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USL United Soccer League Championship

Top-Tier Western Matchup Highlights USL's Week 18

July 17, 2015 - United Soccer League Championship (USL) News Release


Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC)

TAMPA, Fla. - A top-of-the-table matchup is on the horizon this Saturday in Week 18 of the USL season when third-place Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC hosts second-place Seattle Sounders FC 2 in Western Conference play at Sand Creek Stadium.

Both teams have enjoyed the top spot in the West this season, and with Sacramento Republic FC idle in league play for the next couple weeks, several teams are hoping to define the conference's top tier and cement a postseason spot.

Another interesting matchup in the West is an Oklahoma derby. OKC Energy FC hosts Tulsa Roughnecks FC on Saturday at Taft Stadium.

The Eastern Conference has turned into an ongoing chase for the first-place Rochester Rhinos. Among the teams in the upper half of the conference looking to keep up with the Rhinos are the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and expansion Louisville City FC. Pittsburgh hosts Louisville City on Saturday, entering the game with a strong 5-1-3 mark at Highmark Stadium.

GAMES TO WATCH

Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. Louisville City FC

Saturday, 7 p.m. ET, Highmark Stadium

When City FC opened its debut season with a five-game unbeaten streak, one of the most memorable moments to keep that hot start intact was a stoppage-time, game-tying goal off the left foot of Kadeem Dacres to earn a 1-1 draw against the Riverhounds at Highmark. That flashback certainly has to resonate heading into Saturday's rematch, especially with each club in the thick of the race toward the top of the Eastern Conference. Louisville (8-3-5, 29 points) capped off its four-game homestand with a 1-0 win against the Charlotte Independence on July 11 and enters this weekend with a three-game winning streak, outscoring its opponents 10-2 during that stretch. Pittsburgh (7-6-4, 25 points) is trying to rebound from one of its poorest results this season, a 4-2 loss to last-place FC Montreal on July 12. Both teams tout plenty of offensive weapons. The Riverhounds lead the East with 35 goals, more than half of them coming from the combo of the East's top goal scorer Rob Vincent (12) and Kevin Kerr (7). Matt Fondy (10) and Magnus Rasmussen (6) have been Louisville City's go-to legs. The difference between these two sides to date - and a big key this weekend - is on the defensive side, where Pittsburgh has surrendered 28 goals and Louisville has allowed only 14 goals in 16 games. (Preview)

OKC Energy FC vs. Tulsa Roughnecks FC

Saturday, 8 p.m. ET, Taft Stadium

Energy FC and Tulsa square off for the third of four meetings this season, and OKC has flourished at Taft Stadium, posting a 5-0-1 mark in its past six matches at the home venue. Energy FC (7-5-5, 26 points) has the upper hand in the season series against the Roughnecks at 1-0-1, with a 2-0 win on June 13 and a 1-1 draw on March 28 to open the campaign. Tulsa (6-8-3, 21 points) has made a nice run of late to get back into the playoff picture with a 4-1 win against Orange County Blues FC on July 9 and a 3-1 victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on July 11. Roughnecks goalkeeper Jake Feener in his first two USL games was impressive during this stretch, coming up with a combined 18 saves and earning USL Player of the Week. Tulsa has faced more shots than any other team in the USL, and the Roughnecks go up against the league's top shot-taker and goal-scorer in Danni König (13 goals, 53 shot attempts).

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2

Saturday, 9 p.m. ET, Sand Creek Stadium

The LA Galaxy II (10-5-3, 33 points) moved into first in the West following their 1-1 draw against Orange County Blues FC on Thursday, but one of these two teams will reclaim the top spot this weekend. The Switchbacks are third at 10-6-1 (31 points) and S2 sits in second at 10-6-2 (32 points), with Seattle holding the head-to-head tiebreaker advantage against the Galaxy II if they manage a draw Saturday. Colorado Springs' home dominance is at the forefront of this big matchup. The Switchbacks have won seven consecutive games at home, and three of those wins have included five-goal outbursts. Seattle struggled on the road to open the season, going winless in its first four away games (0-3-1). S2 has fared a bit better of late, highlighted by a pair of 2-0 road victories against the Portland Timbers 2 at Merlo Field. A credit to S2's strong play of late is the improved defense. Seattle has won three of its four past matches, and all three victories were shutouts. This is the first of two matchups between Colorado Springs and S2. They will meet again on Aug. 19 at Starfire Stadium.

NEWS AND NOTES

- The Eastern Conference-leading Rochester Rhinos host the Charlotte Independence on Saturday at Sahlen's Stadium. Rochester holds a club record 17-game unbeaten streak to open the season at 11-0-6 (39 points) and has won all six of its home matches this year. Charlotte (4-6-4, 16 points) is winless on the road at 0-4-2. The Rhinos' defense leads the league with the fewest goals allowed at six. The team record for fewest goals allowed in a season is 15, set in 1998. Goalkeeper Brandon Miller leads the USL with eight shutouts and a 0.26 goals-against average. (Preview)

- The Charleston Battery have a jam-packed weekend on the docket. On Friday, the Battery host the English Premier League's West Bromwich Albion for a friendly, followed by a USL clash against Wilmington Hammerheads FC at Blackbaud Stadium on Saturday. Charleston is second in the East at 8-2-7 and 31 points while the Hammerheads are toward the bottom of the East at 2-9-6 and 12 points. (Preview)

- Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2's current three-game unbeaten streak (2-0-1) - all at home at UBC Thunderbird Stadium - has lifted WFC2 into the middle of the Western Conference pack. Vancouver (6-8-5, 23 points) can go one step further this weekend and potentially move above the playoff cutline this Sunday when it faces the Portland Timbers 2 (6-9-2, 20 points) at Merlo Field. WFC2 is 2-0-0 against T2 this season, earning a 3-2 victory on June 21 and a 2-1 win on July 10.

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.

Check out the United Soccer League Championship Statistics




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Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
   



United Soccer League Championship Stories from July 17, 2015


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