USL Matchweek 14 – A Hooligan Take | OneFootball

It’s been a few weeks since we covered the USL here at Hooligan, but we’re back at it as they continue to play games during the Gold Cup and FIFA Club World Cup tournaments. Whew, there’s a LOT of soccer going on across the U.S. right now!

Eastern Conference

Since Week 10 the top four teams have been fairly consistent. Charleston Battery briefly swapped first place with perennial runner-up Louisville City after losing to Miami FC 1 – 0 in a mid-week fixture, but regained the top spot following a definitive 4 – 1 victory over the visiting Phoenix Rising. Their 2.3 goals per game average is the highest in the league; their 1.1 goals conceded is fairly strong too.

Louisville City suffered a shock loss on Friday evening to fourth-place North Carolina FC. 18 year-old defender Finn Sundstrom recorded his first goal for NCFC with a thumping header at the end of the first half. Despite LouCity’s top goalscorer Phillip Goodrum equalizing in the 48th (it also happened to be his birthday), NCFC secured the victory after Adam Luckhurst redirected a corner on the near post. Third-place Loudoun United was absolutely destroyed by bottom-table side Hartford Athletic 3 – 0, though it didn’t impact their standing.

The Mid-Tables

Detroit City took care of Miami FC 2 – 0. Pittsburgh Riverhounds dispatched the hapless Tampa Bay Rowdies 2 – 1, but scored only once (a Thomas Vancaeyezeele own-goal proved the difference maker). The Hounds have the lowest goal tally in the East (11) but the second lowest goals conceded (12) keeping them solidly mid-table (currently sixth). Rhode Island FC’s inconsistent home stadium form continued, as they fell to visiting Sacramento Republic 2 – 0. RIFC held the bulk of possession (63.3%) but cumulatively both teams only managed ten shots – a woeful offensive performance.

Birmingham Legion hosted two different Western Conference opponents to mixed results. Mid-week, they eked out a win over Sac Republic 1 – 0 in the most dramatic way possible. In the fourth minute of stoppage, Tyler Pasher made a perfect cross off the counter to a charging Sebastian Tregarthen, who punched it in. Pasher and Tregarthen were both second-half substitutes. Legion’s next match against Sac’s neighbor Oakland Roots didn’t end as positive. They lost that by the same 1 – 0 scoreline, with the Roots’ veteran defender Kai Greene converting a penalty in the 55th minute.

Western Conference

There were only three matches between Western sides, as many teams were playing inter-conference games on the eastern seaboard.

In a true battle of the bottom, eleventh-place Lexington SC overcame tenth-place Colorado Springs 2 – 1 courtesy of an own goal from Tyler Clegg. Former Portland Timbers’ forward Forster Ajago also scored, as did Switchbacks’ center defender Mathew Mahoney.

Las Vegas Lights travelled to face Indy Eleven, and secured the second win in the past two weeks with a 1 – 0 score. Twenty year-old striker Nighte Pickering got the winner in the 90th minute. This is his second league goal for the club; his first came in the 93rd back in Matchweek 5 against Orange County to give them the last-minute win.

New Mexico United emerged victorious over regional rival San Antonio FC 4 – 2. As the game hit 90 minutes it was all even at two apiece, but late scores from Luiz Fernando and Marlon Vargas pushed the home side into the win column.

Out in Cardinale Stadium, Monterey Bay fell to the visiting El Paso Locomotive 2 – 1. The Loco’s Wilmer Cabrera got his tenth goal (and his second clutch goal) of the year in the 56th minute.

Orange County and FC Tulsa both had byes.