MARCH 17, 2025 - More USL Championship action this past weekend, with crazy golazos, comebacks, and rematches.
Top three storylines from the busy opening matchday:
Eastern Conference Final Rematch
Charleston Battery vs Rhode Island FC
Match Highlights:
Lineups:
Charleston Battery (4-2-4): 56 Zamudio; 7 Blackstock, 5 Archer (C), 16 Smith, 62 Dossantos; 6 Molloy, 91 Houssou; 80 Torres (23 Drack 89'), 42 Martinez (8 Ycaza 75'), 26 Jennings (36 Conway 84'), 19 Klein (22 Akpunonu 84').
Head Coach: Ben Pirmann
Hartford Athletic (5-3-2): 1 Ojeda (C); 17 Kwizera, 12 Holstad, 24 Yao, 15 Nodarse, 3 Sanchez (9 Williams 57'); 21 Rodriguez (18 Brito 78'), 8 Okiyoshi (5 Stoneman 70'), 23 Ybarra (20 Herivaux 57'); 10 Dikwa (77 Shapiro-Thompson), 11 Fuson.
Head Coach: Khano Smith
15' GOAL, CHARLESTON - Cal Jennings
Charleston 1, Rhode Island 0.
37' GOAL, CHARLESTON - Cal Jennings (Assist: Juan David Torres)
Charleston 2, Rhode Island 0.
A rematch of the 2024 USL Championship Eastern Conference Final arrived at Patriot's Point. After a rematch of the USL Championship Eastern Conference Final against Louisville City resulted in a loss at home for the Battery, Charleston defeated Rhode Island 2-0 to secure their first win of the season at home... and came the return of Pedro.
Former Tampa Bay Rowdies striker Cal Jennings recorded a first half brace for Charleston in route to the win. Jennings joined the Battery this past offseason after recording two consecutive 19 goal seasons with Tampa Bay in 2023 and 2024.
Eight Goal Thriller in El Paso
El Paso Locomotive FC vs Phoenix Rising FC
Match Highlights:
Lineups:
El Paso Locomotive FC (3-4-3): 23 Waite; 25 Ortiz (C), 3 Ackwei, 5 Alfarol; 24 Diaz (18 Quezada 67'), 8 Daroma, 30 Coronado (21 Twumasi 75'), 16 Torres (12 Ruiz 67'); 14 Avila (20 Carter 81'), 11 Moshobane (13 Cabrera 67'), 10 Moreno.
Head Coach: Wilmer Cabrera
Phoenix Rising FC (4-1-4-1): 1 Rakovsky; 2 Smith, 4 Boye (C), 5 Traore, 3 Neville (14 Cuello 67'); 6 Sainte (17 Scearce 67'); 8 Okello, 10 Avayevu (44 Ping 90'+6), 29 Formella (9 Sacko 46'), 19 Rivera; 91 Cabral.
Head Coach: Pa-Modou Kah
6' GOAL, EL PASO - Roberto Avila
El Paso 1, Phoenix 0.
34' GOAL, EL PASO - Amando Moreno
El Paso 2, Phoenix 0.
45'+3 GOAL, PHOENIX - Noble Okello (Assist: Hope Avayevu)
El Paso 2, Phoenix 1.
47' GOAL, EL PASO - Gabriel Torres (Assist: Roberto Avila)
El Paso 3, Phoenix 1.
53' GOAL, EL PASO - Amando Moreno (Assist: Tumi Moshobane)
El Paso 4, Phoenix 1.
69' GOAL, PHOENIX - Remi Cabral (Assist: Collin Smith)
El Paso 4, Phoenix 2.
80' GOAL, PHOENIX - Ihsan Sacko (Assist: Hope Avayevu)
El Paso 4, Phoenix 3.
86' GOAL, PHOENIX - Mohamed Traore
El Paso 4, Phoenix 4.
An eight goal thriller. El Paso played host to Phoenix on Saturday. In 2024, El Paso and Phoenix ranked as two of the lowest goal scoring clubs in all of USL Championship. El Paso scored 27 goals in regular season in play and was second worst in all of USL Championship, 23rd, while Phoenix scored 34 and was 20th in all of USLC for goals scored. These two teams scored 4 goals across their two matches last season, a 2-0 win for Phoenix at home and a 1-1 draw in El Paso.
After 60 minutes, El Paso was up 4-1. Then, the Phoenix Rising mounted a comeback... concluding with one of the goal of the year candidates in the early season - a nearly 50 yard golazo from centerback Mohamed Traore that somehow ends the game with these two clubs sharing the points after the full time whistle and two El Paso red cards in stoppage time.
Late Drama in Vegas
Las Vegas Lights FC vs New Mexico United
Match Highlights:
Lineups:
Lexington SC (3-4-3): 1 Ammeter; 18 Singer (24 Howell 72'), 5 Gartig, 3 Jones (20 Smart 71'); 7 Gyau, 6 Pearson, 27 Noel (C), 33 Nigro; 11 Pinzon, 14 Rodriguez, 10 Azcona (41 Covil 46', 34 O'Driscoll 71').
Head Coach: Antonio Nocerino
Hartford Athletic (4-1-3-2): 1 Tambakis; 16 Seymore, 4 Herbert (24 Lindsey 46'), 12 Maples (C), 3 Gloster; 19 Bailey; 11 Akale (27 Pondeca 90'), 7 Rivas (6 Zelalem 70'), 10 Gaines II (9 Fernando 70'); 17 Hurst, 8 Vargas.
Head Coach: Dennis Sanchez
9' GOAL, New Mexico - Orrin McKinze Gaines II
Las Vegas 0, New Mexico 1.
9' GOAL, New Mexico - Greg Hurst (Assist: Marlon Vargas)
Las Vegas 0, New Mexico 2.
9' GOAL, Las Vegas - Johnny Rodriguez (Assist: Valentin Noel)
Las Vegas 1, New Mexico 2.
90' GOAL, Las Vegas - Joe Gyau (Assist: Rory O'Driscoll)
Las Vegas 2, New Mexico 2.
90'+4 GOAL, New Mexico - Will Seymore
Las Vegas 2, New Mexico 3.
More drama in the West? You bet!
Las Vegas played host to New Mexico United, a rematch of the 2024 USL Championship Western Conference Semifinal and two of the top 4 seeds in the West in 2024.
New Mexico United took an 2-0 lead early in the second half after a scoreless first half. Johnny Rodriguez cut the deficit in half for the hosts before Joe Gyau equalized in the 90th minute for Las Vegas. Just when seemed like both sides would leave with a point, Will Seymore headed in Marlon Vargas' cross from corner kick in stoppage time, as New Mexico United take all three points back home.
