Lower League Action March 6-8

Dan Vaughn

Napa Valley 1839 vs Project 510 - It’s early going in the Golden Gate Conference of the NPSL, but the ball is rolling. Napa already picked up their first three points last week and will face Oakland Roots amateur side Project 510. Maybe Project 510 can do what Oakland’s pro side has been so far unable to do: win a match. Napa beat El Farolito last week, but only scored a single goal in the process. So getting more scoring opportunities and converting will be key for this season’s success. I think this is a fun one and will clearly be impossible to predict, so soon into 2020.

Josh Duder

UPSL Wild West Returns – In 2019 Contra Costa FC joined the UPSL Wild West from Liga NorCal and made an instant impact; winning the table with 27 points and a positive 22 goal difference. They followed that up by winning the division’s Fall table as well. On Saturday, March 7th, Contra Costa FC defend their title to newcomers NorCal United FC. NorCal United made a splash in the offseason by scheduling an exhibition match with NISA side Oakland Roots then followed that up with a friendly with NPSL side Napa Valley 1839 – showing their commitment to competing against the best clubs in their region and looking to put their team in the spotlight. Contra Costa FC and NorCal United kickoff 3:00 pm PST on the pitch at Northgate High School in Walnut Creek, California.

WISL Women’s Indoor Season Continues – Shannon McMahon of OlyTown Artesians and Kayla Carter of Tacoma Narrows are the WISL’s first ever women players of the week; McMahon scored a hatty in her debut for the club as they went on to defeat the Oly-Pen Force 7-4. Carter started in between the pipes for Tacoma and looked to shutout the Snohomish Skyhawks until the waning minutes of the match; however she only gave up the one goal and her side went on to win 8-1 in their debut game. This weekend Shannon and Olytown take on the Skyhawks at the Snohomish Soccer Dome at 7:00 pm on Saturday the 7th and a half-hour later Kayla and her Tacoma Narrows match up against the Force at the Oly-Pen Sports Center.

NISA Kickoff Weekend

Josh Duder

WISL Finals

Tacoma, Bellingham, Bellingham, Bellingham, Tacoma… Bellingham. For the sixth straight season the men’s WISL (Western Indoor Soccer League) champion is one or the other and this year Bellingham is the one. They beat the other, Tacoma Stars Reserves, in the championship game just last weekend 6-4 at the Tacoma Soccer Center. This came a week after destroying the Snohomish Skyhawks 13-6 in the Semifinals and heading into the league final as the number two seed behind the hosts Tacoma – who had actually been unbeaten since winning the WISL title last season.

The first half finished with Stars only up by one; betraying a cagey affair, not at all within the free scoring character of either side – seemingly, they were playing not to lose. The third quarter, however, started to show a shift in mentality for the away team and the Hammers from Bellingham to a 3-1 lead heading into the final stanza behind goals from Christian Caro, Uriel Herrera and a good ol fashioned own goal. The Tacoma Stars scratched one back to start the fourth quarter with a goal from Micah Wenzel but it was countered immediately with goals by Hammers’ Connor Moe and a second from Herrera. In an absolute flurry of activity, with under ten minutes left in the match, goals for Stars came in from AdrianCorrea and Logan Jones, but Bellingham matched it with another goal from Caro and held on to win their fourth WISL title in 6 seasons.

Oly-Pen Force’s women, with years of NWPL experience, may be posed to win inaugural WISL title.

Oly-Pen Force’s women, with years of NWPL experience, may be posed to win inaugural WISL title.

2020 will give us something special from the WISL as well, this is the inaugural season of their women’s league – though there are only four participants, this is how great things start. Neither Tacoma Stars, nor Bellingham United will be fielding squads in the women’s league and this gives Oly-Pen Force, Oly Town Artesians, Snohomish Skyhawks, and Tacoma Narrows an opportunity to carve out their own legacy. Saturday, February 29th will give us Oly-Pen force visiting Oly Town and Skyhawks away to Narrows. Each side in the league will play the others home/away, culminating in a championship game on April 11th between the top two finishers from the short season. While there’s no history to work with here, of the four sides Oly-Pen force is the only organization which has an existing outdoor squad and some of that organization and familiarity makes them my pick to win the league – I suppose we’ll just have to watch and see!

John Howard-Fusco

NISA Opening Weekend

LA Force v Detroit City FC

Friday, 2/28 10PM ET

Jesse Owens Stadium, Cal State LA, Los Angeles CA

So here we are – Detroit City FC have gone pro, the next step in the progression towards world dominance. But first, time to start the campaign for winning NISA’s spring season. With Miami FC out of the way, it’s hard to see anyone else but DCFC finishing on top. The club have brought back most of the band (now paid employees) that topped the NPSL Founders Cup last fall including leading goal scorer Yazeed Matthews.

And what of LA Force? Well, we know this much: they didn’t give up a lot of goals (9 goals allowed in seven games during the Fall Showcase), but they also didn’t score a lot either (10 goals in seven games).  

I would expect LA Force to try to keep this one a tight affair, but DCFC will be hard to contain. And even out in Cali, expect to hear plenty of noise from the Northern Guard cheering on the boys in rouge. It says here that Detroit City will make a clear and definitive statement to the rest of the league: come and get us!       

Stumptown Athletic v 1904 FC

Saturday, 2/29 7PM ET

CSA OrthoCarolina Sportsplex, Pineville NC

The only meeting of two veteran NISA teams this opening weekend, and…oh please, who am I kidding? These two clubs didn’t exactly set the world on fire during the Fall Showcase. All four of Stumptown’s wins came against teams who are not even playing this spring (including two forfeit wins against the Philadelphia Fury). 1904 FC gave up 15 goals in six league matches this fall, so tightening up the defense should be high on the list for the spring.    

Both clubs have brought in several new players for the Spring Season. Will the changes make a difference? Hard to say, but it will make for an interesting match to see which club shows improvement. 

Oakland Roots v Chattanooga FC

Saturday, 2/29 8:10PM ET

Laney College Football Stadium, Oakland CA

Consider this the glamour match-up of the opening weekend. The Roots have been busy making changes in preparation for the Spring Season. New coach. New GM. And many new players, with several veterans with MLS and USL experience. Notable signings include forwards Tristen Bowen and Matt Fondy. With all this newness, will the product on the field be better? The answer points to yes, but it might take a few games for this group to gel.

Chattanooga FC have also been active in preparation for its NISA debut, bringing on veteran players with professional experience. Like Detroit City FC, Chattanooga FC have graduated from NPSL, having built a successful club on the field as well as strong community engagement off the field.

Will one of these teams emerge as a contender? I’m not telling. You’ll just have to watch and find out for yourself. (So there, nyah.)     

Cal United Strikers FC v Michigan Stars FC

Saturday, 2/29 10PM ET

Championship Soccer Stadium, Irvine CA

Even with a short season, Cal United was one team that seemed to show improvement during the Fall Showcase and would end up winning the Western championship on penalties against LA Force. The roster looks very much intact from the fall, with the notable exception of the signing of 15-year old midfielder Shane Kaemerle. The offense will most likely again feature Omar Nuno and Gustavo Villalobos up top, along with Christian Thierjung out of the midfield – a revelation from the fall season with six goals.

As for Michigan Stars FC, it’s hard to get a read on what this team from the NPSL will be. But looking at its past history it hasn’t been pretty. The club have finished near bottom in almost every year except two (a 3rd place finish in 2016, and no finish at all in 2018 as the club was on hiatus).

