I'm going to try and keep a season long thread going that features a quick listing of games each week and maybe a bit of a preview of what I intend to focus on watching. Also going to toss in thoughts and hopefully this becomes a smaller version of the PBP threads we do over in the MLS:N&A area. All times are CENTRAL because that's better than either coast. The abbreviations are straight off the scores page on the USL-C site. Games are on ESPN+ unless otherwise noted (I've been able to watch ESPN Deportes matches on E+ as well). Week 1: Saturday 3/12 LDN v IND 5:00PM CHS v TUL 6:00PM MEM v PIT 6:00PM MIA v NY 6:00PM LOU v ATL 6:30PM COS v OC 7:00PM RGV v OAK 7:30PM SA v DET 7:30PM PHX v MB 8:30PM SAC v ELP 9:00PM SD v LA 9:00PM Sunday 3/13 BHM v TBR 4:00PM ESPN2 NM v LV 6:00PM Tonight I'll be focusing on Memphis v Pittsburgh, Louisville City v Atlanta 2, Colorado Springs v Orange County, San Antonio v Detroit City, and Phoenix v Monterey Bay. That's a combo of stadiums I like, debuting teams, and quality that hopefully is good. Once the Texas Tech v Kansas basketball game is over it's all soccer tonight between MLS and USL with the occasional peak at the UFC card. Tomorrow I've already carved out time for both USL matches. Should be a fun opening weekend.
Kimarni Smith with a goal in the 43rd minute for Loudoun United to open the scoring in 2022 USL Championship season.
San Antonio's jerseys shouldn't be allowed. I can't see the numbers at all on the black jerseys. Detroit looks like they'll be competitive at this level. Monterey Bay, on the other hand, are getting an expansion team style whooping from Phoenix. Home teams have held so far, with the Colorado Springs win over Orange County the most impressive to me so far. Pittsburgh curb stomping Memphis 901 on their home field was quite surprising.
Seku Conneh with Monterey Bay's first ever goal in the 77th minute. Phoenix is still spanking them, but they've been much more composed in the second half.
Handbags in the 90th minute in Phoenix as Monterey Bay has clawed back to only being down 4-2 and they're playing like a team that isn't going to go quietly. Welcome to the league kids.
Great end of the night with Sacramento finally pulling away from El Paso with two late goals to win it 3-1 and San Diego getting the help from mister Owen Goal to beat LA II in the 7th minute of stoppage time.
Good game on ESPN2 with Tampa taking the first half lead and holding it almost all the way to the end until Birmingham gets the 86th minute equalizer. I don't know how big the crowd is, they're saying over 10k for sure, but they might want to pack certain sections first before opening more in the 47,100 seat stadium.
All times are CENTRAL because that's better than either coast. The abbreviations are straight off the scores page on the USL-C site. Games are on ESPN+ unless otherwise noted (I've been able to watch ESPN Deportes matches on E+ as well). Week 1: Wednesday 3/16 ATL v NY 6:30PM Saturday 3/19 NY v LDN 12:00PM DET v CHS 3:00PM LA v SA 6:00PM MEM v OAK 6:00PM PIT v HFD 6:00PM LOU v MIA 6:30PM TBR v IND 6:30PM COS v MB 7:00PM ELP v NM 7:00PM (ESPN Deportes) TUL v BHM 7:30PM LV v PHX 9:00PM OC v RGV 9:00PM SD v SAC 9:00PM Detroit gets their debut home match in the USL completely unopposed by other league matches. Hartford opens their season at Pittsburgh. Tampa, Tulsa, El Paso, Las Vegas, and Orange County get their home openers out of the way this week. I'm intrigued in both of the new franchises matches, Detroit being at home and Monterey Bay getting another crack at it on the road against a team that isn't quite the juggernaut that Phoenix is, though Colorado Springs does have that great new stadium and just beat the defending league champs. Louisville against Miami will probably be interesting, as will basically everything starting with that El Paso vs New Mexico game and later in the day. The opening weekend of the NCAA Men's basketball tournament will probably limit my watching a bit, but I'm hoping to get a good look at several of these.
