The opening weekend of the 2022 USL Championship history delivered a landmark moment for the league’s all-time leading goalscorer, a single-day first for the league’s goalkeepers, and a level of home dominance we’ve not seen on an opening weekend before.

Here’s a look around the Championship this week, including upcoming potential landmarks for the league’s players, and the weekly discipline report.

NEWS AND NOTES

DANE KELLY’S CENTURY – BY THE NUMBERS

Dane Kelly became the first player in the USL Championship’s history to record 100 regular season goals as he found the net on his debut for Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday in a 3-0 win against Memphis 901 FC. Here are some numbers to know upon the Jamaican’s arrival at the century mark.

229 – Dane Kelly has made 229 regular season appearances in the USL Championship, with Riverhounds SC the seventh club he has suited up for in the league. Kelly has previously competed for the Charleston Battery, Sporting Kansas City II, Reno 1868 FC, Richmond Kickers, Indy Eleven, and the Charlotte Independence.

149.9 – Kelly’s 100 goals in the Championship’s regular season have come at a strike rate of a goal every 149.9 minutes, with the 31-year-old having scored for every club he has played for in the league.

39 – Kelly has scored against 39 different teams in his Championship career, with his six goals against former club Sporting Kansas City II the most against an individual opponent. Kelly has also scored five goals against eight different teams, including current club Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC.

18 – Kelly’s single-season high in the Championship is 18 goals for Reno 1868 FC during the 2017 Championship season, which saw him win the league’s MVP award and Golden Boot. Kelly’s goals helped Reno record 75 goals in the regular season, which was at the time a single-season record.

4 – Kelly’s four hat tricks are the most by any individual player in the Championship’s regular season. In 2017, he also achieved the rare feat of scoring a hat trick in consecutive contests against Phoenix Rising FC (5/6/17) and Tacoma Defiance (5/20/17).

CHAMPIONSHIP GOALKEEPERS ON THE SPOT
Four different USL Championship goalkeepers recorded penalty kick saves on the opening day of the 2022 season, matching the total for the most penalty saves in a single day since records are available. Four penalty kick saves had occurred twice previously going back to the start of the 2017 season.

Indy Eleven’s Elliot Panicco, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s Chase Vosvick, Detroit City FC’s Nathan Steinwascher and Sacramento Republic FC’s Carlos Saldana all made penalty saves for their respective clubs, marking the first time four different goalkeepers had saved a penalty kick on the same day since records were available.

In the most recent prior instance on August 5, 2018, Phoenix Rising FC’s Carl Woszczynski recorded a pair of penalty saves in a 4-1 victory against the Portland Timbers 2, while Louisville City FC’s Greg Ranjitsingh and Indy Eleven’s Owain Fon Williams both saved penalties in a 2-2 draw between the LIPAFC rivals at Slugger Field.

Prior to that, four penalty kick saves had also occurred on August 6, 2017 when Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Moise Pouaty registered a pair of stops in a 4-1 win against the Portland Timbers 2, Sporting Kansas City II’s Darrin MacLeod recorded a penalty save in a 0-0 draw against Saint Louis FC, and Orlando City B’s Earl Edwards Jr. recorded a penalty save in a 2-2 draw against FC Cincinnati.

EARLY MARK ON THE SCORESHEET

More than half the goals scored in the opening weekend of the USL Championship season – 15 of 29 – were recorded by players making their debuts for new clubs, with Monterey Bay F.C.’s Seku Conneh writing his name into the club’s record book as the first goalscorer in MBFC’s history against Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday night.

Six of the goals were game-winners, including those scored by the Charleston Battery’s Augustine Williams, Louisville City FC’s Wilson Harris, and San Antonio FC’s Fabien Garcia in 1-0 victories for their respective clubs.

