Huntsville City FC rolls over Carolina Core; await opponent in MLS NEXT Pro playoffs

HUNTSVILLE — The orange-clad Boys in Blue did their part Sunday but, unfortunately, they didn’t get help from Atlanta in their chase for a home playoff match.

Huntsville City FC rolled to a 3-0 win over Carolina Core FC and waited on the outcome of the Chattanooga FC-Atlanta United 2 match about 100 miles away.

If Atlanta United 2 beat Chattanooga, Huntsville City would move into fourth place in the MLS NEXT Pro Eastern Conference standings and host a playoff match in two weeks.

However, Chattanooga secured the home playoff spot after a gritty, come-from-behind 1-1 draw and 5-4 shootout win at Finley Stadium in Chattanooga.

Meanwhile, on the pitch at Wicks Family Field at Joe Davis Stadium, Maximus Ekk put in a “max” effort for Huntsville City with a pair of goals, including one just eight minutes into the match when he redirected a centering pass from Tyshawn Rose into the net.

Ekk’s second goal was an act of thievery as he stole the ball from goalkeeper Alex Sutton and put it into the open net. The goal was Ekk’s fourth in five games with HCFC.

Real Gill wrapped up the scoring at the 63-minute mark on Koffi’s second assist of the afternoon. It was Gill’s third goal of the season.

Now, with MLS NEXT Pro’s Pick-Your-Opponent format, the Boys in Blue will have to wait until Thursday’s playoff announcement to see who their opponent will be.

According to the format, the No. 1-3 seeds in each conference (New York Red Bulls II, Philadelphia Union II and New England Revolution II in the Eastern Conference) will host and select their opponent from the No. 5-8 seeds. The No. 4 seed, Chattanooga in the Eastern Conference, will host the remaining club.

The conference quarterfinals are Oct. 17-19.

Eastern Conference seeds

1. New York Red Bulls II (58 points, 17-6-5)
2. Philadelphia Union II (58 points, 15-5-8)
3. New England Revolution II (54 points, 14-7-7)
4. Chattanooga FC (53 points, 13-6-9)
5. Huntsville City FC (52 points, 14-8-6)
6. Chicago Fire FC II (48 points, 12-9-7)
7. FC Cincinnati 2 (41 points, 9-12-7)
8. Carolina Core FC (39 points, 8-10-10)

Western Conference seeds