Cal United may be the one team from the Fall Showcase that could give Detroit City a direct challenge (one man’s opinion, anyway), and an emphatic result here could reinforce that notion.

UPSL Semifinals

Shawn Laird

Soda City FC vs Maryland Bobcats FC

It’s that time of the year again folks. Yes, it is time for the 2019-20 UPSL Fall Season National Semifinals. It’s been a long and difficult road for the final four playing this weekend, but that trophy at the end is all worth it.

I’ll be the first to admit, I didn’t think Soda City stood a chance against the unstoppable force of OFC Barca in the last round. But, they proved me wrong. It was a tightly contested match in Savannah but Soda City prevailed 2-1 over the Florida Champions on February 1st. Through their 4 match playoff run, Soda City have outscored their opponents 10-3. It’s easy to see that their regular season defensive form carried over to the playoffs.

Soda City’s opponents in this weekend’s semifinal, Maryland Bobcats FC, had a bit of an eventful path to get to this point. After dispatching Quake FC in mid-November 3-1, they faced off with Mass United FC for the chance to move on to this weekend. Unfortunately, due to outside interference on Mass United’s behalf, the match was abandoned at halftime and the league decided the winner. Obviously it’s not how anyone wants to advance, but it’s in the past and they face a strong Soda City side.

Judging by both teams’ regular season finishes, I’d say this will be one hell of a match. Both teams didn’t allow more than ten goals all season, while destroying everyone in their paths. I look forward to watching this game and I hope to see some great play. My prediction? Bobcats move on to the finals by a score of 4-3.

Dan Vaughn

Santa Ana Winds vs. Foro Soccer Club

Of course it would fall to me to pick a match involving Foro Soccer Club. I’ve made mistake after mistake predicting this club’s rise to the semifinals. They came out of the highly competitive Central conference and battled through the playoffs to get their spot, beating club after club. The Central conference might be one of the toughest in the country and Foro won against great teams on their way here.

If there is another conference as competitive it would be the Western Conference, home of Foro’s opponent, Santa Ana Winds. Winds has been dominant this season, losing zero matches during the regular season. Their last match was against Pajaro Valley United, which they won 2-1. This match comes almost three weeks since their last. Does that layoff hurt them? Particularly against an opponent that has been in action more recently and played most of their playoff matches at home?

I have learned one thing this season, don’t pick against Foro SC. Foro 2-1.

Lower League Action January 25-26

Josh Duder

Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) Action

Since the league’s founding, in 2014-15, the Western Indoor Soccer League championship has only ever gone to one of two teams, Tacoma Stars Reserves or Bellingham United FC. Predictably, with just three matches left in regular season, these two teams are set on a collision course! Tacoma Stars Reserves tops the table with 19 pts and an impressive +26 goal difference. Meanwhile, Bellingham United, who are just one point in the table below Tacoma, are on an astronomical +57 goal difference!

In their first two matches this season, the Hammers outscored opponents 39 to 7, and barring their only loss this season, Bellingham United have overpowered opposition by multiple goals every match. That one loss, however, came in week three, while away to the Tacoma Stars – losing by just one goal, 3-4, in a tight affair. This week the two WISL power houses go at it again and it’s all on the line – Tacoma Stars Reserves can stretch that lead out to four points in the table over Bellingham. They’d just have OlyTown and OlyPen left, who are combined for -72 in goal difference. 

Bellingham could take over the top spot with a win in their last home game of the regular season – they also have an away match to OlyTown and finish on the road against third place Snohomish Skyhawks. The Skyhawks are significantly further down the table, but will have something to play for in their last few matches as well, as they look to hold onto that playoff position and return to the WISL Semifinals. All three of this weekend’s WISL matches are on Saturday, January 25th: OlyPen at the Snohomish Soccer Dome to take on the Skyhawks at 7:00 pm; Tacoma Stars Reserves travel to Bellingham Sportsplex for a 7:35 clash with the Hammers; and OlyTown Artesians travel to the Tacoma Soccer Center for a 7:45 battle with Tacoma Narrows FC, as both teams are chasing that 4th spot in the upcoming playoffs.

Ryan Stallings

Dallas City FC at Tyler FC

With their 4-2 victory over FF Premier last weekend, Tyler FC has secured promotion in the 2020 Spring season to the Central Conference 1st division. The former seasonal punching bag in the NPSL Lonestar Conference have certainly found new life this season, pacing the UPSL’s 2nd division with 44 goals scored, already good for fourth amongst 51 clubs across the country competing in the Fall 2019-’20 competition.

The Kings of Rose City will need to grow that tally in a big way tomorrow if they’re to add to their inaugural UPSL season laurels. Trailing Tulsa Athletic U20 by nine in the division goal differential column, Tyler will need to match that, and hope for a Tulsa stumbling later tomorrow evening vs Arkansas Wolves, to claim a share of the Red River Division title.

If there is any side in the division up to the challenge of giving up that score difference to Tyler, it could very well be the Dallas City FC side limping into Kings Park Saturday afternoon. Losers of eight straight matches and brandishing 3 points, a 1W-0D-9L record, and a goal differential of -26, the season has been steep learning curve for the young Lions side. Having ceded fifteen goals to the Kings already in their two previous meetings, DCFC will be hard put to stymie Tyler’s high-flying scoring attack in the season finale.

Prediction: Tyler FC scores early and often, but Dallas City FC’s Lions play with just enough pride, and the minimum required defense, to prevent the Kings from giving themselves a tiebreaker in case of Tulsa loss.

Tyler FC 8-3 Dallas City FC

Tulsa Athletic U20 at Arkansas Wolves

Don’t be too surprised to see a few players currently plying their efforts for Tulsa Athletic’s U20 side doing more of the same for the A’s first team in NPSL league, and the US Open Cup, play in the coming months. In the meantime, the division-leading youngsters out of T-Town are concentrated on closing their inaugural UPSL campaign Saturday night with a victory and division title to go with their coming promotion to the Central Conference’s 1st division.

They’ll face a perhaps deceptively dangerous home side in Arkansas Wolves, who have played a series of close matches with both Tyler FC and FF Premier in recent weeks that would allude to a more competitive team than their 5 points in divisional season result do.

Prediction: An early 1-1 score will keep the home side’s hopes of upset up early, but the A’s speed and unrelenting attacks will wear down the Wolves’ in the second half, giving Tulsa Athletic the uncontested Red River Division title.

Tulsa Athletic 4 – Arkansas Wolves 2

Shawn Laird

OFC Barca vs Red Force FC

This Sunday OFC Barca of Florida’s Central Conference faces off against Red Force FC of Florida’s Southern Conference for the fall season Championship. Whoever wins will continue their march to potential national glory as they’ll move on to play Soda City FC in the next round of the UPSL playoffs.

OFC Barca has been an absolute bulldozer this season, completely obliterating anyone who stood in their undefeated run. They continued their dominance through the playoffs by notching back to back clean sheets and scoring six goals in the process. With that kind of form, it’s easy to see why they could make a run all the way to the national championship match.

On the other side, Red Force FC had a solid regular season, going 6W-5D-1L and a plus 19 goal differential. However, they really hit their stride going into the playoffs, knocking off Boca Raton FC, Miami Suns FC and Florida Soccer Soldiers by a combined score of 11-4. If they want to continue their streak and move on to face Soda City, they will have to play out of this world when they face OFC Barca.

