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USL1 Spokane Velocity FC

Velocity Looks to Cap Off Regular Season with Victory Over Knoxville

October 25, 2024 - United Soccer League One (USL1)
Spokane Velocity FC News Release


In the regular-season finale, a match that could significantly impact the USL League One playoff picture, Spokane Velocity FC will face off against One Knoxville SC.

Velocity enters Saturday's 6 p.m. contest at ONE Spokane Stadium in seventh place, but a loss, coupled with an eighth-place Richmond Kickers win over the Charlotte Independence earlier in the day, would drop Spokane to the last playoff spot.

Even if Velocity earns a draw and Richmond wins, the two teams may still swap positions, with goal difference - the second tiebreaker in the league's point system - serving as the likely decider. The first tie-breaker for playoff standings is league wins, but that method wouldn't be used since both clubs would be tied with seven league wins in that scenario.

A win would lock Spokane into seventh, but Knoxville's situation is less clear. The fifth-place club is tied in points with fourth-place Greenville, but Triumph SC holds the advantage with one more league win. If Knoxville wins and Greenville loses, goal differential will decide who takes fourth, with the two clubs currently even at +7.

Knoxville could also fall to sixth if it loses and Charlotte beats Richmond, depending on goal differential, where the Independence currently trail at +5.

While various results across the league could impact playoff seedings, the only outcome the clubs can directly control is their meeting on Saturday, which will be the second encounter between Spokane and Knoxville this season.

The clubs previously met on Aug. 23 in Knoxville, where they played to a 1-1 draw. Kempes Tekiela opened the scoring for the home team in the 28th minute, but Velocity's Ahmed Longmire leveled the match in the 59th minute with a well-placed header from the left side of the box. Despite both clubs pressing for a go-ahead goal, the score remained unchanged for the rest of the match.

"Really proud of the players and staff," said Velocity head coach Leigh Veidman after the match. "Knoxville is such a difficult team to break down so it was always going to be a tight contest. The guys stuck with it, kept fighting, and showed incredible character and togetherness to get a positive result on the road at a very difficult place to play."

Velocity leads USL League One in interceptions (9.3) and successful tackles per match (11.8), and is eager to regain momentum for the playoffs with a win over Knoxville, especially after five straight losses.

"We're in a tough period right now, and we haven't done well enough in both boxes," said defender Ish Jome after last weekend's 1-0 loss to Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC. "We have to improve next match in order to get a win in front of the fans and have momentum going into the playoffs."

Knoxville's last five matches have included one win, one loss and three draws. The club has also experienced a recent scoring dip, registering one or zero goals in eight of their last nine outings.

With the stage set for a crucial outcome in Saturday's clash, Velocity will benefit from the support of the league's third-largest average home crowd. The match will also be part of Fan Appreciation Night at ONE Spokane Stadium, complete with free glow-in-the-dark "Kick or Treat" T-shirts for the first 1,000 fans, $10 inaugural season scarves, and Halloween festivities. Fans can catch the action live at 6 p.m. on ESPN+ or via tape delay on SWX.

USL Spokane has launched two professional soccer teams in Spokane, Wash. 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, with a home opener August 17 at ONE Spokane Stadium. The men's team, Spokane Velocity FC, is a Division III team in USL League One currently competing in their first season.

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