It’s a little weird not to be writing a March to the Match for today, but we’ll obviously have one ready to go for the Memphis match on Tuesday. Things have been relatively quiet in LouCity land since the win last weekend, and the league hasn’t really been much different. Like, there’s literally nothing happening aside from games. That’s so boring!
However, not having a game this weekend means there’s other Eastern Conference USL Championship soccer to watch Saturday night if you happen to be stuck inside. Let’s take a look at some of the more intriguing matchups:
Memphis 901 v. Charleston Battery
Why not start off taking a look at our opponent on Tuesday a few days early? Charleston’s doing that thing where they sit comfortably in a playoff spot and no one notices it (11 points through 6 games, +3 goal difference) while Memphis has predictably struggled a bit (5 points through 7 games, -4 goal difference). It’s not really like they’re getting their doors blown off, though. Only Nashville’s beaten 901 by more than a goal. The Battery have benefitted from a home-heavy schedule so far and are winless on the road, so this game could be a narrative changer for both teams.
Pittsburgh v. Nashville
Nashville isn’t exactly steamrolling the league the way they may have expected, with only ten points through six games, good for 7th in the league. Pittsburgh hasn’t exactly been lighting things on fire, either, sitting a point behind Nashville and with just a +1 goal difference. I’ll be honest, this might not be a very fun game to watch, as both teams tend to be defense-oriented and offensively challenged. However, these should both be playoff teams come October so the result may be important.
St. Louis v. Swope Park Rangers
STL lost their place atop the league thanks to a midweek result from Tampa but aren’t we all a little interested in seeing how the USL version of the Chicago Cubs managed to go from lovable losers to a team worth keeping a close eye on? I know I am. Swope Park is not very good and St. Louis fans don’t like them so there’s a bit of spice involved in this one, too.