After looking at each team’s form, I have to go with OFC Barca in this match up. It’s easy to see why Red Force deserves to be in this match but Barca has been consistently excellent all season long and it doesn’t look like their stopping any time soon. I fully expect to see a lot of goals in this one. Whether it’s as one sided as I think it will be or not remains to be seen. But I’m taking OFC Barca 4-1. 

Florida Soccer Soldiers 2 vs Miami United FC (Division 2 Promotion Championship)

On the same day OFC Barca and Red Force face off, there is also another massive championship battle brewing in South Florida. This one, though, won’t have as much fanfare as it will decide who is promoted to the Florida South Division 1 Conference. Florida Soccer Soldiers 2 will face off with a perennial lower league powerhouse in Miami United FC.

The path to this matchup has been an almost afterthought for Miami United as they won the regular season title, going 9-2-1 with a plus 21 goal differential. In their one playoff match, they knocked off the Florida Brothers 2-1.

Meanwhile, Florida Soccer Soldiers 2 finished third during the regular season with a record of 7W-3D-2L and a plus 16 goal differential, however they were five points off of Miami United.  While they finished third, they’ve been flexing their muscle and showing their pedigree during the playoffs, outscoring the FSI Vultures and ISA by a combined score of 7-2.

This match has the makings of being an epic promotion battle. Both squads are more than capable of taking it the distance, but I feel that Miami United will pull off the win and move up to Division 1. They’ve shown their quality at the NPSL level and it has filtered down to this level, so I’m taking them over FSS 3-2.

Dan Vaughn

Foro SC vs San Juan FC

First of all, a confession of sorts. I’ve been predicting Foro SC would go out for two weeks now and I’ve been wrong both times I predicted it. I apologize for not understanding how good the club was. Foro has knocked off the best clubs in Texas and now prepares to host a visitor from the Mountain Conference. That visitor would be San Juan FC, who knocked off Utah Saints 5-0, LAST YEAR. That’s right, it’s been over three weeks since SJFC has seen live action.

During that time, Foro has taken on Alamo City SC (they won 2-1) and Houston FC (they won 5-2). So going into this Sunday’s match, Foro is on point. The Central Conference is highly competitive and their path to this match hasn’t been easy. That they are still standing is a testament to the quality of the club.

The quality of the Mountain Conference, on the other hand, is suspect. San Juan has crushed the conference this season with a 8-0 record and only surrendered 4 goals all season. Last season, Boise Cuththroats eliminated SJFC in the conference final, but, with that club sitting out the Fall, San Juan has rolled. How they will do outside of the comfy confines of their conference remains to be seen.

San Juan has a massive road trip to Dallas for this match. That can’t be a good thing. Foro should be in peak form. I think this time I’ll pick Foro (which, of course, is the kiss of death. Good luck boys!) 3-2.

Winner goes to the semifinals!

Quick Kicks: Best Matches of the Weekend 11/15-18

Joshua Duder

In the Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL), Oly Town Artesians kick off their season with an away match to face Oly-Pen Force. Oly Town finished bottom last year, but are excited to travel to Bremerton to take on the Force in the Olympic Sports Center for a 7:30 kickoff. “Dizzy” Daniel Antoniuk will be making his league debut as head coach for Oly-Pen after 9 seasons as a NPSL/USL outdoor player and 15 years as an indoor player in the MASL, including 3 with Washingtonian rivals, the Tacoma Stars program. Indoor soccer is fast-paced and chock full of goals and this matchup should not fail to entertain. If you find yourself way up north in Washington State, check out the Force’s website for ticket information here.

The end of the UPSL Fall 2019 regular season is just a few weeks away and in the Western Conference – SoCal North Division I, Santa Ana Winds FC are sitting in first place, on 25 points and an undefeated record. They look to extend that unbeaten record with a match on Sunday the 17th against 8th place Lionside FC – who have lost 3 of their last five matches and are out of any potential playoff picture. Winds FC are on a +25 goal differential, while Lionside have given up 25 goals all year. 8:00 pm (PST) kickoff at the Lake Forest Sports Complex /Turf-B.

Dan Vaughn

Won’t lie, if the USMNT are playing, I’m watching. That’s my match to watch this weekend.

Quick Kicks: Best Matches of the Weekend 11/8-11/10

Joshua Duder

Tacoma Narrows FC vs. Bellingham United

Looking for something more interesting to watch than that corporate final in Seattle? The Western Indoor Soccer League (WISL) kicks off its 5th season tomorrow, Saturday, November 9th, in a rematch of a 2018-19 Semifinal between Tacoma Narrows FC and Bellingham United. The “Hammers” outscored Narrows FC 26-7 through three matchups and the tentacled-Tacoma side will be looking for revenge. Kickoff is set for 7:35 at the Bellingham Sports Complex, for a more comprehensive review, check this out .

Temecula FC vs. RIverside Coras

On Sunday, November 10th, Temecula FC and Riverside Coras clash in the Riverside Cup – currently even on points at 7, the winner will have the edge with only a couple of fixtures left in the Fall competition. The Quails look to pull themselves back together after getting hammered 1-7 in a friendly loss to NISA side San Diego 1904 FC. Meanwhile, the Coras will be playing their last match away at Chaparral High School under their current banner; they have just announced a name change to Xolos U23s, but will remain in the NPSL. This is a true Riverside Derby and should be an absolute blast if you can get out there for a 5:00 pm kickoff.

Dan Vaughn

Miami FC vs. Stumptown Athletic

California United Strikers FC vs. LA Force

Obviously, these matches are the Conference Finals for NISA Fall Season 1 (aka Showcase). The finalists will earn berths in the 2020 NISA Playoffs, along with the finalists from the Spring Season. The Spring Season will be much more crowded with the addition of many well-known clubs from other leagues.

Miami FC rolls into the Eastern Final without losing a match all season. They did this through the use of an overwhelming offense, one that outscored all clubs this season. Their impressive +13 goal differential was easily the best in the league this season. They’ve faced their opponent, Stumptown Athletic, twice already and won both matches with a combined 4-1 scoring advantage. I suspect we’ll see more of the same in the Final.

The Western Final features two clubs who didn’t match the social media presence of their fellow conference foes, but did it on the field. Oakland Roots and San Diego 1904 both had flashy presentations and rose to the challenge of building a following, the two finalists played well enough to finish the season at the top of the table. These clubs have faced each other twice this season, with the home field holder taking the win each time. LA Force will host the final thanks to one more win, so it’s safe to say they should be considered a favorite to win the Western conference.

Quick Kicks: Best Matches of the Weekend 11/1-11/3

Shawn Laird

Deportivo Lake Mary vs Sporting Orlando

It’s game week 10 for Deportivo Lake Mary and Sporting Orlando in the UPSL fall season of the Florida Central Division 1. Deportivo is looking to keep their winning streak, which has seen them score six goals over the last two games against Huracan and Winter Haven United, going. They will also look to temporarily close the gap between themselves and OFC Barca to two points.

While Deportivo looks to continue their winning ways, Sporting will look to get back to winning ways after two consecutive draws against SportsParadize Soccer Academy and Huracan. With a win against a top two club, Sporting will be able to move up to a tie for fourth, however temporary that may be. At the same time, knocking off a top two team could give Sporting a confidence boost and allow them to make a winning run of their own.

