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USL eCup: Rocket League Edition – Matchday 4

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 04/06/20, 8:38PM EDT

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Loudoun, Omaha book places in knockout stage, Battery, Tacoma, STLFC earn second win

Loudoun United FC and Union Omaha booked their places in the knockout stage of the USL eCup: Rocket League Edition – and set up a showdown for top spot on Wednesday night – while the Charleston Battery, Tacoma Defiance and Saint Louis FC all took their second wins of the tournament in Monday’s action.

Group 1

Team

Game 1

Game 2

Match

Louisville City FC

5

4

2

North Carolina FC

0

0

0

LouCity’s Sean Totsch kept his side’s chances of reaching the knockout stage alive as his defensive strength shone through in a pair of shutout victories against North Carolina FC’s Ryan Jernigan (5-0, 4-0).

After being held scoreless in his first outing, Totsch came out strongly in Game 1 against NCFC, making a key early save to set up a counterattack that resulted in the opening goal after 36 seconds. A decisive victory on the following faceoff saw LouCity take a two-goal lead six seconds later, and from there Totsch’s defensive positioning set up further chances to seal the game.

Game 2 followed a similar pattern as LouCity pinned North Carolina back early before taking the lead 1:23 into the contest. NCFC had chances to get forward throughout the middle second of the contest, but was unable to equalize, and when Totsch scored with 53 seconds to go it began a run of three goals in the final minute that saw LouCity pull away for victory.

Team

Game 1

Game 2

Match

Tacoma Defiance

4

5

2

Reno 1868 FC

3

1

0

Tacoma Defiance’s Josh Atencio took control of the group as he edged to a pair of victories against Reno 1868 FC’s John Macaluso (4-3, 5-1). Tacoma struck first in Game 1 after 58 seconds, putting home a fine aerial finish, but that began a back-and-forth that saw Reno answer every time Tacoma regained the lead, including an equalizer with 30 seconds remaining. A crucial faceoff win on the ensuing play got the ball into Reno’s end, however, and Atencio was able to finish into the top-right corner to come away with the lead.

Tacoma took control of Game 2 with a well-executed finish nine seconds into the period, and when Atencio made it a four-goal lead just past the halfway mark it was always going to be a big ask for Macaluso to rally. 

Group 2

Team

Game 1

Game 2

Match

Austin Bold FC

8

13

2

South Georgia Tormenta FC

3

2

0

Austin Bold FC’s Michael Cerna got his side back on track and in with a chance at the knockout stage with a comprehensive victory (8-3, 13-2) against South Georgia Tormenta FC’s Daniel Jackson.

Bold FC took the lead in Game 1 with a beautiful chip from 40 yards after 23 seconds, and took a big hit just under two minutes while caroming a shot off the side wall that rebounded into the net for a three-goal lead. Tormenta FC threatened to make a game of it, pulling within a pair of goals on three occasions, but Austin dominated the final two minutes to secure the win.

Tormenta FC grabbed the early momentum in Game 2 as Jackson scored from the opening faceoff, but a run of three goals in 27 seconds around the one-minute quickly swung things Bold FC’s way, and from there Cerna didn’t look back as he socially distanced himself on the scoreboard. 

Team

Game 1

Game 2

Match

Charleston Battery

11

12

2

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC

0

1

0

The Charleston Battery’s Mauro Cichero posted a second consecutive dominant victory (11-0, 12-1) to move into sole possession of first place by defeating Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Dilland Wavra.

Charleston scored twice in the opening 17 seconds of Game 1, and reached five goals just 1:07 in, on the way to a shutout victory to open the series. That momentum carried on into Game 2, where the Battery claimed a three-goal advantage after 90 seconds and rocketed on to victory.

Group 5

Team

Game 1

Game 2

Match

Saint Louis FC

12

14

2

Richmond Kickers

2

0

0

Saint Louis FC’s Keith Mayfield passed the 40-goal plateau for the tournament with two impressive victories (12-2, 14-0) to take sole possession of first place in the group by defeating the Richmond Kickers’ Mike Dillon.

STLFC struck 19 seconds into Game 1 on a nice ball forward and controlled finish, and Mayfield’s eye for angles saw him quickly notch four times in the opening 1:05 of the contest to take control of the series. A thunderous challenge set the tone for Game 2, giving Saint Louis an open net to score into after 10 seconds, from there it proved another masterclass in finishing, giving STLFC a clear path to top spot on Wednesday evening.

Team

Game 1

Game 2

Match

North Texas SC

5

4

2

New York Red Bulls II

4

3

0

North Texas SC’s Jacob Walraven kept his side’s hopes of reaching the knockout stage intact, but it took a pair of one-goal victories – including some late-game heroics – to get past the New York Red Bulls II’s Preston Kilwien.

The teams exchanged the lead early in Game 1, but North Texas took a 3-2 lead as his centering feed off the right corner caught the right angle and slid into the bottom-left corner of the net. The Red Bulls II hit back with 1:57 to play on a perfect lobbed finish, but when a massive collision instigated by NTSC allowed Walraven to tap into an open goal with 70 seconds remaining, it proved decisive, even with New York pulling within a goal with 42 seconds to play.

Game 2 was just as dramatic with the Red Bulls II taking a three-goal lead inside the opening two minutes of the contest. Just as it looked like we might get our first Game 3 of the tournament, however, North Texas stormed back and tied the game with 1:28 remaining on a close-range finish. After a tense closing minute, however, NTSC completed its comeback with three seconds to go to secure its first win of the tournament.

Group 6

Team

Game 1

Game 2

Match

Loudoun United FC

6

6

2

Hartford Athletic

3

1

0

Loudoun United FC’s Brandon Williamson put in a solid shift to secure a place in the knockout stage of the USL eCup with victory (6-3, 6-1) against Hartford Athletic’s Damon Gray.

Loudoun struck early in Game 1, but it was a brilliant angled finish from the left side just under two minutes into the contest that saw United begin to find its rhythm and soon after take a three-goal lead. Hartford pulled one goal back, but Williamson quickly added two more to remain in control of the contest. United then took the Game 2 lead seven seconds in and ran out to a three-goal lead inside 90 seconds, a deficit that proved too much for the Athletic to recover from.

Team

Game 1

Game 2

Match

Union Omaha

20

14

2

OKC Energy FC

0

0

0

Union Omaha’s Wesley Mims made a big impression in his tournament debut, putting up 34 goals across two contests (20-0, 14-0) to secure Los Buhos their place in the Round of 16 by defeating OKC Energy FC’s Billy Walton.

Omaha took flight to the tune of six goals in the opening minute of Game 1, before cooling off a little in Game 2, but his victory set up a winner-takes-first matchup on Wednesday against Loudoun United FC in what should be a must-see contest.

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