Indy 11 Back with Home Games Sat July 11 & 18 with Fans !!
Thank goodness we have a big stadium right? Indy 11 will be back with limited fans in the stands starting July 11 vs St Louis at 7 pm on Saturday night on ESPN+ and maybe other channels. Fans can visit indyeleven.com/safety-plan for details of the plan. The 11 will host 10 of their 15 games in the friendly confines of Lucas Oil Stadium with fans in attendance. Four match-ups with Louisville FC headline the schedule along with 4 games vs St. Louis –these 3 teams should battle it out to make the expanded playoffs.
MLS Returns with robust schedule on ESPN, ESPN2, Fox and Fox Sports – July 8
MLS is still on track to return with some solid ESPN coverage when its season kicksoff July 8th from Orlando. Morning 9:30 am games will be on ESPN, with late night evening and weekend games split between Fox, Fox Sports 1 and ESPN. Hopefully this will help MLS get a better foothold in the US Sport pecking order if they do this right. And hopefully the recent rash of positive tests won’t derail this thing.
NWSL
So the women’s league has started back up and unfortunately all anyone is talking about is kneeling during the national anthem. I agree with MLS as there are no fans in the stands why do the national anthem at all –that way the controversy stays away. The games have been pretty good – the largest ever crowd to see a NWSL game tuned in Sat on CBS with over ½ million watching – much better than Andy Griffin reruns – but not the kind of #s I was hoping for. Seriously we can’t get 1 million people nationwide to tune if the start of the NWSL on CBS when nothing else is on? Maybe there are not enough soccer fans of the women’s game to support a league? Sad ? Anyway I have seen a few replay games on CBS Sports Network? Sure would love to see more on CBS – but honestly if parents of girls who play soccer aren’t going to tune in – then you can scrap that far-fetched idea of having your daughter play in the pros someday. Its honestly up to the soccer moms of this world ? Tune in and support the league – or let women’s pro sports die in the background. Its up to us.
Pulisic Continues to Shine in EPL
I can’t tell you how exciting it has been for me to watch a healthy Christian Pulisic back on the pitch for Chelsea and playing well. Man I almost feel like the days when I would scramble to watch Fulham games to see how Dempsey would score that game. Pulisic has been electric at times and darn near the best player for a Chelsea side battling for a top 4 slot in the EPL and Champions League play next season. He makes things happen – is always looking for a sneaky shot – and managed to draw both fouls that lead to goals in the last game. If he keeps playing like this and can stay healthy – he can hopefully top the 10 goal mark – he has 7 along with 5 assists and 3 draws of PKs.
Stewart’ Bremen must Win to Stay in Bundesliga
Josh Stewart’s Werder Bremen has one last chance to stay afloat in the top flight of German football when they play the last leg of the relegation playoff with Heidenheim Tues at 2:30 pm on FS2. They tied the first round 0-0 in a game Stewart didn’t come into the last 10 minutes. He almost scored on his only shot – hopefully he’ll be back to the starting line-up where he has been for this little 4 game unbeaten streak for Bremen.
