USL Championship & USL League One preview, March 15-16

Week two of the second-tier USL Championship begins with El Paso Locomotive's third home game in a row as they welcome Louisville City to west Texas at 7pm. The Locos have lost one and drawn one so far, while Louisville - already one of the league's heavyweights - are starting their season having recruited well in the off-season. An hour later, the youngsters of Loudoun United face promoted side North Carolina FC at Segra Field in Leesburg, VA, and it should be a treat for fans and neutrals alike. United have a good crop of young players, while the Wings made a decent start to life back in the second tier last week with a 0-0 draw at home to Charleston Battery. Also at 8pm, Memphis 901 host Indy Eleven after a win and a loss on opening day, respectively, while expansion side Rhode Island FC host the first professional soccer game in the state for thirty-three years when they welcome New Mexico United to Beirne Stadium. The newcomers have brought in some tap talent for their debut season, including 2023 USL-C MVP Albert Dikwa, and it will be interesting to see how quickly they can gel.

After a winning start at home last week, The Miami FC are back at FIU Stadium again for the visit of Sacramento Republic. Miami's side is much-changed this season and will face a tough test from a Republic side that gave a debut to striker Trevor Amman last week and were rewarded with two goals. They also conceded a header from the opposition goalkeeper in stoppage time to draw their home opener, though, so mixed results. That's an 11pm kick-off, as is Pittsburgh Riverhounds' home opener with Orange County SC, scorers of that last-minute goalie goal. The Riverhounds look short on striking power, having lost Dikwa and Tola Showunmi over thw winter, but a Bob Lilley side can never be counted out. Pittsburgh's biggest rivals in the Eastern Conference last season were Tampa Bay Rowdies and they get their 2024 campaign off to a tricky start with the visit of San Antonio FC, who were held by the Loudoun kids last week, to St Petersburg at 11.30pm. Rowdies need to recapture the form they found under Neill Collins and still have Cal Jennings to score goals, and both teams will be there or thereabouts at the end of the season.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks versus Detroit City is one of two games that kick off at midnight, and Le Rouge will be looking to take advantage of the home side's away defeat in Miami last week. It's the season opener for Detroit, who have new head coach Danny Dichio in charge for the first time, but the Switchbacks are usually good value in front of their own fans. The other witching hour start is FC Tulsa's season opener at Las Vegas Lights, a much-changed side from the Lights who finished bootom last season. Tulsa have a lovely new kit and have been recruiting right up to this week under their new head coach Mario Sanchez. The week's final games are 2am kick-offs from California, as Monterey Bay stage their home opener against reigning champions Phoenix Rising, and Oakland Roots (who beat Indy Eleven 2-1 on the opening weekend) welcome Charleston Battery. Monterey under Frank Yallop are always formidable opposition and Rising looked a shadow of last season's winners in their home defeat to Birmingham last week, while Charleston travel well and will give Roots a challenge in Hayward.

The second week of USL League One begins tonight as Lexington SC host Chattanooga Red Wolves. It's the season opener for the visitors, while Lexington drew 0-0 at home with Northern Colorado Hailstorm on week one. It's an 11pm kick-off if you don't mind gridiron markings. There are four games on Saturday, with the pick of them being Spokane Velocity's first ever home match at 10pm. They welcome league giant Richmond Kickers to east Washington state after going down 3-1 at Greenvile Triumph last week, but they looked lively in doing so and will give the visitors - who are always well-organised and have Argentinian striker Emilio Terzaghi ready to add to his 55 goals in 94 matches - a good early test. An hour later, Charlotte Independence and One Knoxville start their 2024 campaigns in North Carolina. Independence were runners-up last time out to promoted state rivals North Carolina and still have Gabriel Obertan pulling the strings, with Steeven Dos Santos doing the same for the visitors.

Having lost at home to a rebuilt Central Valley Fuegos side last week, South Georgia Tormenta will be hoping they can catch Forward Madison warming up as the latter visit Statesboro for their season opener. Although they won the title in 2022, Tormenta are more than often than not found in the lower reaches of the USL-1 table but hope springs eternal. Madison qualified for the play-offs for the first time in four season last year and have brought in some strikers to take the pressure of Chrstian Chaney up front. The weekend's final game in a 2am kick-off from Fresno as Central Valley Fuego look to capitalise on that surprise win in Georgia last week. Their opposition is Union Omaha, regular season winners last year and 2021 champions, who can never be underestimated and will be looking to find the chinks in Jermaine Jones's armour.