With the USL Championship Playoffs coming into view, this weekend in the Eastern Conference brings one of the biggest rivalries in the league back into the spotlight in addition to a collection of games that will help shape the race for the postseason. Here are five storylines to follow on Saturday night.

LOUCITY HEADS TO INDY MOTIVATED BY EARLY SEASON RESULTS

For the past three seasons, the Louisville Indianapolis Proximity Association Football Contest has been a pretty one-sided affair, with Louisville City FC having held the upper hand over Indy Eleven including winning three out of four meetings a season ago. Despite the current position of both clubs in the standings this season, where LouCity sits on top of the Central Division and Indy currently sits in sixth place in the middle of a high-pressure postseason battle, the series between the two rivals has flipped this year with Indy taking four points out of six in two visits to Lynn Family Stadium early this season.

That – and the need to get back on a winning track during an arduous road trip over the remainder of September – is providing the motivation for Louisville as it heads to Michael A. Carroll Stadium on Saturday night for the first of two late-season meeting at Indy’s home venue.

“The main thing for us is just our mentality,” said LouCity midfielder Brian Ownby. “We know how big of a game this is for us. We use this for motivation, the points we slipped to them early. We want to get back on track. We’ve only won one of the last five and this is an excellent opportunity for us to do that.”

Saturday will see LouCity’s second visit to Carroll Stadium, with the lone prior meeting at the venue having been a memorable one in the Eastern Conference Final of the 2019 USL Championship Playoffs, when Antoine Hoppenot’s stoppage-time equalizer sent the game to extra time before LouCity claimed a 3-1 victory. The visitors will be hoping for a similar result – if maybe a little less drama – this time around.

CENTER OF PARK KEY FOR INDEPENDENCE AS HOUNDS VISIT

The Charlotte Independence will pay tribute to the 1981 American Soccer League title-winners the Carolina Lightnin’ on Saturday night, celebrating the 40th anniversary of the club’s championship season which was played at the Independence’s new home of American Legion Memorial Stadium. While currently fourth in the Championship’s Atlantic Division, the Independence have title aspirations of their own that will get another litmus test from the visiting Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, who are second in the division and coming off a big 5-0 victory last time out against Loudoun United FC.

The Independence have won two out of the three previous meetings between the sides this season, however, with all three having ended in 1-0 results either way, including Charlotte’s victory when the sides most recently squared off on August 14 at Memorial Stadium. Charlotte’s defensive gameplan limiting the Hounds’ play through the center of the field carried the day that night, and how that matchup influences the way both sides go into Saturday’s game adds a level of intrigue for two sides that offer strong balance throughout their respective lineups.

“I thought the execution was excellent, probably better than the game plan,” said Jeffries after their last meeting. “We went in and wanted to be really compressed defensively. The times we’ve had trouble, we become stretched out and vulnerable to pressure. Tonight, I thought we did a good job of keeping on our blocks. We did a really good job of not allowing them to play through the middle of midfield.”

ENERGY FC NEEDS BOOST AGAINST BIRMINGHAM

The midweek draw between Atlanta United 2 and the Charleston Battery kept OKC Energy FC above the playoff line in the Central Division going into this weekend’s action, but the fourth-placed side is going to have to reverse the result of its first two meetings with Birmingham Legion FC this year as it heads to BBVA Field after suffering one-goal defeats in each of the first two meetings between the sides on Saturday night.

The second of those defeats – a 2-1 loss at Taft Stadium on June 12 – marked the conclusion of John Pascaralla’s tenure as Head Coach, though, and since that eight-game winless streak to start the campaign OKC has shown improvement under interim Head Coach Leigh Veidman, going 7-4-5 after last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Louisville City FC. That turnaround could prove key as OKC looks to keep the pressure on its rivals vying for a postseason spot with a result on the road.

“Every team in this division is very good,” said Veidman. “Every game is going to be difficult, especially when you go away. Birmingham is a very difficult team to play against at their place, so we’ll have to be on top of our game. Attacking, defending, transitions, we have to be on top of it. We know when we’re on top of our game, we are a very difficult team to play against. We have no doubts we can go there and get three points, we just have to be at our best.”

BATTERY AIMING FOR FIRST VICTORY IN MIAMI

The Charleston Battery fell off the pace currently being set by the Charlotte Independence for the fourth and final playoff place in the Atlantic Division after their 1-1 draw on Wednesday night with Atlanta United 2 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium, and now the side heads to face Miami FC on Saturday night looking for its first victory at FIU Stadium in four attempts having taken one draw and two defeats in its prior three visits over the past two seasons.

The Battery did take victory against Miami earlier this season on home turf, however, as Joel Bunting scored the winning goal at Patriots Point for his first in the professional ranks. In a season that has seen the side hit by injuries and more recently suspensions with DZ Harmon and Leland Archer each having missed recent games after red cards, Charleston Head Coach Mike Anhaeuser has been pleased with the way some of the club’s newer faces have stepped up. With a busy close to the season ahead, the experiences those players have gained is going to be essential as the Battery try to chase down their Southern Derby rival.

“It's a great thing for them, it shows a lot of their ability, getting used to playing the professional game and playing with all their teammates,” said Anhaeuser. “I can mention everybody, and they came into the game, and they did what they needed to. It shows that they've played some big minutes in a lot of games already and now it's starting to come to fruition.

“It's going to be important, especially when we have multiple games here, we've got a game Saturday and then we’ll come back on Wednesday. We're going to need all these players to step up and do a good thing for us if we're going to have success.”

ATLANTA POSES THREAT TO ROWDIES’ SHUTOUT STREAK

The Tampa Bay Rowdies will take aim at surpassing the USL Championship’s record for the longest shutout streak in league history on Saturday night, but it’s hosts in Atlanta United 2 at Fifth Third Bank Field could have what it takes to play spoiler with Tampa Bay 49 minutes from history. Atlanta has recorded goals in each of its past 10 outings, with July 17 marking the last time the side was shut out in a contest on the road against Louisville City FC.

Atlanta has been held scoreless only twice at home this season overall and has scored in the first half of three of its past four home contests after Wednesday’s 1-1 draw against the Charleston Battery saw Jackson Conway strike inside the opening 15 minutes. With the hosts in their own battle to claim a place in the USL Championship Playoffs, the Rowdies could need to weather a strong start by Atlanta as they look to write their names into the league’s history book.