Spokane Velocity FC Looks to Bolster Cup Standings in Match With Fuego FC
July 19, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Spokane Velocity FC News Release
With only three matches left in group play, Spokane Velocity FC is looking to capitalize on its remaining opportunities to contend in the USL Jägermeister Cup's West region.
Head coach Leigh Veidman and his club have a 1-2-2 record in group play, tied for third place with five points in the region alongside Central Valley Fuego FC.
Velocity will travel to face Fuego on Friday at 8 p.m. in Fresno, California, setting up a must-win match for both clubs with the end of group play fast approaching.
While Spokane has lost its last two Jägermeister Cup matches, the club is riding high from its 2-1 win over Chattanooga Red Wolves SC on July 6 in USL League One play.
In the victory over Chattanooga, midfielder Luis Gil assisted on Spokane's first goal with a precise cross in the 18th minute, then scored later in the first half with a first-touch shot to the top left corner of the goal.
"Once you fall into that streak of not getting wins, it can be hard to get out of it, but we have that feeling of winning again and hopefully we can just carry it on and continue," Gil said.
Fuego's last Jägermeister Cup match ended in a 1-1 draw against South Georgia Tormenta FC, which is also winless in the tournament despite occupying sixth place in the regular-season standings.
The top scorers for Central Valley during the tournament have been striker Alfredo Midence, right midfielder Raul Mendiola and central midfielder Robert Coronado, each with two goals.
Velocity and Fuego have already met once in the Jägermeister Cup, resulting in a 1-1 tie on April 27 at ONE Spokane Stadium. The match went into a penalty shootout, with Central Valley coming out on top 4-2 to earn an additional point in group play.
"That's a good attacking team, they are one of the best attacking teams statistically in the league," Veidman said after the match. "And we were aware of that going into the game ... they made the change in the second half and we were not quite as good in our defensive side of the game in the second half."
As Velocity and Fuego try to break their third-place tie in the West Group, first-place Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC and second-place Union Omaha FC will battle on the same day for the top spot in the region.
After its match against Fuego, Velocity will return home for a league match against the Charlotte Independence on July 27. The match will also celebrate Christmas in July Night with a festive photo booth and live DJ spinning holiday classics.
USL Spokane has launched two professional soccer teams and will also field one pre-professional team in Spokane. Spokane Zephyr FC, a women's professional team, plays in the USL Super League that is sanctioned as Division One by the U.S. Soccer Federation, starting in August 2024. The men's team, Spokane Velocity FC, plays as a Division III team in USL League One. A pre-professional women's team made up of elite college players will play in the USL W League in 2025.
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