Coming into the last week of the regular season El Paso and Orange county are fighting for the last available playoff spot in the Western Conference, while in the Eastern Conference Raleigh and Atlanta are battling. Long Island took the Northeast Division title away from defending champions Rochester, and the number one seed in the Eastern Conference is still up for grabs between Richmond and Charleston.
8/29
Hampton Roads (4) at Atlanta (3): This looked to be a low scoring match, as the first-half saw only one goaled scored by Henderson in the 43rd minute, giving Atlanta the lead. The second-half would be a totally different game as the goals happened in rapid succession. Fletcher would make the game even again with his shot in the 60th. Atlanta would regain their composure quickly and Piesner's shot in the 62nd minute put Atlanta in the lead once more. This goal awoke the sleeping giant as Hampton Roads would come storming back, and score 3 goals in 10 minutes. Martinez began the goal fest with his hot in the 64th, Donley's shot in the 72nd minute gave Hampton Roads the lead for the first time, and Ribiero score what would become the game winner in the 74th. Atlanta would muster no other offence, but would be awarded a penalty kick in the 80yh minute that Moleka put home. With the win Hampton Roads are assured of a playoff birth, while Atlanta must battle Raleigh for the 8th and final spot in the Eastern Conference.
Vancouver (3) at El Paso (2): Clarke gave Vancouver the early lead as he was able to get on the score sheet in the 14th minute. Vancouver would surrender the lead by the end of the first-half as Faria (18th) and Obaraku (22nd) make good on their shots. El Paso went down a man in the 51st when Dimitat Dimitrov received his second yellow and was sent off. Even being a man down El Paso managed to stonewall Vancouver all the way into stoppage time. In stoppage time the officials awarded Vancouver a penalty kick that Tilley took full advantage of and thus sent the game into overtime. Dailly would give Vancouver the win when his shot turned into the golden goal in the 97th minute. Vancouver is in the playoffs, while El Paso must win their final regular season match and hope that either Orange County or Bay Area lose.
8/30
US Pro-40 (1) at Toronto (2): Toronto took the lead in the 29th minute off the shot by Arango. This would bet yet another match were the officials helped the team win and make it into the playoffs, as Toronto was awarded a Penalty Kick in the 40th minute that Vignjevic, of course, put into the back of the net. In the closing minutes of the first-half, Longo would score off the pass from Asad. This would be all the offense the match would see as both defenses repelled any advances by the strikers. Vancouver will be having a postseason this year, while Pro-40, just could not get it done this year.
8/31
Orange County (0) at Boston (3): Boston wasted no time and caught Orange County's defense napping, as Franklin was able to get a shot off and make it count in the 3rd minute. This would be the only goal they would need as well as the only goal of the first-half. Scoring would not resume until the 81st minute when Grant would get the insurance goal. Kodiat killed any hopes that Orange county may have had, as he took aim and got the shot past the 'keeper. Eliminated from the playoffs some time ago, Boston seems content to play the spoiler as the loss puts Orange County 3 point behind El Paso for the last spot in the Western Conference.
Vancouver (0) at Bay Area (2): Desperately needing the win, Bay Area would be denied by Vancouver for most of the match. The first goal was in the 74th minute when White's shot found ended up where everyone wants it to go, the back of the net. Nearing the end of the match Bay Area would add the insurance goal when Thompson joined White on the score sheet in the 84th minute. For the first time in three years Bay Area will make the playoffs, thanks to this win and Orange County's loss to Boston.
9/1
Indiana (3) at Cincinnati (1): [no official stats as of 3:00pm EST] With the win Indiana clinches a playoff birth, Finishing third in the Central Division.
Raleigh (2) Charleston (1): Coming into this match Raleigh is fighting for their playoff lives and they took control of the match early with Walker scoring the only goal of the first-half in the 12th minute. Charleston would even it up in the 71st when Cloutier's shot beat the 'keeper. Raleigh would get a man advantage as Akin would be sent off in the 87th. With the game looking destined for overtime, Raleigh's Farris let go the game winning shot in the 90th minute. Charleston sit behind Richmond for 1st place in the Eastern Division, and will either enter the playoff seeded 1st or 3rd. Raleigh has a slim 3 point lead over Atlanta for the final spot in the Eastern Conference and Atlanta has two games in hand.
