Albion San Diego concludes its inaugural regular season competing in NISA with a chance to clinch a home playoff game this Saturday in front of the home fans at Canyon Crest Academy Stadium versus California United Strikers.

Albion will be limping home after losing its last three matches during a week-long road trip that ended on Oct. 5 in a 2-0 loss to the Michigan Stars. The team, led by head coach Ziggy Korytoski, had gone undefeated in 10 of its previous 11 matches including being crowned NISA Independent Cup Southern California Region Champion before traveling to Finley Stadium on Sept. 28 to take on Chattanooga FC.

Despite the recent setback, Albion San Diego still controls its own destiny with regards to hosting a home playoff game as the number four seed as long as the team can come out with a win or draw versus top-seeded Cal United. Albion can also clinch the third seed with a win and Michigan Stars stumbling in its final two matches against Flower City Union and Chattanooga FC. However, this could be one of those scenarios where finishing as the lower playoff seed comes with a silver lining.

Finishing below Michigan has Albion San Diego hosting the Maryland Bobcats or Syracuse Pulse in the first round and driving less than 90 minutes to take on Cal United in round two if it makes it through round one. If Albion finishes as the third seed it would have to travel across the country again to take on Chattanooga FC in the second round.

Cal United and Albion have played three times so far this season and are 1-1-1 against each other with the last couple being played at Championship Stadium in Irvine. Chattanooga is 2-0 against Albion with both games ending by the same score of 2-1 and with the team from Tennessee having the league goal-scoring leader, Markus Naglestad, on its roster.

The regular season finale between Albion San Diego and Cal United is this Saturday at 6 p.m.

Photo courtesy of David Frerker