TAMPA, Fla. – The battle for playoff seeding takes center stage in the Eastern Conference, while the Western Conference playoff field could be set should results fall the right way in a 14-game slate of action across the penultimate weekend of the 2016 USL regular season. The four teams sitting between fourth and seventh in the East will meet as Cincinnati and Charlotte aim to claim home postseason dates, while seven games across the Western Conference could confirm the eight teams that will square off in the postseason with a week to spare.

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
Saturday, September 17
Richmond Kickers vs. Charleston Battery
5 p.m. ET, City Stadium
Separated by goal differential going into the final two games of the season, the fifth-place Richmond Kickers and sixth-place Charleston Battery renew their rivalry at City Stadium on Saturday evening with a shot at a home playoff contest on the line.

The Kickers (12-7-9, 45pts) were held to a 0-0 draw on Wednesday night by the fourth-place Charlotte Independence at City Stadium, keeping a four-point gap between the Independence and the three teams sitting below them in the standings. Richmond needs a win, and Charlotte to falter at home to Rochester, to have a chance at bringing a playoff contest to City Stadium.

The Battery (12-7-9, 45pts) face the same situation as the Kickers as the longtime rivals meet for the final time this season. The Battery hold a 1-0-1 edge this season thanks to a 2-0 win at MUSC Health Stadium on July 2, and are coming off a 2-1 victory against Bethlehem Steel FC that saw Ataullah Guerra notch a goal and assist.

Charlotte Independence vs. Rochester Rhinos
7 p.m. ET, Ramblewood Stadium
Charlotte can clinch the first home playoff game in club history when it plays host to the defending USL champions at Ramblewood Stadium, but the Rhinos enter with the chance to close the gap between the two sides to a point, and ramp up the pressure on the final game of the season for the fourth-place Independence.

Charlotte (14-7-7, 49pts) would book a home date in the postseason for the first time, and keep the pressure on third-place FC Cincinnati, with a victory against the Rhinos. Coming off a 0-0 draw with Richmond on Wednesday, the side is now on a 7-1-3 run in its past 11 games. With a trip to Louisville to close the season on the horizon, the Independence will likely want to take care of business on home turf.

The Rhinos (11-5-12, 45pts) are on a solid undefeated streak of their own, going six games without a loss after a 1-1 draw with the New York Red Bulls II last Saturday. The draw proved a disappointment, however, as the Red Bulls II scored late to claim a point, and denied Rochester the chance to be even closer to Charlotte as it heads to North Carolina.

Orange County Blues FC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC
8:30 p.m. ET, Anteater Stadium
The Blues control their playoff prospects after this past Wednesday’s results, and could book a place in the playoffs this weekend with a win against a Toros side that has now lost two consecutive games, and the right sequence of results elsewhere in the Western Conference.

The Blues (11-13-4, 37pts) remained in the eighth and final playoff positions after San Antonio FC’s loss to Real Monarchs SLC on Wednesday in the USL Game of the Week on ESPN3. Orange County can now book a place in the playoffs with a win on Saturday against the Toros, and a draw or loss for the four teams that sit directly below it in the standings – Real Monarchs SLC, San Antonio FC, Seattle Sounders FC 2 and the Portland Timbers 2.

A win will be a big task against the Toros (12-7-9, 45pts), who dropped a second consecutive 1-0 defeat on Wednesday despite outshooting the LA Galaxy II 15-4 overall and 8-1 in shots on goal. With a chance at a top-two position still a possibility, RGVFC will want to end its California trip with a win, which would send the race for eighth place to the final weekend of the season.

Sacramento Republic FC vs. LA Galaxy II
10:30 p.m. ET, Bonney Field
The two California rivals meet for the final time in the regular season at Bonney Field with Sacramento within reach of clinching the No. 1 seed in the playoffs, and the Galaxy II coming off a victory that saw the side claim its third consecutive postseason berth.

Sacramento (13-6-9, 48pts) sits two points ahead of Colorado Springs with two games remaining, and could earn the No. 1 seed in the postseason with a victory against the Galaxy II, and draws or losses for the Switchbacks, Rio Grande Valley FC and OKC Energy FC. After the sides played to a 1-1 draw last Saturday at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium, Republic FC will look to close out the regular-season series undefeated against Los Dos.

The Galaxy II (11-7-10, 43pts) moved into fourth place in the Western Conference with its 1-0 win against Rio Grande Valley as Ariel Lassiter scored his eighth goal of the season with Los Dos’ only shot on target in the contest. Holding onto a top-four position will almost certainly require two wins to close out the season, and dropped points from OKC Energy FC, but after taking two wins at Bonney Field a year ago, the Galaxy II will hope to perform another round of road magic.

