After a regular season filled with plenty of phenomenal football and an exciting playoff race, the 2021 USL Championship Playoffs are here. 16 clubs will battle for the league crown between now and the end of November, with all of the action taking place on ESPN+.
Pacific Division Update
Following the final match day of the regular season, Phoenix, Orange County, San Diego, and Oakland all qualified to advance to postseason play. Orange County took their final match of the season to secure second place in the division, while Oakland, who needed a win and help from other clubs, took the fourth spot outright after a Tacoma draw and Los Angeles loss.
Entering knockout play, Phoenix will take on Rio Grande Valley FC, Orange County will duel with Colorado Springs, San Diego will take a visit to San Antonio, and Oakland will take on Mountain Division champion El Paso.
San Antonio FC v San Diego Loyal SC – Friday Nov. 6 at 6:00PM PT
Landon Donovan’s squad will take to Texas for a matchup between two fairly matched squads.
San Diego (3rd place in Pacific Division) will enter their first postseason contest with a tough task- getting their first win in nearly a month in a win-or-go home playoff game. Statistically, they are well-matched with San Antonio, with the two clubs both among the 13 teams to net 50 goals this season. A strong defensive performance will be key for Loyal SC, as they allowed eight scores in their final five matches of the regular season.
San Antonio FC will have a similarly tough task breaking down a Loyal SC squad that ranked among the USL’s best in passing accuracy and discipline this season. They’ll enter on a hot streak offensively- they averaged two scores per game through the season’s final month- and will be plenty comfortable playing their third straight contest on their home pitch.
Birmingham Legion FC v Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – Sunday, Nov. 7 at 2:00PM PT
The two clubs enter Saturday’s matchup as even as it gets. Through 32 regular season matches, they finished tied in clean sheets, separated by just one in scoring, and three apart in goals conceded.
Birmingham had a tough weekend to close out the regular season, losing the Central Division crown in a tough 1-0 loss to Louisville City. However, the club will remain confident, as the defeat was their first in nearly two months. More offensive production from Neco Brett- who finished the regular season fifth in scoring- will be crucial to keep ahead of a Pittsburgh team that has been just as potent offensively.
Pittsburgh will take to Alabama as confident as any team in the postseason. They have yet to be defeated since October 2- one of just two losses for the club since mid-August- in part due to offensive excellence that saw them post 47 total shots in their final three matches this season.
Louisville City FC v The Miami FC – Saturday, Nov. 6 at 5:00PM PT
The Central Division Champion will play host to a South Florida side making their first-ever USL Playoff appearance.
Coming off a thrilling 1-0 win to take the Central Division crown from Birmingham, Louisville has all the momentum a club could want. A Cameron Lancaster hat trick against Memphis and an 82nd minute game-winner in Birmingham secured them two victories to close out the regular season, and returning to their home pitch will surely give them an advantage over a Miami team that has struggled some on the road this season.
Entering the match, Miami should have a great chance to slow down the league’s second highest scoring team. They’ve recorded two straight clean sheets and three in their last four contests, a defensive form that could result in more success. The challenge Louisville presents is no stranger to the South Florida club either- Miami has excelled against quality competition this season, dropping points just three times in nine matches against the clubs ahead of them in the Atlantic Division this season.
