USL opens the 2018 regular season with two matches. Seattle Sounders 2 face Portland Timbers FC 2 in one of those. Here’s a preview.
The kickoff for the 2018 USL is less than a week away as we speak. The season officially opens this Friday night (March 16). The new season’s opening strikes to be taken at H-E-B Park in Edinburg, Texas and Cheney Stadium in Tacoma, Washington.
The winter of discontent
It has been a whale of an off-season for everyone involved in US soccer in any capacity. And it has been especially so for men’s pro Divisions II and III. USL is steadily assembling its D3 for next year, but the existing league and teams sit center stage now that NASL has been all but buried by terminal legal processes.
Whether fans welcome the “new soccer pyramid order” as two steps forward or three steps back, for the time being, it’s all we got.
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Cascadia USL needs a winner
The later of the two opening night matches for the 2018 USL season brings together Portland Timbers 2 and Seattle Sounders FC 2. These two are unabashed affiliates of heated MLS rivals. They are also two-thirds of what could be termed USL’s Div II version of MLS’ “Cascadian Cup.” And they were two of the worst performing teams in the league last year.
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They rode off into the sunset last fall atop a couple of long and ugly losing streaks. Even if you include the other third of the Cascadian USL affiliates—Vancouver Whitecaps 2—the three won fewer games combined in 2017 than the Western conference champs, Real Monarchs of Salt Lake City. Throw in an equally poor showing from LA Galaxy II and the USL’s west coast contingent stunk up 2017 like week-old chum.
‘Sleepless in Seattle’? Try ‘Temporary in Tacoma’
Seattle are hosts this week. But Cheney is their temporary home in Tacoma, rather than their soon-to-be-built permanent home, also in Tacoma. Don’t ask. It’s kind of confusing. Either way it’s a chance at a fresh start for a Div II club which hasn’t had a win since last August. That one came on the road also against PT 2.
Timbers 2 have just this past week added two international players from Honduras and Costa Rica. Those have come right on the heels of the club’s acquisition of 5 players from the US college ranks. It’s been a busy month. All in all, it will be a different Portland Timbers 2 side opening 2018 than that which stumbled across the finish in 2017.
Sounders FC 2 are now under the leadership of head manager John Hutchinson. The young Australian was promoted to the position just 6 weeks ago after serving as assistant last season.
No win situation
Given the result in 2017, neither side has much to lose this week. True, Seattle could use a good showing in front of its “new” home fans. Still, with USLD3 and the attendant specter of relegation it brings looming for 2019, all MLS affiliates need to be focused on a strategy of long-term success. There is no time like the present to start.
Look for a great stadium atmosphere, but a conservative showing on the field.
Prediction: Seattle Sounders 2 1:1 Portland Timbers FC 2
How to watch:
Click above on Friday March 16, 10pm EDT (Eastern Daylight Time).