Looking at everything concerning both clubs, I would have to say Deportivo has the upper hand in this one. However, I can’t discredit Sporting in this matchup. I think Sporting will give them a tough game but ultimately Deportivo takes the three points, 4-2.

Paul Kowalczyk

Cedar Stars Academy vs NY Pancyprian Freedoms

Cedar Stars Academy of The Bronx will be travelling to Queens to face the New York Pancyprians in this Cosmopolitan League week 8 matchup. Cedar Stars Academy started the season on a hot streak scoring 25 goals in their first five games, but have cooled off recently, dropping points in their past two games and falling into 3rd place. CSA will be looking to regain their form against last season’s winners and current sixth place, NY Pancyprian Freedoms. The Pancyprians have only played five games in the season’s first seven weeks, because of scheduling conflicts with the U.S. Open cup, but have only lost one out of those five. This matchup will be the teams’ second time facing one another with the 3-time US Open Cup Champion Pancyprians defeating CSA in the 2nd round of Open Cup qualifying 2-0.

The match will be at 8:00 am on Sunday, November 2nd at St. John’s University Belson Stadium. I expect both of these teams to be in the top four by season’s end and that this will be a close game with the Pancyprians winning by a goal.

Quick Kicks: Best Matches of the Weekend 10/25-10/27

John Howard-Fusco

Miami FC vs Oakland Roots

The NISA story so far…

Two groups of clubs have been huddling together schedule-wise: Miami FC, Atlanta SC, and Stumptown Athletic on one side of the country, while Cal United Strikers, Oakland Roots, 1904 FC and Los Angeles Force have been beating each other up on the other side. What’s that…did you say Philadelphia Fury? Nope, haven’t seen them. Sorry.

But this Saturday, we have ourselves the first East Coast versus West Coast battle as the Roots take the long trip over to face the class of the new league so far in Miami FC. While winning the social media and cool crest and merchandise game, Oakland has been not as impressive on the pitch as the team has yet to register a win in the league. Wait, what? Neither did the Fury? Again, I don’t know what you’re talking about.

That being said, this is probably the closest thing we have to a “glamour” match in NISA for the Fall Showcase – though Cal United may want to have a word with me later. I would expect Miami FC to play its A lineup and demonstrate its level of quality. Game time is 7PM Eastern at Riccardo Silva Stadium.

Jose Davila IV

LA Force vs. California United Strikers FC

Turn your focus to Rio Hondo College in Whittier, California on Saturday evening as the top two Western Conference clubs in the NISA’s Showcase face-off for territorial bragging rights. LA Force will be looking to secure their spot in the West Coast Championship against current league leaders California United Strikers FC on their home turf at Rio Hondo College in Southern California. As of writing, Cal United sits with 11 points at the top, with LA Force sitting four points behind. Cal United has already qualified for the Championship. The game pits the league’s second-highest scoring offense in Cal United versus its stingiest defense. Cal United sits with fifteen goals on the season while LA Force has only conceded four.

However, three of those four came when Cal United shutout the Force 3-0 a month ago at home in Championship Stadium. Since that meeting, Cal United tied with the Oakland Roots and soundly beat San Diego’s 1904 FC home and away. They will be looking to stay unbeaten for their fifth game on the trot, while LA Force looks to bounce back from a 1-1 draw with the Roots last time out. The match will be Cal United’s last in the NISA Showcase. LA Force will take on 1904 next weekend for a place in the Championship if they fail to take all three points from Cal United at home.

Keep your eye on Cal United’s goalkeeper, Steven Barrera. He denied LA Force a goal from the penalty spot amid an outstanding all-around day to secure a clean sheet last month.

Paul Kowalczyk

Zum Schneider FC 03 vs Lansdowne Yonkers FC

This Sunday, October 27th, Cosmopolitan League leaders Zum Schneider FC 03 will be hosting 3rd place Lansdowne Yonkers FC. Zum Schneider are coming off a mid-week 3-2 win against 2nd place Cedar Stars Academy. Lansdowne Bhoys lost to Westchester United SC 4-2 last weekend in Open Cup play, but defeated New York Athletic Club in PKs 4-3 in the U.S. Amateur Cup this past Wednesday. Zum Schneider have scored 16 goals in six games only losing one, but now that Lansdowne Bhoys are out of the Open Cup they can divert their full attention to trying to win another Cosmopolitan League title. West Chester United are a very good team that the Bhoys put up a good fight against, only down 2-1 at the half. Although Zum Schneider have been on a roll, I expect the undefeated Lansdowne Bhoys to grab the three points this weekend.

Quick Kicks: Best League Matches of the Weekend 10/18-10/20

John Howard-Fusco

Chattanooga FC vs Stumptown Athletic

I know, I know…it’s only an exhibition. But after having watched the first match between these two teams last week, there just might be something brewing here. Last Saturday at the CSA OrthoCarolina Sportsplex (rolls off the tongue, doesn’t it), the visitors from Chattanooga took a 2-0 lead thanks a brace from Felipe Oliveira. But in a span of a couple of minutes in the second half, Stumptown tied things up and the final third of the game was a spirited back and forth affair. A hard tackle from behind by a Chattanooga player in stoppage time, and things got even a little – dare I say – chippy.

The best rivalries are the ones created on the field of play, not force fed by a marketing strategy. Could we be seeing the making of a legit rivalry when these two clubs begin playing each other in games that will count in NISA’s Spring 2020 season? Let’s see how the second leg plays out at Finley. Watch it live this Saturday starting at 6PM Eastern on MyCujoo or at the Watch Live section of NISA’s website.

Paul Kowalczyk

ADASL Division 2: Georgia Revolution U23s vs Buckhead SC

This Sunday, October 20th, division leaders Georgia Revolution U23 will be hosting 5th place Buckhead SC at Village Park in Ellenwood, Georgia. Atlanta District Amateur Soccer League’s Game of the Week will be streamed live on MyCujoo with kick off at 1:00 PM. The Georgia Revolution Reserves’ Division I match this weekend is postponed because of their U.S. Open Cup game against Soda City FC, but the U23s are still in action. The U23s are a youth squad of the NPSL’s Georgia Revolution. With Ashville City SC being the latest team to leave the NPSL Southeast along with Atlanta SC and Chattanooga FC, it will be interesting to see if the Revolution decides to stay with NPSL. But for now, the organization is focused on their Open Cup game and the ADASL season.

The U23s are undefeated through four games, scoring a staggering 34 goals and only conceding 5. Players to watch on the Revs side will be Juan Daniel Cervantes who has scored 6 goals and 2 assists as well as Ismael Serratos who has 4 goals and 4 assists so far this season. Buckhead SC has a record of 2-1-1 scoring 11 goals and conceding 7 in the four games. Their scoring leader, according to ADASL’s website, is Jordan Davis who has 4 goals. I think this will be another high-scoring game for the U23s who should win this comfortably against Buckhead SC.

Shawn Laird

Oakland Roots vs LA Force

Admittedly, I haven’t paid enough attention to NISA since the showcase started, but that changes this weekend. I am looking forward to match up this weekend because 1) it’ll be the first NISA match I actually watch and 2) it’s looking like this could be a good match.

Even though they sit at the bottom of the table currently, Oakland has shown improvement over the last two games, gaining two points over that span after earning none in their first two games. There has also been more of an offensive output from the Roots recently, with them scoring five goals over their last three matches. Another bright spot in Oakland’s season would be their 2-0 victory over Zacatepac in an international friendly less than a week ago. Hopefully, they’re able to carry that momentum in to this match with the Force.

