This weekend’s action in the USL Championship’s Western Conference gives us a Mountain Division showcase on Friday night before the Pacific Division rolls into action on Saturday and Sunday night. Here are five things to look for over the next three days. 

RISING FC LOOKING FORWARD TO CHARLOTTE TRIP

Phoenix Rising FC makes its second and final trip to the East Coast this regular season on Saturday night as it heads to face the Charlotte Independence (7 p.m. ET | ESPN+), and after having opened its own new facility to start the 2021 USL Championship campaign the side is looking forward to being the visitor at one of the other two new facilities to open in the league this season.

The role of marquee attraction is one Phoenix is looking forward to playing. While the Independence officially opened the newly-renovated $41 million American Legion Memorial Stadium on Wednesday night before a crowd of just over 4,000 fans against the New York Red Bulls II, the club is expecting a large crowd for its first Saturday night contest at its new home in downtown Charlotte. That should provide a great atmosphere as the side led by Championship all-time leading scorer Dane Kelly takes on Rising FC and two-time league MVP Solomon Asante.

“For us, it's awesome,” said Phoenix Head Coach Rick Schantz. “We love that kind of environment. We embrace it. We have to embrace the expectations of being good and being champions. This is the kind of the environment we want to go into and show a little bit better than we did in [Tampa Bay], make sure we're ready, and try to get three points.”

NEW MEXICO HOME WITH SOMETHING TO PROVE

What was arguably more frustrating for New Mexico United than falling in all three games of its most recent road trip was the fact that in all three games, the side held a halftime lead that went by the wayside in losses to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Real Monarchs SLC and El Paso Locomotive FC in a nine-day span. Now set to face the Switchbacks for the third time this season on Friday night as the side returns to Isotopes Park (9:30 p.m. ET | ESPN+), the team is looking to get back on track and return to the Mountain Division’s playoff positions.

“After three games that we were winning, we ended up losing, you know guys aren’t too happy right now,” New Mexico forward Devon Sandoval told local media this week. “When you have the lead it kind of comes down to mentality, especially when you are on the road, but with that said, I really do like the energy. You know, we have something to prove.”

While the side conceded eight goals over its three defeats after posting three shutouts in its prior three games, a focus for New Mexico on Friday night and in next Monday’s game against the Charleston Battery could be to get into more dangerous areas consistently in the attacking third. So far this season, 39.8 percent of New Mexico’s shots have come from outside the penalty area, while the side has recorded as many goals from outside the box as inside at seven apiece. That’s been good for the club’s highlight reel but has also meant the attack has posted the fifth-lowest Expected Goals mark in the league this season at 10.51xG, a drop in xG/90 minutes from the 2020 season.

LOWRY LOOKING FOR ANOTHER LOCOMOTIVE FC STREAK

After seeing his side’s 18-game undefeated regular-season streak come to an end against Rio Grande Valley FC on June 30, El Paso Locomotive FC Head Coach Mark Lowry was pleased with the way the side rebounded to take a 2-1 victory against New Mexico United last Saturday night at Southwest University Park. Now Lowry is looking for the team to start building another undefeated run as it heads to face Real Monarchs SLC on Friday night at Zions Bank Stadium (10 p.m. ET | ESPN+) in the second meeting between the clubs this season.

“We have to go there and start another win streak,” Lowry told KTSM’s Andy Morgan this week. “This game has to be the start of another 18-game unbeaten streak. We lost one and it happens to the best of teams, but the best teams don’t lose often. It’s a case of getting the win [against New Mexico United] and going on another unbeaten run if we want to be the team we want to be at the end of the season. It started with New Mexico, now it’s onto the Monarchs to get a result there.”

Getting a result on the road at the Monarchs has been standard practice for El Paso during the regular season. Locomotive FC is 3-0-1 at Zions Bank Stadium in the regular season after a 2-1 win on June 18 in their first visit this season, although the visitors had to work late to hold on for all three points after a late red card to Bryam Rebellon in that outing. With a win, though, El Paso would move level on points with Mountain Division leader Rio Grande Valley while still holding two games in hand.

SACRAMENTO LOOKING FOR ATTACKING BREAKTHROUGH 

Sacramento Republic FC dominated its second meeting with Oakland Roots SC on Wednesday night at Heart Health Park, outshooting its visitors 19-2 and holding a 1.51xG to 0.07xG advantage in Expected Goals. Unfortunately for Head Coach Mark Briggs and his side, that didn’t translate to three points as Republic FC was held to a 0-0 draw that extended its winless streak to eight games.

“We need a bounce, we need an ugly goal, we need something to bounce for us,” said Briggs after Wednesday’s game. “All of a sudden that changes everything. Right now, things aren't quite bouncing to the right place or we're not quite making the right decision, and that will come with confidence. So, we've just got to build on what's happened tonight, build on the clean sheet, build on the performance and build on the fact that we were by far the better team and continue to move forward.”

Finding that breakthrough and the confidence that would come with it could be a tall order on Saturday night as Republic FC plays host to Orange County SC (11 p.m. ET | ESPN+). Orange County is on a seven-game undefeated streak that has moved the side into second place in the Pacific Division. That streak began with a 3-1 win against Sacramento on June 5, and while OCSC is coming off a scoreless draw of its own against Tacoma Defiance on Tuesday night the side has been stellar on the road this season, going 3-0-1 after losing to Tacoma in its opening game of the season on May 16.

LAS VEGAS HAS OPPORTUNITY IN OAKLAND

Things were not looking great for Las Vegas Lights FC after it suffered defeat in its first four games of the regular season, but the inconsistency that’s been present below the top three in the Pacific Division so far has seen the improvement from Head Coach Steve Cherundolo’s side lead to an opening to be in the middle of the postseason battle as it heads to face Oakland Roots SC on Saturday night at Las Positas College (10 p.m. ET | ESPN+).

With a win, Las Vegas would move into fourth place in the Pacific standings ahead of Sunday night’s game between the LA Galaxy II and Tacoma Defiance, both of which sit two points ahead of Lights FC going into the weekend. Las Vegas is not only coming off victory against Tacoma last Saturday night at Cashman Field, but also took victory in its last road trip as it defeated Los Dos behind a pair of goals by Christian Torres. With Oakland currently struggling for attacking form, an early breakthrough for the visitors could put Lights FC in a very good spot as it completes the opening third of its season.