1. Louisville City FC

Current Record: 14-5-5, 47pts

Maximum Points Available: 71

Points Needed to Clinch: 7

Avg. Finishing Position: 1.3

Last Game: W 1-0 vs. Charleston Battery

Next Game: 9/9 at Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 7 p.m. ET

Louisville could move within a point of clinching a playoff place this weekend with a win against the Riverhounds depending on how results elsewhere play out. City fans will have their choice of games to pull up the second screen for with Ottawa Fury FC visiting the Rochester Rhinos and New York Red Bulls II visiting Toronto FC II on Saturday night.

2. Charlotte Independence

Current Record: 13-5-8, 47pts

Maximum Points Available: 65

Points Needed to Clinch: 7

Avg. Finishing Position: 2.3

Last Game: W 3-0 vs. Richmond Kickers

Next Game: 9/9 at Charleston Battery, 7 p.m. ET

The Independence’s victory against the Kickers on Saturday put the side in the same circumstance as Louisville in terms of clinching a playoff berth, but Charlotte’s own game on Saturday night offers the potential for a big payoff as well. Take a win against the Battery at MUSC Health Stadium – a tough task, admittedly – and you should be able to pencil in the Independence for a home playoff game for the first time in their history.

3. Charleston Battery

Current Record: 11-7-8, 41pts

Maximum Points Available: 59

Points Needed to Clinch: 13

Avg. Finishing Position: 4.3

Last Game: L 1-0 at Louisville City FC

Next Game: 9/9 vs. Charlotte Independence, 7 p.m. ET

If there was ever a time for the Battery to break out of their prolonged dip in form, it’s this Saturday. As mentioned above, a victory for the Independence at MUSC Health Stadium would be a major boost for Charlotte. If the Battery can find a win, however, it would get them back into the conversation for a top-two finish of their own, and also give a welcome lift to Louisville in its pursuit of first.

4. Rochester Rhinos

Current Record: 11-5-8, 41pts

Maximum Points Available: 65

Points Needed to Clinch: 13

Avg. Finishing Position: 3.2

Last Game: W 1-0 at Toronto FC II

Next Game: 9/9 vs. Ottawa Fury FC, 6:05 p.m. ET

The Rhinos may be in fourth position right now, but with their games in hand and a two-game winning streak they’re the clear favorite to take third place as we go into this weekend’s action. There’ll be a lot of other fans rooting for Rochester this weekend as well, hoping the Rhinos can help push Ottawa Fury FC further from the Eastern Conference playoff race.

5. Tampa Bay Rowdies

Current Record: 10-7-8, 38pts

Maximum Points Available: 59

Points Needed to Clinch: 16

Avg. Finishing Position: 5.5

Last Game: L 4-2 at New York Red Bulls II

Next Game: 9/6 at Harrisburg City Islanders, 6:30 p.m. ET

The Rowdies’ away form has really stung the team’s chances of hosting a home playoff game this season, with the defeat against the Red Bulls II on Saturday the latest letdown. Tampa Bay isn’t in any serious danger of missing the postseason, SportsClubStats still puts it as a 92.4 percent chance to be postseason bound, but this week’s games against the Harrisburg City Islanders and Bethlehem Steel FC would be a good point for the start of a turnaround away from Al Lang Stadium.

6. Orlando City B

Current Record: 8-6-12, 36pts

Maximum Points Available: 54

Points Needed to Clinch: 18

Avg. Finishing Position: 6.9

Last Game: D 1-1 vs. Bethlehem Steel FC

Next Game: 9/7 vs. Richmond Kickers, 4:30 p.m. ET

After it draw with Steel FC last Thursday night, OCB will be have been very pleased to see the results around it this past weekend which allowed the side to hold onto its sixth spot in the standings. Orlando will now be eyeing its cross-state rivals game on Wednesday night, as a Harrisburg City Islanders win against the Tampa Bay Rowdies would open up the chance to move to fifth win a win against Richmond on Thursday.

7. New York Red Bulls II

Current Record: 10-11-5, 35pts

Maximum Points Available: 53

Points Needed to Clinch: 19

Avg. Finishing Position: 8.5

Last Game: W 4-2 vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies

Next Game: 9/9 at Toronto FC II, 8 p.m. ET

No team was happier to see the spate of draws across the Eastern Conference over the past weekend than the Red Bulls II, who vaulted from 10th to seventh in the standings as a result. New York is still on the brink in terms of its odds to make the postseason, with SportsClubStats rating it a 48.9 chance, but if the attack keeps clicking against Toronto FC II this Saturday, those chances will surely rise for the defending champions.

