North Carolina FC capped off its regular-season home slate with a 1-1 draw against the San Francisco Deltas over the weekend. The result, paired with a 4-4 draw between the New York Cosmos and Jacksonville Armada FC, booked NCFC’s spot in the NASL playoffs for the first time since 2012.
While NCFC isn’t in contention to host a semifinal playoff match, this Sunday’s final regular-season game at Indy Eleven still leaves a lot to play for. A win will cement the club’s playoff position and open the possibility of hosting the 2017 NASL Final.
New York and Jacksonville are the only two clubs fighting for the final playoff spot. Additionally, New York is the only team that can catch NCFC and move to third place. The Cosmos will need a win over Puerto Rico FC, paired with a NCFC loss or a win by seven goals paired with a NCFC tie to take third.
On the opposite side, Jacksonville can only hope to clinch fourth place and must win at San Francisco, while needing a New York loss against Puerto Rico. A tie between New York and PRFC could also send the Armada to the playoffs, but the side would have to win by five goals over the Deltas to make up the goal differential and win the tiebreaker.
Following the final weekend, if NCFC emerges in third place, it will need some more magic to host the final. Obviously, the club must win at second-seeded San Francisco to advance, but it will also need for New York or Jacksonville to upset No. 1 overall seed Miami FC in Miami – no easy task.
With two upsets in the semifinal round, NCFC could host the biggest match in franchise history while aiming to add the first NASL Championship to its trophy case.
North Carolina FC capped off its regular-season home slate with a 1-1 draw against the San Francisco Deltas over the weekend. The result, paired with a 4-4 draw between the New York Cosmos and Jacksonville Armada FC, booked NCFC’s spot in the NASL playoffs for the first time since 2012.
While NCFC isn’t in contention to host a semifinal playoff match, this Sunday’s final regular-season game at Indy Eleven still leaves a lot to play for. A win will cement the club’s playoff position and open the possibility of hosting the 2017 NASL Final.
New York and Jacksonville are the only two clubs fighting for the final playoff spot. Additionally, New York is the only team that can catch NCFC and move to third place. The Cosmos will need a win over Puerto Rico FC, paired with a NCFC loss or a win by seven goals paired with a NCFC tie to take third.
On the opposite side, Jacksonville can only hope to clinch fourth place and must win at San Francisco, while needing a New York loss against Puerto Rico. A tie between New York and PRFC could also send the Armada to the playoffs, but the side would have to win by five goals over the Deltas to make up the goal differential and win the tiebreaker.
Following the final weekend, if NCFC emerges in third place, it will need some more magic to host the final. Obviously, the club must win at second-seeded San Francisco to advance, but it will also need for New York or Jacksonville to upset No. 1 overall seed Miami FC in Miami – no easy task.
With two upsets in the semifinal round, NCFC could host the biggest match in franchise history while aiming to add the first NASL Championship to its trophy case.