GAMES ON TV
Sat, July 4
7:30 am NBCSN Norwich vs Brighton
10 am NBCSN Man United vs Bournemouth
11:!5 am ESPN+ Juve vs Torino
12:30 pm NBCSN Wolverhampton vs Arsenal
2 pm ESPN2 Levekusen vs Bayern Munich
Sun, July 5
7:30 am NBCSN Burnley vs Sheffield United
8 am bIN Sport/FuboTV Athletic Club vs Real Madrid
9:15 am NBCSN Newcastle United (Yedlin) vs West Ham
11:30 am NBCSN Liverpool vs Aston Villa
2 pm NBC Southhampton vs Man City
4 pm beIN Sport Barcelona vs Athletico Madrid
Mon, July 6
3:15 pm NBCSN Tottenham vs Everton
2:30 pm Fox Sport 2 Heidenheim 0 vs Werder Breman 0 (Stewart) Relegation Playoff++
Tues, July 7
1 pm NBCSN Crystal Palace vs Chelsea (Pulisic)
3 pm NBCSN Arsenal vs Leicester City
Wed, July 8 MLS Returns
1 pm NBCSN Man city vs New Castle United (Yedlin)
3 pm NSNBC Brighton vs Liverpool
8 pm ESPN Orlando City vs Inter Miami
10:30 pm ESPN Nashville SC vs Chicago Fire
Thurs, July 9 MLS Returns
9 am ESPN NYCFC vs Philly Union
1 pm NBCSN Bournmouth vs Tottenham
3 pm NSNBC Aston Villa vs Man U
8 pm ESPN Montreal vs New England
Fri, July 10 MLS Returns
8 pm ESPN Toronto FC vs DC United
10:30 pm ESPN Seattle Sounders vs San Jose Earthquakes
Sat July 11
8 pm FOX Atlanta United vs NY Red Bulls
7 pm ESPN+ TV4 INDY 11 Host St. Louis
10:30 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew SC,
Sunday, July 12
5 p.m. ET (ESPN2 / ESPN Dep) Louisville City FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC,
Monday, July 13
7 p.m. ET (ESPN2) Energy FC vs. FC Tulsa)
10 p.m. ET (ESPN Deportes) Sacramento Republic FC vs. Tacoma Defiance,
INDY 11 2020 Revised Schedule- all games on ESPN+ plus other possible channels
| DAY | DATE | OPPONENT | TIME (ET)/Result | TV/Online | |
| Saturday | March 7 | at Memphis 901 FC | 4-2 W | ||
| Saturday | July 11 | Saint Louis FC | 7:00 pm | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Saturday | July 18 | Sporting Kansas City II | 7:00 pm | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Wednesday | July 22 | at Pitts Riverhounds | 7:00 pm | ESPN2/ESPN+ | |
| Sunday | July 26 | at Saint Louis FC | TBA | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Wednesday | July 29 | Hartford Athletic | 7:00 pm | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Saturday | August 1 | Sporting KCity II | 7:00 pm | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Saturday | August 8 | at Louisville City FC | TBA | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Saturday | August 15 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 7:00 pm | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Wednesday | August 26 | at Louisville City FC | TBA | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Saturday | September 5 | Louisville City FC | 7:00 pm | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Wednesday | September 9 | Sporting K City II | 7:00 pm | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Wednesday | September 16 | Louisville City FC | 7:00 pm | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Wednesday | September 23 | Saint Louis FC | 7:00 pm | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Wednesday | September 30 | Sporting K City II | 7:00 pm | TBA/ESPN+ | |
| Saturday | October 3 | at Saint Louis FC | TBA | TBA/ESPN+ |
NWSL Challenge Cup schedule
NC Courage vs Utah Royals FC | July 12 | CBS Sports Network, CBS All Access,
Challenge Cup quarter finals | July 17-18 | CBS Sports Network, CBS All Access,
Challenge Cup semi finals | July 22 | CBS Sports Network, CBS All Access,
Challenge Cup final | July 26 | CBS
MLS Cup Schedule
Wednesday, July 8
Orlando City SC vs. Inter Miami CF, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Nashville SC vs. Chicago Fire FC, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Thursday, July 9
New York City FC vs. Philadelphia Union, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Montreal Impact vs. New England Revolution, 8 p.m. ET, TUDN
FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 10:30 p.m. ET, TUDN
Friday, July 10
Toronto FC vs. D.C. United, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Seattle Sounders FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
