The opening salvo of the 2024 USL League Two Playoffs is done and dusted - 16 of the first 32 teams survived but are immediately thrust upon eachother to reduce the field by half once more. On Friday we took a look a those first matchups and now we take a gander at how the remaining squads fare.

Let’s get stuck the heck in!

Peoria City vs Des Moines Menace

Sun, 07/21 - 11:30am PST / 3:30pm EST at Shea Stadium in Peoria, IL

It’s a rubber match in Peoria with the Menace and the Carp finally forced to play to something other than a draw. Each side did their part to prove the depth and class of the Heartland division, dispatching of the Deep North representatives in town in turn Friday evening. Sunday night’s game feels like another to extend past 90 minutes to determine which will remain standing to continue as a Central Conference finalist.

Prediction: In their last visit to Shea Stadium, Des Moines needed two come-from-behind goals to secure the draw. On the heels of a Friday match and such short turnaround time, the comeback magic may run dry for a third or more equalizer. Peoria advances, 3-1.

Flint City Bucks vs Fort Wayne FC

Sun, 07/21 - 2:00pm PST / 5:00pm EST at Atwood Stadium in Flint, MI

The Bucks found a much more game Cleveland side than many would have expected form the last place team in the tourney. The Flint City offensive dominance up front was frustrated by the visiting Force’s bend-but-don’t-break backline, finally finding the deciding goal in the 75’.

Fort Wayne punched above their weight vs Midwest United, keeping the game tied through 120 minutes of play, then going the distance with a 5-4 decision in PKs.

Each side is wearied, the hosts by the energy it took to overtake Cleveland, the Valley division winners by the exhaustion of extra time and penalties. Credit to both turning around in less than 48 hours to play out what is sure to be another slugfest to decide a place in the Central Conference final.

Prediction: The Bucks right their attacking play after a challenging Friday night, coming from behind to win this one, 2-1.

United PDX vs Project 51O

Sun, 07/21 - 2:00pm PST / 5:00pm EST at Interbay Stadium in Seattle, WA

The only first weekend quad to see both #1 seeds eliminated, underdogs United PDX and Project 510 have nothing but free minutes ahead of them on Sunday. The Portland side played out their favorite single score margin of victory after finding a goal in the 54’ and suffocating Almaden from any chance of a comeback, while Project 510’s youngsters stunned the hosts and defending national champions in front of a capacity crowd at Interbay with late goals in the 84’ and the 90’. Both sides will, of course, not be content to rest on first round upset laurels and will take the game to each other early and often for a chance to advance to the Western Conference final next weekend.

Prediction: The dogged confidence of youth propelled Project 510 to the upset Friday, but the youthful inexperience can also create inconsistency after such a heady victory. United PDX possess a suffocating defense that Ballard could only dream of this season, while Oakland’s young men are nearly as prone to give up goals as they are to make them. Utd PDX advances, 2-0.

Little Rock Rangers vs Corpus Christi FC

Sun, 07/21 - 4:00pm PST / 7:00pm EST at War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock, AR

Corpus Christi might have taken the Tennessee SC side lightly coming into game one, the Nashville based side advancing to the playoffs curtesy of a guaranteed South Central spot over several other Southern Conference teams with better records and ppg. However, the Fightin’ Honky Tonks (probably not their real nickname) proved they belonged, scoring in the third minute and two more times to take the lead three times. Tennessee has no answer for CC’s Ignacio Abeal, who had every answer the Sharks needed with a hattrick effort that saw CC scores twice in extra time to advance to Sunday on a 5-3 win.

Hosts Little Rock may have pulled the prank of the season on us all in the league 2024. As noted in the league’s postseason preview, the Stags’ goal output was halved in ‘24 from it’s 42 scored in ‘23. Then, against AHFC Royals on Friday, Little Rock gored the Lions to the tune of five goals. They’ll look to continue their hobby of dominating Texas teams on Sunday night.