Long Island (1) at Toronto (0): Long Island's Buddle, who has been on fire as of late, scored the only goal of the match in the 25th minute. The win allows Long Island to accomplish the unthinkable; they have wrestled the Northeast Division Title away from Rochester and will get the second seed in the playoffs. The only effect of this match on Toronto is that they may now be seeded lowing and must hope for a win and await the outcomes of this weekends matches before they will know where they will be placed.
Milwaukee (5) at Tennessee (2): Tennessee would take the lead early off the goal by Kinturi in the 9th minute. However, the lead would be lost without Milwaukee having to do a thing, as Tennessee put the goal in their own net in the 22nd minute. From that point on the game belonged to Milwaukee. Takawira's shot in the 28th put Milwaukee up by one. Tennessee would even the game at two when Schenkel beat Milwaukee's 'keeper with his sot in the 39th. Galovik put Milwaukee in the lead for good when he would be able to celebrate after hitting pay dirt in the 52nd. Takawira would eventually get a hat trick, scoring in the 57th and 90th minutes. Milwaukee will be seeded 3rd in the Western Conference Playoffs, as for Tennessee, this was their final match of the year and it could come sooner as they finished with a terrible 6-0-22 record.
Saturday's matches completed the playoff picture for the Western Conference, with Minnesota and Seattle being their respective division champions. The Eastern Conference playoff picture is still a little foggy as Richmond and Charleston are still battling for the number one seed, and Raleigh and Atlanta are each trying to clinch the last available playoff spot.
9/1
Indiana (3) at Cincinnati (1): It would be until the first-half was almost over that either team would score. Indiana's Baah placed his shot past the keeper in the 42nd minute. Two minutes later Baah would get the assist on what was to be the game winning shot by Broadhurst. Cincinnati did not le the rabid goals get them down. They went into the locker room and adjusted their play and came out attacking early in the second-half. Cincinnati would pull within one when Schulte scored in the 49th. Despite scoring quickly and looking to make a game of it, Indiana would put the game out of reach only three minutes later as Broadhurst got his second goal of the night. Indiana makes the playoffs with the win, and Cincinnati has one game left, but they should be already looking at the next season as they will finish with the second worst record in the A-League, with Connecticut being the worst.
9/2
Orange County (4) at Connecticut (3): Needing this win to keep any hope of reaching the post season, Orange County game out with an all out attack. Leal got a hat trick within the first 13 minutes, scoring in the 5th, 10th and 13th. Looking to sale to an easy win, Orange County was caught of guard and Connecticut would pull within one by the end of the first half off shots by Barbieri in the 27th and 30th minutes. In the second-half, Barbieri would add an assist to his two goal total, helping Manning tie up the math in the 65th minute. Suddenly in danger of losing the match and any chance of making the playoffs, Orange County pulled it together and Paterson scored the game winner in the 72nd minute. Orange County would make the playoffs if El Paso loses to Atlanta later that night. Connecticut can only try to forget this humiliating season and look to rebuild as they finished with the worst record in the league at 1-8-19.
Montreal (2) at Hershey (1): Despite being eliminated from the playoffs, Montreal cam out ready to play. They took the lead in the first-half with Oliverio and Kolic getting the goals. Here would be awarded a penalty kick in the second- half that Simmonds converted to pull within one of Montreal. Despite the win, Montreal has been eliminated from the playoffs, but they should be proud as they looked to be the worst team in the league early on in the season, but came storming back and give everyone a run for their money. Hershey has locked up the 5th seed in the Eastern Conference and must wait to see who they will face in the first round.