INDY 11 Returns Sat July 11 7 pm vs St. Louis with fans
July 11 vs St Louis at 7 pm on Saturday night
The 11 will host 10 of their 15 games
Click here for Group E team-by-team analysis on USLChampionship.com
Louisville Opens New Stadium on ESPN2 Sun July 12
USL Unviels 2020 Season Format
Indy 11 Racing Indiana Jersey Released
USA
Tim Howard 6 Yr Anniversary of Most Saves ever in World Cup was this week
Pulisic shines again, but Chelsea fall to derby rivals West Ham
Lampard: Pulisic can reach Sterling, Salah, Mane level
American manager Pellegrino Matarazzo helps Stuttgart win promotion to Bundesliga
US coach Jesse Marsch’s Salzburg secures domestic double in Austria
Marsch leads Salzburg to league title (and the double)
MLS –returns July 8
Sources: 4 more FC Dallas members test positive
Inside the MLS bubble: What players, teams can expect in Orlando
Ex-MLS boss Marsch leads club to Austrian title
Groups Announced for MLS Tourney – LA Teams in Same Group
MLS Tourney Details on Groups Stages
Power Rankings: The favorites ahead of eMLS Cup
WORLD
Barcelona Falling Apart Down the Stretch
Buffon and Chiellini extend Juve deals until 2021
Brilliant Benzema helps Madrid go 2 points clear of Barca
Bremen snatch play-off survival chance, champions Bayern rout Wolfsburg
Predicting the Premier Leagues Finish for Champions League and Europa Spots – Mark Odgen ESPNFC
NWSL
Lavelle, Hatch score and Spirit down Red Stars 2-1
Dunn: Kneeling is about what you truly believe
Crystal Dunn: The uncomfortable things can have the biggest impact
NWSL: Players can be on field or in locker room during anthem
ELEVEN TO RESTART SEASON JULY 11 VS. SAINT LOUIS
By Indy Eleven Communications, 07/02/20, 11:00AM EDT
Indy Eleven to Restart 2020 Season at Home Next Saturday, July 11
First of Four Meetings with Saint Louis FC Set for 7:00 p.m. Kickoff at Lucas Oil Stadium, Presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers;
Group E Clash Part of USL Championship’s Nine-game “Reopening” Slate from July 11-13
TAMPA/INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, July 2, 2020) – The USL Championship announced today the opening weekend of games that will kick off the league’s resumption of the 2020 season – a nine-game slate that includes Indy Eleven’s return to Lucas Oil Stadium next Saturday, July 11, against Saint Louis FC, presented by Central Indiana Honda Dealers.The first of four 2020 regular season meetings between the Group E foes is set for a 7:00 p.m. ET kickoff that can be seen live on ESPN+.Indy Eleven has coordinated with Lucas Oil Stadium, the Capital Improvement Board (CIB), and numerous public health organizations to create a comprehensive Health and Safety Plan that will allow a limited number of fans to enjoy games in a safe and responsible fashion next Saturday and throughout the 2020 season. Fans can visit indyeleven.com/safety-plan for details of the plan.“Every member of the Indy Eleven organization is excited to get back to action and working tirelessly to ensure games at Lucas Oil Stadium starting next weekend go above and beyond when it comes to providing a safe environment,” said Indy Eleven Chief Executive Officer Greg Stremlaw. “Indianapolis is world-renowned for our ability to host sporting events, and we look forward to helping our city establish the benchmark for how to host games safely and responsibly in home markets during these challenging times.”As Indy Eleven continues to prepare for the restart of its now 16-game regular season, the club will announce additional details regarding scheduling, ticketing, broadcasts and more – all with strict alignment with all local and state public health guidelines in mind – as they are finalized in the coming days.Five of the USL Championship’s opening nine games between July 11-13 will be aired live on ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes, with the remaining games available on ESPN+. The complete schedule for the remainder of the 2020 USL Championship season will be released soon.For more updates on the 2020 season as they are made available, please continue to visit indyeleven.com and uslchampionship.com.
