USL Championship GW 7 – Early Game Preview | OneFootball

Would one team that played 120+ minutes of extra time be matched up with a side that didn’t play at all, thereby having a disadvantage?

As it turns out, my concerns were overblown. I do not know who has a crystal ball in the USL scheduling department, but nearly every fixture is creepily equitable. Really.

Below is the Qooligan take on all the early games (kickoffs are before 5pm ET) on Saturday, April 19th.

Detroit City FC vs. Rhode Island FC

4:00pm ET @ Keyworth Stadium, Hamtramck, Michigan Streaming on ESPN+ Both teams played mid-week during the Open Cup and came away with wins. I know that Rhode Island is buzzing off that win, and eagerly awaiting the next round where they get to host the MLS’ New England Revolution, but they’d best stay focused on this fixture. Detroit are not a team to be taken lightly, and will be a far more resilient opponent than RIFC’s last one (the hapless Oakland Roots). It’s also worth noting that this will be the Anchors’ sixth consecutive road game in all comps. That’s got to be tiring.

Hartford Athletic vs. Birmingham Legion FC

4:00pm ET @ Trinity Health Stadium, Hartford, Connecticut Streaming on ESPN+ No mid-week fixtures for either team. Birmingham had a bye-week on April 5th, and came back from that rest with renewed focus and energy, stomping El Paso Locomotive for their first win of the season. Hartford also had a bye, then had a postponement last weekend. They’ve now gone two weeks without a game. Local fans will hope this rest does their team as good as it did the Legion — but it won’t.

Oakland Roots vs. Orange County SC

4:00pm ET @ Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum, Oakland, California Streaming on ESPN+  Both teams played mid-week during the Open Cup and came away losing in extra time. I’m not sure which was worse, losing to a MLS reserve team (Roots) or losing to a local rival who had only played six games in their history (OC). Regardless, both team will enter Oakland Coliseum on a rare matinee kickoff with chips on both shoulders and something to prove.

Phoenix Rising FC vs. Sacramento Republic FC

4:00pm ET @ Phoenix Rising Stadium at 38th St/Washington, Phoenix, ArizonaStreaming on ESPN+ Both teams played mid-week during the Open Cup. Phoenix won in PKs; Sac Republic had a hard fought victory. It’s a good thing Open Cup yellow cards don’t carry over, otherwise Sac would be in trouble… they had nine players booked on Wednesday night. Aside from the Open Cup, wins have been in short supply for either team. They both sit in the West’s 10th and 11th spots just above Oakland. This is surely not acceptable to either franchise (both of whom have long and storied histories), so this should be a fierce contest.

Loudoun United FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds

4:30pm ET @ Segra Field, Leesburg, Virginia Streaming on ESPN+ Both teams played mid-week during the Open Cup. Host team Loudoun lost; Riverhounds won. Not gonna lie, that loss to Louisville City turned the shine on Loudoun down a notch. Still, they are top team in the East and have the hottest scorer in the league in Abdellatif Aboukoura. Pittsburgh as a team have scored one fewer goal than the Egyptian.