Despite currently sitting outside postseason position, the Seattle Sounders are now favorites to earn the final Western Conference playoff spot, according to Major League Soccer’s latest Red Line Report. The Sounders’ current expected point total in 45.09, which would beat out the Portland Timbers’ 43.99 for the final playoff spot in the West.
The Sounders are three points behind the Timbers, but have two matches in hand on their Cascadia rivals. Portland also plays two of its remaining three matches away from Providence Park - at Colorado on Oct. 1 and at Vancouver in the season finale on Oct. 23 - and is still the only MLS team winless on the road this season (0-9-6).
The Red Line Report lists the Sounders’ remaining strength of schedule as the third-easiest in the Western Conference and fourth-easiest league-wide. Seattle hosts the Chicago Fire on Wednesday night (7:30 p.m. PT; JOEtv, ROOT Sports outside Seattle, KIRO 97.3FM, El Rey 1360AM), who sport the league’s fewest points, and the Sounders also play two more teams currently outside the postseason picture down the stretch: at Vancouver on Sunday and at home vs. Houston on Oct. 13.
