USL United Soccer League Championship

Playoff Push Reaches Final Month in Week 23

Published on August 21, 2015 under United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


TAMPA, Fla. - Only one month remains in the regular season as the weekend approaches in Week 23 of USL action. The parity across the league has been evident as no team has clinched a postseason position, but that could change in the coming days.

The Rochester Rhinos, holding onto a firm grasp of first place in the Eastern Conference at the moment, will host the Harrisburg City Islanders on Saturday at Sahlen's Stadium. A win for the Rhinos, combined with a Charlotte Independence loss or draw this weekend, would clinch a postseason berth as they go up against a Harrisburg side that is currently just outside the playoff picture in seventh place.

In the Western Conference, the LA Galaxy II host Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Sunday at StubHub Center. Both teams have identical 12-8-3 records and 39 points and are one point behind OKC Energy FC, which is idle this weekend. A victory from either side would mean a new leader atop the West.

GAMES TO WATCH

Rochester Rhinos vs. Harrisburg City Islanders

Saturday, 7:05 p.m. ET, Sahlen's Stadium

The Rhinos could be the first team to qualify for the USL Playoffs if they defeat Harrisburg, combined with the Charlotte Independence either posting a draw or loss to the Pittsburgh Riverhounds. Rochester holds a five-point lead in the Eastern Conference ahead of Louisville City FC with six remaining games in the regular season. Rochester (13-1-8, 47 points) and Harrisburg (9-8-4, 31 points) faced each other on one other occasion this regular season, playing to a 1-1 draw on June 19 at the Skyline Sports Complex. The City Islanders held a 1-0 halftime lead on a Jason Plumhoff goal, only to see Christian Volesky equalize for the Rhinos in the final five minutes of regulation. Rochester has been a rock at Sahlen's Stadium with an 8-0-2 record, and overall the league leader maintains the best defense in the USL, allowing a miniscule 0.55 goals per game (12 goals in 22 matches). Harrisburg, on the other hand, has allowed more goals than any other East team at two per game (42 goals in 21 matches). The City Islanders are one point below the playoff places at the moment in seventh place, but they also have one or two games in hand against this six-team group. (Preview)

Louisville City FC vs. Charleston Battery

Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, Louisville Slugger Field

The East's second-place City (12-4-6, 42 points) and third-place Battery (9-5-9, 36 points) meet each other for the first time Saturday. They are currently duking it out to cut the gap behind Rochester while also creating some distance from the pack of teams closely chasing them, so the stakes are high for both sides. Week 22 was a good bounce-back stretch for Louisville with a 5-1 win against the Harrisburg City Islanders and a 2-2 road draw against Tulsa Roughnecks FC. This marks the first of a three-game homestand for Louisville before the expansion club hits the road for its final three regular-season matches. Matt Fondy leads the Louisville attack with his team-high 16 goals, four of which were against Harrisburg en route to earning USL Player of the Week honors. Charleston has hit a rough patch with a 0-3-2 stretch and most recently suffered a deflating 3-2 road loss to Saint Louis FC in which the Battery squandered a 2-0 lead. The five-game winless stretch is Charleston's longest of the season. (Preview)

LA Galaxy II vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2

Sunday, 6 p.m. ET, StubHub Center

The Galaxy II and S2 went through a tough start to August, but both are coming off big wins to provide the perfect setup in this match of two of the top West clubs. Los Dos (12-8-3, 39 points) put an end to a three-game losing streak with a 3-2 road victory against the Austin Aztex this past Saturday, overcoming a 2-0 deficit with three unanswered in the second half. The comeback included two goals from Jack McBean, including the stoppage-time winner. Seattle (12-8-3, 39 points) had back-to-back shutout losses to open the month and went through a 289-minute scoring drought before earning a clutch 3-2 win against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Wednesday at Starfire Stadium. The hero of that match, Myron Samuel, might be on the shelf, however. After scoring two goals and assisting the other in his S2 debut, an image with Samuel's right foot in a boot surfaced. The club has not stated his official status moving forward.

MILESTONES

- Rochester Rhinos goalkeeper Brandon Miller leads the USL with 10 shutouts. That mark is one shy of the USL record shared by Kristian Nicht (11 for Rochester in 2012) and Miguel Gallardo (11 for Orlando in 2011). Miller will have his opportunity to match the record when the Rhinos host Harrisburg on Saturday.

- The Pittsburgh Riverhounds' Kevin Kerr and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC's Luke Vercollone are tied for the USL lead with nine assists each. They are only three behind the league record of 12 set by Pittsburgh's Matt Dallman in 2013. Kerr will not be able to add to his total against Charlotte, however, as he is suspended due to yellow card accumulation on Saturday. Vercollone's Switchbacks do not play this weekend and next face Real Monarchs SLC on Wednesday.

- OKC Energy FC forward Danni König, the USL's goal scoring leader with 19 this season, is one shy of matching the league single-season record set by Orlando City SC's Kevin Molino (20 goals in 2014). König and OKC are idle this week, but two players who are close behind in the goal-scoring race are in action - the Pittsburgh Riverhounds' Rob Vincent (17) and Louisville City FC's Matt Fondy (16). Vincent's Riverhounds visit the Charlotte Independence on Saturday and Fondy's City squad hosts the Charleston Battery.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES

- The Charlotte Independence is in the midst of a six-game unbeaten streak (2-0-4), currently one of the longest in the USL behind OKC Energy FC's eight-game stretch (4-0-4) and even with Orange County Blues FC's six (4-0-2). Points are a premium for Charlotte (6-6-8, 26 points), which enters the weekend in ninth place, six points behind the sixth-place Pittsburgh Riverhounds (9-8-5, 32 points). Charlotte hosts the Riverhounds on Saturday and has the most remaining regular-season games among the conference with eight. This is the third and final meeting between the two clubs, with Charlotte leading the series with a 1-0-1 record. (Preview; Key Eastern Clash Set for Highmark)

- Orange County Blues FC (11-8-3, 36 points) looks to extend its four-game winning streak when it faces the Austin Aztex on Saturday in Austin. That four-game streak ties for the longest in the club's history, matching a stretch in 2013. (Preview)

- Anthony Grant, the 2015 PDL MVP and Golden Boot winner, signed with the Richmond Kickers on Thursday. The Kickers have five remaining regular-season games and host Saint Louis FC on Saturday at City Stadium. Richmond is fourth in the East standings at 8-6-9 (33 points) with a 5-1-4 record at home. (Preview)

- Saint Louis FC has brought in defender Greg Cochrane, on loan from Major League Soccer's Chicago Fire. He started and played the full 90 minutes during Saint Louis' dramatic 3-2 victory against the Charleston Battery on Thursday and will be with the squad for Saturday's road match against the Richmond Kickers. Cochrane has started three games and logged 244 minutes this season for the Fire in his second season with the club and third in MLS.

- Arizona United SC acquired forward Schillo Tshuma on loan from MLS. Tshuma spent portions of the 2014 USL season with Orange County Blues FC (for two games) and then Arizona for 17 games.

HOW TO FOLLOW

Every game of the 2015 USL season can be seen live, free and in HD on YouTube (www.Youtube.com/USL), with updates from throughout the league also available via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

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United Soccer League Championship Stories from August 21, 2015


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.


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