Prediction: It’s the league’s most prolific offense in Corpus Christi (50 goals scored) vs its most dominant defense in Little Rock (5 goals allowed). This may be more intriguing on paper than in reality, as the Sharks are prone to giving up goals of their own, while the Stags are flexing new offensive prowess. Little Rock’s shackling of AHFC Royals, a team Corpus Christi failed to defeat in multiple efforts this year, lends to assumption of this gong the hosts’ way in a 3-1 win.

Seacoast United vs Vermont Green

Sun, 07/21 - 4:00pm PST / 7:00pm EST at Carey Stadium in Ocean City, NJ

Round Three of the Twin-State Derby is taking place on ‘neutral’ soil (expect several more Vermont fans to trickle into Ocean City for this one) in New Jersey, but expect the familiarity of foe to outweigh the newness of venue when these teams kickoff. Nothing cagey to be played out between these two, as they know their opponents and will each come out in the offensive to try and secure an early lead. The two Northeast sides probably owe much to each other in securing their first round wins, sharpening each other in preparation of putting away strong favorites in Long Island and Ocean City. The mutual respect will play out in a match that will be back and forth, and in play to the final whistle.

Prediction: Vermont hasn’t beaten Seacoast yet this year, and it's hard to pick em until they prove me wrong and get the win. For Seacoast, it’s incredibly difficult to beat a side three times in a season, but I think they’ll get it done in the Garden State, 3-2.

Asheville City vs Brave SC

Sun, 07/21 - 4:00pm PST / 7:00pm EST at Greenwood Field in Asheville, NC

This match can only play out one of two ways; a repeat of last year’s cagey game decided by Brave’s early goal and late clock control, or an absolute ruthless blowout by the host Blues in vengeance of that 2023 result. Asheville is capable of such domination, as proven in their smashing of Nona FC, 4-0, on Friday. But Brave SC Buffalo is a different beast in the postseason than a Nona Longhorn, and ever ready to find the odd goal against run of play to suffocate a match in its latest minutes.

Prediction: Everything points to a Blues win, but the ol’ Villages side is one that relishes being the underdog and sneaking up on high-flying host sides. This one just might go the same way if the Buffalo can limit early scores from the Blues. Brave finds a way back in late, then advances in PKs.

Lionsbridge FC vs Salem City FC

Sun, 07/21 - 4:00pm PST / 7:00pm EST at TowneBank Stadium in Newport News, VA

The Boys of Newport News closed down one of the most prolific attacks in the league on Friday night, sending Western Mass home earlier than pretty much anyone would have predicted outside the Lionsbridge locker room. They’ll now turn their massic home field advantage towards Salem City. The Chimera have 120+ minutes in their legs and the mental exhaustion/thrill of penalties of their match with Virginia Beach to contend with coming into Sunday’s match. But this feels like a side that, even when tired, matches up well to their hosts’ style of play and keeps in the match until a late decision.

Prediction: With all other things being equal on the pitch, it’s hard to pick against the Lionsbridge fan turnout advantage here. However, Salem is a side, by both skill and luck, that managed to escape defeat in all of 2024 so far, and they’ll do it again Sunday by narrow 2-1 margin.

FC Tucson vs Ventura County Fusion

Fri, 07/19 - 7pm PST / 10pm EST at Kino North Stadium in Tucson, AZ

For the struggles, inconsistency and near postseason misses of the season that FC Tucson had this year, they’ve always managed to have Ventura County’s number. The Arizona side took a point off their Southwest Division winning rival away early in the season, then defeated them outright in the desert toward the regular season close. A third match looked in doubt Friday night with Flatirons keeping the match close, but Tucson found the match winner in the 90’ and they’ll soften the task ahead of them versus the Fusion by playing in front of a home crowd on Sunday.

Ventura looked vulnerable in their 120 minute ordeal Friday afternoon vs Mountain Division runner-up Albion Colorado. The side that scored 41 goals in the season needed one more in the 105’ to secure the win and survive to Sunday. They won’t be caught overlooking Tucson, the only side in the Southwest they failed to defeat in the regular season. The Fusion are still the favorites in the match ahead, as division winners always capable of finding their high scoring footing again.

Prediction: A high scoring affair goes to extra time in this one, where FC Tucson finds a late stunner to pull off yet another upset of the Fusion, 4-3.

by Ryan Stallings