USL League One, NISA & MLS Next Pro previews, April 19-21

USL League One is the last of the third-tier leagues into action this weekend. waiting until 8pm (all times BST) on Saturday for the clash between 100% side Union Omaha and Charlotte Independence at Werner Park. Both sides beat higher-ranked opposition in the US Open Cup in midweek and this is undoubtedly the tie of the week at this level, with the Jacks looking to ruin the Owls perfect record. At 11pm, Richmond Kickers - with just one league win in nine months - take on expansion club Spokane Velocity at City Park. Velocity have two wins, a draw, and two losses on the season so far, but we're knocked out of the US Open Cup in midweek by Las Vegas Lights and will be looking to put that right, but Kickers were narrowly eliminated themselves in a penalty shootout and will be smarting. Saturday's third clash comes from Tennessee where Chattanooga Red Wolves' CHI Memorial Stadium is finally ready for the 0.30am visit of Northern Colorado Hailstorm. The sides sit tenth and twelfth so far this season, although the Red Wolves have only played two games, and both need to kickstart their campaigns badly.

The final game of the USL-1 weekend is Sunday's 0.30am kick-off in Statesboro, where South Georgia Tormenta host Greenville Triumph. Triumph were flying high in both league and Open Cup until the past week, which saw defeats at Charlotte and Louisville upset their unbeaten record. Tormenta won away at USL Championship side The Miami FC in midweek and are starting to look like the team that were surprise winners of this competition two eyars ago, rather than the team that has competed for the rest of its existence. Interestingly, it's another short week of games in USL-1 this week - the first week scheduled to have all twelve teams in league action is at the very end of July...


The NISA weekend kicks off tonight in suburban Detroit where Michigan Stars welcome new boys Georgia FC to Romeo High School Stadium for a midnight (BST) kick-off. The visitors drew the first game in club history 1-1 last weekend after a torrid winter which saw them change name and hometowns, but they'll face a tough test in the Stars, 2022 champions in this competition. The other two games in the league this weekend are Saturday affairs, with a midnight start for the visit of Savannah Clovers to Club de Lyon's Showalter Stadium home in Winter Park, Florida. Clovers, whose wage bill is being met by the league until a takeover can be completed, have lost both their games this season, conceding three in each, and will probably need some security before they feel they can kick on, even against a side like CdL who had their own issues last year. The final game is at 3.30am and features two of the league's newest sides as Arizona Monsoon travel to San Luis Capistrano at the very southern end of the Los Angeles sprawl to face Capo FC. Monsoon lost 4-0 at Los Angeles Force last week on the heels of being knocked out by fourth-tier opposition in the US Open Cup, while Capo managed a good 1-1 draw away at Irvine Zeta, so it's not difficult to pick a winner even at this early stage. Still, Monsoon have a promising young side and it will be a different story if/when they click as a team.


Both independent sides in the mostly reserve league MLS Next Pro are in action this weekend, with Carolina Core away at Chicago Fire II tonight, a midnight (BST) kick-off if you're interested. Both sides were knocked out of the US Open Cup in midweek, with Core surrendering to state rivals North Carolina FC and Fire going out 1-0 to Indy Eleven despite an almost total dominance of the game. On recent form, Core will do well to escape with a narrow defeat here. Chattanooga FC's game is on Saturday at 1am, a visit to the Alabama home of Huntsville City FC, the second team of MLS's Nashville SC. The Chatts won 6-2 at home to Inter Miami II last week and will be in confident form as they make 100-mile journey west for what could become a derby game as their stay in MLS next Pro continues.

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