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The Front Three: What To Watch For In Week 25

By CAMERON KOUBEK - cameron.koubek@uslsoccer.com, 09/23/21, 11:00AM EDT

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As the season reaches its conclusion, every game takes on more importance


Under Head Coach Jimmy Obleda (right), Chattanooga currently sits top of the table / Photo courtesy Chattanooga Red Wolves SC

We’re down to the final six weeks of the 2021 League One season, and with each passing game, we get that little bit closer to knowing which six teams will take part in the postseason, and which six will watch from home.

The table isn’t quite as bunched up as it was a few weeks ago, but it’s still anyone’s ballgame: only six points separate third-place Greenville from 11th-place Richmond, and - as FC Tucson has shown on its sudden six-game unbeaten streak - a run of positive results can quickly and drastically change the outlook for any team in the mix.

This weekend, we have five more games in store across Saturday and Sunday nights, with every team except Fort Lauderdale CF and South Georgia Tormenta FC in action. Here are three storylines to keep an eye on.

Six-Pointer At City Stadium

Week 25 begins with the Richmond Kickers hosting Toronto FC II on Saturday night (6:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+), and both sides are in serious need of some points. Respective winless runs of three and five games for the Kickers and the Young Reds have both sides currently on the outside of the playoff race looking in, and Saturday is a big opportunity for either team to breathe life into its postseason hopes with a win.

In that last sentence, the operative word is win - both Richmond and Toronto currently have more draws than victories on their records this season, and down the stretch, picking up one point instead of three is unlikely to cut it. Hopefully, that knowledge will lead to an open and entertaining contest at City Stadium.

Familiar Foes

Greenville Triumph SC and Forward Madison FC have two of League One’s most passionate fan bases, and the excitement often translates onto the field when these two sides meet. Take their previous matchup this season for instance - Madison raced out to a 2-0 lead inside 15 minutes on the road, only for Greenville to come back and earn a 2-2 draw.

When the Flamingos and Triumph meet on Saturday at Breese Stevens Field (8 p.m. ET | ESPN+), both will be in search of a win to bolster their playoff credentials. Each team is in a decent position - Greenville in third place and Madison three points behind in seventh, but having played the joint-fewest games of any team in the league - but either side would surely love to get one over on a club close to them in the table.

Add in that Madison striker Jake Keegan and winger Carlos Gomez spent two years with Greenville, and Triumph SC’s Don Smart spent two years with the Flamingos, and you’ve got all the ingredients for a good one.

A Test For Tucson

FC Tucson is League One’s hottest team right now, riding a six-game unbeaten streak in which it has amassed 14 points to rocket up to fourth place in the table. However, they’re set to meet a Union Omaha team which has given them nothing but trouble this Saturday night at Creighton University’s Morrison Stadium (8 p.m. ET | ESPN+).

Tucson lost all three of its prior meetings against los Buhos this season, including two at home. If Head Coach Jon Pearlman’s side is to continue its impressive run, it will need to find a way to take points off Omaha for the first time. Its form at the moment is plenty of reason for optimism - since its last loss, which was against Head Coach Jay Mims’ team on August 14, Tucson has scored 15 goals in six games to become League One’s highest-scoring offense.

That means Saturday night’s clash will be a matchup of the league’s best offense against its best defense, with Omaha’s backline having allowed a paltry 15 goals in 20 games. Grab your popcorn, especially if you’re a neutral.


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