skip navigation

What to Watch For – League One Week 18

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 07/25/19, 7:24PM EDT

Share

Can Tucson keep its road run going? Is Tormenta FC back? Let’s look at the five-game slate

After South Georgia Tormenta FC’s midweek victory, there are seven points separating six clubs between third and eighth place in the USL League One standings. With every team in action this weekend, here’s what to watch for across the five contests.

MOMENT OF TRUTH: FC Tucson has taken four points from the first two games of a six-game road trip – and seven points out of its last three games overall – to move two points back of fourth-place Chattanooga Red Wolves SC as the sides meet on Saturday night at David Stanton Field. With eight goals in those three contests, Head Coach Darren Sawatsky’s side has also clicked into gear in the attacking third, putting up one-third of its goals this season in that span. So now the question is whether FCT can do the same against a Red Wolves side that is undefeated at home this season and has conceded only nine goals in eight home games. If Tucson can find a way to replicate its 4-0 win when the sides met at the Kino Sports Complex on May 18, it could signal a shift in the playoff race. If Chattanooga earns all three points, though, it would be a significant bump in the road for the visitors.

CLEAR IDENTITY: South Georgia Tormenta FC’s 4-1 victory against Orlando City B on Wednesday night broke a three-game winless streak for the second-place side – and also saw the departure of OCB Head Coach Fernando Jose De Argila Irurita on Thursday – as well as serving as the best attacking outing of the season for the visitors at Montverde Academy. After being held to only one goal in its previous three outings, it was a welcome return to form for Tormenta FC as it recorded multiple goals for the first time since a 2-0 win against the same OCB side on June 15. The question is whether South Georgia will be able to provide an encore against third-place Lansing Ignite FC at Erk Russell Park on Saturday night, with Ignite FC entering in serious need of victory as its number of games remaining dwindles. If Tormenta FC earns victory – and creates a six-point cushion on Lansing in the process – then the road to a top-two finish would seem to be cleared. If the attack sputters again, though, South Georgia could hear the footsteps behind it get a little louder again.

BREAK THE FUNK: After the club’s prolificacy in front of goal drove its rise to the top of the standings, it’s been surprising to see North Texas SC held scoreless in two of its last three outings. The good news for NTSC is that it remains the clear favorite to finish top of League One at the end of the season – sportsclubstats.com rates it a 89 percent chance to land the top seed for the postseason – but if it’s looking for a return to form on Friday night that could get tested by a Greenville Triumph SC side that is tied for the fewest goals conceded in the league this season and is in serious need of a win after falling to FC Tucson last Saturday night. With Triumph SC sitting four points out of a playoff position, it could make for a very entertaining contest as the visitors look to hand NTSC its first loss at Toyota Stadium.


Toronto FC II will be looking to hit early and put the game away quickly at home to a Richmond Kickers side that has struggled to score this season on Friday evening. | Photo courtesy Toronto FC II

TAKE CARE OF BUSINESS: Toronto FC II needed a late comeback to preserve its undefeated home record at the BMO Training Center last Friday night and will be hoping to be more clinical when the Richmond Kickers come to visit in the opening game of the weekend on Friday evening. TFC II has been the second-highest scoring team in League One this season with 28 goals in 16 outings, but its propensity to leak goals has also seen the side concede 24 times. The Kickers are coming out of a long scoring drought that was broken by Dennis Chin in the club’s 1-0 win against Orlando City B last Saturday, but Toronto will want to try and put this game to bed early and put pressure on the rest of the playoff contenders to match them over the rest of the weekend.

AVOID THE TRAP: On paper, Forward Madison FC shouldn’t have a difficult time as it hosts Orlando City B on Saturday night. OCB is winless in eight games – including three consecutive defeats – and on Thursday let go of its Head Coach after a disastrous 4-1 defeat on home turf to Tormenta FC. But the Flamingos should have in mind OCB’s 2-1 victory on June 7, which stood as the last victory for the side as it heads to Breese Stevens Field. With OCB’s players likely looking to impress the new man on the sideline, there could be an added energy to the visitors that Madison is going to have to account for if it’s to take victory and an essential three points for its playoff push. 


Follow USL League One

Most Recent USL League One News

Most Read USL League One News

USL League One News