It's playoff time! Everything is set and ready to go. Wanted to start a thread for predictions, scores, attendance, that sort of thing. Match ups for the first round are as follows below. Western Conference: Sacramento vs LA2 Colorado Springs Switchbacks vs Sounders 2 OKC Energy get bye, host winner of Sac/LA2 OC Blues get bye, host winner of CSS/S2 Eastern Conference: Charleston Battery vs Richmond Kickers NYRB2 v Pittsburgh Riverhounds Louisville City get bye, host winner of NYRB2/Pittsburgh Rochester Rhinos get bye, host winner of Charleston/Richmond Looks like there will some exciting first round games and even some rivalry games going on, which is going to be great. Also, so you have a little bit of reading on one of the coaches in the playoffs, Oliver Wyss of the Blues. This article is phenomenal, and will having you rooting for the guy, even if you don't care about the team: http://www.howlermagazine.com/wyss/
2015 USL Playoffs Conference Quarterfinals Home team first, times are ET Friday, September 25 #W3 Colorado Springs Switchbacks v. #W6 Seattle Sounders 2 9:00 pm Saturday, September 26 #E4 NY Red Bulls II v. #E5 Pittsburgh Riverhounds 5:00 pm #E3 Charleston Battery v. #E6 Richmond Kickers 7:30 pm #4W Sacramento Republic v. #5W LA Galaxy II 10:30 pm
I had a funny thought this week. There is a possibility that S2 could win a Championship before the actual Sounders. Will that cause weeping and gnashing of teeth, or absolutely insufferable cockiness from Sounders fans?
The Hounds were the Hounds. Can't hold a lead to save their lives. At least they played better than the last time they were in the playoffs.
Got 50% of my online bracket right. Didn't expect LA2 or NYRB2 to make it through. I can see it now: the USL Pro 2015 Championship Game! LA2 vs NYRB2 at StubHub! 1,000 people in attendance!
2015 USL Playoffs Conference Quarterfinals Friday, September 25 #W3 Colorado Springs 2-0 #W6 Seattle Sounders 2 Saturday, September 26 #E4 NY Red Bulls II 4-2 (a.e.t.) #E5 Pittsburgh Riverhounds #E3 Charleston Battery 2-1 (a.e.t.) #E6 Richmond Kickers #4W Sacramento Republic 0-1 #5W LA Galaxy II Conference Semifinals Saturday, October 3 #E1 Rochester Rhinos v. #E4 NY Red Bulls II 7:00 pm #E2 Louisville City v. #E3 Charleston 7:30 pm #W1 Orange County v. #5W LA Galaxy II 10:00 pm Sunday, October 4 #W2 OKC Energy v. #W3 Colorado Springs 7:00 pm Conference Finals October 9-11 At the highest remaining seeds. League championship October 16-18 At the remaining team with the most regular season points.
Conference Finals: East: #1 Rochester Rhinos v. #2 Louisville City FC — October 10, 7:05pm EDT West: #2 Oklahoma City Energy FC v. LA Galaxy II — October 11, 7:00pm EDT With this, the USL Championship this season will definitely be hosted by the Eastern Conference champion. Louisville City holds the points lead over OKC Energy.
After finding out Rochester pulled in 6,000 fans, I have to say, I'm a little torn. I really believe that a Championship for the Rhinos could help this franchise start to turn things around, but if Louisville hosts a championship, it would be an all but guaranteed sold out crowd, which would look a better for the league. I don't know, maybe Rochester will sell out against LCFC, and set my mind a little more at ease
2015 USL Playoffs Conference Semifinals Saturday, October 3 #E1 Rochester Rhinos 2-0 #E4 NY Red Bulls II #E2 Louisville City 2-0 (aet) #E3 Charleston #W1 Orange County 0-2 #5W LA Galaxy II Sunday, October 4 #W2 OKC Energy 2-2 (pks 4-3) #W3 Colorado Springs Conference Finals Saturday, October 10 #E1 Rochester Rhinos v. #E2 Louisville City 7:00 pm Sunday, October 11 #W2 OKC Energy v. #W5 LA Galaxy II 7:00 pm League championship October 17-18 At either Rochester or Louisville.
well I know that the weather in Rochester was terrible...that much is certain. But yeah part of me knows that a final played in Louisville might be even better than the NPSL final that was played in Chatty which drew 17 or 18K.