USL Championship 2020 Opening Weekend
Saturday, July 11
Real Monarchs SLC vs. San Diego Loyal SC, 4 p.m. ET (ESPN Deportes)
Indy Eleven vs. Saint Louis FC, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Atlanta United 2, 7:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. New Mexico United, 8 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
El Paso Locomotive FC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC, 9:30 p.m. ET (ESPN+)
Phoenix Rising FC vs. LA Galaxy II, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN Deportes)
Sunday, July 12
Louisville City FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, 5 p.m. ET (ESPN2 / ESPN Deportes)
Monday, July 13
OKC Energy FC vs. FC Tulsa, 7 p.m. ET (ESPN2)
Sacramento Republic FC vs. Tacoma Defiance, 10 p.m. ET (ESPN Deportes)
INDY ELEVEN 2020 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE SET
By Indy Eleven Communications, 07/02/20, 4:15PM EDT
Indiana’s Team to Host Ten of 15 Remaining USL Championship Games at Lucas Oil Stadium
TAMPA/INDIANAPOLIS (Thursday, July 2, 2020) – The United Soccer League announced today the revised schedule for the 2020 USL Championship season. The league’s 35 clubs are set to play 263 games over 13 weeks to decide which 16 teams will advance to the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs, which will open in the second weekend of October.
Courtesy of the unbalanced schedule option unique to the 2020 season, Indy Eleven will host ten of its remaining 15 games at Lucas Oil Stadium, starting with next Saturday’s home opener against Saint Louis FC (7:00 p.m., live on ESPN+).
“This is the day we’ve been waiting for and working towards for more than three months,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Martin Rennie. “To have the schedule in hand is a wonderful payoff for the patience of our players and fans alike, and to have two additional home games is really the cherry on top. All that’s left now is to get to the games, and I know the squad is ready to deliver starting next weekend against Saint Louis.”Indy Eleven will implement a comprehensive Health and Safety Plan that will allow a limited number of fans to enjoy games in a safe and responsible fashion next Saturday and throughout the 2020 season. Fans can visit indyeleven.com/safety-plan for details of the plan.“Indy Eleven would like to thank Lucas Oil Stadium, the Capital Improvement Board, the City of Indianapolis, and the Marion County Health Authority – just to name a few organizations – for their pivotal help in formulating a health and safety plan that will allow our fans to enjoy games during the 2020 season,” said Greg Stremlaw, Indy Eleven Chief Operating Officer. “Our combined efforts have resulted in a thorough plan that should serve as a best practice for venues across the country and keep spectators, players, coaches and staff safe for every moment of their gameday experience.”As Indy Eleven continues to march towards next Saturday’s “re-opener,” the club will announce additional details regarding ticketing, broadcasts and more as they are finalized in the coming days.As announced last week, Indy Eleven’s schedule across the three months of regular season play will include four games against Group E foes Saint Louis FC, Louisville FC, and Sporting Kansas City II – the latter of which will come to Lucas Oil Stadium for all four 2020 matchups.The squad’s remaining non-group games will consist of meetings with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC both home (August 15) and away (July 22, live on ESPN2), and a home contest against Hartford Athletic (July 29). Indy Eleven’s 4-2 season opening win at Memphis 901 FC back on March 7 stands as the fourth out-of-group result in the Eleven’s 16-game regular season calendar.Indy Eleven’s heated rivalry with Louisville City FC could reach new peaks in 2020, as the border combatants will face off four times in a five-week span, starting with Indy’s first trip to the new Lynn Family Stadium on August 8. The Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest (LIPAFC) participants meet once again in Kentucky on August 26 before coming to the right side of the Ohio River for pivotal late-season showdowns at Lucas Oil Stadium on Sept. 5 & 16. Those two LIPAFC games are part of a rare five-game homestand spanning the month of September, leading into the season finale on October 3 at Saint Louis FC.Every game of the 2020 USL Championship season will air on the ESPN family of networks, with broadcasts on ESPN2, ESPNews, ESPN Deportes and ESPN+ bringing all the excitement of the first league in the United States to return to play in home markets directly to homes across the United States.
