Mile High Dreams, Big Task Ahead
September 30, 2023 - United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Rio Grande Valley FC Toros News Release
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colorado - Rio Grande Valley FC (9-10-11) is set to face fellow Western conference side, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (13-13-4) on Saturday evening at 7:00 p.m. CST. This matchup holds important implications for both sides as they look to secure their spot in the Western conference playoff picture.
Rio Grande Valley must win, draws are not safe any longer in this race. Colorado Springs qualifies and secure a top six spot with a win on Saturday night, but could slip with a draw result as the remaining schedule pends its final results, a loss only complicates things numerically but the playoff line is still within secure reach for the Colorado side.
The Toros took care of business out east as they dropped Indy Eleven in their own home to lock in a 0-1 victory, and extend their unbeaten streak to two consecutive games and third straight overall if you count the home win over Phoenix prior to the rescheduled match against Hartford Athletic which just tossed their schedule into a loop to end the season.
Nothing has changed for Rio Grande Valley, this is a playoff type scenario as it is win or die in the playoff hunt; a familiar scenario as they faced the Switchbacks on the road last season in the Western conference quarterfinal, where their season ended and left a sour taste in their mouth.
Returning forward, Ricky Ruiz knows the feeling all too well of being eliminated last season on this pitch and provided his thoughts in midweek interviews; "There is no room for error this time, it is three points or nothing, considering there is only four games left in the season. We need to end the season on a high note and hope to continue achieving what we have in the past two seasons, which is qualifying to the playoffs each of those seasons."
It is no secret that Colorado Springs are on a good run, and won their midweek bout against Detroit City FC, but this is the same scenario they were in when they entered H-E-B Park earlier this season, in good form, and were simply outplayed and locked down defensively by this RGV FC offence which has earned three key back to back clean sheets. Will there be home fireworks, or will the Toros step it up once again to this time finally defeat the Switchbacks at their own pitch for the first time in three season?
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United Soccer League Championship Stories from September 30, 2023
- SD Loyal Clinches Playoff Berth with 4-1 Win Against Monterey Bay F.C. - San Diego Loyal
- San Antonio FC Rallies from Two-Goal Deficit to Draw at Oakland Roots SC 2-2 - San Antonio FC
- Monterey Bay F.C. Falls 4-1 to San Diego at Torero Stadium in Last-Ever Regular Season Meeting Against Loyal SC - Monterey Bay FC
- Rising Clinches Playoff Berth in 1-1 Draw - Phoenix Rising FC
- Battery Fall 3-2 to El Paso, But Secure Home Field Advantage in Playoffs - Charleston Battery
- New Mexico United Earn Huge Home Win Against Louisville City FC, Stay Alive in Playoff Chase - New Mexico United
- Oakland Goes Up Early, But San Antonio Claws Back In 2-2 Draw - Oakland Roots
- Legion FC Claims Victory Over Its Arch-Rivals Memphis in Pivotal Game - Birmingham Legion FC
- Loucity Caught Off Its Game In Loss At New Mexico United - Louisville City FC
- Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Edge FC Tulsa - FC Tulsa
- Dikwa Goals Send Riverhounds Past FC Tulsa - Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
- Colorado Springs Switchbacks Battle to Draw Rio Grande Valley FC - Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
- Rowdies Best Loudoun 1-0 - Tampa Bay Rowdies
- Taylor Davila Scores Late Equalizer in Pivotal Match - Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
- Memphis 901 FC Falls to Birmingham Legion FC 2-1 in Third Edition of Southern Harm Derby - Memphis 901 FC
- Hartford Fall 2-0 to Miami FC - Hartford Athletic
- Mile High Dreams, Big Task Ahead - Rio Grande Valley FC Toros
- Oakland Roots Welcome San Antonio to Town - Oakland Roots
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