Charleston Hosts NYRB II, Arizona United Travels to Face Orange County Blues FC
Soccer News: Several matches already are in the books for Week 5 of the 2015 USL season, and only two teams with unblemished records remain. The Eastern Conference-leading Charleston Battery and Western Conference frontrunner Arizona United SC are both 3-0-0. On Saturday, the Battery host the New York Red Bulls II while United looks to stay perfect on the road when it faces Orange County Blues FC.
Two more sides prepare for their home openers this weekend. OKC Energy FC is set to open Taft Stadium to host Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Saturday. (Reborn: Energy FC’s Taft Stadium Ready For New Era)
On Sunday, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 hosts Toronto FC II at UBC Thunderbird Stadium.
GAMES TO WATCH
Charleston Battery vs. New York Red Bulls II
Saturday, 7:30 p.m. ET, Blackbaud Stadium
The Battery (3-0-0) are in search of their first four-game winning streak since 2003 when they host NYRB II. Charleston was idle last week and had previously put in a complete performance on both sides of the ball with a 2-0 win against the Harrisburg City Islanders on April 4. Goalkeeper Odisnel Cooper earned his first clean sheet of the season and has 10 in his career. That ties Cooper for first place all-time with former Rochester Rhinos and current Philadelphia Union goalkeeper John McCarthy. The Red Bulls II (1-1-1) are on the road for the first time this season, and they will have to overcome the absence of goalkeeper Santiago Castaño, who was suspended for one match after being issued a red card late in the team’s 3-0 loss to the Wilmington Hammerheads. (Preview; Battery’s Caribbean Connection)
Orange County Blues FC vs. Arizona United SC
Saturday, 10 p.m. ET, Anteater Stadium
Arizona United has posted an impressive 3-0-0 record, with every game being on the road to this point. United is already in a position to match last season’s total of four road victories, and the three-game winning streak equals the club’s best stretch last year in August. Forwards Dennis Chin and Long Tan lead United with two goals apiece, accounting for 80 percent of the club’s scoring. Orange County (1-0-1) is coming off a 2-0 victory against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on Sunday, with second-half goals from Didier Crettenand and Amani Walker. The two sides opened the season against each other on March 28, with United earning a 2-1 victory on goals by Chin and Robbie Derschang. (Preview)
Sacramento Republic FC vs. Portland Timbers 2
Saturday, 10:30 p.m. ET, Bonney Field
Republic’s Rodrigo Lopez will have a tough performance to follow. His midweek highlights have resonated for several days now – two goals, one of which was a gargantuan strike from midfield, as he led Sacramento (3-2-0) to a 2-0 victory against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 on Wednesday. With his recent brace, Lopez leads the league with four goals this season. Six players are tied for second with three goals. Sacramento takes on the Portland Timbers 2 (2-1-1), who are close behind them in points in the Western Conference standings. T2 and Sacramento met earlier this season, with host Portland dramatically earning a 2-1 victory on April 2 on the strength of Steven Evans’ 87th-minute tally. (Preview; Lopez’s Golazo)
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 vs. Toronto FC II
Sunday, 6 p.m. ET, UBC Thunderbird Stadium
Home will be a welcome sight for Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 (1-3-0), which is preparing for its third match in an eight-day stretch. The Western Conference’s Vancouver plays a crossover match against Canadian rival Toronto FC II of the Eastern Conference and is looking to rebound from back-to-back 2-0 defeats against Orange County Blues FC and Sacramento Republic FC, respectively. WFC 2 hosts a rested Toronto side that hasn’t played since April 4, a 4-1 road loss against the New York Red Bulls II. TFC II (1-2-0) has been on the road for the entirety of this stretch, and the club added some new blood to the mix on Thursday, bringing in defenders Gabriel Boakye and Tarik Robertson and forward Malik Johnson. (Preview)
NEWS AND NOTES
– Tulsa Roughnecks FC earned a 4-3 victory against previously unbeaten Seattle Sounders FC 2 on Thursday night. The combined seven goals tie the season high. The other occasion was the Pittsburgh Riverhounds’ 5-2 win against the Harrisburg City Islanders on March 28 at Highmark Stadium.
– Seattle leads the USL with 13 goals in four games (3.25 per game).
– Two teams have yet to earn a point this season and they will face each other on Saturday. The Harrisburg City Islanders (0-2-0) host FC Montreal (0-2-0) at the Skyline Sports Complex.
HOW TO FOLLOW
Every game of the 2015 USL season can be seen live, free and in HD on YouTube (www.Youtube.com/USL), with updates from throughout the league also available via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