MLS is Back groups
Group A (Eastern Conference)
1. Orlando City SC
2. Inter Miami CF
3. New York City FC
4. Philadelphia Union
5. Chicago Fire FC
6. Nashville SC
Group B (Western Conference)
1. Seattle Sounders FC
2. FC Dallas
3. Vancouver Whitecaps
4. San Jose Earthquakes
Group C (Eastern Conference)
1. Toronto FC
2. New England Revolution
3. Montreal Impact
4. D.C. United
Group D (Western Conference)
1. Real Salt Lake
2. Sporting Kansas City
3. Colorado Rapids
4. Minnesota United FC
Group E (Eastern Conference)
1. Atlanta United FC
2. FC Cincinnati
3. New York Red Bulls
4. Columbus Crew SC
Group F (Western Conference)
1. LAFC
2. LA Galaxy
3. Houston Dynamo
4. Portland Timbers
MLS is Back schedule and tune-in info
Wednesday, July 8
Orlando City SC vs. Inter Miami CF, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Nashville SC vs. Chicago Fire FC, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Thursday, July 9
New York City FC vs. Philadelphia Union, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Montreal Impact vs. New England Revolution, 8 p.m. ET, TUDN
FC Dallas vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 10:30 p.m. ET, TUDN
Friday, July 10
Toronto FC vs. D.C. United, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Seattle Sounders FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Saturday, July 11
Atlanta United FC vs. New York Red Bulls, 8 p.m. ET, Fox/TUDN
FC Cincinnati vs. Columbus Crew SC, 10:30 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Sunday, July 12
Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FC, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Real Salt Lake vs. Colorado Rapids, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Monday, July 13
LAFC vs. Houston Dynamo, 8 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
LA Galaxy vs. Portland Timbers, 10:30 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Tuesday, July 14
Inter Miami CF vs. Chicago Fire FC, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Philadelphia Union vs. Nashville SC, 8 p.m. ET, TUDN
Orlando City SC vs. New York City FC, 10:30 p.m. ET, TUDN
Wednesday, July 15
Seattle Sounders FC vs. FC Dallas, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Montreal Impact vs. Toronto FC, 8 p.m. ET, TUDN
Vancouver Whitecaps FC vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 10:30 p.m. ET, TUDN
Thursday, July 16
Atlanta United FC vs. FC Cincinnati, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
D.C. United vs. New England Revolution, 8 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Columbus Crew SC vs. New York Red Bulls, 10:30 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Friday, July 17
Sporting Kansas City vs. Colorado Rapids, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Real Salt Lake vs. Minnesota United FC, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Saturday, July 18
Portland Timbers vs. Houston Dynamo, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN Deportes
LAFC vs. LA Galaxy, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Sunday, July 19
New York City FC v. Chicago Fire FC, 8 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Philadelphia Union vs. Inter Miami CF, 10:30 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Monday, July 20
Orlando City SC vs. Nashville SC, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
FC Dallas vs. San Jose Earthquakes, 8 p.m. ET, TUDN
Seattle Sounders FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC, 10:30 p.m. ET, TUDN
Tuesday, July 21
Toronto FC vs. New England Revolution, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Atlanta United FC vs. Columbus Crew SC, 8 p.m. ET, TUDN
Montreal Impact vs. D.C. United, 10:30 p.m. ET, TUDN
Wednesday, July 22
Real Salt Lake vs. Sporting Kansas City, 9 a.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
FC Cincinnati vs. New York Red Bulls, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Colorado Rapids vs. Minnesota United FC, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Thursday, July 23
LA Galaxy vs. Houston Dynamo, 8 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
LAFC vs. Portland Timbers, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN Deportes
Saturday, July 25
TBD round of 16 match, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN Deportes
TBD round of 16 match, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN Deportes
Sunday, July 26
TBD round of 16 match, 8:30 p.m. ET, FS1
TBD round of 16 match, 11 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Monday, July 27
TBD round of 16 match, 8:30 p.m. ET, FS1
TBD round of 16 match, 11 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Tuesday, July 28
TBD round of 16 match, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
TBD round of 16 match, 10:30 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Thursday, July 30
TBD quarterfinal, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
Friday, July 31
TBD quarterfinal, 8 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Saturday, Aug. 1
TBD quarterfinal, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN Deportes
TBD quarterfinal, 10:30 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Wednesday, Aug. 5
TBD semifinal, 8 p.m. ET, FS1/TUDN
Thursday, Aug. 6
TBD semifinal, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN2/ESPN Deportes
Tuesday, Aug. 11
TBD final, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN/ESPN Deportes
INDY ELEVEN 2020 REGULAR SEASON SCHEDULE SET
Indiana’s Team to Host Ten of 15 Remaining USL Championship Games at Lucas Oil Stadium
TAMPA/INDIANAPOLIS (Friday, June 26, 2020) – The USL Championship announced on Friday the four groups made up of 17 Eastern Conference clubs that will battle for a place in the 2020 USL Championship Playoffs when the league returns to play on Saturday, July 11.
