USL Jägermeister Cup, NISA & MLS Next Pro previews, April 26-28

A brand new USL League One cup competition gets underway this weekend when the first matches in the 2024 Jägermeister Cup are held. The cup was announced in December 2023, when it was explained that it was hoped that they would also include another league in the competition in the future, but for now it is a round-robin competition of three groups of four teams, regionally organised to increase local competition, and with the group winners and top scoring runners-up moving forward to the semi-finals. The competition gets underway in eastern Washington state at 11pm (all times BST) when Spokane Velocity welcome Central Valley Fuego to One Spokane Stadium, a clash of second top versus second bottom in USL-1 this season. Expansion side Velocity have settled well so far, something which can't be said of Jermaine Jones's new look Fuego side, who have just one win to their credit so far in 2024. That game is followed at midnight by Richmond Kickers' visit to league leaders Greenville Triumph and it's tough to imagine the visitors getting much change out of Rick Wright's in-form outfit at Paladin Stadium, gridiron markings and all. Also at midnight is South Georgia Tormenta versus Charlotte Independence in Statesboro, where the 2022 champions will look to bounce back from a 3-0 home defeat to Greenville last week. Charlotte are always a force to be reckoned with at this level and the addition of a new trophy to win might just be the spur that breaks a ten-year cupless streak.

Chattanooga Red Wolves are playing catch-up with the rest of the league after losing the use of their CHI Memorial Stadium for a few weeks. Safely back home now, a 0.30am kick-off sees them face a One Knoxville side who were going great guns at the start of the season but who have lost their last two in all competitions. The final game in the first round of Jägermeister Cup games is on Sunday at midnight, when Forward Madison travel to Kentucky to face Lexington SC on the gridiron pitch at Toyota Stadium. Neither side has really gotten going so far this season but Madison just shade it on current form, although who knows what can happen in a cup named after a very strong liquor?

It's week four of the 2024 NISA season and another round of four games stretched over three days. Fridays at 5pm (10pm BST) seem to be the unusual time for Georgia FC's games at Atlanta's Silverbacks Park stadium, with this week's visit of state rivals Savannah Clovers no exception. Both clubs had torrid winters but now seem to be more settled, and Clovers won 2-0 away at Club de Lyon last week. The home side will be looking for the first win in their existence, though, and you can never quite predict a local derby. The first of Saturday's two games comes from the northern suburbs of Detroit at midnight (all times BST from now on), where Michigan Stars face Florida outfit Club de Lyon. Stars have won two out of two so far and it wouldn't be unexpected to see them repeat their 2022 title success, having gone close last season. The Lions have an experienced side but that often means less legs in the latter stages. Set for a 3am kick-off is another of the many Los Angeles derbies when Los Angeles Force welcome Capo FC to Long Beach Community Stadium for their first ever league meeting. Force have one win and one draw so far this season, with Capo's two draws leaving them - like Georgia FC - looking for the first win as a professional club. Both sides have drawn against third LA side Irvine Zeta so far this season and so it should be an even contest. Speaking of Irvine Zeta, the NISA new boys take on expansion side Arizona Monsoon on Sunday, a 1am kick-off at the Championship Soccer Stadium they share with Orange County SC. Monsoon were well beaten in their first-ever league match away at LA Force two weeks ago, but rallied to grab a 1-1 draw at Capo FC last week. By contrast, Zeta have two draws, both in local derbies, and should have too much for the visitors, whose side is largely made up of local youngsters.

The two independent sides in the mostly MLS reserve team MLS Next Pro league meet this week, a midnight Saturday (BST) kick-off in Tennessee between Chattanooga FC and Carolina Core. The Chatts sit third in the Eastern Conference this season, despite a 1-0 loss in midweek at Atlanta United 2, and should have the measure of basement side Core, who have just two shootout wins from six games in their plus column so far this season. Games to look out for elsewhere, if reserve soccer is your bag, include table toppers New York Red Bulls II at home to 2022 champions Columbus Crew 2 at 10pm on Sunday, and top of the Western Conference Ventura County FC (LA Galaxy's second team) away at last year's winners, Austin FC, tonight at 2am.