Call it a quadrophonic weekend with all four regions in action. By Sunday night, there will be three regional champions crowned. Can Gaffa FC keep going on their run and get the result? Does Soda City FC pull off the big upset of Chattanooga FC? Will the remote control smoke machine cause more delays at Keyworth? These questions and more will be answered.

Great Lakes Region

Detroit City FC v Cleveland SC, Friday, July 31st @ 7:30PM (Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck MI)

Detroit City FC v FC Buffalo, Sunday, August 2nd @ 3PM (Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, MI)

Wednesday night we got double cup action with FC Buffalo and Cleveland SC playing one game that counted towards the NISA Independent Cup AND the NPSL Founders Cup. A scoreless match before a weather delay stopped play late in the first half (and right before a penalty kick for Cleveland SC!). The lightning seemed to put a charge in the game when play resumed. After the two teams traded goals, Cleveland netted two more later in the second half to take all the spoils 3-1.

Now both clubs have to make the dreaded trip to Keyworth to face Detroit City FC (now partially owned by Iggy Pop and hundreds of his friends). FC Buffalo’s defensive breakdowns against Cleveland have to be concerning going into their game with DCFC. As for Cleveland SC, can Antonio Manful (which sounded like Manfoot during the broadcast and would be a great name for a soccer player) be as much of an offensive force against Detroit City as he was against FC Buffalo?

And as for you, Detroit City, I am curious to see how this team performs without the fanbase lifting them up. Maybe we will be able to more fully appreciate the quality of the club on the pitch. After all, they did win the NPSL Founders Cup last year and make a successful pro debut in the spring.

Southeast Division

Savannah Clovers FC v Georgia Revolution FC, Saturday, August 1st @ 5PM ET (Finley Stadium, Chattanooga TN)

By pulling out a draw against Soda City, this game still has meaning for Georgia Revolution. A win against Savannah and a Soda City loss to Chattanooga FC could put the Revs into a second-place finish (depending on goal differential). The Revs have looked dangerous at times but has yet to play a complete game. What lineup will the Revs go with this time around? Will Todd Fidler get a chance to blast some long-range rockets? Will the Eskay brothers find the magic and the back of the net? Will 16-year-old Noel Elder continue to impress?

For the Clovers, this is about earning some respect and a chance to finish in third place. It’s also time for Timo Mesa to go off. Virtually absent from the game against CFC, here’s hoping that Mesa can get some service and cause havoc for Georgia’s back line.

Chattanooga FC v Soda City FC, Saturday, August 1st @ 8PM ET (Finley Stadium, Chattanooga TN)

With the weather wreaking havoc on the schedule, this game becomes the de facto championship game. For Soda City, here’s hoping that they can bring some offensive firepower to this game. You have to love the effort of midfielder Graham Jermstad, who has been a player to watch in this region. Will he be able to pull out another beauty of a goal or assist that clinches things for Soda City? Or, will it be Jack Pondy standing tall in goal keeping CFC off the scoreboard?

Chattanooga, on the other hand, has the luxury of only needing a draw to win the region. ut just being able to play games again might be enough motivation for McGrath, Bement, Zeca and all to play positive soccer. The question is whether they will go with their ‘A’ lineup or rest a few players. I’m sure that there is also some motivation to finish the group undefeated.

Central Plains Region

Lone Star Republic v Gaffa FC, Saturday, August 1st @ 8PM ET (First Bossier Stadium Field, Shreveport LA)

Of all the clubs participating in this tournament, you can make the argument that Gaffa FC has done the most to make a positive impression so far. The club showed limitless determination in grinding out results against Louisiana Krewe to make it to the final. And in Lone Star Republic, Gaffa FC once again faces a club that on paper has superior offensive talent. But don’t tell that to the boys from Jackson. Does Elean Fajardo have a little more goal magic left?

Look, you can only play the club that’s on your schedule, and Lone Star Republic did so with aplomb against an overmatch Mansfield Revolution. But now the fun bunch from Richardson face a tougher, grittier, and more talented club in Gaffa FC. LSR love to move the ball down the flanks, which will serve them well against a Gaffa FC side that can shut down play through the middle. The final should be an intriguing clash of styles.

Mid-Atlantic Region

New York Cosmos v New Amsterdam FC, Sunday, August 2nd @ 6:45PM ET (Hudson Sports Complex, Warwick NY)

Welcome to Warwick! In the fall, Warwick is a great place for apple picking - and no, the local chamber of commerce did not pay me to say that. Warwick will also now be the setting for the first competitive match between Cosmos and NAFC, a Big Apple rivalry we all hope to see blossom. (Get it? Blossom…Big Apple…oh never mind.)

Going into this tournament, the biggest question about Cosmos was what would the squad look like. And based on the recent transactions, the roster is being built with a combination of veteran Cosmos players (new Cosmos, not classic Cosmos) and young newbies. It will be interesting to see how this all meshes together.

New York-based New Amsterdam FC is arguably the biggest unknown in the tournament. How unknown? As in ‘has never played a game yet’ unknown. Sure, we know the badge and the slick marketing. But other than a couple of announcements of local players being brought into the fold (including Daniel Vicente who scored a cracker of a goal for FC Monmouth back in 2018), there is little to go by here. The club wants to be a place to develop players in the region, but will they be any good to start?

FC Baltimore Christos v Maryland Bobcats FC, Sunday, August 2nd @ 8:45PM ET (Evergreen Sports Complex, Leesburg VA)

It’s two great Maryland amateur sides meeting in Virginia this Sunday. But the Bobcats will not be amateur for much longer as they have formally submitted a request to join NISA and become a bona fide professional club. Successful at every level so far in its history, the Bobcats are ready to take the next step. But first, a little Independent Cup action against two future NISA rivals and one local amateur rival they know all too well. I would expect a big effort from Maryland Bobcats in this tournament.

The underdog that everybody loves, FC Baltimore Christos is used to having to go up against the bigger guys. And they do so without any fear. Just harken back to the day they scored first against DC United in the Open Cup and you can see that this side has punched bigger teams in the face before. Since the joining of Christos with FC Baltimore 1729 in 2018, the team has enjoyed plenty of success in the NPSL, winning their conference in 2018 and 2019.

- John Howard-Fusco