Group E: Indy Eleven, Louisville City FC, Saint Louis FC, Sporting Kansas City II
Group F: Hartford Athletic, Loudoun United FC, New York Red Bulls II, Philadelphia Union II, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Group G: Birmingham Legion FC, Charlotte Independence, Memphis 901 FC, North Carolina FC
Group H: Atlanta United 2, Charleston Battery, Miami FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies
“The squad is obviously buzzing to get back to playing games, and the focus on regional rivalries in this revamped regular season only heightens that anticipation,” said Indy Eleven Head Coach Martin Rennie. “The high level of competition is certainly one we look forward to tackling as we build on the victory we achieved in the first game of our season.”
As detailed in the Championship’s announcement of the updated season structure, each team in Group E, Group G and Group H will play its fellow group members four times during the regular season. Meanwhile, each team in Group F will play its fellow group members three times.
Clubs in Groups E-H will play their remaining regular season games against other Eastern Conference teams outside of their respective group, with geographic proximity a key priority in scheduling. With Indy Eleven’s 4-2 win at Memphis 901 FC back on March 7 counting on the regular season ledger, Indy Eleven will play three “out-of-group” matches.
As Indy Eleven continues to prepare for the restart of its now 16-game regular season, the club will announce details regarding scheduling, ticketing, broadcasts and more – all with strict alignment with all local and state public health guidelines in mind – as they are finalized in the coming days. For more updates on the 2020 season as they are made available, please continue to visit indyeleven.com and uslchampionship.com.
USLChampionship.com Preview – Group E
The Louisville-Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest (aka LIPAFC) and Kings’ Cup come to the fore with Louisville City FC set to take on its two biggest rivals in Indy Eleven and Saint Louis FC in what should be a fierce fight for the two playoff places. But don’t overlook Sporting Kansas City II, which has a strong collection of young talent that could make things interesting as it looks to make its fourth trip to the postseason in five years after missing out last campaign.
Championship Return to Play Preview – Group E
By NICHOLAS MURRAY – nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 06/26/20, 12:05PM EDT
PLAYOFF BATTLE BETWEEN INDY, LOUISVILLE AND SAINT LOUIS COULD GO DOWN TO THE WIRE
The group assignments for Groups E through H ahead of the USL Championship’s resumption of the 2020 season are being made on Friday, giving us a chance to take a first look at each of the teams as they get ready to return to action.
First today, we look at Group E, which features last year’s Eastern Conference Finalists – and noted rivals – Indy Eleven and Louisville City FC, a Saint Louis FC side that will be aiming to break through after a resounding opening performance, and a Sporting Kansas City II side that has the talent to cause the others problems.
