Match Day 34 is Here: Why It Matters
What to watch for as the 2025 USL Championship season wraps up this weekend
Sacramento Republic FC locked down the #2 seed in the Western Conference with a gutsy 1-0 victory over over Charleston Battery at Heart Health Park on Wednesday. Crucially, the club earned home-field advantage through at least the semifinals.
Thanks to a massive goal difference advantage (+18 vs +3) over third-place New Mexico, the club can prioritize health and rest key players against Miami FC on Saturday. Still, fans will undoubtably want to come out and honor Rodrigo López as he takes the regular season field for the final time in his illustrious career.
Elsewhere, across USL, there’s a lot to play for as eight teams are in contention for five final playoff spots. For our purposes, we’ll focus on the teams playing in the Western Conference. Here’s what the table looks like following the conclusion of Match Day 33. Below we’ll preview each team’s final match and the ramifications, or lack thereof, for each.
1) FC Tulsa - 1-1 draw at El Paso
Next Match: Home against Colorado Springs (7th in the West)
FC Tulsa have been the class of the West in 2025. They’ve been on cruise control for awhile but still fought back for a late equalizer last week on the road against a rising El Paso squad that’s reached fourth in the table. Republic supporters will be hoping for complacency against a Colorado Springs team with everything on the line.
Best Republic Outcome: FC Tulsa loss to Colorado Springs
2) Sacramento Republic - 1-0 win over Charleston
Next Match: Home against Miami FC (12th in the East)
Republic FC took care of business on Wednesday night and earned a night off for much of the starting XI this Saturday. Miami FC are closing the book on a disastrous 2025 campaign and have nothing to play for, having already been eliminated from playoff contention. This means a chance for reserve and academy players to showcase their talents and a calm moment to celebrate RoRo before a rollercoaster of playoff-induced anxiety grips us all.
Best Republic Outcomes: No injuries, a win for the fans would be nice
3) New Mexico - 3-3 draw vs Oakland Roots
Next Match: Home against Rhode Island (7th in the East)
New Mexico have scored 43 goals in 2025. That’s pretty good. Unfortunately, they’ve also surrendered 40. In the last two matches they’ve conceded six; to playoff-bubble Orange County (8th in the West) and already eliminated Oakland (10th in the West). Tonight they take on Jägermeister Cup champions Rhode Island FC (7th in the East) in a match where two playoff-bound teams will look to tune up and lock in. Rhode Island is a scary draw for anyone in either conference based on recent form. I’d rather not see either club get a confidence boost in this one.
Best Republic Outcome: New Mexico draw with Rhode Island
4) El Paso - 1-1 draw vs FC Tulsa
Next Match: Away at San Antonio (6th in the West)
El Paso will want to hang on to the fourth spot this week in order to host a home playoff match. An El Paso loss coupled with a Phoenix win could see the team drop into fifth. This will certainly provide motivation on the road as they take on playoff hopefuls San Antonio. A draw might not be enough for San Antonio though, so they will have to play to win the match.
Best Republic Outcome: El Paso draw with San Antonio, I guess?
5) Phoenix - 1-0 win vs San Antonio FC
Next Match: Away at Pittsburgh Riverhounds (4th in the East)
I don’t want Phoenix Rising FC to make the playoffs at all, but it’s hard to see them missing out as they currently sit on 39 points. The team have a difficult draw away to Pittsburgh. Riverhounds SC is formidable at home (beating MLS side New York City Football Club there earlier this year) and 4-1 in the last five games. It would take a cascade of favorable results to eliminate Phoenix from playoff contention but one could still hope.
Best Republic Outcome: Phoenix loss at Pittsburgh
6) Colorado Springs - 1-0 win vs Las Vegas Lights
Next Match: Away to FC Tulsa (1st in the West)
Daniel Tyree, Quail City Soccer predictive guru, said “I was looking at the Western Conference playoff picture and I project that Colorado Springs will lose, dropping out of the playoffs.” The Switchbacks are mercurial and it’s easy to see how beating the best team in the conference might prove too tall a mountain to ascend in Week 34. However, I would still prefer Tulsa head into the playoffs with a home loss over the reverse.
Best Republic Outcome: Colorado Springs win at Tulsa FC
7) San Antonio - 0-1 loss at Phoenix
Next Match: Home against El Paso (4th in the West)
Earlier, I described San Antonio as playoff hopefuls. A month ago, the team looked like a lock for a decent seed in the tournament. Then the wheels came off. The club has gone 0-1-4 in the last five matches. The actual form is this D-L-L-L-L. The last time they scored a goal was on September 20! All four losses were on the road, so the team has one last chance to save their season at home.
Best Republic Outcome: Toss up, who cares, but it’s entertaining
8) Orange County - 0-0 draw vs Louisville City, 1-0 win vs San Antonio
Next Match: Home against Indy Eleven (9th in the East)
Again, let’s hear from Daniel. “Orange County and Lexington are tied on points and drew both of their head-to-head games. Orange County has the better goal differential, so it’s entirely possible Republic FC open the playoffs hosting Orange County. Of course, I could be totally off.” Orange County needs at least a draw, maybe more against an Indy Eleven side that must win (and get a Detroit draw or loss) to make the playoffs.
Best Republic Outcome: Orange County win against Indy Eleven
9) Lexington - 2-2 draw with Sacramento
Next Match: Away at Oakland Roots SC (10th in the West)
The thin line between mediocrity and an abject horror show will be on display this weekend in Oakland, CA. Lexington dropped three in a row before being gifted a 2-2 draw with Republic last week. Somehow, the team could still miraculously qualify for the post-season if results go its way.
Best Republic Outcome: Lexington loss at Oakland
10) Oakland Roots - 1-1 draw vs Tulsa
Next Match: Home against Lexington (9th in the West)
It’s been a rough season for Oakland. The Bay Area-club somehow found a way to concede a shocking 52 goals. The best I can say is that the club have shown some heart lately and played some entertaining soccer for the fans. The team can end on a high note and crush Lexington’s playoff hopes with a good performance on Saturday.
Best Republic Outcome: Oakland win vs Lexington
11) Monterey Bay - 0-3 loss vs Pittsburgh
Next Match: Home against Las Vegas Lights (12th in the West)
12) Las Vegas Lights - 0-1 loss at Colorado Springs
Next Match: Away against Monterey Bay (11th in the West)
The two worst teams in the conference will end the season battling it out for last place in the table. The Nothing But Pride Bowl features a combined -46 goal differential but don’t say there’s nothing on the line. Las Vegas could leapfrog Monterey Bay in the standings with a win away from home. Monterey will be looking to avoid the dubious distinction of absolute bottom while wrapping up a second consecutive 11th-place finish.
Best Republic Outcome: A glorious 6-5 win for either team
New Mexico beat Rhode Island 2-1 last night. But we still have them on head-to-head goals.