The Force, on the other hand, have had a good start to their season. They’ve sandwiched a loss between two victories, with their latest one coming over the Roots two weeks ago by a score of 1-0. LA will look to even up their away record with a victory in Oakland this weekend after getting manhandled by California United FC 3-0 in their only away match thus far.

Oakland will be coming in to this match looking for revenge, but based off of the current table and results, I can see LA taking this one. My final score prediction? 3-2 LA in a fiery contest.

Quick Kicks: Best Matches of the Weekend 10/11-10/13

Geovanny Monterroso

Yinz United vs Starliners FC

The battle to remain undefeated. Both teams sit at the top of the tables with no losses or ties. Respectively, Yinz United is sitting with 5 wins and five games played, Starliners FC are sitting with 4 wins and 4 games played (with an impressive goal difference of 12 for – 0 against). This could be the match that determines the winner of the season, I know it is still early, but this is an important match. Will the Pups finally end the 4-game clean sheet record the Stars hold? Or will Stars shine yet again?

West Chester Predators vs United German Hungarians

United Soccer League of Pennsylvania brings us a great match up, the reserve team for the powerhouse of the NPSL vs a historically rich team. This should be a great game to catch. Currently WCSC is sitting in 4th place on the table and UGH is sitting on 3rd place. The result of the game will have some effect to the table but what is truly exciting about this game is the different playing styles that will be on the field. If you are in the area, make sure you catch this match.

Dan Vaughn

New York Cosmos vs Detroit City FC

This matchup won’t determine the leader of the Member’s Cup competition. That’s because the Cosmos have blown the doors off this competition with a massive showing. They haven’t lost a match yet and are 6-2-0. They are tied for first in GD and are second in goals for. The last time these two squared off, they played at Keyworth and it ended in a 1-1 draw.

Detroit has been extremely polished this entire competition, managing a flawless record (4-2-0) with incredible defense, only giving up 2 goals all season. This time they journey away to face the Cosmos. From all appearances, the Cosmos aren’t drawing well and homefield-advantage maybe only exist in theory. Detroit needs to win this match and get the 3 points to have a chance at catching the Cosmos, but considering the dominate play of the homeside, I’m doubtful they can get them. My prediction, Cosmos win 1-0.

Luke Bowyer

PDX FC vs. OPF

PDX FC are staying sharp prior to the NPSL season by competing in Oregon’s top amateur division, the Oregon Premier Soccer League (OPSL). They currently sit fourth in a seven-team league as they take on last-place OPF this Sunday. The club will hope to erase the memory of last week’s 2-1 defeat to local rivals International Portland Select FC, which was decided by a controversial late penalty. What makes PDX an especially intriguing watch this weekend is the presence of established Cuban International Daniel Luis Saez. Luis Saez will be available for his second game for PDX after defecting from Cuba during the Gold Cup this past summer with nineteen caps to his name. The midfielder is listed at an imposing 6’5” and will certainly be one to watch as he attempts to assert his dominance in the midfield in hopes of propelling PDX up the table. Local gem Buckman Field plays host to this matchup. It would be hard to find a more quintessentially Portland place to watch a match, with the entrance to the field located just to the side of Voodoo Donuts’ eastside location. Another draw is the field’s proximity to venerable dive bar the Sandy Hut. It seems difficult to imagine a better way to spend a Sunday afternoon than donuts, cheap beer and grassroots soccer.

Joshua Duder

UPSL Western Conference - SoCal North

This week I’ll be keeping an eye on the UPSL’s Western Conference – SoCal North – Division I; there is a tight race forming at the top. Orange County FC 2 are topping the table after five wins in five weeks and a +13 goal difference. They’ll be looking to make it 18 points on the trot when they face off against Sporting San Fernando, at the Lake Forest Sports Complex, with a 7:00 pm kickoff.

Santa Ana Winds FC are on 10 points from 4 matches, and after a 2-2 draw vs Oxnard Guerreros back in September, they’ve outscored their last two opponents 10-1. Winds FC will be looking to keep pace with Orange County in the table when they go away to Injen Total Football, who are winless, for a 6:00 pm kickoff at Rancho Jurupa Regional Sports Park.

Lastly, LA10 are also on 10 points so far this season, but gave up four goals on the road when the lost to Orange County FC 2 several weeks ago. Since then they’ve won at home and drawn on the road. This weekend they go away to Jerry Chabola Stadium to take on Lionside FC at 6:30 pm. All three matches are scheduled to be shown on MyCujoo.com

Quick Kick: Best Matches of the Weekend

Dan Vaughn

Detroit City vs New York Cosmos

I won’t lie and say I’ve been following The Member’s Cup as much as I follow the other leagues in this country. For the most part, it’s hard to not feel like the matches mean nothing. Tons of big name clubs, most of which are between leagues (NPSL -> NISA), but it all feels like exhibition. Without a personal stake in the clubs playing, I read the scores, see the tweets, and wait for real competitions to kick off. However, this matchup will be a solid one. The Cosmos were ridiculously dominant in the NPSL after exiting the NASL, while DCFC has been a solid club throughout their history, earning one of the most fiery fan bases in the country. That fanbase has been stoking the fire all week, attacking the Cosmos in hilarious and over the top social media posts. Some of the meme work has been solid, won’t lie. Both clubs come into this match undefeated in the Member’s Cup, with DCFC 3-0-0 and Cosmos 4-1-0.

Can I take one more second to show you this. It’s absolutely amazing. DCFC/NGS has been on point at getting match posters made, and this might be my favorite so far. It’s from the artist Marissa Rose Johnson and will be on sale at the match this weekend. It’s spectacular. I wish more clubs would do this sort of thing.

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Joshua Duder

PDX FC vs Logrones (OPSL)

This weekend presents a couple of options for fans of lower league soccer in the Portland area – PDX FC will be playing their second match of their fall season. For them, this is a more relaxed schedule, playing against teams from the city league OPSL instead of playing higher-caliber sides from the NPSL. On the other hand, owner/coach Luke Babson had to put on his kit and lace up his boots last weekend to fill out the 11. Autumn is a particularly difficult time to corral top-level student-athletes because they’ve all gone back to their respective collegiate programs. However, PDX FC looked good last weekend, and provided the small number of fans who showed up a little combination play as they lost to fellow local side Nike FC Swoosh. We’re hoping PDX FC has a few more options off the bench (last week none) and can give Logrones a run for their money this Sunday night, September 22nd, 8:00 pm kickoff at Buckman Field.

San Juan FC vs IPS FC (USOC 2020 Qualifying Round 1)

While PDX FC will be trying to get their first points on the table, compatriot OPSL side IPSFC/Marathon Taverna will be playing UPSL side San Juan FC, away in Utah in the US Open Cup qualifiers for 2020’s tournament. Head Coach Harvey Hurst has been trying to raise a little money this year to offset the costs of travel. (Check out their twitter handle for the GoFundMe link). Last year, the amateur club was loaded with talent and were fortunate enough to draw multiple matches at home which allowed them to make a deep run in the qualifiers. I’ll be looking to see if they can get past, what is on paper, a very good UPSL side – San Juan finished top of their table with a +40 Goal Difference. They’re practically unbeatable on their home turf, so IPS FC really have a challenge ahead of them.