Antoine Hoppenot scores the first goal at Keyworth Stadium for DCFC as a USL side. Detroit holds the 1-0 at home with a little over 30 minutes remaining.
Some solid games tonight, especially the El Paso v New Mexico rivalry. Even got some stoppage time handbags in that one. RGV just brought the MLS 10 man advantage to USL with an 86th minute equalizer at Orange County after going down a man in the 55th minute. Edit: and Orange County wins it in the 99th minute.
All times are CENTRAL because that's better than either coast. The abbreviations are straight off the scores page on the USL-C site. Games are on ESPN+ unless otherwise noted (I've been able to watch ESPN Deportes matches on E+ as well). Week 3: Wednesday 3/23 NY v LOU 6:00PM ATL v TBR 6:30PM TUL v SD 7:30PM ELP v LV 8:00PM LA v RGV 9:30PM Saturday 3/26 DET v PIT 3:00PM NM v OC 5:00PM MIA v LDN 6:00PM BHM v COS 6:30PM LOU v IND 6:30PM TBR v HFD 6:30PM LV v MEM 9:00PM OAK v MB 9:00PM PHX v SD 9:30PM Sunday 3/27 SAC v TUL 4:00PM ATL v CHS 6:30PM RGV v SA 6:30PM
Some fun games so far today. The surprising part is there was only one tie in the first 32 matches of the season, and we've already got 3 that have gone final that way today with the other 3 active matches tied as well.
Really good late games with Monterey Bay getting their first win 3-2 at Oakland and now Phoenix erasing a 2-0 halftime deficit to tie it in the 71st minute.
All times are CENTRAL because that's better than either coast. The abbreviations are straight off the scores page on the USL-C site. Games are on ESPN+ unless otherwise noted (I've been able to watch ESPN Deportes matches on E+ as well). Week 4: Wednesday 3/30 NM v OAK 8:00PM Friday 4/1 CHS v LV 6:00PM Saturday 4/2 DET v MEM 3:00PM HFD v ATL2 6:00PM IND v LA 6:00PM PIT v LDN 6:00PM MIA v COS 6:00PM BHM v LOU 6:30PM TUL v NY 7:30PM SA v PHX 7:30PM OAK v TBR 9:00PM SAC v MB 9:00PM Sunday 4/3 SD v ELP 4:00PM That Wednesday night match is at the worst possible time, starting at the same time as the last of the CONCACAF qualifiers. Hartford and Indy play their first home matches of the season on Saturday, leaving only Monterey Bay (first home match is 5/7) without a home match after this weekend.
Caught a few minutes of the match tonight at the end. Decent crowd (7731) and New Mexico gave up a 91st minute tying goal for the second straight match.
Detroit and Memphis has been really good so far today. Memphis got the 1-0 fairly early, but Detroit has been pressuring heavily for most of the second half (including hitting a couple of posts) and finally got one to go in at the 73rd minute.
Some interesting and entertaining games today. Tulsa and NY2 might have been the highlight. Oakland and Tampa Bay was the only scoreless tie, with a stoppage time goal for Oakland waived off with the offside flag.
San Diego and El Paso put up a ridiculously fun match today. Great pace, constant back and forth action, and a 3-2 finish in favor of the home team. I really like these green jerseys that San Diego has now.
