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Republic FC Looks to Get Back on Track against Blues in Week 6

April 29, 2016 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


TAMPA, Fla. - The sixth week of the 2016 USL season features 13 games this weekend, with four previous matches already in the books from earlier this week. A new team is atop the Western Conference in Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2. Multiple clubs are looking to end some rare losing skids, while the Eastern Conference's Charleston Battery look to improve on their 27-game home unbeaten streak.

Every game of the 2016 USL season will be available on the league's Match Center, with updates from across the league also available via Twitter, Facebook, Vine and Instagram.

GAMES TO WATCH

Saturday, April 30

Charleston Battery vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds

7:30 p.m. ET, MUSC Health Stadium

The Battery's home unbeaten streak will be at the forefront once again this weekend when Charleston (2-1-2, 8 points) hosts the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (0-2-2, 2 points). Charleston holds a 27-game home unbeaten streak (18-0-9), dating back to May of 2014. The Battery's last home loss was a 1-0 defeat to Wilmington Hammerheads FC on May 10, 2014.

Charleston has had an impressive run against Pittsburgh, posting a 6-1-5 record against the Riverhounds since 2011.

Pittsburgh is one of only two teams still in search of a win this season - the other being 0-4-0 FC Montreal. The Riverhounds are coming off a rain-soaked, delay-plagued 2-2 draw against Louisville City FC on Wednesday at Slugger Field. Pittsburgh had two leads in that match, only for the hosts to reply on both occasions.

Sacramento Republic FC vs. Orange County Blues FC

10:30 p.m. ET, Bonney Field

Sacramento looks to end a two-game losing streak when it hosts Orange County. Republic FC (2-2-1, 7 points) has dropped back-to-back games for just the third time in club history and has never lost three consecutive matches since joining the USL in 2014.

Republic FC's defense has been the stronghold, having conceded only two goals. However, Sacramento's offense, despite generating numerous scoring chances and heavy possession advantages, has only posted two goals itself. That is tied for the fewest in the USL alongside the Eastern Conference's FC Montreal.

Orange County (2-2-1, 7 points) has made significant progress throughout the season after opening 2016 with two losses. The Blues currently boast a three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1).

Sunday, May 1

New York Red Bulls II vs. Charlotte Independence

4 p.m. ET, Red Bull Arena

The Red Bulls II (3-0-2, 11 points) have been a defensive force this season, posting four consecutive shutouts entering Sunday's match against Charlotte. NYRB II is coming off a 1-0 victory against Wilmington last week.

NYRB II will be put to the test as the Independence (3-2-0, 9 points) have been in strong form of late with three wins in their past four matches. Charlotte holds a balanced attack that features four players with two goals apiece. Jorge Herrera is one of them, and he leads the team with two assists as well.

MILESTONES

- The Charlotte Independence's Jorge Herrera, who scored the game-winning penalty kick last Friday during a 3-2 win against the Richmond Kickers, now has 35 career goals. Herrera sits fourth on the all-time goal-scoring list behind Matt Fondy (38). Just one minute earlier in that match, Richmond's Matthew Delicate scored his 42nd career goal. He is second on the all-time list behind the Swope Park Rangers' Dane Kelly (43), who has missed some time this season because of a hamstring injury.

Vancouver's Kyle Greig, who scored his 26th career goal earlier this week, is now in a tie for eighth place all-time on the USL's goal-scoring list with Dennis Chin.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES

- San Antonio FC (1-2-2, 5 points) returns from its three-game road trip to host Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Saturday at Toyota Field. SAFC enjoyed a sellout environment in its other home match thus far, a 1-1 draw against the Swope Park Rangers on April 9. The 2016 expansion side has not won since its opening 3-0 victory against Seattle Sounders FC 2 on April 3. Tulsa (1-2-2, 5 points) opens a four-game road trip. Similar to San Antonio, the Roughnecks are looking to turn around a four-game winless stretch (0-3-1) after opening the season with a win against Rio Grande Valley FC.

- Expansion Rio Grande Valley FC prepares for its home opener when it hosts the defending Western Conference champions the LA Galaxy II at UT Rio Grande Valley on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET). Because of delays in the completion of state-of-the-art, 10,000-seat RGVFC Toros Stadium, RGV's first five home games from April 30 through June 11 will be held at the UTRGV Soccer and Track & Field Complex. The Galaxy II (2-0-4, 10 points) are second in the West behind Vancouver, and led by Jack McBean who has five goals and an assist. LA is one of three remaining unbeaten teams in the USL, the others being Vancouver and the New York Red Bulls II. RGV is 2-1-1 (7 points), with all four previous games on the road, and is in the midst of a three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1) that includes two shutout victories.

- The Western Conference's new first-place team, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 (3-0-2, 11 points), will face Saint Louis FC for the first time on Saturday at World Wide Technology Soccer Park (8:30 p.m. ET). WFC2's impressive run has moved the team ahead of the LA Galaxy II, and most of the success has come on the road with four of the five previous games away from UBC Thunderbird Stadium. Kyle Greig scored a team-leading fourth goal and assisted Ben McKendry's 30-yard game-winner during a 2-1 win against the Swope Park Rangers on Wednesday. Vancouver's next win would surpass the team's road win total from a year ago (3-10-1 on the road last season).

- Eastern Conference frontrunner Louisville City FC (4-1-1, 13 points) travels to face Bethlehem Steel FC on Sunday at Goodman Stadium (3 p.m. ET). City has posted a four-game unbeaten streak (3-0-1) with 12 goals during that stretch. The club naturally features a number of statistical leaders, including Chandler Hoffman (7 goals), Niall McCabe (3 assists) and Scott Goodwin (523 goalkeeper minutes). Louisville is on the road for six of its next eight matches. Steel FC (2-2-1, 7 points) wraps up a three-game homestand, having previously posted a 2-1 win against the Richmond Kickers (April 17) and scoreless draw against the Charleston Battery (April 24).

- The Richmond Kickers (2-2-1, 7 points) face Toronto FC II (1-1-2, 5 points) on Saturday at City Stadium (7 p.m. ET) with both sides looking to rebound from a defeat. For Richmond, the side has lost back-to-back games for the first time since June of 2012. Toronto has been led by Raheem Edwards, who has scored four goals to already match the team-high total of Mo Babouli from the 2015 season.

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