USL Pro: Week 3 Observations

The USL Pro concluded their 4th week of play on Saturday. Bullet time:

• Richmond Defeats Battery: In a match with two candidates for the best team in the USL Pro, we had Charleston fall to Richmond 2-1. Charleston gained an early lead on a Levi Coleman header, but eventually the Kickers got the victory after goals from two subs, David Bulow and Shaka Bangura. Here's a video of Richmond's two goals.
• From Roberto Clemente Stadium to... Roberto Clemente Stadium?: This week we had the odd situation of the LA Blues playing two teams from Puerto Rico, in one stadium. Both Puerto Rico United and River Plate Puerto Rico are playing their home games in Roberto Clemente Stadium (a baseball stadium). The stadium is in Carolina, Puerto Rico and holds 12,500. The real home of these teams are a good ways away from Roberto Clemente Stadium, which causes the attendances to be, well awful. Puerto Rico United's home is in Aguada, around a 2 hour drive from Roberto Clemente, while River Plate's home is in Fajardo a 45 minute drive from their home stadium. Hopefully this problem with the Puerto Rican teams will be fixed in the next couple of months.
• FC New York and Charlotte both get their first points: Two teams that look to be bottom dwellers in this year's USL Pro both got their first point of the season, when they drew 0-0 at Charlotte Christian Stadium. Both teams desperately needed at least a point in this match, and in that sense they both succeeded, but obviously scoring is going to have to come if they want to find success. Neither team has scored a goal yet.
• Barracuda FC gets first win of the season: Stefan Smith, an Antigua native, helped the Barracudas to their first win of the season, by scoring two goals in a 3-2 victory over Sevilla FC Puerto Rico. A great story for the only Antiguan team in the USL Pro. Sir Vivian Richards Stadium was "jubilant" for the teams first ever win in league play.
• Rhinos Back on Track: Rochester won their first game of the season Saturday, 3-2 against the Dayton Dutch Lions. Goals from Alfonso Motagalvan, JC Banks, and Anthony Hamilton gave the Rhinos the win on another rainy night at Miami Valley South Stadium. Hopefully this doesn't become a trend, as the turf makes playing at Dayton on a rainy night quite a challenge.

Biggest Surprise: Puerto Rico United earns a draw at Orlando City.
This was the biggest surprise result, as Puerto Rico United still looks to be a bit of a mess, and hasn't won a match all year. You can increase the amount of surprise when you consider that United played the last 10 minutes or so with only 10 men. This one ended 2-2 with goals for City coming both from Max Griffin, and the two for United coming from Eduardo Silva and Christian Turizo. On a side note, Orlando continues to draw crowds of 7,000+. Good work.
Biggest Disappointment: Charlotte and FC New York Draw at 0-0
I expected Charlotte and FC New York both to at least put up a bit of a fight, but it looked like this was for the most part a snooze-fest. We have two teams that look to finish at the bottom of the table, and neither team can get a goal. Depending on how you look at it, it could be disappointing or what you expected, but for me it seems like we could have at least had a couple of balls put into the back of the net.
Player of the Week: Stefan Smith-Antigua Barracuda FC
Stefan Smith scored two goals in Barracuda FC's first league win in their history, earning him player of the week honors in my opinion. Smith scored two goals in the 19th and the 21st minute, giving the Barracuda's the lead after going down 1-0 early. It would have been easy for Antigua to fold up like a cheap tent, but Smith helped them keep steady and make the comeback.

If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog.@gmail.com

USL Pro Preview: International Division

The first year of the USL Pro will definitely be an interesting one. With the 15 team league being divided into 3 divisions, I will cover each one separately in the lead up to the first game on Saturday, April 2nd. First up, the International Division:

The International Division is the most intriguing of the 3. The teams include 3 in Puerto Rico, 1 in Antigua, and 1 in Los Angeles. This puts a lot of space between the teams, and long distance travel will be a factor for all five.

All of the teams have played out their preseason schedules, filled out their rosters, and prepared for the season. And here's how I think they will finish.

5: Puerto Rico United: It could be a long season for Puerto Rico United. The main weapon for United is 22 year old, Andrés Cabrero. He has scored 0 goals in 20 games at a professional level both in Puerto Rico and Serbia, but has scored 2 goals in 8 appearances for the Puerto Rico U20 National Team, as well as 1 goal in 10 appearances for the Senior Team. Colombian midfield Carlos Gutiérrez will be the leader of the team and will have to lead a team that doesn't look like it will be very successful.

4: Los Angeles Blues: The only team west of the Mississippi in the USL Pro, will have to overcome a lot of long distance travel this season. The Blues are brand new, and this will be their competitive debut. The team has a lot of young talent, especially on the attack. This includes 23 Jaime Chavez, who scored 21 goals in 31 appearances for Hollywood United in the PDL last year, as well as Israel Sesay who had 3 assists in 14 appearances for the United States U17 team from 2006-2008. The defense will be led by former Galaxy player Mike Randolph, and Welsh defender Gareth Evans.

3. Sevilla FC Puerto Rico: Sevilla FC will be playing a sixth season as club, and will be joining the USL Pro after playing in the Puerto Rico Soccer League. Forward Christopher Megaloudis, son of head coach Michael Megaloudis, will head the attack of Sevilla and has scored 5 goals in 9 appearances for the Puerto Rican National Team. Megaloudis had a short stint with MLS side, New York Red Bulls. Goalkeeper David Sierra is good, and was with the Real Madrid reserves for 6 years, and played in the lower divisions of Spain for many years.

2. Antigua Barracuda FC: I think that Antigua could be this year's surprise. Antigua's team is made up mostly of players on the Antigua and Barbuda National Team. Forward Peter Byers is a great addition to the team. He has scored 12 goals in 24 appearances for the National Team. He has experience at the top USL level, as he played with the Montreal Impact for 3 seasons, scoring 9 goals in 39 appearances. Tamorley Thomas who has scored 5 goals in 18 appearances for the Antigua and Barbuda National Team will also have to step up for the Barracudas. Captain George Dublin will have to play well on the back line to help brand new keeper, Miguel Baez.

1. River Plate Puerto Rico: River Plate seems to be the consensus for the champion of the International Division, and I have to agree. Cuban Julio César Maya Cruz will be a key to their offense, he scored 22 goals in 30 appearances for Sevilla FC Puerto Rico in the 2009 season. Veteran midfielder Petter Villegas will have to be a leader for the otherwise young team. They looked very good in a preseason win against the Puerto Rico Islanders, and could make a good run in the playoffs. They also played well in the Caribbean Football Union Club Championship and have a chance to be playing in the next edition of the CONCACAF Champions League.

If you need to contact me, e-mail me at SCSoccerblog@gmail.com.