Shots fired. Match preview: "Our brand of soccer is so much more entertaining to watch than the boring-ass Rhinos."http://t.co/P7ptDR7S3j— ★ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏᴏᴘᴇʀꜱ★ (@LouCoopers) October 9, 2015
I'll give Louisville that one, they have the highest scoring, most exciting offense in the USL this year. But they haven't had much success against the top defense in Rochester. I'd be keeping my eye on Dos Santos and Fondy. I could see both of them going to MLS this offseason
One goal in two matches for Louisville against Rochester (a tie and a loss), but both were early in the season before they really started to get cooking. On the other hand, the Rhinos do have that stingy defense, and Louisville was a mediocre road team in the regular season. It should be interesting. Fondy was in MLS with Chicago last season, and with Chivas prior to that (eight appearances with each team). No goals in those two stints, but I imagine he'll get another look from someone. Same with Dos Santos, he was a beast in the divisional match against Red Bulls II.
It'll be in Rochester vs. Los Dos in the championship next week. Weather could play a factor, as we could see much cooler temperatures and showers in Rochester. I watched the OKC- Los Dos game. Los Dos dominant in 1st half (up 2-0), but then they reverted to jungle ball in the 2nd half, allowing OKC much of the possession. OKC scored on a header off a corner, making it 2-1, and that's how it ended. I get that teams with a 2-0 lead want to play more defensively, but why not continue to possess the ball? Instead, Los Dos continued to boot the ball upfield, usually to a waiting OKC defender. On paper, Los Dos should beat the Rhinos, but if they revert to jungle ball and allow the crowd to get into the game the Rhinos can win.
Ummmm, on paper, Los Dos is about 5 pages behind Rochester, you know we have only lost one match in the past year (including scrimmages) and are unbeaten in the last 18 home matches, on top of dominating this league this year....you know that right?
With such limited crossover between the Eastern and Western Conferences it's hard to tell how each team would have done in their respective conferences. It's entirely possible that had if Rochester had to play in the Western Conference, their record wouldn't be as good as it is. There were quite a few good teams all smashed together at the top of the Western Conference who cannibalized each other. As well, Rochester's schedule was rather cream puff with their extra games being against TFC II (x2), FC Montreal (x2), while the Galaxy's extra games were against OC Blues (x2), Sacramento (x2). Plus, the Galaxy II have the best away record in the league so they've got as good a shot as anyone to get a result in Rochester. Obviously Rochester has had an amazing season and I would expect them to be favorites in the final but "5 pages behind" really discounts a lot of factors. I guess we'll see next weekend.
2015 USL Playoffs Conference Semifinals Saturday, October 3 #E1 Rochester Rhinos 2-0 #E4 NY Red Bulls II #E2 Louisville City 2-0 (aet) #E3 Charleston #W1 Orange County 0-2 #5W LA Galaxy II Sunday, October 4 #W2 OKC Energy 2-2 (pks 4-3) #W3 Colorado Springs Conference Finals Saturday, October 10 #E1 Rochester Rhinos 1-0 #E2 Louisville City Sunday, October 11 #W2 OKC Energy 1-2 #W5 LA Galaxy II League championship Friday, October 16 Rochester Rhinos v. LA Galaxy II 7:30 pm
One would like to think so, but based on the fact that Rochester didn't come close to selling out either one of their previous playoff games, it's anybodies guess. Granted, it didn't look like the weather was great for the last game, but I'm counting on seeing lots of empty seats in the game highlights