There are loads of games with consequence and drama! The NISA Championship; USL League One and USL Championship playoff hunt; USL Super League heating up; The ENYSSA Manning Cup, Round 1; and great games from UPSL and the Metroplex Premier League - our guests, podcasters, and writers spill the beans on what games they’re watching and tell you why you should too!

Dennis Pope Picks…
- Los Angeles Force vs Irvine Zeta FC in the NISA League Final
  - Sat, 10/19 - 7:00pm PT / 10:00pm ET
    at Veterans Stadium on the campus of Long Beach City College in Long Beach, CA
  - Whether we like it or not, it’s the championship match of the National Independent Soccer Association’s 2024 season. Los Angeles Force won NISA’s West Conference with a 14-2-2 record and did not have to play a playoff game to advance as hosts. Irvine Zeta FC (12-4-3 overall) throttled visiting Michigan Stars FC 3-0 in the singular play-in semifinal this past weekend, which featured a couple of nice goals from George Almeida and Joey Ciochetto. However, it doesn’t look good for Zeta in the final. The first-year pro club beat Force just once across six matchups this season and was shut out in the last two, so the pressure is off. For Force, the path to a national title has been laid. It’s now or (maybe) never.

Ben Brannigan Picks…
- Denton Diablos Estudiantes vs North Texas Aztecs in Metroplex Premier League
  - Sat, 10/19 - 6:00 pm CT / 7:00pm ET
    at Vela Soccer Complex, Denton, TX
  - Unique night of soccer on show here with Diablos hosting a MPL Double Header of MPL and MPL2 games. The first game is in mpl are up against the North Texas Aztecs in what will be a good game between two good , football playing teams, both teams are doing well so far and have impressed in their games so far this should be a good watch and kick off to a great night of football in Denton , get out an enjoy a double helping , second game is between Diablos Reserves and Dallas Olimpia and kick off in that game is at 745pm another good game in store here too.

Josh Duder Picks…
- FC Tulsa vs Hartford Athletic in USL Championship
  - Sat, 10/19 - 3:00pm PT / 6:00pm ET
    at ONEOK Field in Tulsa, OK
  - This game has so much drama attached, it impacts two conference playoff races! Hartford are second bottom in the East, but are one of only two teams in the league with a game in hand (due to the unfortunate events of two hurricanes impacting the Tampa area). There is a logjam of four clubs, stuck on 42 points, fighting for the last few playoff spots in the East - really there are 8 points separating Hartford from being as high as 4th… and they have 9 points in the offing.
    First and foremost, they need to get past FC Tulsa, who are in a similar conundrum in the West. Despite being two spots removed from the playoffs, and fewer spots open than in the East, Tulsa are not mathematically eliminated and while San Antonio, just above them, have been performing well as of late, the Oakland Roots have slipped all the way from third to eighth and look vulnerable. FC Tulsa just need to focus on winning their final two games to make a fist of it.

Chris Walker Picks…
- Orange County SC vs New Mexico United in USL Championship
  - Sat, 10/19 - 7:00 pm PT / 10:00pm ET
    at Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, CA
  - New Mexico United has clinched the #1 seed in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, Orange County SC is fresh off a 2-0 midweek win over El Paso and inching closer to clinching one of the final playoff spots in the West. United is winless in their last 3 matches and look to get 3 points to add to their club-best points and win record. Orange County is unbeaten in their last 5 and stands a chance to send the black & yellow home empty-handed. These two teams could possibly see each other in the playoffs so this will be a good test to see which side can rise to the occasion.

Ben Brannigan Picks…
- Foro Soccer Club vs Coppell FC in UPSL
  - Sat, 10/19 - 7:00pm CT / 8:00pm ET
    at Prince of Peace HS in Carrollton, TX
  - Coppell make the journey across metroplex to Carrollton to take on the mighty Foro SC , who are chasing the table topping Villareal NTX right now in the standings , Coppell looking to climb up the table too and get back in winning ways and not slip out of contention . Good talent will be on show for sure here, definitely a game to get to if in the Carrollton area Saturday.

