The USL Championship wrapped up week six and we are starting to see some separation; both Charleston Battery and Sacramento Republic remain unbeaten and lead their respective conferences. Only one other team has gone undefeated so far, and that’s the anomaly holding up the bottom of the Western Conference, Las Vegas Lights, who have only played 4 and drawn 4. We take a look at all the scores and highlights from last week and review where the teams are after the dust settled.

eastern conference action

Tampa Bay Rowdies 1 - 2 Charleston Battery
Tampa Bay Rowdies (1-3-2 5 points) finished off a 3-game home stretch with a heartbreaking loss to Charleston Battery (3-0-2 11 points) at the death. Augustine WIlliams got his brace at 90+5 to complete the comeback. However the game started off really bad for Charleston when Trey Muse was credited with an own goal; however, if you watch the play it was an error by Derek Dodson pass that led to the own goal.

FC Tulsa 1 - 2 Charleston Battery
Charleston Battery (4-0-2 14 points) finished up its busy week with a victory in Tulsa. Unlike the match against Tampa Bay, Nick Markanich scored in the 4th minute to give them the lead off a great assist by Derek Dodson. FC Tulsa (1-3-3 6 points) found an equalizer by Marcus Epps with the assist from Milo Yosef in the 14th minute. Trey Muse had an outstanding save on Moses Dyer in the 27th minute and from Marcus Epps in the 42nd minute to keep it even at 1-1 for Charleston. Dante Polvara scored in the 50th minute off a slight missed touch by the FC Tulsa Defense, which allowed the ball to be intercepted and driven into the bottom right corner of the goal from the top of the box. Charleston gets all 6 points and heads home in first place in the Eastern Conference. FC Tulsa with 7 games played and only 6 points has to be a concern!

Loudoun United 3 - 0 Birmingham Legion
Did Birmingham Legion (3-2-1 10 Points) get off the bus? Seriously looking at the game flow and watching the game this was all about Loudoun United (2-2-1 7 points)! Loudoun from the start had put pressure on Legion GK Trevor Spangenberg who made some great saves. But in the 32nd minute Wesley Leggett headed home a cross from Koa Santos. In the 41st minute a great forward pass from Zach Ryan to Kalil ElMedkhar to put the game away at 2-0. In the 69th minute Kalil ElMedkhar returned the favor with an assist for the third goal to Zach Ryan. At this point, Loudoun United look like they could be in the running for a playoff spot.

THE Miami FC 0 - 0 Detroit City FC
When the USL CHampionship highlights include booking and passing that tells you everything about this game. THE Miami FC (0-2-4 4 Points) and Detroit City FC (1-4-1 4 Points) combined for 18 shots, only three on target. Miami had the better chances but could not get by the reliable Nate Steinwascher. There is some banter on social media that these two teams could still be playing and it still would be 0-0. Both teams struggled to score and well this match did not change those concerns. THE Miami still winless on the season.

Western conference action

New Mexico United 1 - 1 San Diego Loyal
New Mexico United (1-2-1 4 points) home opener started with a bang with a goal to open the scoring in the 9th minute by Sam Hamilton. San Diego Loyal SC (3-1-2 11 Points) was able to get back in the game and equalized at 45+1 right before the half with a set piece goal by Evan Conway with the header from Charlie Adams. The second half was pretty uneventful as neither team was able to record a shot on goal. Although keep an eye on the injury list for New Mexico as both Harry Swartz and Santi Moar left the game due to injuries.

Sacramento Republic 4 - 0 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Sacramento Republic (4-0-2 14 points) FC is showing that they are the real deal in a route vs the Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (3-2-1 10 Points) in Sacramento. Russell Cicerone opened the scoring in the 8th minute off an error by Switchbacks GK Christian Herrera who spilled a shot that Cicerone hammered in the net. The second goal in the 37th minute was a nice assist by Rodrigo Lopez to Samia Viader. Nearing the half at 45+1 Jack Gurr crossed the ball which Cicerone dummied, and left Luis Rodrigues wide open to finish it in the bottom corner. The Switchbacks went down a man when Macauley King with a high boot for his second yellow in a game. The final goal was an odd one when Luther Archimede blocked a free kick and got to the ball first and had a one on one with Herrera and finished at 90+6. Colorado Springs pushed forward, but the block basically left Archimede the entire half of the Switchbacks open. At this point not sure there is much debate who the best team is out west this early in the season.

Phoenix Rising FC 1 - 1 Monterey Bay Union
If you watched this game you would have thought that Phoenix Rising FC (1-1-3 6 points) won by 2-3 goals. However, not being able to finish kept this a close game, Monterey Bay Union FC (2-2-2 7 points) took advantage of it by walking away from Phoenix with a draw at 90+1. In fact, Monterey Bay almost walked away with all three points and it took a Save of the Week by Rocco Rios Novo to split the points. Monterey Bay opened the scoring with a PK in the 63rd minute, which came from a foul off a corner by Alejandro Fuenmayer. Rising was able to equalize in the 67th minute off a corner kick by Erickson Gallardo and headed home by Kevon Lambert!

cross conference action

Pittsburgh Riverhounds 2 - 0 Rio Grande Valley FC
Pittsburgh Riverhounds (2-1-3 9 points) defeated Rio Grande Valley FC (1-1-3 6 Points) in a game that was not as close as the score shows. Watching the game, the Riverhounds were putting shots on target and just felt like they were never really challenged by Toros. RGV managed just 6 shots and none on target and not much better, Riverhounds had 9 shots, 4 on target. After watching the first half I thought RGV might escape with a tie, as Pittsburgh dominated the game, but just could not find the net. However, right after the half, Albert Dikwa chested a ball by Lue Biasi in the box to open the scoring. The Riverhounds sealed the win with a great header from Kenardo Forbes off the cross from Daniel Rovira.

