, and now sit with 62 points, tied for the USL single-season record set by Orlando City SC in 2014 with three games remaining.

9 – Danny Barrera’s league-leading ninth assist of the season against Orange County Blues FC last Saturday also saw him set a new club record for Sacramento Republic FC for assists in a season.

4 – Four players have played every minute of the season for their clubs as we enter the home stretch; Bethlehem’s Ryan Richter, Rio Grande Valley’s Charlie Ward, Richmond’s Hugh Roberts and OKC’s Cyprian Hedrick.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES
- The purchase of Orange County Blues FC by Southern California businessman James Keston was announced on Thursday, as the Chief Investment Officer of LARO Properties took control of the club. Keston’s plans for the club include a 10,000-seat soccer-specific stadium, and a new academy that will nurture the best players in Orange County.

- The New York Red Bulls II claimed the USL Regular Season Championship on Wednesday evening as two goals apiece from Vincent Bezecourt and Noah Powder earned a 4-1 victory against the Harrisburg City Islanders. With 19 wins, the Red Bulls II are now in an unassailable position, and could set league records for total wins and goals scored in their final three contests.

- The Charlotte Independence (13-7-6, 45pts) will try to bolster their top-four position in the Eastern Conference on Saturday night when they play host to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (6-15-5, 23pts) at Ramblewood Stadium (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Independence have won four of their last four contests, including a 5-1 win against Toronto FC II in their last outing.

- Rio Grande Valley FC (12-5-9) will take aim at clinching a place in the 2016 USL Playoffs when it hosts the Portland Timbers 2 (8-14-4, 28pts) on Saturday night at Toro Park (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Toros need just a point to book a postseason berth, but will be looking for another victory against a dangerous T2 side that defeated OKC Energy FC 4-0 this past Sunday.

- The Rochester Rhinos (11-5-11, 44pts) play host to the newly-crowned regular season champion New York Red Bulls II (19-3-5, 62pts) on Saturday evening at Rhinos Stadium (5:05 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Rhinos currently sit sixth in the Eastern Conference, but trail third-place Cincinnati by only two points with three games to play in the regular season.

- The LA Galaxy II (10-7-9, 39pts) and Sacramento Republic FC (13-6-8, 47pts) renew their rivalry at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium on Saturday night (10:30 p.m. ET | Match Center) in the first game of a home-and-home series between the teams that concludes at Bonney Field next Saturday. Sacramento is undefeated in its last eight, and currently sits first in the West, while Los Dos are looking to rebound after a 3-0 defeat on the road against Colorado Springs last Saturday.

- The Charleston Battery (11-7-9, 42pts) will try to rebound from a tough midweek defeat when they host Bethlehem Steel FC (6-12-9, 27pts) at MUSC Health Stadium on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). Charleston fell 2-1 to FC Montreal on Wednesday afternoon, and now hosts a Steel side that is in dire need of a win as it looks to claim the final berth in the Eastern Conference playoff field.

- The Swope Park Rangers (10-10-6, 36pts) can bolster their playoff position when they play host to Tulsa Roughnecks FC (5-17-4, 19pts) on Saturday night at Children’s Mercy Victory Field (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Rangers remained in seventh place despite a 2-0 loss to Rio Grande Valley FC last Saturday night, but with the race for the final two playoff berths still a tight one, all three points against the last-place Roughnecks would provide a welcome boost.

- Wilmington Hammerheads FC (7-11-9, 30pts) has eighth place in the Eastern Conference in sight on Sunday afternoon, but will face a big challenge as it hosts FC Cincinnati (13-6-7, 46pts) at Legion Stadium (3 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Hammerheads took a 3-0 win against eighth-place Orlando City B in midweek to move within two points of OCB in the standings, and has a chance to overtake with OCB taking on Toronto FC II later on Sunday.

- OKC Energy FC (10-5-11, 41pts) will try to rebound from its heaviest defeat of the season when it takes on Seattle Sounders FC 2 (9-11-7, 34pts) at Taft Stadium on Sunday evening (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). Energy FC fell 4-0 to Portland last Sunday, denting its hopes of a top-four finish, and with S2 still in pursuit of a playoff berth, the visitors should provide another test for OKC as it looks to close in on clinching a place in the playoffs.

- Orlando City B (8-11-8, 32pts) visits Toronto FC II (6-17-5, 23pts) on Sunday night at the Ontario Soccer Centre (7:30 p.m. ET | Match Center) looking to bounce back from its midweek loss to Wilmington, and break a streak that has seen the side lose five of its past six games. Orlando still holds the upper hand in the race for the eighth and final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference, but has seen its margin of error greatly reduced with three games to play.