Josh Duder Picks…
- Richmond Kickers vs Chattanooga Red Wolves in USL League One
  - Sat, 10/19 - 3:00pm PT / 6:00pm ET
    at City Stadium in Richmond, VA
  - Seven of the eight playoff spots have been claimed. The legendary Kickers are in prime position to seal the final spot - if they win, and Tormenta lose then they’re in. However, if Chattanooga should march into RVA and steal a win then they go even on points with the Kickers with a week to go. Math, however, is not in the Red Wolves’ favor and if they are going for a win, they’re going to have to win big to overcome a -16 GD with the other clubs fighting for that last spot having much more favorable goals for / goals against ratios.

Danielle Gawronski Picks…
- Carolina Ascent FC vs Brooklyn FC
  in USL Super League
  - Sat, 10/19 - 4:00pm CT / 7:00pm ET
    at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte, NC
  - It's a number 1 versus number 3 faceoff. Brooklyn started the season strong with three wins in a row and is looking to come back from two losses. Will Carolina remain unbeaten or did they peak too soon? Both are capable of winning this game and should be a good battle.

Dan Vaughn Picks…
- Fort Lauderdale United vs Lexington SC in USL Super League
  - Sat, 10/19 - 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET
    at FTL United Stadium in Davie, FL
  - Sure, it would be easy to focus on the 1 vs 2 matchup that’s also happening this weekend in the Super League, but don’t sleep on this fun matchup. FTL is riding a 3-match winning streak while Lexington is coming off its first win of the season. Something has to give and three points for FTL would be MASSIVE in the standings, especially with the two teams above them doing battle on the same weekend.

Josh Duder Picks…
- Tormenta FC vs Union Omaha in USL League One
  - Sat, 10/19 - 4:30pm PT / 7:30pm ET
    at Tormenta Stadium in Statesboro, GA
  - With two games left, the 2022 League One Champions are on the outside of the playoffs, looking in. Its not quite as simple as win and they’re in, but if they don’t and the teams around them pick up results, they could be out. Of all the teams the Ibises could come up against, its the Owls of Union Omaha, who are currently top of the league and still have something to play for.
    Los Buhos are just four points ahead of those other pesky birds, the Mingos of Madison, and can clinch the league title with a win or a draw if Forward Madison draws. Suffice to say, home field throughout and a claim to host the final, should they win though the playoffs, is enticing enough to not roll over for Tormenta.

Michael Battista Picks…
- Manhattan Celtic FC vs New York Athletic Club in Eastern New York State Soccer Association (ENYSSA) Manning Cup, Round 1
  - Sun, 10/20 - 12:00pm PT / 3:00pm ET
    at Randalls Island Field 74 in New York
  - 2025 U.S. Open Cup Qualifying is taking place around the country this month and now what can be considered the first stage of 2026 qualifying is here too. The 2024-25 Manning Cup champion will once again represent Eastern New York in the 2025 USASA Region I Amateur Cup, the first step towards the 2025 National Amateur Cup and a potential spot in the following year’s Open Cup. Neither Celtic nor NYAC have met one another in the Eastern Premier Soccer League Metropolitan Conference this season but both have at least three wins through six games. The winner advances to the Manning Cup Quarterfinals where they will host the defending Manning Cup champion and National Amateur Cup champion New York Pancyprian Freedoms.

Ben Brannigan Picks…
- Threat FC vs Mid Cities FC in UPSL
  - Sun, 10/20 - 4:45pm CT / 5:45pm ET
    at Bishop Lynch HS in Dallas, TX
  - Mid Cities travel to take on Threat FC at Bishop Lynch HS on Sunday afternoon, the panthers are off a two week break and will be eager to get back to games with a win against a good Threat Fc team who also coming from a two week break. Both teams will be fresh and raring to go this could be a banger of a game, with the talent on both of these teams, this will be fun, get out and catch it.

Dennis Pope Picks…
- In-Motion FC vs Sporting Club Santa Clara in the Pacific Premier League
  - Sun, 10/20 - 7:00pm PT / 10:00pm ET
    at Crocker Amazon Soccer Field 2 in San Francisco, CA
  - It’s the popular new kids vs. the well-respected big dogs in a battle for the top of the table in the Pacific Premier League. Both unbeaten and coming off shutout victories, expansion side In Motion FC (3-0-0 overall) has put together a talented roster and has tallied 19 goals. Santa Clara SC (3-0-0), one of the Bay Area’s oldest and most successful amateur clubs, currently is second with 15 goals

by the Protagonist Staff