NUMBER CRUNCHING
63 – The New York Red Bulls II set a new USL record for points in a season, surpassing the total set by Orlando City SC in 2014, with its 1-1 draw last Saturday with Rochester.

15 – The race for the USL Golden Boot tightened as FC Cincinnati’s Sean Okoli moved into a tie for the league lead alongside the LA Galaxy II’s Jack McBean with his 15th goal of the season. Saint Louis FC’s Irvin Herrera and Louisville City FC’s Chandler Hoffman sit one goal back on 14 going into the final two weekends of the regular season.

12 – The Rochester Rhinos and OKC Energy FC are now tied with the 2014 Richmond Kickers for the most draws recorded in a regular season after both the Rhinos and Energy FC finished all square last weekend.

5 – Arizona United SC and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds became the fourth and fifth teams to be eliminated from playoff contention in midweek action.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES
- Louisville City FC (16-4-8, 56pts) can lock up the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference with a draw against Saint Louis FC (8-11-9, 33pts) at World Wide Technology Soccer Park on Saturday night (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center), but with STLFC needing to take a victory to keep its playoff hopes alive, the contest should produce another lively clash for the Kings’ Cup.

- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (13-8-7, 46pts) could also claim at least the No. 2 seed in the Western Conference this Saturday night when it plays host to Seattle Sounders FC 2 (9-11-8, 35pts) at Switchbacks Stadium (9 p.m. ET | Match Center) with a win, and a loss by Rio Grande Valley FC against Orange County, the Switchbacks would move clear of the Toros in second, and also knock S2 out of playoff contention.

- FC Cincinnati (14-6-8, 50pts) has already sold more than 20,000 tickets for its regular-season home finale against Orlando City B (8-12-8, 32pts) at Nippert Stadium (7 p.m. ET | Match Center), and could claim the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference with a victory. A loss by Charlotte against Rochester would allow FCC to move clear, and clinch third place prior to its final game of the regular season.

- OKC Energy FC (10-5-12, 42pts) could have clinched a playoff berth prior to its clash on Sunday with the Swope Park Rangers (11-10-6, 39pts) at Taft Stadium (7 p.m. ET | Match Center), while the Rangers could also claim a playoff berth with a win should results fall their way. With a chance at a top-four place still available for Energy FC, however, the host will want to end a three-game winless streak ahead of a busy final week.

- Wilmington Hammerheads FC (7-12-9, 30pts) visits the Harrisburg City Islanders (7-15-6, 27pts) on Saturday night at FNB Field (7 p.m. ET | Match Center) with a chance to move into the eighth and final playoff position in the Eastern Conference with a win, and an Orlando City B loss to FC Cincinnati. The City Islanders, meanwhile, know that anything but a win will see the side eliminated from playoff contention.

- Real Monarchs SLC (10-12-6, 36pts) will try to build on a midweek victory when it visits Arizona United SC (8-13-7, 31pts) on Saturday night at the Peoria Sports Complex (10:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). Arizona was eliminated from playoff contention with its loss to Portland on Tuesday, but the Monarchs are now only a point out of eighth place following their win against San Antonio FC on Wednesday, and would overtake Orange County with a win and a draw or loss by the Blues against RGVFC.

- San Antonio FC (9-11-8, 35pts) will try to put a two-game losing streak behind it when it plays host to Tulsa Roughnecks FC (5-18-4, 19pts) on Saturday night at Toyota Field (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). San Antonio needs to take a victory, or it could face elimination from playoff contention, as it hosts a Roughnecks side that sits bottom of the Western Conference.

- Bethlehem Steel FC (6-13-9, 27pts) knows only a victory will do when it plays host to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (6-16-6, 24pts) on Sunday afternoon at Goodman Stadium (3 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Steel sit five points behind eighth-place Orlando City B with two games remaining, but host OCB in their home finale, meaning a victory could set up a pivotal final game of the regular season for both teams.

- Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 (11-8-9, 42pts) play host to the Portland Timbers 2 (10-14-4, 34pts) on Sunday afternoon at Thunderbird Stadium with a chance it will have already clinched a place in the USL Playoffs (5 p.m. ET | Match Center). One point away from a playoff berth, a draw or loss by either Orange County Blues FC or Real Monarchs SLC will secure WFC2’s place in the playoffs, while Portland will need to take a victory and have other results go its way to keep its slim playoff hopes alive.