ONE From Last Week

Charlotte Independence head coach, Mike Jeffries, has been with The Jacks since day one - back in the heady days of the USL Championship. At the conclusion of last season the club opted to self-relegate to League One and signed a one-year agreement with MLS Expansion side Charlotte FC to loan players up to the higher division. As a consequence, this team who has made, at least, the USLC Quarterfinals, for the last two seasons, finds themselves fighting for life heading into the last two matches of the League One regular season. If they win out, away to Greenville Triumph this coming weekend and at home vs North Carolina FC on the final weekend, then they qualify for a playoff spot in their first season at this level.

It didn’t have to be so tenuous - Charlotte did themselves no favors last weekend when the went to Chattanooga and gave up three goals to the team who was, at the time, directly below them in the table. Jimmy Weekly, who is the interim coach while Jimmy Obleda serves a suspension due to allegations of misconduct, got the players well-up for their final encounter of the year with the Independence. Red Wolves defeated Independence 7-1 back on June 22, then drew 2-2 on August 27th. This 3-1 home win gave them the tie-breaker, as well as a magnificent +14 GD heading into a very decisive final two weeks.

Moe Espinoza scored first, in the 10’ off a venomous volley from 20 yards out - it should, at the very least, be in the running for goal of the week, if not of the year. It was Tresor Mbuyu who buried the spill from Red Wolves keeper, Carlos Avilez, and the teams were drawn equal in the 28’. After a few tantalizing opportunities, Chattanooga were able to capitalize off of one of only 3 corners earned on the evening - Timmy Mehl was able to get way up in the air and put it in near post with his head. Twenty minutes later, Cabrera and Mehl would nearly replicate that effort, with another great service into the box from the corner. This time, Mehl’s looping effort, which looked to be saved, was then redirected by Juan Galindrez for the Red Wolves third goal, punctuating the win.

Chattanooga Red Wolves play away to North Carolina FC This week and then host SG Tormenta in the final week of regular season fixtures - despite putting themselves in a better position than they were a week ago with this win, they will need to keep going in order to fend off, not only Charlotte Independence, but also Northern Colorado Hailstorm, Central Valley Fuego, and FC Tucson, who are all mathematically capable of pipping that playoff spot from the Red Wolves.

Christian Chaney has been essential in keeping Central Valley Fuego in the playoff hunt with only weeks remaining (photo: The Greely Tribune)

ONE For This Week

With all that the Richmond Kickers have going for them: Clinching a playoff position, golden boot leader (Emiliano Terzaghi), and saves leader (Akira Fitzgerald), the team who could clinch home field througout the playoffs with one more win, cannot with the Henney Derby. Forward Madison, who were knocked out of playoff contention last week with a 0-1 loss at home to Tormenta, and who have only won once in 13 matches, dating back to July 26th, actually have the tie-breaker on their rivals Richmond. The Mingos won away on May 7th and at home, 2-1, back on July 23rd. At the time, they were in a much better place.

Forward Madison head coach, Matt Glaeser, who loves a 3-4-3, may want to revert to his 5-4-1, which he employed in their last win, away to Northern Colorado Hailstorm, on August 20th. They may need to pack the box and batten down the hatches, because Kickers coach Darren Sawatzky will be bearing all the weapons as they attempt to clinch that home field in their final home match of the regular season. Sawatzky may also unleash Golden Boot leader Terzaghi, who despite his amazing season, actually only leads the race by a pair of goals over North Carolina FC’s Garret McLaughlin (16 to 14).

North Carolina FC are the only other team to have been eliminated from playoff hopes already but play a pivotal role in deciding who lives and dies at the end of the year. Maybe they’ll play spoilers!

by Joshua Duder