An absolutely cracking weekend of soccer is upon us! From the San Francisco Soccer Football League Final to the kickoff of the UPSL Fall/Winter season. Our staff and guests have picked games from NISA, USL Championship and League One as well - if we’re missing a league that you love, fell free to let us know what else we should be picking!

The Dan Vaughn Picks…
- Chattanooga FC vs Salt City Union - NISA Regular Season
  - Saturday August 19th - 4:30p PST / 7:30p EST
    from Finley Stadium
  - Chattanooga are unbeaten in the league and their last loss as an organization came via penalty kicks after added on extra time in the US Open Cup 3rd Round back in April. The last time they faced Salt City Union, on May 20th, they got away with a 1-0 win but look to win more emphatically this weekend. They are leading the league by 9 points and have a game in hand on second place Albion San Diego, but insofar as points and goals go, the more the merrier. For Salt City’s part, the offense has really come together and they look dangerous at times. Dangerous enough to upset CFC? Probably not.

Harry Austin Picks…
- Richmond Kickers vs North Carolina FC - USL League One Regular Season
  - Saturday August 19th - 4:00p PST / 7:00p EST
    from City Stadium on ESPN+
  - Richmond Kickers and North Carolina FC played to a 2-2 draw 10 days ago, when Richmond scored at 90+6 off a throw-in to get a tie against the top team in USL League One. Richmond Kickers needs to get the full 3 points if they want to make the playoffs as they sit 5 points out. North Carolina FC has dominated this series with 7 wins, 3 draws in 13 matches, and this will be the last match before NCFC heads back to USLC.

MaryBeth Zmuda Picks…
- Savannah Clovers vs Club de Lyon FC - NISA Regular Season
  - Saturday, August 19th - 7:00p PST / 10:00p EST
    from Memorial Stadium
  - Savannah Clovers have been bottom feeding the table for the majority of the season. The only other win they've had, other than the HUGE win against the Maryland Bobcats FC on the 12th, was against CDL way back in April. Club De Lyon hasn't looked very strong these past several weeks so perhaps Savannah has a 3rd win incoming this weekend!

Harry Austin Picks…
- Orange County SC vs Charleston Battery - USL Championship Regular Season
  - Saturday, August 19th - 7:00p PST / 10:00p EST
    from Championship Soccer Stadium on ESPN+
  - Orange County is the hottest team in the USL Championship and coming off a 1-0 win over the Riverhounds, faces a tough Charleston Battery. For OCSC to knock off the 1st and 2nd place team from the east is a huge challenge, but the form that OCSC is in they can do it. OCSC has won 8 out of 9 matches and are doing it with the offense (5 games with 3+ goals). Charleston has an opportunity to get within 1 point of Pittsburgh with a W for 1st place in the East, and to stay ahead of the Rowdies who have games in hand on both the Battery and Riverhounds.

Josh Duder Picks…
- Philly Lone Star vs Cabras FC - UPSL Fall/Winter 23
  - Saturday August 19th - 1:30p PST / 4:30p EST
    from John Bartram HS
  - And just like that, BAM, the UPSL is back in action. League new boys Cabras FC open their season away to Spring 2023 Northeast American winners and all around soccer stalwarts, Philly Lone Stars. Philadelphia look for a good start to the season at home to get back to the playoff bracket. Fingers crossed UPSL share a link to the match!

Josh Duder Picks…
- Union Omaha vs Chattanooga Red Wolves - USL League One Regular Season
  - Saturday August 19th - 5:00p PST / 8:00p EST
    from Werner Park on ESPN+
  - Chattanooga, last year’s League Final runners-up, have looked unlikely to make a return to the playoffs, but don’t blink. The Red Wolves have two wins and a draw in their last five matches and look to upturn all the apple carts. On the other hand, 2021 League Champions, Union Omaha have been on a little run themselves and suddenly are second top of the heap. While a win won’t see them summit, it will keep the rest of the pack at bay.

Harry Austin Picks…
- Birmingham Legion vs Louisville City FC - USL Championship Regular Season
  - Saturday, August 19th - 2:30p PST / 5:30p EST
    from Protective Stadium on ESPN+
  - Don't look now, but Louisville City is starting to get on a roll and get healthy. Lou City is currently on a 4 game undefeated streak (2W 2 D), can Lou City continue to move up the standings and get a home match at least for the first round? Birmingham Legion, are on a 4 game winless streak (2D 2L), and are only 4 points away from falling out of the playoffs. A 430pm kickoff in the heat of the afternoon, will be very interesting to see how this game plays especially if Legion Nation wants to make the playoffs.

Dennis Pope Picks…
- Inter San Francisco vs The Olympic Club - San Francisco Soccer Football League FINAL
  - Sunday, August 20th - 12:30p PST / 3:30p EST
    from Beach Chalet Field 2, San Francisco, California
  - It makes sense that The Olympic Club is playing for the SFSFL title. The club finished second in the league table and has history on its side. But the same cannot be said for its opponent Inter SF, a team with seven losses on its record this season. So just how did Inter SF, the league’s fourth-place team, end up in the final? With a shocking 4-1 win over No. 1 seed SF Viking SC last week. Can the club pull a second straight upset and claim the crown?

Josh Duder Picks…
- Virginia Dream vs Alexandria Reds - UPSL Fall/Winter 23
  - Sunday August 20th - 4:00pm PST / 7:00pm EST
    from Meridian HS Field
  - While Alexandria Reds finished 2nd in the DMV South just this past Spring/Summer season - this seems to be Virginia Dream’s first foray into the UPSL. However, the two Alexandria-based sides both played in the NPSL’s Mid-Atlantic Conference; Reds 3rd and Dream 6th - they played twice with Reds winning at home and Dream earning a point in their home match.

by the Protagonist Staff