Conference Quarterfinals: all you need to know

I have to say, it feels weird not having a Legion game to preview, but that does not mean the USL Championship has quit for the year. Unfortunately. The playoffs are now upon us and there will be 8 games played between Friday and Sunday. Here’s what to expect.

Friday

#4 Las Vegas Lights v. #5 Sacramento Republic (9:30pm, ESPN+)

After that comprehensive 3-0 win over the Three Sparks, the Lights stumbled through the last two games of the season, losing to Oakland Roots and North Carolina. SacRep didn’t do any better, finishing up with losses to El Paso Locomotive of all teams and then blowing a home playoff spot against the Colorado Springs Switchbacks. Sacramento are playoff veterans, having missed the postseason only once in its 6 years in the USL. The Lights are playing their first-ever playoff game with an obviously much-improved squad. Prediction: Las Vegas win.

Saturday

#3 Memphis 901 v. #6 Orange County (1:00pm, ESPN+)

Orange County’s 2021 championship seems like a long time ago now. They didn’t qualify in 2022 and were 2nd in the West last year, going two rounds into the playoffs. They have had injury issues this year, but made it anyway. Area Code FC are on their 4th-straight playoffs but first in the Western Conference. This should be a close game; both teams finished the season strongly with only one loss between them in the last five games (Memphis lost to Louisville City 5 games back). With that it’s very tempting to make the trip up I-22 for it. Prediction: Orange County win.

#2 Charleston Battery v. #7 Pittsburgh Riverhounds (5:30pm, ESPN+)

With Memphis now in the West, Pittsburgh is public enemy #1 as far as this blog is concerned. The Riverhounds are never to be forgiven for ruining the Legion’s only home playoff game to date. trouble is, they are coming in hot, with a 4-game win streak since the 1-1 draw with the Legion and have given up no goals in that stretch. That includes a 2-0 win over the Battery. That was at Highmark, though, and the battery were resting a few key players, notably record goalscorer Nick Markanich. This time around will be very different. Prediction: Charleston win.

#3 Detroit City v. #6 Tampa Bay Rowdies (6:00pm, ESPN+)

Detroit enters the playoffs with no losses in the last 9 games, and that includes a win over Lou City. They are looking about as ready as a team can be. The Rowdies in contrast have had a pretty rocky time of it; their 3-0 win over Indy Eleven last week was their first since September 14. Granted, they had to deal with the hurricane problems, a ton of travel and a season-long injury bug on the back line. Still, they slid in the standings rapidly and find themselves back on the road. They are now going to have to deal with the very unfriendly confines of Keyworth. Prediction: Detroit win.

#1 Louisville City v. #8 North Carolina FC (6:30pm, ESPN+)

It is very hard to see Louisville not going all the way. They won the Players’ Shield by a massive 12-point margin and were 17 points better than the West’s best team. They can score more or less at will and have a raucous Lynn Family Stadium as home field advantage. North Carolina did well to edge into the playoffs in their return to the Championship, but getting an extra game in northwest Kentucky is hardly a great prize for their efforts. Prediction: Louisville win.

#2 Colorado Springs Switchbacks v. #7 Oakland Roots (7:00pm, ESPN+)

This looks to be another big mismatch. The Switchbacks in finishing second in the West just had their best season ever (oddly, League One’s Northern Colorado Hailstorm also finished second). They did have a few slipups over the past few weeks but with two straight wins look to have gotten back on the right track. The Roots on the other hand looked utterly toothless in the 0-5 whupping by the Legion last week. They are a mercurial side though – the previous game they beat Las Vegas 3-2. However, they are entirely dependent on Johnny Rodriguez for scoring. The home team does not have a similar problem. Prediction: Colorado Springs win.

Sunday

#4 Indy Eleven v. #5 Rhode Island (12:00pm, ESPN+)

Nominally the tightest matchup in the East, but Rhode Island have to be feeling pretty good about themselves. Even though they qualified with a record number of draws (15) they have quite a few impressive results along the way. Not to mention that absurd 8-1 win last week over The™ Miami FC. Indy on the other hand have been up and down all year despite that great Open Cup run. They lost 0-3 in Tampa Bay last week and did not look very ready for the postseason. This one has the makings of a fairly deep run for the newcomers. Prediction: Rhode Island win.

#1 New Mexico United v. #8 Phoenix Rising (7:00pm, CBS Sports Network)

New Mexico walked away with the West just as Louisville did in the East. However, they did it in very different fashion. They limped in down the final stretch, earning a mere 2 points from their last five games. That included a 1-2 home loss to…Phoenix Rising. Right now they are far from the best of the West. Phoenix are defending champions, of course, and they won last year coming from a #6 seed position. However, they have not been exactly wowing anyone lately either and had the misfortune to be Louisville’s last regular season opponent (they lost 1-4). Prediction: New Mexico win.

Back in the Old Country

Last Saturday the Blues blew a big chance to extend their lead at the top of the table. They dominated 4th-place Mansfield Town, with Willum Willumsson scoring in the 10th minute. However, several other good chances were wasted and the home team managed a second-half equalizer despite having only 27% possession. The game ended 1-1. Wrexham’s game against Charlton Athletic was a 2-2 draw, which meant they dropped into 3rd as Wycombe Wanderers beat Leyton Orient 3-0. Birmingham City still maintains a 3-point lead.

On Tuesday, the team took out its frustrations in the EFL Trophy. As you may recall, this is a competition open to all EFL teams, plus the U-21 sides from the Premier League. The Blues played their final group stage game against Fulham U-21, winning comfortably 7-1. Jay Stanfield scored two against his former club before the team opened it up. The stats were absurd: 64% possession, 35 shots (to Fulham’s 6), 13 on target. As a result, advancement to the knockout stage was secured. The first round is 32 teams, split into northern and southern groups, also the case for the two following rounds. The draw is yet to take place though, as there are still group stage games to be played November 12.

League One takes a break this weekend; the FA Cup takes center stage. Birmingham City will play at Sutton United Sunday (6:30am, ESPN+). United are from South London; they currently play in the National League, having been relegated last season from League Two. They sit in 12th in the National League right now and should not pose much of a threat.