8. WILD LIFE: Over the course of 90 minutes on Saturday night, the New York Red Bulls II showed why they could be both a serious threat to anyone should they reach the USL Cup Playoffs to defend their title and a serious threat to Head Coach John Wolyniec’s sanity. The side’s 6-5 victory against Orlando City B moved the Red Bulls II back into sixth place in the standings going into the final week of the season but should have been a simpler task than what it turned out to be, with Stefano Bonomo’s hat trick having put the side up 5-1 with a half-hour to go. With its playoff life on the line, though, OCB wouldn’t quit, and in the Red Bulls II’s defense it found a willing partner to find a way back into the game. In the end, Florian Valot’s late penalty kick for New York that made it a three-goal game going into stoppage time proved necessary, as Orlando scored again twice more – highlighting a frailty that New York will not be able to afford in the postseason.

9. HIGH WIRE ACT: FC Cincinnati could have booked its place in the USL Cup Playoffs on Sunday, but after a disastrous opening 20 minutes, it could now find itself under pressure to get a result in the final game of the season on Saturday night to even be part of the postseason. Ottawa Fury FC’s 4-0 romp to bring the curtain down on the home portion of its first USL season, on the other hand, could have provided the shoots of what could be to come for the club in 2018 in a display that showed the sort of soccer and finishing that had been expected going into this year. There will be plenty of questions asked this offseason in Ottawa given the inconsistency the side showed, which ended up costing it a place in the postseason, but Sunday might have helped answer some of them in a positive manner.

10. FLORIDA FEUD: After their respective results on Saturday night, and the positions it has left them in, both the Tampa Bay Rowdies and Orlando City B might be grateful that their final game of the regular season arrives on Thursday night at Orlando City Stadium. Both teams now have the chance to apply pressure on the teams around them with a win. In OCB’s case, a win will be the only acceptable result, as a draw wouldn’t give the side a chance to reach the playoffs. FC Cincinnati’s performance on Sunday, though, certainly could inspire confidence in OCB that a place in the postseason could still be there for the taking. For Tampa Bay – which just missed out on retaining second place thanks to San Antonio FC’s late equalizer – a win would put the pressure back on the Charleston Battery to win on the road in its finale two days later. Given those circumstances, the final I-4 Derby of the season is going to be a must-see for numerous fanbases.

11. FINISH IN SIGHT: Throughout the club’s outstanding run through the second half of the regular season, the final goal for Phoenix Rising FC had been to earn a first home playoff game in club history. After Saturday’s 2-0 win against Rio Grande Valley FC in front of another strong crowd of more than 6,000 at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex, and the Swope Park Rangers’ defeat to OKC Energy FC on Sunday evening, Rising FC will find out on Wednesday night if its goal is within reach. Phoenix and Swope Park are now level on points, with the Rangers holding the edge in goal differential. Should Swope Park take victory against Seattle Sounders FC 2, it would take a record performance by Phoenix to close out the regular season on Saturday to overcome that edge. If S2 can do Phoenix one final favor, though, the door will be open for an even bigger party in the desert for Didier Drogba and company.