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USL's Week Ahead: Keystone Derby Resumes in Pittsburgh (April 25-29, 2017)

April 25, 2017 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


TAMPA, Fla. - The United Soccer League, one of the most prominent Division II leagues in the world, prepares for a 13-game slate in Week 6. The Keystone Derby, featuring the host Pittsburgh Riverhounds and the Harrisburg City Islanders, is among the 10-game Saturday lineup. The two sides have had some memorable run-ins, with a number of this year's players involved in the Riverhounds' thrilling 6-5 win on May 30, 2015, capped off by Kevin Kerr's stoppage-time winner. Elsewhere, Western Conference-leading San Antonio FC wraps up its Pacific Northwest swing with games against Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Tuesday and the Portland Timbers 2 on Friday. Tuesday's Seattle-San Antonio match will incorporate the Video Assistant Referee technology process, being implemented in 25 USL regular-season matches this year. Here are the USL essentials for the week ahead:

11 THINGS TO KNOW:

In the USL's 11 Things to Know, Nicholas Murray and the league reflect on a banner week as a USL-record 94,700 fans attended the past week's matches. FC Cincinnati posted another 20,000-plus crowd, and other significant turnouts took place such as a club-record 7,162 for Phoenix Rising FC and 6,502 during Ottawa Fury FC's home opener.

All 480 regular-season games, the 2017 USL Cup Playoffs and the 2017 USL Cup Final can be accessed via USLSoccer.com's Match Center: http://www.uslsoccer.com/match-center

Standings | Statistics | Videos

USL NEWS & FEATURES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED:

Ottawa Citizen: USL's Destination 2020 Plan Coming Together PlayeringFor90.com: 11 Questions with USL President Jake Edwards WTVR (video): Richmond Kickers Leaving Lasting Legacy USLSoccer.com: Cincinnati Buoyed by Crowd of 20,437 USLSoccer.com: Close-Out Ability Puts Battery Atop Table USLSoccer.com: T2 Emerges in 'Tough Environment' USLSoccer.com: Dramatic Equalizer Lifts Rhinos' Spirits USLSoccer.com: Saint Louis Signs USL Cup-Winner Walls

BUZZING ON SOCIAL:

Didier Drogba (@didierdrogba): Dear @PHXRisingFC I'll be off on loan with @ChelseaFC for two days 26/27th of May, just to make it 17/17 against #afc #IswearIBeBack #banter

Charlotte Independence (@CLTIndependence): What a grind by the team, relentless and a big result at a very tough away place to play #WeAreCLT #WeAreOne #Indy #3pts #Win #Family

Jake Edwards (@EdwardsUSL): Thanks @OttawaFuryFC for a great day. Top-class organization. Loved the passion in the new supporters' club section!

USL WEEK 6 SCHEDULE | RAPID-FIRE PREVIEWS:

Games in order of kickoff times (ET); host team listed first

Tuesday, April 25:

Seattle Sounders FC 2 vs. San Antonio FC, 10:30 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Starfire Stadium, Western Conference-leading SAFC (4-0-1, 13 points) continues its Pacific Northwest road trip against S2 (2-3-0, 6 points). This game will also mark the third of 25 regular-season matches featuring the availability of Video Assistant Referee technology. San Antonio is coming off a 2-1 win at Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on Saturday, led by Billy Forbes, who scored the winning goal and set up an Aly Hassan tally. Seattle has alternated losses and wins all season, recently posting a 3-1 defeat to Real Monarchs SLC on Saturday. (#SEAvSA) Thursday, April 27:

Orlando City B vs. Saint Louis FC, 7:30 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Orlando City Stadium in Orlando, Fla., OCB (2-3-2, 8 points) returns from its three-game road trip to host STLFC (3-2-1, 10 points). Richie Laryea recorded a brace on Sunday to lead OCB to a 2-0 win at Bethlehem Steel FC on Sunday. Saint Louis looks to end a two-game skid that included a 2-1 loss to the Charlotte Independence on Saturday. (#ORLvSTL) Friday, April 28:

Portland Timbers 2 vs. San Antonio FC, 10:30 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Providence Park in Portland, Ore., San Antonio prepares for its second game in four days when it visits T2 (1-5-0, 3 points) at Providence Park. Portland is coming off its first victory of the season, a 2-0 win at Sacramento Republic FC at sold-out Papa Murphy's Park on Saturday. Villyan Bijev and Victor Arboleda provided the goal scoring and Wade Hamilton made four saves to earn the clean sheet. (#PORvSA) Saturday, April 29:

Bethlehem Steel FC vs. FC Cincinnati, 5 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Goodman Stadium in Bethlehem, Pa., Steel FC (1-3-0, 3 points) and FCC (2-2-2, 8 points) meet for the second time this season. Bethlehem took the first meeting with a 2-0 victory on April 9, with Seku Conneh recording both goals and Cincinnati playing with 10 men after Paul Nicholson was sent off in the first half. Cincinnati will be without goal-scoring leader Djiby Fall (6 goals) who was sent off during FCC's recent 1-1 draw against Louisville City FC. (#BSTvCIN) Real Monarchs SLC vs. Swope Park Rangers, 6 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah, the Monarchs (4-1-0, 12 points) host the Rangers (3-1-0, 9 points) who saw their seven-game, regular-season winning streak come to a close Sunday at Phoenix Rising FC. Swope Park was one shy of the USL record of eight straight wins set by Orlando City SC in 2014 after falling 4-3 at Phoenix. The Monarchs are coming off a 3-1 win at Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Saturday. (#SLCvSPR) Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 vs. Sacramento Republic FC, 6 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Thunderbird Stadium in Vancouver, WFC2 (2-1-1, 7 points) and Republic FC (3-3-0, 9 points) both look to rebound from recent losses in Week 5. Sacramento, which is coming off a 2-0 loss to the Portland Timbers 2, is in the midst of a three-game losing streak, which matches the longest skid in club history. Sacramento also underwent a three-game losing streak in April of 2016. Vancouver fell 2-1 to San Antonio FC on Saturday. WFC2 posted a 1-0-2 record against Republic FC last season. (#VANvSAC) Rochester Rhinos vs. Charlotte Independence, 6:05 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Capelli Sport Stadium in Rochester, N.Y., the Rhinos (1-1-2, 5 points) wrap up their two-game home stand against the Independence (1-1-2, 5 points), who are coming off their first win of the season. Charlotte's Enzo Martinez, playing in his first match of the season, recorded a brace to lead his side to a 2-1 road win against Saint Louis FC on Saturday. Rochester is coming off a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls II on Saturday. (#ROCvCLT) Charleston Battery vs. Ottawa Fury FC, 7 p.m. ET (Match Center): At MUSC Health Stadium in Charleston, S.C., the Battery (4-1-0, 12 points) prepare for a three-game home stand, starting with their first match against expansion side Fury FC (1-2-1, 4 points). Charleston moved to the top of the Eastern Conference standings this past weekend with a 3-2 victory at the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday. Ottawa posted a scoreless draw against Toronto FC II during Saturday's home opener in front of a crowd of 6,502 at TD Place. (#CHSvOTT) Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. Harrisburg City Islanders, 7 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Highmark Stadium in Pittsburgh, the Keystone Derby Cup kicks off with the Riverhounds (1-3-2, 5 points) hosting the City Islanders (2-1-1, 7 points). The regular-season series tournament kicked off in 2015, with the Riverhounds winning that first edition, and then Harrisburg winning the 2016 version. Pittsburgh is coming off a 2-1 road loss to the Richmond Kickers on Saturday and Harrisburg last played to a 1-1 draw against Orlando City B on April 18. The City Islanders are in the midst of a three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1). (#PGHvHAR) Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Richmond Kickers, 7:30 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Al Lang Stadium in St. Petersburg, Fla., the Rowdies (3-2-1, 10 points) look to avert their three-game winless stretch when they host the Kickers (2-3-0, 6 points). Tampa Bay, which had been 3-0-0 at home with three clean sheets, conceded three goals at Al Lang during a 3-2 loss to the Charleston Battery on Saturday. Richmond's two wins this season have both come at home, including this past Saturday's 2-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. (#TBRvRIC) Louisville City FC vs. Toronto FC II, 7:30 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Slugger Field in Louisville, Ky., City FC (3-0-2, 11 points) continues its unbeaten campaign against Toronto (1-2-2, 5 points). Louisville posted a 1-1 draw at FC Cincinnati on Saturday, with Brian Ownby tallying his first goal with the club. Toronto has posted back-to-back scoreless draws, most recently at Ottawa Fury FC on Saturday in the Battle of Ontario. (#LOUvTOR) Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2, 8 p.m. ET (Match Center): At Weidner Field in Colorado Springs, Colo., the Switchbacks (2-1-3, 9 points) prepare for a two-game set at home that opens against Seattle. Colorado Springs fought for a 2-2 draw at Reno 1868 FC on Saturday on Shane Malcolm's stoppage-time equalizer. S2 will play in its second match in five days after hosting San Antonio FC on Tuesday. (#COSvSEA) Rio Grande Valley FC vs. OKC Energy FC, 8:30 p.m. ET (Match Center): At H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas, the Toros (2-3-0, 6 points) and Energy FC (1-2-1, 4 points) meet for a second time this season and first time at RGV's home venue. RGV defeated OKC 1-0 on April 8 at Taft Stadium for the club's first win of the season on a Ruben Luna penalty kick conversion. OKC has not played in more than two weeks, last posting a 1-0 win against Sacramento Republic FC on April 11. RGV fell 1-0 to Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Saturday in Edinburg. (#RGVvOKC)

USL WEEK 5 RESULTS

Tuesday, April 18

Harrisburg City Islanders 1, Orlando City B 1 Wednesday, April 19:

FC Cincinnati 1, Tampa Bay Rowdies 1 Saturday, April 22:

Charleston Battery 3, Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 Charlotte Independence 2, Saint Louis FC 1 FC Cincinnati 1, Louisville City FC 1 LA Galaxy II 1, Orange County SC 1 Ottawa Fury FC 0, Toronto FC II 0 Portland Timbers 2 (2), Sacramento Republic FC 0 Reno 1868 FC 2, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 2 Real Monarchs SLC 3, Seattle Sounders FC 2 (1) Richmond Kickers 2, Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1 Rochester Rhinos 2, New York Red Bulls II 2 San Antonio FC 2, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 (1) Tulsa Roughnecks FC 1, Rio Grande Valley FC 0 Sunday, April 23:

Orlando City B 2, Bethlehem Steel FC 0 Phoenix Rising FC 4, Swope Park Rangers 3


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United Soccer League Championship Stories from April 25, 2017


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