Indy Eleven
Record: 1-0-0, 3pts | W @MEM 2-4 [3/7]
Head Coach: Martin Rennie
2019 Season: 19-9-6, 63pts; Eliminated Eastern Conference Final
OVERVIEW
The Eleven overcame an early scare to pick up victory on the road in Memphis back in March, and once again it was Tyler Pasher that shone the brightest in a 4-2 victory. The squad still looks deep front to back, which is going to be crucial against two sides that look to be built the same way in LouCity and STLFC, but Indy’s defensive strength should make it difficult to break down. If that’s the case, then a trip to the postseason beckons.
Player to Watch
Tyler Pasher
Pasher has been outstanding in his newly-found attacking role since the start of 2019, with Indy’s counterattacking ability a perfect fit for his speed of foot and speed of thought. That was on display in Memphis, and makes him one of the trickier players to defend in space in the Championship.
Louisville City FC
Record: 1-0-0, 3pts | W @NC 0-1 [3/7]
Head Coach: John Hackworth
2019 Season: 17-8-9, 60pts; Defeated in USL Championship Final
OVERVIEW
LouCity picked up a good road win to open things up against North Carolina FC as Cameron Lancaster fit right back into the lineup where he’d become the Championship’s single-season goalscoring record-holder in 2018. The notable thing about Louisville over their run of three consecutive trips to the USL Championship Final, though, has been the side’s ability to close a season strongly. Over the past three years, LouCity has gone 22W-9L-11D between the dates of July 11 and October 4, and if it achieves something similar here – say a record of 8-3-5 – that’s probably going to leave everyone else fighting for second place.
Player to Watch
Cameron Lancaster
There’s no-one that’s produced the strike rate that Lancaster has over the past three seasons in terms of goals-per-minute, and even with an abbreviated season the English forward has a great chance to reach 50 regular-season Championship goals by the end of the year – he resumes on 42 after his tally against North Carolina. If Lancaster is on form, the strength in depth behind him should allow Louisville to make another run at becoming the first team with three league titles to its name.
Saint Louis FC
Record: 1-0-0, 3pts | W vMIA 4-1 [3/7]
Head Coach: Steve Trittschuh
2019 Season: 11-14-9, 42pts
OVERVIEW
Saint Louis’ victory in its season-opener against Miami FC might have been the most eye-opening result of the weekend, with the hosts looking sharp from the off before pulling away for the victory. If that was a good early litmus test, though, the battles to come against Indy Eleven and Louisville City FC are going to put STLFC up against arguably the best the East has to offer. If Head Coach Steve Trittschuh’s side earns a place in the top two, and a second trip to the playoffs in club history, it’s really going to have earned it.
Player to Watch
Russell Cicerone
You might recall we put Cicerone in the collection of Forwards to Watch back in March. Two goals in STLFC’s opening game against Miami was a great start, but the defenses that Indy and LouCity bring are going to likely prove tougher to break down. If Cicerone can weave more magic over the next three months, though, Saint Louis’ chances are going to go up exponentially. .
Sporting Kansas City II
Record: 0-1-0, 0pts | L vCLT 1-2 [3/8]
Head Coach: Paulo Nagamura
2019 Season: 12-13-9, 45pts
OVERVIEW
There were silver linings to Sporting Kansas City II’s opening game of the season against the Charlotte Independence, especially in watching how the side controlled the tempo of the game and outshot its opponents 20-9, with 10 shots on goal. But, a loss is still a loss, and as talented as SKC II’s youngsters are they won’t be able to get away with many mistakes against three strong opponents in this group. If the resumption of play sees the side make a slow start, it’s going to be hard to find a way back into the mix.
Player to Watch
Wilson Harris
Harris was the highest-scoring teenager in America in 2019 across all professional levels, with his outstanding run of 10 goals in the club’s final 11 games showing the ability he brings every time he steps on the field. Given the opposition, it’s going to be difficult to produce something similar over the next three months, but if he can it would be a serious boost to SKC II’s chances of upsetting the odds, and also provide a launching pad for Harris’ own trajectory.
The Ole BallCoach 