FENTON, Mo. – Both Saint Louis FC and Las Vegas Lights FC have the games in hand to make up ground on the teams ahead of them in the Western Conference standings as both clubs pursue a trip to the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs, but as the teams meet on Saturday night at Toyota Stadium – Saint Louis (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center | ESPN+) the importance of victory couldn’t be higher.

With Las Vegas having claimed a 1-0 victory at Cashman Field when the teams met for the first time on July 7 when Raul Mendiola’s early second-half finish proved the difference, Saint Louis is hoping to turn the tables back on home turf.

“Las Vegas has made a number of personnel changes over the last couple weeks since we played them last but I think their overall soccer style and philosophy is similar, so we know what to expect,” said STLFC Head Coach Anthony Pulis. “They play direct and physical, so we will have to be mentally tough to maintain our composure and stick to our game plan and not let them dictate the style of the game.”

The defeat to Lights FC was the lone setback Saint Louis has suffered since the middle of June, and the side enters Saturday’s game on the back of consecutive victories that moved the club into 11th place, four points back of both the seventh-place Portland Timbers 2 and eighth-place Swope Park Rangers. With those two sides also set to meet on Saturday night, the door is open for Saint Louis to gain ground with a win.

With a busy week coming up that sees STLFC host Sacramento Republic FC on Wednesday night before heading to the west coast to visit fellow playoff contender Fresno FC next Saturday, maintaining the club’s recent momentum is the main focus within the squad.

“We just need to keep the ball rolling, especially with a couple more games in a row at home,” said STLFC midfielder Kyle Culbertson.

There will be a much bigger test waiting OKC this Saturday night at Taft Stadium (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center | ESPN+) as Western Conference-leader Real Monarchs SLC visits looking to add to its own big midweek victory. Holding a six-point lead in the conference standings and a two-point edge over Eastern Conference-leader FC Cincinnati going into this weekend’s action, the Monarchs are gunning for a third consecutive victory in their pursuit of back-to-back USL Regular-Season Championships.

With the balance the Monarchs bring throughout their lineup, Energy FC is ready to measure itself against one of the league’s top teams.  

“It’s going to be a great challenge for us,” said Energy FC defender Justin Chavez. “I always look forward to playing the best teams because it shows us where we are. Anytime you play a team with that capacity, it shows our character and how we play together as a team.”

“We need to stay together and keep working as a team,” said SAFC defender Darnell King. “We want to make sure we stick to what we’ve been working on throughout the week and that everyone does their job properly. We all want to be on the same page because our upcoming games are very important, and we want to get these wins on the road.”

San Antonio will head on from its clash with Seattle on Saturday night to visit the Portland Timbers 2 next Wednesday, a game that could have major playoff implications for T2 as it battles to remain in the final two playoff spots in the Western Conference. While SAFC has had some recent absences from its lineup, however, Head Coach Darren Powell believes there will be enough depth to take on the challenge the side will face in Portland.

“We have a very good squad and we’re almost back to full health, so we can rely on a rotation if needed,” said Powell. “The players are hungry and ready, and we will field the strongest squad we have available.”

AROUND THE WEST: Rio Grande Valley FC’s players remember the feeling of disappointment the side had when it lost a late two-goal lead against Sacramento Republic FC, and are hoping to channel that it into a positive display at Papa Murphy’s Park this Saturday. “Yeah, they have a bunch of older experienced guys that move the ball very well,” said Toros midfielder Todd Wharton. “We are going to have to focus and play with more intelligence than normal and keep the ball, so we can make them run rather than them making us run.” … After falling heavily at home to Phoenix Rising FC last Sunday, the Portland Timbers 2 are aiming for a bounce-back display against the Swope Park Rangers on Saturday in what is one of the bigger games of the weekend in the Western Conference playoff race. “There are no easy games left in the season and there were none to begin the season,” said T2 Head Coach Cameron Knowles. “We’re a very good team on the road and it’s going to be important now that we go on the road and pick up all three points.”