I’m resisting the temptation to start today’s Storylines by saying “the season is winding down,” or something along those year-end lines. Why, you ask? Because it’s not. We’re in the final third, and every soccer fan knows that’s the part of the pitch you want to be in if you want to score some goals. The Black and Blue faithful will all be hoping that this weekend’s matchup starts a resurgence for MNUFC, and the team opposite them on Saturday is the perfect example of what the Loons will be hoping to accomplish with a dramatic turnaround in form.

After earning just six points and one win in their first 10 games, Yoann Damet’s St. Louis CITY SC side finally grew into their new coach’s tactics to put together a 14-game unbeaten streak in league play to rack up 32 points, a rate of 2.28 points per game. This remarkable turnaround has seen Saturday’s hosts rocket up the table, occupying the sixth spot and opening a six-point gap between themselves and the current group of playoff chasers — including your Loons. 

With just 10 matches remaining in the 2026 MLS regular season, grabbing points in the playoff positioning race is becoming more and more urgent. But, never fear Loons fans; in a league like this, parity makes everything possible. Just six points separate seventh place in the Western Conference from 14th, meaning there are eight clubs fighting for just three positions — only one of which is an automatic playoff bid. 

As your Loons look to find the kind of form that pulled St. Louis out of bottom-of-the-table purgatory, I decided to use this week’s Storylines to look at the numbers they’re facing, and how it might come to happen. So, without further ado, it’s time to look at the state of the race.

Tighter Than Ever

Let’s set the stage with a look at the table:

7) Colorado - 32 points

8) Portland - 32 points

9) San Diego - 30 points

10) RSL - 29 points

11) MNUFC  29 points

12) LA Galaxy - 29 points

13) Seattle - 27 points

14) Austin - 26 points

Alright, you feeling oriented? Ready to take some steps forward? 

With the Black and Blue currently three points back from an automatic playoff spot (seventh) and just one point away from a Wildcard spot, the fate of the club will be dependent on results elsewhere, as well as in each of the Loons’ final 10 matches. They’ll play three of the teams listed above before the end of the regular season (Colorado, LA Galaxy, Seattle), meaning they’ll be able to maximize their direct impact on the postseason race at least three more times before it’s all said and done. 

The rest of the Loons’ remaining matches come against teams that look set to secure automatic playoff bids, save an October 28 showdown with SKC. It’s not the easiest road, but as motivations change and perspectives begin to shift at the tail-end of the year, MNUFC should be bringing an intensity and urgency to these matchups that the likes of Houston, LAFC, San Jose, and even St. Louis may not be able to match.

We’ve seen the scoring capabilities of the team shine through in recent weeks, so we know that they’ll be able to find the back of the net. Now, the question remains whether or not they’ll be able to find a balance between that all-out attack and the defensive solidity that defined them early this season and last year. With both pieces clearly in the current lineup’s arsenal, a St. Louis-esque turnaround is very much in the cards for your playoff-chasing Loons.