Milwaukee (3) at Indiana (4): Neither team needed to win this match as both have been assured of a playoff spot. Milwaukee closed the first-half with a 2-0 lead off shots by Willan in the 31st and Dusosky in the 42nd. Indiana would tie the match with two goals in four minutes. Caution would make good on his shot in the 50th while Baah put home a penalty kick in the 54th. The end of regulation would see some nail biting suspense as Indiana's Dresser scored in the 90th minute. With the win in hand, Indiana was put into shock when Galovic scored before the final whistle to send the game into overtime. The winning would come in the 105th minute when McDermott took aim a got his shot past the Milwaukee 'keeper for the win.
US Pro-40 (1) at Minnesota (0): Up until the last minute of the match, both sides' defenses controlled the game. Minnesota got off 13 shots, 7 of which forced a save from the 'keeper. US Pro-40 managed 9 shots but forced only 3 saves. With the final whistle fast approaching Steve Armas took control of the ball and found a crack in the Minnesota defense as he was able to get a shot off that would beat the 'keeper in the 89th minute. Pro-40 added a little bit of cosmetic to their season totals, ending up at 8-1-19 with 34 points. Minnesota has had a lock o the number one seed in the Western Conference as they end their regular season at an astounding 20-4-4 and 99 points.
Atlanta (1) at El Paso (2): Both teams came into this match needing a win to clinch a playoff birth. Atlanta would be the first to get on the board with Henderson taking good advantage of his chance in the 20th minute. El Paso would tie it up before the end of the first-half off the shot by Faria in the 37th. The deciding goal would take place in the 63rd minute when Rowland scored off the assist by Wilson. Atlanta would have a man advantage for a short time as Vasev was sent off in the 89th, but Atlanta could make anything happen in the final few minutes. El Paso clinched the 6th seed in the Western Conference, and also dashed the playoff hope of Orange County. Atlanta sits 3 points behind Raleigh for the last spot in the Eastern Conference and they need to win their final regular season match.
Seattle (2) at Bay Area (1): Both f these teams have already clinched a playoff birth, with Seattle guaranteed the second seed and with a win Bay Area could have the 6th seed. Seattle wasted no time in scoring as Jenkins scored in the 7th minute with the assist going to Sawatzky. Bay Area would even the match up just before half time when Jeffrey scored unassisted in the 41st. Seattle would score the game winner in the 66th minute with Sawatzky adding the goal to his earlier assist. With the loss Bay Area drops to the 7th seed while Seattle already has the second seed, they can move into second in the conference with a win in their final match.
9/3
Long Island (1) at Rochester (3): In a game that would have no impact on the post season, both teams were the consummate professionals and gave the crowd quite a match to enjoy. Long Island would take the lead in the 20th minute when Peart's shot beat the out stretched Vallow. Before the half would end Rochester would take the lead off two goals by Yari Allnutt and having a man advantage as Fernandez was sent off in the 25th. The first goal came in the 34th minute, when Sedgewick sent the ball into Allnutt you buried it home. Just before the final whistle Allnut struck again, this time off the assist by Zavala. Stebbins sealed the win for Rochester when he was able to beat the keeper in the 67th minute. Rochester pummeled Grafer with 25 shots and forced him to make 5 saves, while Long Island could only manage 6 shots, forcing one save. Rochester will face Hershey in the first round of the A-League playoffs, while Long Island must still wait to see who they'll play.
Boston (1) at Richmond (0): After they had they winning streak stopped at thirteen a few weeks ago, Richmond has struggled and they ended their regular season with a loss at home to the second worst team in the Eastern Conference. The game was predominately defensive, as neither side would find that precious crack in the defense. Well into overtime it appeared that neither side would break, that is until Kohler managed to work his way through the Richmond defense and made good use of his opportunity, as he put the shot into the back of the net in the 104th. Boston ended their season on a high note, but they need some serious off season work if they are to improve on their 9-3-16 record. Richmond lost control of their own destiny with the loss and now must wait the out come of Charleston's final game to see if they will be the 1st or 3rd seed.