All times are CENTRAL because that's better than either coast. The abbreviations are straight off the scores page on the USL-C site. Games are on ESPN+ unless otherwise noted (I've been able to watch ESPN Deportes matches on E+ as well). Week 5: Saturday 4/9 TUL v PIT 1:00PM LV v COS 4:00PM ATL v DET 6:30PM TBR v MIA 6:30PM RGV v IND 7:30PM ELP v MB 8:30PM OC v SA 9:00PM SD v CHS 9:00PM PHX v LA 9:30PM Sunday 4/10 LDN v LOU 3:00PM BHM v HFD 4:00PM Glad to see that Tulsa v Pittsburgh game getting a prime spot unopposed by the rest of the league. They're both off to a good start. Pittsburgh is likely a bit better, but that road start at an early time could be an equalizer. Vegas and Colorado Springs give us another matchup of teams doing well to start the season with the Switchbacks leading the West at 4-0-0 but only a +5 goal differential while the lights are 3-2-0 and even on goals. The first Florida Derby of the season is interesting. Tampa is at home and undefeated (2-0-3) and Miami has a point per game so far at 1-2-1. Phoenix v LA II is likely the highlight of the late games on Saturday. Loudoun and Louisville features the top team in the East playing at an MLS reserve side that appears to be fielding a good team as well. The final game of the weekend features two winless teams as Birmingham tries to regain form playing in their new home stadium while Hartford tries to get over the hump after 3 close games and a 0-1-2 record and -2 GD. 4 weeks in and we've got 5 undefeated teams and 5 winless teams. Undefeated: COS 4-0-0 12 pts LOU 3-0-2 11 pts PIT 3-0-1 10 pts TBR 2-0-3 9 pts NM 2-0-2 8 pts Winless: IND 0-2-2 2 pts BHM 0-2-2 2 pts OAK 0-3-2 2 pts HFD 0-2-1 1 pts EP 0-4-4 0 pts
Nice fight back from Tulsa in the last 10+ minutes, but Pittsburgh holds on for the 4-3 on the road and remains undefeated.
All times are CENTRAL because that's better than either coast. The abbreviations are straight off the scores page on the USL-C site. Games are on ESPN+ unless otherwise noted (I've been able to watch ESPN Deportes matches on E+ as well). Week 6: Wednesday 4/13 MEM v TUL 7:00PM OAK v SD 9:00PM Friday 4/15 DET v BHM 6:00PM (ESPN Deportes) NY v RGV 6:00PM Saturday 4/16 IND v ATL 6:00PM LV v PIT 6:00PM MIA v HFD 6:00PM TBR v TUL 6:30PM COS v MEM 7:00PM SA v ELP 7:30PM OAK v LDN 9:00PM OC v SAC 9:00PM SD v LOU 9:00PM LA v MB 9:30PM PHX v NM 9:30PM Several interesting options this week. I'll be watching tonight's games around the final CCL semi-final. Friday sees Detroit play another night game where we'll see if the smoke and poor lighting issue comes up again. Saturday loads us up with quite a few interesting games, with most of my focus going to those starting at 7pm or later Central time.
All times are CENTRAL because that's better than either coast. The abbreviations are straight off the scores page on the USL-C site. Games are on ESPN+ unless otherwise noted (I've been able to watch ESPN Deportes matches on E+ as well). Week 7: Saturday 4/23 NY v TBR 12:00PM CHS v LOU 4:00PM HFD v DET 6:00PM PIT v ATL 6:00PM TUL v COS 7:30PM RGV v SAC 7:30PM NM v SA 8:00PM ELP v OAK 8:30PM LV v LA 9:00PM PHX v MIA 9:30PM Sunday 4/24 LDN v BHM 3:00PM IND v OC 4:30PM (ESPN Deportes) Everything until Tulsa v Colorado Springs is a mismatch in the standings. From that point on, it's mostly games that should be fairly evenly paired. Hartford is the last winless team in the league and Louisville is the last undefeated team.
All times are CENTRAL because that's better than either coast. The abbreviations are straight off the scores page on the USL-C site. Games are on ESPN+ unless otherwise noted (I've been able to watch ESPN Deportes matches on E+ as well). Week 8: Wednesday 4/27 BHM v CHS 7:00PM MEM v TBR 7:00PM Saturday 4/30 DET v NY 3:00PM LDN v ELP 5:00PM IDN v HFD 6:00PM LOU v PIT 6:30PM TBR v SD 6:30PM MEM v MIA 7:00PM RGV v OC 7:30PM SA v MB 7:30PM OAK v COS 9:00PM SAC v LV 9:00PM Sunday 5/1 LA v PHX 7:00PM