Saturday's 3-1 defeat to the New England Revolution did no favors in Sporting Kansas City's bid for a sixth straight playoff appearance, but ramifications could have been far worse.
Just hours after Peter Vermes' men stumbled at Gillette Stadium, the Portland Timbers and Real Salt Lake suffered losses of their own. As a result, Sporting Kansas City (12-13-7, 43 points) faces a wide range of possibilities heading into the October international break. The club still has a realistic shot at a fourth-place finish and a home playoff game, but runs the risk of missing the postseason altogether with any further dropped points.