A 38-game regular season ended on Saturday night with playoff spots still up for grabs. Memphis 901 FC came into the weekend in a direct battle with Louisville City for the fourth seed, crucially two points ahead in the standings.
Memphis were unable to get a result on the road against New Mexico United, losing 4-1 on Friday. New Mexico scored twice in the opening 15 minutes and never looked back, leaving the possibility of a home playoff game in the hands of the Tampa Bay Rowdies.
The Rowdies, trying to wrap up the 2-seed themselves, answered the call with a 3-2 win relying on their blistering attack. JJ Williams scored 27 seconds into the match. Cal Jennings, a former Memphis 901 player, responded to a Louisville equalizer with two goals in a two-minute span – signifying a return of playoff soccer to AutoZone Park.
The USL Championship playoffs consist of a fixed, single-elimination bracket. Memphis have now made the playoffs for three consecutive seasons, winning their first playoff game last year at home against Detroit City.
Memphis will start their playoff campaign against Louisville on Saturday, October 21 at 5:30pm.
The two clubs have played 11 times since Memphis joined the league in 2019. Louisville dominated the matchup in the early years, but 901 FC has found success recently. Memphis won in Louisville and played to a draw at AutoZone Park this year.