Quick Kicks: Best Lower League Crest

I picked this subject for today’s Quick Kicks, because there’s not a lot of soccer going on at the moment. Certainly the NPSL Member’s Cup is going on, but that’s basically a series of friendlies with little at stake other than bragging rights. So I decided to do a fun subject for Quick Kicks, enjoy! - DV

Dan Vaughn

Bugeaters FC

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It’s hard to pick a single crest and I had to rule out several great badges (FC Grande, Cosmos, Little Rock) that I dearly love. For me a badge should connect your club to the place they represent. If there’s history, that’s even better, but I can’t demand history in a soccer landscape that has seen so much change and upheaval. I love simple lines and simple color scheme. I often think about how easy a crest would be to screen print. You don’t get much simpler than the bold lines that dominate the Bugeaters crest.

Bugeaters is an old nickname for people from Nebraska, so I love that connection to where they are from. The tractor is a beautiful addition to continue to farmer analogy. And the tractor sits on top of the simple soccer ball, but in a way that almost seems to imply domination of the globe. Yes, we’re from Nebraska and we’re down-to-earth farmers, but we will dominate the soccer world. The shield shape perfectly frames the elements of the logo.

Bugeaters made the switch to independent and will soon join a new league, but their connection to their homestate is obvious in their bold, yet simple, crest.

Dan Creel

Big Green SC

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Literally impossible to choose my one favorite. I don’t have one. So, I’ll go with Big Green SC, a 3rd Division club in the Buffalo & District Soccer League. Love the clean design and color scheme. It’s simple but immediately catches your eye. But, the jewel in the center is the goat headbutting the soccer ball.

We’re in a time period where US soccer branding and design are firmly in the traditionalist trenches. I’m all for clubs embracing the tradition and history of the sport. It connects a club and its fans to the greater game. But, US clubs have gone all in for incorporating European and South American traditional elements rather than looking back to the history of US soccer itself.

Big Green SC’s goat is full-on mid-century Americana and I’m so here for it.

Joshua Duder

AC Chehalem Valley

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AC Chehalem Valley’s is currently my new favorite lower league soccer crest – heck, it might be my favorite badge in all of US Soccer right now. The club has only recently been announced and is planning to play in the NW Premier League of Washington and Oregon. Of course, that might be a biased opinion, as It’s me who has provided the concept and elements to CalyX Design and they nailed it. You might know CalyX Design from their work in the last two years with PDX FC of the NPSL.

The elements are all relevant to the community; the hazelnut-shaped badge calls out one of the agricultural products of the region, the colors and gentle waving wordmark is a nod to the rivers flowing through our valley, and the blue heron can be found in our wetlands and lakes. She’s in full flight, showing that “She Flies” is more than just a part of our state motto, here in Oregon, but that when she is powerful enough to fly on her own.

Paul Kowalczyk

Dekalb County United

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My favorite crest in lower league soccer would have to be Dekalb County United’s. I had the pleasure of working with the club over the summer by volunteering for a few games, and got to meet the great people people that make up the club and the community, so I might be a little biased. However, I never would have thought a soccer ball could look like corn on the cob until I saw this crest. Dekalb is located about two hours west of Chicago and one of the largest contributors to corn production in the state. While an ear of corn with a soccer ball as the cob makes up the main part of the crest, barbed wire lines the top above the club’s name. Barbed wire was actually invented in Dekalb back in 1874. Not only is the design clever and unique, but the crest features elements that embodies the city of Dekalb, Illinois. The club’s main goal is to represent and to unite the community, and I think they should be held as an example to local teams in the way they are run and what they stand for.

Quick Kicks: Favorite Euro Side

With most of the clubs and leagues we follow in the off season, we decided to do something fun for this week’s Quick Kicks. We asked each of our writers to talk about their favorite Euro club. This is what we got back!

Stephen Packer

Sanfrecce Hiroshima

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Dan has asked us all this week to write about our favorite Euro teams, but since my favorite team is in Japan, I will write about that team instead. I first visted the Big Arch to watch Sanfrecce Hiroshima grind out a 1-0 home victory over Sagan Tosu (now famous as the home of the soon-to-retire Spanish superstar Fernando Torres) on August 3, 2008. I had come seeking a taste of something familiar after arriving in Japan only weeks earlier on a one-year JET Programme teaching contract.

Sanfrecce's name (pronounced san-freh-chay) is a portmanteau of two words: san (meaning three in Japanese) and frecce (meaning arrow in Italian), a reference to a local legend of an old feudal leader who demonstrated to his three sons that individually, an arrow is weak and can be snapped easily, but in a group of three, the arrows cannot be broken. The team's main color is also shocking violet, so what is there not to like?

Traumatized by a relegation playoff defeat to Kyoto Sanga in the 2007 season which sent them through the J1 trapdoor into J2, but buoyed by their unlikely victory as a J2 side in the season-opening Japanese Super Cup against J1 champions Kashima Antlers, Sanfrecce went on to storm J2 in 2008, almost setting records for most goals and most points and finishing 22 points clear at the top of the table. 2009 was even better, as Sanfrecce finished fourth in J1 and secured a spot in the AFC Champions League for 2010, Hiroshima's first continental berth since the founding of the J League in 1992 (Mazda SC, Sanfrecce's predecessor company team, had qualified for Asian competition in the past).

In the two years I spent in Japan I missed only a handful of Sanfrecce's home games, but I have struggled at times to keep up with them in the years since, given the J League's famously poor management of overseas broadcast rights. I was able to catch only snippets of Sanfrecce's 2012, 2013, and 2015 J League titles, but still cheered them from afar. Now that the likes of Andres Iniesta, Fernando Torres, and David Villa are playing in the J League, international attention is increasing. Hopefully, that will lead to a commensurate increase in the number of games available (currently the rights holder in the U.S. is DAZN, an online broadcaster more interested in boxing and MMA that transmits a pathetic handful of games per week, and almost never Sanfrecce). I am certainly enjoying trying to catch as much game time as I can of my Purple Archers of Sanfrecce Hiroshima as they try to capture their fourth J League title after finishing 2nd in 2018.

Joshua Duder

Newcastle United Football Club

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Oh! Me lads, ye shud a’ seen w’us gannin,

Passin’ the folks alang the road just as they were stannin’.

Aal the’ lads and lasses there, aal wi’ smilin’ faces,

Gannin’ alang the Scotswood Road to see the Blaydon Races.

The above lyric come from the Geordie folksong, The Blaydon Races, written by George “Geordie” Ridley, and is the anthem sung from the rafters at St James’ Park in Newcastle upon Tyne. Those Geordies, the people of Newcastle and surrounding area, have been supporting a football club since the first recorded match in the toon in 1877. The modern-day club itself, Newcastle United, is true to its name and is the result of multiple area sides having become absorbed by the club as time marched on. Despite 15 years or so of backstory, Newcastle United was officially formed in 1891 and has now nearly 130 years of legacy which cannot be done justice in this piece—suffice to say names like Jackie Milburn, Malcom “Supermac” Macdonald, Kevin Keegan, and Sir Bobby Robson are cemented as the club’s foundation. For me though, it was Sir Les Ferdinand and the incomparable Alan Shearer who caught my eyes and captured my heart.

