USL Championship Matchday 2 Preview | OneFootball

One fixture was already played: a 0-0 snoozer between Birmingham and Hartford on Wednesday night. Honestly, Legion should have won it, but their two shots on frame were well saved by Gerold Ngnepi.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies have the bye this weekend and will not lace up. All other teams have a game.

Loudoun United FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds

Kickoff: 3:00pm ET/12:00pm PTSegra Field, Leesburg, Virginia

It’s Loudoun’s home and season debut, as they did not feature last weekend after their tie with Rhode Island was canceled due to weather. 

Last season Pittsburgh went from fifth seed to league champion largely on the strength of their defense. They conceded zero goals in the post-season. They also struggled offensively, scoring only one over that same period; they needed shootout victories to advance and lift the trophy in the title game.

Based on last week’s mediocre effort in Charleston, their offense is still the same, but the defense is no longer as stalwart. They conceded two in the opening match.

Loudoun, under new head coach Anthony Limbrick, will be a bit of a mystery. They lost three of their five pre-season friendlies, and signed 13 new players while bidding adieu to the same number. Abdellatif Aboukoura, their top scorer last season (12g/2a), returns. They’ll be hoping Icelandic striker Þorleifur Úlfarsson can follow in the footsteps of Óttar Magnús Karlsson, who played up top for Oakland Roots in 2022 and scored 19 goals.

Detroit City FC vs. Brooklyn FC

Kickoff: 4:00pm ET/1:00pm PTKeyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, Michigan

Detroit City FC get to rev their engines in their season opener before a home crowd. Last season, Le Rouge averaged over 6,200 fans in home matches, the fourth highest in the Eastern Conference. The team rewarded those supporters by scraping into the playoffs as the eighth seed, then upsetting the top prospects Louisville City with a victory from their only shot on goal.

The Detroit roster features nine new faces, four defenders, three forwards and two midfielders. But up front all eyes will be on the familiar figure of Darren Smith, who scored 11 goals last season to lead the team. After signing a two-year contract extension in December, coach Danny Dichio will once again be leading from the bench. 

After winning their inaugural match, Brooklyn will now want to repeat that feat on the road.

Louisville City FC vs. Miami FC

Kickoff: 4:00pm ET/1:00pm PTLynn Family Stadium, Louisville, Kentucky

It’s the first time we’ll see Miami FC this season. The 2024 league laughingstock (they only managed 3W, 2D, 29L) turned around their 2025 season, finishing three points ahead of Birmingham on 8W, 6D, 16L (which was still the most losses of any USLC side). Head coach Gastón Maddioni has stayed on, but unsurprisingly the team made some widespread changes by cutting 11 players and signing 16 new ones. So this is essentially a brand new side. 

Louisville City already orchestrated a come-from-behind win over rivals Lexington in Saturday’s Commonwealth Cup. Expect them to dominate this one once they’re in front of their home crowd (though to be fair, there was a generous supply of purple and white in Lexington Stadium). Louisville boasted the highest average attendance in the East last season with 9,650. One question is whether they’ll top the spectator count in Week 2.

Rhode Island FC vs. Sporting JAX

Kickoff: 4:00pm ET/1:00pm PTCentreville Bank Stadium, Pawtucket, Rhode Island

Only averaging 200 fewer per game is Rhode Island FC. The Anchors are a bonafide phenomenon in the most miniscule state, and pack ‘em into Centreville Bank Stadium. Their opening game last weekend got postponed, but this one seems a go. This will be RIFC’s third season in operation. Anything less than the post-season will be a disappointment after they marched all the way into the Cup finals in their inaugural year, and took the seventh seed last season.

Sporting JAX is looking for their first goal, point or win. Heck, they’ll take one of the three but would prefer the lot.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Las Vegas Lights FC

Kickoff: 5:00pm ET/2:00pm PTWeidner Field, Colorado Springs, Colorado

Colorado Springs won the USL title back in 2024. Las Vegas have never won much outside a high electric bill (get it??). Honestly, if this game wasn’t the only one on the ESPN+ streaming bill at this time, would anyone watch?

Lexington vs. Sacramento Republic FC

Kickoff: 7:00pm ET/4:00pm PTLexington Stadium, Lexington, Kentucky

This won’t be the easiest follow-up for Lexington after they capitulated to LouCity last Friday. Sacramento has been one of the most consistently excellent squads in the league for years, and despite a poor xG still managed to put two past FC Tulsa last weekend. This is the only weekend match not getting any streaming treatment, which is a shame. I think Sac Rep could put up big goals.

FC Tulsa vs. San Antonio FC

Kickoff: 8:00pm ET/5:00pm PTONEOK Field, Tulsa, Oklahoma

Monterey Bay vs. El Paso Locomotive FC

Kickoff: 10:00pm ET/7:00pm PTCardinale Stadium, Seaside, California

Ex-USMNT midfielder Sebastian Lletget made a surprise move to the Bay this week, transferring off a free from FC Dallas. You have to think the 33 year-old veteran will start if his fitness meets expectations. Meanwhile, El Paso is the only USL team that features a multiple goal scorer in Rubio Rubín. He leads the league (so far).

Oakland Roots vs. New Mexico United

Kickoff: 10:00pm ET/7:00pm PTOakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California

The Roots are looking to do something historical: win two in a row in March. Before last week’s win over Monterey, the team had only recorded a single victory in the opening month going back to 2022. They’ll certainly have a big crowd cheering them on, as the infamous “last dive bar” Oakland Coliseum should host well over 15,000 fans, possibly even 20,000. Local rapper E-40 recently joined the ownership group and will be performing at halftime.

New Mexico had the only bye among Western Conference teams last week, which means we have no idea how they’ll set up or perform.

Phoenix Rising FC vs. Orange County SC

Kickoff: 10:00pm ET/7:00pm PTPhoenix Rising Stadium at 38th St/Washington, Phoenix, Arizona