USL1 Union Omaha

Match Preview: Union Omaha vs. Central Valley Fuego FC

March 15, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Union Omaha News Release


The Owls go again. It was a pivotal season for Union Omaha in 2023, with Dominic Casciato stepping into the fold as the new head coach. A raft of signings came with the sea change in Omaha, and after taking some time to mesh, the club swept away the rest of the league. They finished the regular season on a high-flying, high-scoring 14-match unbeaten streak that earned them their second USL League One Players' Shield. It also earned a bye to the semifinals... and that's where it all ended. A scoreless draw with Charlotte Independence begat a penalty shootout, and Charlotte netted all five of theirs to deny Los Búhos a third finals appearance in four years.

SUFFERING FROM SUCCESS

Naturally, that consistent level of performance comes at a cost. Union Omaha has seen a league-high five players fly the coop for the USL Championship. Noe Meza, for instance, joins the ranks of Evan Conway and Greg Hurst as former top scorers who ply their trade in the USL's top division, having moved on to Memphis 901 FC. Stalwart defender Alexis Souahy, the only player to feature in every minute of the Owls' 2023 campaign, will take his talents south to FC Tulsa. JP Scearce (playing in all but one match) heads out to Phoenix, while League One appearance leader Conor Doyle stays in the division to mentor a young Tormenta FC squad.

CHAMPIONSHIP PEDIGREE

There are plenty of new faces to replace those departed, though! Some of them have even come the other way from the Championship. Josué Gómez is El Paso Locomotive FC's all-time appearance leader, whom Casciato worked with in his time as an assistant coach in El Paso. PC comes from San Antonio FC, while he and the Haitian-capped Mechack Jérôme bring a combined 80 MLS appearances (and 1 MLS Cup) into the fold. This season also sees the returns of a couple familiar faces: USL League One record sale Ryen Jiba from Minnesota United, and Omaha native Blake Malone from Colorado Rapids 2. The Owls have been bringing in talent right up to the wire, with the homegrown Missael Rodriguez recently joining up on loan from Chicago Fire to augment the strike force.

SERIES HISTORY

Last season, Union Omaha faced two of the three head coaches that managed Central Valley Fuego throughout the year. It didn't matter who was on the touchline though, as the Owls swept the season series with three wins. The finale of those, against interim coach Edison Gonzalez, was maybe the most dramatic, with a 93rd minute winner from Joe Gallardo. Overall, Union Omaha is 5-1-0 against Central Valley Fuego FC, by a combined score of 9-3. Three more matchups against Fuego are lined up this year, with the Fresno outfit coming to Werner Park to bookend the regular season in late October.

ABOUT CENTRAL VALLEY FUEGO FC

Central Valley Fuego FC's own new era has started off swimmingly. Former USMNT midfielder Jermaine Jones' debut as a head coach resulted in a 2-1 victory over South Georgia Tormenta FC. While the Statesboro outfit lost several key players over the winter, such as appearances leader Pablo Jara and top scorers Kazaiah Sterling and Mukwelle Akale, it's still a credit to Central Valley's aggressive rebuild for them to net a win right away. Then again, they won their season opener in 2023... and immediately went on a 6-match winless skid en route to a 12th place finish. Needless to say, Jones' progress in fanning the flames of the Fuego will be a storyline to watch this year.

Season ticket memberships and voucher packs for the 2024 season are currently available via tickets.unionomaha.com or through the Werner Park Ticket Office by calling (402) 738-5100.

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United Soccer League One Stories from March 15, 2024


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