My Newcastle story goes like this; my dad’s good friend was a windsurf designer and was on a trip to the Northeast of England in the early 1980’s, when he came back to California, he handed me a tee shirt with an anthropomorphic magpie name Monty on it wearing a bow tie, three piece suit and a striped top-hat. It was cute and I wore it a few times—hardly enough to make a kid a fan, but the seeds were sewn. Fast-forward a decade, to my senior year in High School and the first year that I was able to actually catch English soccer on television and in the Newspapers. There was a flashy competitor in the league, not wearing red or blue, but in some oddly familiar black and white stripes—it was Newcastle United’s “Entertainers” made up of Faustino Asprilla, David Ginola, Darren Peacock, Warren Barton, Peter Beardsley, Lee Clark, David Batty, the amazing Les Ferdinand and they were all managed by Kevin Keegan. They would later add my favorite player of all time, Alan Shearer, for a then world-record transfer fee of 15 million pounds.

We now think of Newcastle United as a yo-yo club; as a side always in danger of promotion but that wasn’t always the case. Once upon a time the Mags would splash the cash and were a top of the table competitor. This is difficult to accomplish in today’s premier league, with the big clubs spending more cash than makes any reasonable sense. I’ve seen Newcastle relegated twice in the past few years and then bounce back up again and every year I prepare myself for a mental battle—to enjoy the matches we manage to win and to not be discouraged by the losses to teams which spend three times as much in the transfer market. The whole process takes so much out of me emotionally, it’s no surprise that I enjoy grassroots American soccer as much as I do—its largely carefree and without relegation, there’s nothing to lose by simply enjoying a nice summer night out. However, until that time comes again, you’ll find me listening to BBC Radio broadcasts of Newcastle United and in the social media fan-groups lamenting our losses or celebrating our well-earned victories. Howay the Lads.

Dan Vaughn

Borussia Dortmund

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Watched a lot of Manchester United when I first got into soccer, mostly because in the early 2000s, that was the only club that got much TV coverage. Now you can see any match, any where, any level, but then it was Saturday morning and what was Fox showing. Mostly Manchester United. But my fandom of the Red Devils has died down pretty much, until one of the Liverpool fans on staff starts up with their bullshit. So I chose the club who got me into Bundesliga, Dortmund.

I cannot ignore the role Christian Pulisic played in bringing my attention to the club. Prior to his involvement with Dortmund, I knew very little about Bundesliga aside from Bayern. And what I knew of Bayern was all Champions League. Bundesliga seemed like three steps beyond EPL in how foreign it was, so for the most part I ignored the league. It had a near name, but beyond that, I didn’t know much about it.

Enter Christian Pulisic.

Pulisic is the great hope for USMNT fans (including myself) and getting to watch him play professionally in a world-class league and PLAY WELL was amazing. We have seen so many Americans “go to Europe” only to suck and underperform. Pulisic made defenders look stupid and, until his injury in his final season (and the rise of Jadon Sancho), he did not but impress. His leadership, his play, his ability to learn German, his connection with the crowd - he did everything they wanted and more. And even in his departure to Chelsea, he was nothing but class.

With his exit, will I continue to support the yellow and black? Hells yes. They run their club the right way a mid-level European club should. They buy up and coming players, develop them, pass them on to bigger clubs. But unlike so many other clubs that go through this process, they continue to be competitive in the Bundesliga. Sure Bayern Munich will always be the favorite, but every year Dortmund puts some fear in the European giants that this will finally be Dortmund’s year.

Shawn Laird

FC Kaiserslautern

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Being a Liverpool supporter, you’d think it would be taboo to follow a club nicknamed the Red Devils. No, I’m not talking about Manchester United. I’m talking about 1. FC Kaiserslautern of 3. Liga in Germany.

When I first got into soccer, I was a one club man. I lived and breathed anything Liverpool FC and abhorred United, Everton and all other clubs. My love of the Reds became an obsession and knew I had to make my way to Anfield one day before I died. However, I knew it was going to be costly and it wasn’t something easily attainable.

Fast forward to 2011. I was serving in the US Air Force and had recently graduated from its weather technician training school (yes, I know, it’s just a fancy title for a meteorologist). My next duty station was a dream location for me, Germany. I say that because having German heritage meant I could live in my ancestral homeland and walk the same paths they did. It never once crossed my mind that attending Bundesliga matches was an option. I had to focus on other things for the time being, as I had my family heading over with me. To say it was a hassle would be doing it a disservice.

Once I had the family settled in, I made my first trip to my squadron. On my way to base, I saw a beautiful stadium. Obviously not knowing the area and not doing any research prior, I had no clue whose stadium it was. So I asked my sponsor (helped get us into temporary lodging and whatnot and he told me it was the Fritz-Walter Stadion, the home of 1. FC Kaiserslautern of the Bundesliga.

Like I said before, Bundesliga matches weren’t even remotely on my mind. But, after being told that, I knew I had to make it to a match.

Two weeks later, I got the opportunity, with FCK playing a home match for the first time in almost a month. I found the tickets were cheap and the atmosphere outside the stadium electric. That electricity carried over into the stadium, as the supporters section (Westkurve) was bouncing and singing their heads off. I found my seat among the supporters but didn’t know what to expect. The man to my left looked at me and said something in German but I couldn’t reply. Then, he asked if I was American. I told him yes and he jammed a beer into my hand and said “Wilkommen in Westkurve!”

As the buildup to the match continued, I found the supporters around me to be really welcoming and approachable. They kept feeding me beers and explained that even if I didn’t know the songs, I could just bounce and scream and yell the entire with them. So that’s exactly what I did. I ended up having the time of my life at the match, though I can’t remember much about it because the beer flowed so quickly.

Fast forward to today.

Sadly, I’ve not been able to experience that level of controlled pandemonium at a match since then. It really makes me miss Germany and standing in the Westkurve with all of the other FCK supporters. I have to make it a point to get back soon enough.

Supporting a club nicknamed the Red Devils should be a sin, but I’m fairly sure my fellow Liverpool supporters will forgive me for supporting these guys all the way down in 3. Liga.

Marine FC

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As a website that caters to the lower leagues here in the United States, I feel it would be a mistake to not mention anything about the English Non-League levels.

These levels are filled with some of the hardest working players and most dedicated supporters I’ve ever met. The supporters show up early and volunteer on match days in the concession stands or the club store. They stay late to ensure everything has been properly cleaned up and count the day’s take. They also show up and help fix up the stadium when it’s needed and do damn near everything for the club, in general.

Most of these clubs have supporters’ trusts that help run the club. It keeps the community connected in a day and age where the big clubs continue to grow larger and more out of touch with the common fan. It also shows a commitment from the club to stay in the local community and work with them.

My introduction to Non-League soccer was through FC United of Manchester and Marine FC. Both clubs were very open to helping me understand the convoluted paths through the Non-League ranks (seriously, go check them out.) Obviously being a Liverpool supporter meant I would look throughout the local area. That’s when I found Marine FC and Cammell Lairds1907. Both clubs are local to Liverpool and keep the community connection very strong.

Don’t get me wrong. It’s frustrating not being able to watch their games or having to wait until after the match before I see the results. At the same time, it’s also a thrill. I’ve never had more fun interacting with all of the Non-League clubs on Twitter, but Marine and the Lairds will always hold a special place in my heart. I hope they both kick on and get promoted this season, but if they don’t, I’ll still be proud of what they accomplish.

