USL San Diego Loyal

It's Back to USL Championship Action for SD Loyal After a Week Break

Published on July 23, 2021 under United Soccer League Championship (USL)
San Diego Loyal News Release


It will be 10 days since the last time SD Loyal played a match. Manager Landon Donovan's team returns to USL Championship league play with a Week 14 Pacific Division match against Phoenix Rising FC. The Pacific Division affair is slated to be broadcasted on Fox 5 San Diego and Azteca America 33 in Spanish.

WHAT:

First place vs. Second place. This is the fourth and final meeting between these club in the 2021 regular season and it could be an important matchup. It pairs Phoenix Rising FC, the division leader against SD Loyal who has moved up the standings into second place after a 0-4 start. SD Loyal is tied for second with Orange County SC but holds the head-to-head tiebreaker. It is also Pride Night as the Proud and Loud fan section is slated to be decorated in rainbow swag while 20-percent of the proceeds from this section will benefit San Diego Pride.

WHO:

- SD Loyal

- Phoenix Rising FC

WHEN:

Saturday, July 24

7:30 p.m. PT

WHERE:

Torero Stadium

5998 Alcala Park

San Diego, CA 92111

MATCH PREVIEW:

Manager Landon Donovan has talked about not putting too much emphasis on the standings at this point in the season. The SD Loyal coach can probably leave that for the fans to look at. And fans have a matchup between the first and second place Pacific Division teams to watch. SD Loyal hosts Phoenix Rising, one of the top teams in the league. It is a rivalry that has proven to showcase entertaining and often dramatic outcomes. The matchup has also shown that SD Loyal had had the upper hand recently as it beat Phoenix 2-1 June 19 and tied 2-2 on June 5 after taking a 2-0 lead into stoppage time of the match. Both of those results are part of SD Loyal's current nine-game unbeaten streak (six wins, three draws). This is also SD Loyal's fifth-straight home match, including a friendly against Club Tijuana Xolos of LIGA MX July 10. Donovan's side remains unbeaten at home this season with a 5-0-1 record at Torero Stadium.

"We know how to beat Phoenix," Donovan said earlier this season. "We have proven over the last 18 months. (We've proven) that we are almost the only team in this league that knows how to beat them consistently and that's powerful. We need that."

Phoenix Rising FC has been atop the Pacific Division table for most of the season. It most recently beat LA Galaxy II 5-0 to extend its four-match unbeaten streak (three wins, one draw). Salomon Asante led the team against LA Galaxy II with a goal and three assists, ultimately being named the USL Championship Player of The Week. The win put Phoenix Rising at an 8-2-2 record with 26 points while remaining unbeaten at Wild Horse Pass Stadium (6-0-1).

Phoenix Rising's only pair of losses came against SD Loyal and defending Eastern Conference champion Tampa Bay Rowdies.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 23, 2021


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