8. FC Cincinnati

Current Record: 9-9-8, 35pts

Maximum Points Available: 53

Points Needed to Clinch: 19

Avg. Finishing Position: 8.4

Last Game: D 1-1 vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Next Game: 9/12 at Harrisburg City Islanders, 6:30 p.m. ET

Cincinnati still sits in the playoff positions after its draw with the Riverhounds, but it will have some serious score-watching to do this weekend before it returns to action against the City Islanders next Tuesday. Victories for Tampa Bay, Rochester, Louisville and Harrisburg would be big for FCC’s chances.

9. Bethlehem Steel FC

Current Record: 10-11-4, 34pts

Maximum Points Available: 55

Points Needed to Clinch: 20

Avg. Finishing Position: 7.8

Last Game: D 1-1 at Orlando City B

Next Game: 9/9 vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies, 3 p.m. ET

Steel FC’s late point against Orlando City B last Thursday was a welcome boost, but still saw the side slide out of the top eight thanks to the Red Bulls II’s triumph against the Rowdies on Saturday. With Tampa Bay the next opponent for Bethlehem, a similar result for Steel FC would keep the club’s playoff chance in solid shape.

10. Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Current Record: 8-8-10, 34pts

Maximum Points Available: 52

Points Needed to Clinch: 21

Avg. Finishing Position: 9.2

Last Game: D 1-1 at FC Cincinnati

Next Game: 9/9 vs Louisville City FC, 7 p.m. ET

Picking up a point after holding an early lead against FC Cincinnati kept the Riverhounds in the hunt, but how they’re likely going to need to take something from as Lousiville City FC comes to visit Highmark Stadium this Saturday. Louisville has taken victory in each of the prior two meetings this season, with the Riverhounds yet to score a goal. With the side on a five-game undefeated streak, it has to make sure this one turns out differently.

11. Saint Louis FC

Current Record: 8-10-7, 31pts

Maximum Points Available: 49

Points Needed to Clinch: 23

Avg. Finishing Position: 10.0

Last Game: D 2-2 at Ottawa Fury FC

Next Game: 9/9 vs. Harrisburg City Islanders, 8:30 p.m. ET

Saint Louis is still in with a chance of the postseason, but a second consecutive draw due to a late goal against Ottawa Fury FC on Sunday was another serious blow. STLFC is really in must-win territory on Saturday as they host the Harrisburg City Islanders, the first of three crucial home games in the next three weeks.

12. Ottawa Fury FC

Current Record: 7-9-9, 30pts

Maximum Points Available: 51

Points Needed to Clinch: 24

Avg. Finishing Position: 11.1

Last Game: D 2-2 vs. Saint Louis FC

Next Game: 9/9 at Rochester Rhinos, 6:05 p.m. ET

A second consecutive late equalizer is nice, but a second consecutive draw wasn’t enough to inspire confidence in a second consecutive home game. The challenge of the Rochester Rhinos is next, with a handful of Fury FC players heading back to Capelli Sport Stadium. The Rhinos took a 1-0 win the first time the teams squared off in Rochester. A similar result, and the bell will be tolling for Fury FC’s season.

13. Harrisburg City Islanders

Current Record: 6-13-6, 24pts

Maximum Points Available: 45

Points Needed to Clinch: 30

Avg. Finishing Position: 12.9

Last Game: L 5-0 vs. Louisville City FC

Next Game: 9/6 vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies, 7 p.m. ET

Harrisburg might have received some inspiration from the New York Red Bulls II’s victory on Saturday as they prepare to host the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Wednesday night. The City Islanders certainly need some to try and jumpstart a playoff push that has faltered over the past month. A win would provide a really difficult path to the playoffs, particularly with a visit to Saint Louis next. Anything else, and it’s probably over.

14. Richmond Kickers

Current Record: 5-13-8, 23pts

Maximum Points Available: 41

Points Needed to Clinch: 31

Avg. Finishing Position: 14.3

Last Game: L 3-0 at Charlotte Independence

Next Game: 9/7 at Orlando City B, 4:30 p.m. ET

The Kickers couldn’t replicate their feat against the Charleston Battery in their visit to the Charlotte Independence, and now all that’s really left is to play out the final six games of the season. Richmond will have some teams rooting for it on Thursday night, though, as it visits sixth-place OCB.

15. Toronto FC II

Current Record: 5-15-7, 22pts

Maximum Points Available: 37

Points Needed to Clinch: 32

Avg. Finishing Position: 14.4

Last Game: L 1-0 vs. Rochester Rhinos

Next Game: 9/9 vs. New York Red Bulls II, 8 p.m. ET

The time for mathematical elimination has arrived for Toronto FC II, who would be officially out of the playoffs with a loss to the New York Red Bulls II on Saturday, or some victories elsewhere.