I highly suggest people pay more attention to Non-League clubs and get involved. It would mean the world to them and would give you a renewed faith in the sport. Don’t take my word for it, seriously check the games out. They’ve already kick off their season but they’re only about 2-3 matches in, so there’s plenty of time left to check any of the lower clubs and begin following them.

Nichole Singleton

Real Madrid

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The only thing I love more than watching/playing football is writing about football. The passion that once was expressed through my boots is now channeled through words. Not to often am I asked why I love the club I follow or how I became a fan. They see me wear the shirt and decide their own narrative.

For me – my club is Real Madrid, and this is my favorite story to tell. I am Spanish-American as my mother was born in Madrid, where my family still resides. The decision was made very early on that I would wear the crest of Real Madrid as I grew up in the U.S., sporting the kits of Los Blancos and listening to stories told by my nana of the Madrid she knew. She told the stories with such poetry, it was as if I was experiencing them with my own eyes.

She would sit by the radio in their tiny kitchen alongside her father as the announcer voiced each action at Chamartin, holding on to every word till the final whistle. After Chamartin, came Estadio Santiago Bernabeu where the great Alfredo Di Stefano graced the football world by becoming the best footballer of all time.

What the Santiago Bernabeu means to me is what Chamartin meant to my nana. Although I would have loved the opportunity to stand at Chamartin watching the club I love just as I have in the Bernabeu. I will never forget the very moment I was standing outside the Bernabeu just before my family joined me on a private tour of the stadium. The stillness throughout the stadium was breathtaking and the only way my body was able to process the magnitude of emotion was to fill my eyes with tears. It was the most beautiful sight my eyes had ever seen.

I have witnessed the roars inside the Bernabeu during El Clasico, I have watched the streets come to life for Champions League. I have celebrated La Cibeles after La Liga and Copa del Rey. I have listened to stories of Bernabeu the player, Di Stefano, Benito and Chus Alonso. I have watched Iker Casillas become the greatest keeper to wear this crest, seen Luis Figo, Cannavaro, Guti, and Hierro, was mesmerized by Raul and watched in heartbreak as Cristiano moved to Serie A.

One thing I know is true, players will come and go wearing this crest but the love I feel for the crest itself will never leave. I was brought up a Madridista and the passion will always outlast stadiums, kit sponsors, managers and players. Hala Madrid y nada mas

Weekend of August 2-4

Phil Baki

Reading United AC vs. Flint City Bucks

As the focus of the amateur game is largely fixed on what promises to be a titanic clash between New York Cosmos and Miami FC, the USL2 Final will feature Reading United AC and the Flint City Bucks. The match will be played in Flint, Michigan, the home of the newly moved and rebranded Bucks. They have a long history of success under their former state-wide moniker but the squad will certainly be eager to bring home a USL2 Trophy in their first season since the move to Flint. Their attack this postseason has been led by Yuri Farkas Guglielmi, who has three goals and an assist in three postseason games for the Bucks. His influence was firmly felt in the semifinal as he scored the lone goal to propel Bucks into the Final past a solid FC Golden State Force team. On the other side, Reading United reached the Final via a much more dramatic route. Trailing South Georgia Tormenta 2 with just 20 minutes to play, substitute Yaya Fane scored to give Reading a glimmer of hope. With time winding down, Bakary Bagayoko grabbed the equalizer on 84 minutes. Sending the match to extra time, Reading used every second of it, with Felipe Hideki grabbing the winner as the match looked destined for penalties. Hideki looks like a potential difference maker in the Final, with his seven regular season goals in just eight games played makes him a constant threat. The marquee matchup in NPSL will grab a lot of attention, but don’t sleep on what could be a classic Final in USL2.

Dan Creel

Cedar Stars Academy vs. FC Motown

This end-of-season best-of the USASA Region I tournament nears the end of the group stage as Cosmopolitan League runners-sup, Cedar Stars Academy, hosts FC Motown from the Garden State Soccer League. The semifinals start next weekend and Cedar Stars will grab the #1 seed if they win the match.

The game will be at 8pm on Sunday at Capelli Sports Complex in Tinton Falls.

Dan Vaughn

Miami FC vs. New York Cosmos

I’m writing about this match because it’s the last match of the season in the NPSL, but there is little reason for the amateur soccer fan to enjoy this match. Both clubs are cast offs from the NASL and both have been incredibly successful in the NPSL, but why wouldn’t they? They both pay their players in a league where most clubs are not. It’s not a competitive format and it’s something that NPSL needs to fix. So yeah, this is a big match and I wish both clubs well, but didn’t we see this coming 3 months ago?

Weekend of July 26-28

Paul Kowalczyk

Miami FC vs. Cleveland SC

This Saturday, Miami FC will host Cleveland SC in the NPSL National Semifinal game at Florida International University’s Soccer Stadium at 7:00 p.m. ET. Miami, who is coming off a 12 game win-streak with a +33 goal differential in the regular season, is my pick to move on to the finals. Cleveland won’t back down easy, however, coming off a win decided by penalty kicks against one of the best teams in the NPSL, Detroit City FC.

Earlier today, the NPSL 2019 Team of the Year was announced with Miguel Gonzalez and Dylan Mares from Miami FC making the XI as well as Antonio Manfut from Cleveland SC. With each team ranked in the Top 5 of both the NPSL.com Power Rankings and GSMU rankings, it will definitely be an exciting game to watch. The winner of this game will play the winner of the NY Cosmos v ASC San Diego game which will be on August 3rd.

My score prediction for the game: 3-1 Miami FC

Dan Creel

UPSL National Semifinal

On Saturday, Florida’s Tropics SC battle Milwaukee’s Bavarian SC in what should be a great game. Tropics are on a 16-game UPSL win streak. They took the UPSL Florida Central West with an 11-0-0 record and have won all five of their playoff games.

Bavarian’s 6-1-1 record in the Central Division may pale in comparison to the Tropics, but that doesn’t nearly tell the whole story. The Milwaukee crew have won all three of their playoff games including a 10-1 drubbing of a good Vlora City FC club. And, this season, the Bavarians have also made runs at the USASA’s Amateur Cup and Steinbrecher Cup which shows their pedigree runs deeper than just league play.

My guess is that this will be a tight, back-and-forth battle. And, I’ll take the winner of this semifinal to be crowned the 2019 UPSL champions.

Both semis and the final will be played at Kangaroo Stadium in Weatherford, Texas.

Shawn Laird

Bavarians SC vs. Tropics SC

While the NPSL playoffs are ongoing, with some of the strongest teams in recent years tearing up the competition, the UPSL has quietly gone about their business with their own playoffs. This weekend, perennial powerhouse and eight time National Champions Bavarians SC take on Tropics SC, a first year surprise still turning heads, in the UPSL national semifinals in Texas.

Bavarians SC clinically tore through their conference during the regular season, going 6-1-1, scoring 22 goals and only allowing five. They carried that form through the playoffs outscoring their opponents 18-3 through three matches.

However, they face some stiff competition in Tropics SC.

Tropics SC, for their part, have absolutely destroyed the Florida Central West Division in their inaugural season. They went undefeated, scoring an astounding 37 goals while allowing four goals along the way. Like Bavarians, Tropics SC continued to destroy the competition through the playoffs. Through five matches, Tropics has scored 14 goals and giving up only three goals.

Overall, both clubs’ defenses have been their bread and butter throughout this long journey but I believe this match will come down to penalties. In the end, I have to give the edge to the newcomers, Tropics SC, on penalties 4-3.