Must Watch Fixtures: USL Championship Week 2 | OneFootball

With the West going an even-split six wins against six losses, there’s bound to be some shakeup in the tables after this weekend’s fixtures. In the East, there are two teams who we haven’t even touched the pitch yet: Indy Eleven and Cup finalists Rhode Island FC. Twenty-nine different players scored goals in the opening weekend, so there’s a chance we’ll finally see a leader in that department. Below are the Hooligan must-watch games for USL enthusiasts. All games below are streaming on ESPN+ (unless otherwise noted).

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Detroit City FC

I was initially flummoxed at the kickoff time for this one (3pm MT) until I realized… we’re still in winter. Nobody wants to play in the evening at over a mile high. Regardless, this should be your afternoon delight. The Switchbacks are the defending champions, after all.

Detroit City pummeled Miami FC (which to be fair, isn’t that difficult a feat) last week before a paltry crowd. I expect this match to be 1) better attended and 2) stiffer competition. Colorado drew El Paso 2 – 2 in a wild-ass match last week. Switchbacks got a penalty kick for a foul in the first 40 seconds of the match, but Locomotive brought the game to a draw with a goal in stoppage time. Wild stuff. This one should be similarly rambunctious and a must watch for your afternoon.

North Carolina FC vs. Loudoun United FC

This one is all about the visitors. Loudoun raised my eyebrows after last week’s 3 – 1 shellacking of the normally resolute Birmingham Legion. Despite dropping a goal early, Loudoun immediately equalized two minutes later, then imposed their will and scored twice more. NCFC’s draw last week was a little lucky. They struck early when a Pittsburgh defender slipped and lost the ball, and then spent the next 70 minutes holding firm. If Loudoun stays on form, this should be an easy win for them.

Miami FC vs. Indy Eleven

This match is played at the exact same time as the one above. I think NCFC will be a better one, but I also think this one matters a great deal for two reasons. One, it’s the first time we’ll see Indy Eleven, who were pretty good last year but lost some edge in their attack when Augi Williams left. Two, we’ll get to see if Miami FC’s lackluster performance last week was simply a one-off or they really are going to try and break last year’s record-breaking awfulness. This one’s for all the masochists out there.

Orange County SC vs. Lexington SC

Lexington burst onto the scene last week but will face much stiffer competition as they travel to Orange County. These two teams are top of the table, having faced weaker squads in their openers. Lexington played the perennial whipping boys Hartford; Orange Country faced an Oakland Roots team fresh off a major revamp of their team in the off-season. My biggest question is about the Lexington defense. Hartford had zero shots on target, so they’ve never really been tested. Meanwhile Orange County drilled four against the Roots. Something will have to give; my bet is the Lexington back line. This is the late must watch game for Saturday night, with kickoff at 10:30pm ET / 7:30pm PT.

Birmingham Legion vs. Louisville City FC

The only Sunday fixture this weekend, expect to see the robust Louisville defensive line try to hold Legion to a clean sheet. Birmingham’s attack appears to be concentrated in Augi Williams, so the purple ones should be sticking close to his shoulder. This match kicks off at 1:30pm CT (2:30pm ET / 11:30am PT).

Last Week’s Results