Heading into the final month of regular season play, we’re kicking off the USL Super League Race to the Playoffs, where we provide weekly information on where teams stand in their bid to reach the 2025 USL Super League Playoffs.
The final standings are far from set, but what would the playoffs look like if they were to start today? Here’s the outlook for the two semifinal matchups based on the standings through Week 30.
No. 1 Carolina Ascent FC vs. No. 4 Fort Lauderdale United FC
Carolina is the only club thus far to secure its spot in the playoffs and is on the road to locking in the Players’ Shield and No. 1 seed. The team has won six matches in a row, outscoring its opponents 21-2 in that span. Fort Lauderdale United slides into that fourth spot on tiebreakers over Brooklyn and Spokane Zephyr. FTL UTD is not quite in the same run of form as Carolina, but it has games in hand to pick up extra points.
These two sides just faced off last week, and if it has any indication of how an actual playoff matchup would go, things don’t look great for Fort Lauderdale. If the Ascent could get a win like that on the road, spearheaded by braces from Audrey Harding and Golden Boot leader Mia Corbin, imagine it in front of its home crowd with a chance to host the Final on the line.
The key for Fort Lauderdale would be controlling possession, as it did in the second half of the March 2 match between the two sides when it came from behind to win 2-1. FTL UTD returned from halftime with composure, utilized the speed of Jasmine Hamid and Kiara Locklear, and scored in transition and on a set piece, where the team has been dominant all season.
No. 2 Dallas Trinity FC vs. No. 3 Tampa Bay Sun FC
Dallas has bobbled between the top three spots in the standings throughout the spring, earning 1.7 points per game, second behind only Carolina and Spokane. The team’s depth has propelled it to its current spot, with multiple new roster signings strengthening the attacking unit it already had. Tampa Bay has quietly snuck into third place only recently. The Sun stayed in the middle of the pack through single points off draws earlier in the spring, but a recent winning streak pushed it above the playoff line.
We’ll get a preview of this potential matchup this Saturday, only at a different venue. In this playoff scenario, Dallas Trinity would host, whereas this weekend’s showdown will be at Tampa Bay’s Riverfront Stadium. Trinity looks its best at the Cotton Bowl; it has only lost twice at home, and Dallas won 2-0 against Tampa Bay the last time they played there. Home field advantage along with Trinity’s multiple scorers, all with speed and the ability to score in various ways, could run circles around a Tampa Bay defense that concedes early and often.
The Sun would need to lean on its big three of Tash Flint, Carlee Giammona and Cecilie Fløe in this matchup, who have combined for 24 goals this season. They could exploit Dallas’ defensive formation, especially when they have players like Vivianne Bessette who can deliver absolute dimes over the top.
Still in the hunt: No. 5 Brooklyn FC and No. 6 Spokane Zephyr FC
This three-way tie really makes things unpredictable. While these two teams technically wouldn’t be in the playoffs if it started today, they still have a shot at playing in June, so here’s a look at what they need to do these last few weeks to move into that fourth and maybe third place spot.
To put it simply, Brooklyn needs to win out. And even with nine more points, it would need some other fortuitus results from around the league to beat out two other teams that have more matches left to play. Three wins is a tough ask for a team that has recorded the fewest points per game this spring (0.45). What’s more, its three remaining matches are against the two teams it’s tied with and No. 1 Carolina.
Spokane, on the other hand, has completely flipped its season around this spring. That’s given it a great chance to push above the playoff line. Zephyr still has Lexington and DC on the schedule, two teams they’ve already beaten this spring, along with Brooklyn and Fort Lauderdale. Taking down the two teams standing in their way of the postseason would be poetic for this Spokane team.