Something has to give when St. Louis FC and Reno 1868 FC square off Saturday at 7:30 p.m. in a key United Soccer League match at Soccer Park.

The home team is coming off a tough 0-1-1 trip to the Pacific Northwest that saw it play to a 1-1 draw at 5-16-5 Seattle before dropping a tough-to-swallow 1-0 loss in Portland. In the Saturday loss, the Timbers 2 scored with about 30 seconds to play.

“Soccer can be a cruel game sometimes,” STLFC coach Anthony Pulis said after the loss. “I could not be prouder of the way the guys played tonight. Anyone (who) watched the game will see that were the team in the ascendency and we dictated the game for long stretches. Unfortunately, we learned the hard way that you have to finish your chances when they come and stay switched on for 93 minutes at the other end.

“There are lots of positives from the performances over the last two games, but at this stage it’s the results that are more important.”

The road trip left STLFC on the outside looking in when it comes to the Western Conference playoff picture. With just seven games remaining, STLFC is 10-8-9 and enters the weekend with 39 points, one fewer than eighth-place San Antonio FC. The top eight teams in each division will reach the playoffs.

Reno 1868 FC (11-6-9) sits in seventh place with 42 points and one game in hand on STLFC.

STLFC, which is 7-2-4 at Soccer Park this season, is 4-0-2 in its last six at home and riding a four-game winning streak on home turf. In those four wins, STLFC has come up with early goals and outscored opponents 11-4.

But Reno is one of the better road teams in the USL with a 6-1-7 mark away from Greater Nevada Field. In addition, the visitors may be looking for a bit of payback.

On July 28, STLFC posted one of its signature wins this season in Nevada when it rallied for a 2-1 win in stoppage time.

Reno, which entered play that night riding a 16-game unbeaten streak, played the majority of the match a man down after defender Eric Calvillo picked up a second yellow card in the 15th minute. Still, the home squad managed to grab the lead just before halftime with a rebound goal.

STLFC came at Reno in waves throughout the second half, pulling even on a Wal Fall penalty kick in the 74th minute.

Then, with just seconds to play, Corey Hertzog’s long throw to the near post was flicked to the middle by Fall to defender Sam Fink, who headed it home for a dramatic road win.

“I’m extremely proud of the guys for the persistence they showed and not giving in right to the end,” Pulis said that night.

Still looking to make its first USL playoff appearance, fourth-year STLFC will play Wednesday in Utah against Western Conference-leading Real Monarchs SLC and Sept. 25 in Kansas City against sixth-place Swope Park Rangers before a return home for a Sept. 22 showdown with eighth-place San Antonio FC.

After a Sept. 29 game in Arizona against second-place Phoenix Rising FC, STLFC will close out the regular season with a pair of home games — Oct. 10 against the last-place Tulsa Roughnecks FC and Oct. 13 against 10th-place Oklahoma City Energy FC.