Louisville City FC 1 - 0 San Antonio FC
Louisville City FC (4-2-0 12 points) won the rematch of the USL Championship title game over San Antonio FC (3-1-2 11 points) in a dour, defensive game from both teams. San Antonio had an opportunity to score in the 3rd minute when Zico Bailey’s shot was saved by Oliver Semmie. Then, in the 23rd minute, Wilson Harris had a beautiful header that dropped over Jordan Farr and into the goal. Enoch Mushagalusa provided a great cross to lead to the score. In the 43rd minute, Walter Harris had a shot he would love to have back. Lou City defense tightened up in the second half, and SAFC just could not find a winner or any real opportunities.

Memphis 901 2 - 2 Las Vegas Lights
Memphis 901 FC (0-2-2 2 point) and Las Vegas Lights FC (0-0-4 4 points) met up for The King’s Cup, in recognition of “The King of Rock and Roll,” Elvis Presley and it was a barmy affair with weather looking ominous from the start. Lucas Stauffer gets the scoring started in the 15th off one of the strangest goals you’ll ever see, as he’s facing a 50/50 at midfield and the ball pings nearly 50 yards, flying right over top Bill Hamid, and into the back of the net to make it 1-0. Las Vegas had all the momentum early and really should have gone up by an additional goal on a few occasions, but couldn’t get past Hamid. Jeremy Kelly heads home the equalizer in the 35’ off a beautiful in-swinging corner and Memphis began to pry control of the game away from the visitors. Just minutes later Vegas’ Ingram took down Molloy with a challenge inside the box and now it’s Memphis’ turn to go up; but its Leo Diaz to the rescue for Lights, who gets down to his left and saves the penalty.

Lights’ coach, Isidro Sanchez, subs in Erick Torres and Emmanuel Ledesma to try to change the shape of the game for them - but Memphis found their groove and Luiz Fernando, off an assist from Kissiedou, put the home side up 2-1 in the 62’. Memphis kept up the pressure and left only half-chances for Vegas to pursue. In the 76’, the wind begins to whip across the pitch and the weather really picks up, Leo Diaz sends a goal kick to the right side where its carried along the sideline and backheeled to Ledesma - he picks the ball up and creates space by cutting in, from right to left, and about 40 yards out, just swings a peg and sends a ball into the wind where Hamid cannot judge it accordingly and Lights are able to make it 2-2. Just minutes later, the rain starts to come down in sheets and the ref calls for a weather delay. After the hours long wait, the two teams come out to play about ten minutes of regular time and there’s just not much in it - by this point its just so late at night that they’re going through the motion and it ends in a draw.

Oakland Roots 1 - 2 Hartford Athletic
Hartford Athletic (1-3-2 5 points) came away with the shocking night cap result by walking into Oakland, and taking all three points from Oakland Roots SC (2-2-1 7 points). Hartford scored two goals in 4 minutes, Prince Saydee finished a rebound shot to open the scoring in the 31st minute, and in the 35th minute Jeciel Cedeno walked through the Roots defense to take the commanding lead. The Roots made the game interesting with a converted Penalty kick by Dariusz Formella, after a clear handball by Triston Hodge in the box. If you are a Roots fan, its all about that 5 minutes in the first half, outside of that the Roots really controlled the game, but also just were not clinical in the final third to catch up with Hartford.

Orange County SC 1 - 0 Indy Eleven
In a game that saw both teams wear dark colors on a pitch with poor lighting for purposes GRRR. Orange County SC (1-2-3 6 points) converted a penalty in the 30th minute by Milan Iloski to defeat Indy Eleven (1-2-2 5 points). The penalty came from a foul by Aodhan Quinn with a push in the back on Bryce Jamison. In the 87th minute Milan Iloski gave up a sure goal to Ashish Chattha who hammered it over the crossbar to keep the game at 1-0. Indy needs to figure out the attacking side with the talent they have, they controlled the possession and had 13 shots, but only two on target.

Harry’s Corner Awards

Team of the Week: Sacramento Republic Coming off a draw in SA, to destroy the Switchbacks was very impressive and the West looks to have to go through Sacramento!
Goal of the Week: Emmanuel Ledesma Las Vegas Lights vs Memphis 901 FC
Save of the Week: Rocco Rios Novo Phoenix Rising vs Monterey Bay Union
Player of the Week: Lots of great players but going to go with Kalil ElMedkhar of Loudoun United
Concerned Team of the Week: Tampa Bay Rowdies. Getting 3 out of 9 points at home, and losing the series to Charleston has to be a major concern. It is a long season, but like last season, we kept expecting to see Phoenix Rising rebound. Are the Rowdies this year's Rising?

by Harry Austin