2022 USL Championship Club Debut Goals on Opening Weekend
Birmingham Legion FC – Marlon
Charleston Battery – Augustine Williams*
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – Malik Johnson*
El Paso Locomotive FC – Emmanuel Sonupe
Louisville City FC – Wilson Harris*
Miami FC – Mark Segbers
Monterey Bay FC – Seku Conneh, Adrian Rebollar
New Mexico United – Neco Brett
Orange County SC – Milan Iloski
Phoenix Rising FC – Greg Hurst
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – Dane Kelly*
Sacramento Republic FC – Douglas Martinez Jr.*, Keko
San Antonio FC – Fabien Garcia*
San Diego Loyal SC – Thomas Amang

* - Game-Winning Goal

CHAMPIONSHIP’S ASSIST LEADERS GO HEAD-TO-HEAD

The USL Championship’s all-time regular season assist leaders are set to go head-to-head on Saturday night as Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and Kenardo Forbes host Hartford Athletic and Danny Barrera in the home opener for the Hounds at Highmark Stadium.

Forbes holds a one-assist lead going into the contest with 45 regular-season assists to Barrera’s 44 over their careers so far. Barrera closed the gap a season ago, winning the USL Championship’s Assist Champion award for the first time in his career with 12 helpers, with Phoenix Rising FC’s Aodhan Quinn sitting in third place all-time after registering his 42nd assist against Monterey Bay F.C. this past Saturday.

Championship All-Time Regular Season Assists Leaders
1. Kenardo Forbes (PIT) – 45
2. Danny Barrera (HFD) – 44
3. Aodhan Quinn (PHX) – 42
4. Solomon Asante – 41
5. Maikel Chang – 38

CLUBS TAKE HOMEFIELD ADVANTAGE
Home teams in the USL Championship dominated the opening weekend of the season, with the 11 victories out of 13 contests the most in Week 1 of a league campaign in the Championship’s history. Only Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (3-0 win at Memphis 901 FC) and the Tampa Bay Rowdies (1-1 draw at Birmingham Legion FC) claimed points on the road in a departure from prior opening weekend slates.

Since the USL Championship’s expansion to double-digit contests in the opening week of the season in 2016, the previous high was set in 2018 when home teams recorded an 8-4-2 record. Two seasons ago – prior to the staggered opening to the 2021 campaign – home teams won only four times in 16 contests overall.

Home Club Records, Full Opening Weekends of a Championship Season
2022 – 11-1-1
2020 – 4-8-4
2019 – 6-4-7
2018 – 8-4-2
2017 – 5-6-2
2016 – 6-6-1

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Paolo DelPiccolo (LOU) – 197
Kenardo Forbes (PIT) – 196

Approaching 150 regular-season appearances
Mitchell Taintor (SA) – 149
Phanuel Kavita (BHM) – 149
Neco Brett (NM) – 147
Chris Cortez (MB) – 147
Kyle Murphy (MIA) – 147

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Amadou Dia (LOU) – 99
Jimmy Ockford (COS) – 98
CJ Cochran (TBR) – 98
Sean McFarlane (MIA) – 98
Jose Hernandez (OAK) – 98
Tobi Adewole (IND) – 97
Noah Powder (IND) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 15,000 regular-season minutes
Dane Kelly (PIT) – 14,985

Approaching 10,000 regular-season minutes                      
Hadji Barry (COS) – 9,895
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 9,883
Christian Volesky (MB) – 9,859
Andre Lewis (HFD) – 9,853

Goals
Approaching 75 regular-season goals
Cameron Lancaster (LOU) – 71

Assists
Approaching 30 regular-season assists
Chris Wehan (NM) – 29
Lebo Moloto (TUL) – 29
Santi Moar (PHX) – 28
Oscar Jimenez (LOU) – 28

Saves
Approaching 250 regular-season saves
Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 247

Approaching 200 regular-season saves
Jeff Caldwell (COS) – 188

Shutouts
Approaching 30 regular-season shutouts
Joe Kuzminsky (CHS) – 29
Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 27

Approaching 20 regular-season shutouts
Connor Sparrow (MIA) – 19

Discipline Report – Week 2

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 2 of the 2022 USL Championship season:

The USL Championship announced on Wednesday the second yellow card issued to midfielder Rodrigo da Costa in the club’s March 12 contest against the Charleston Battery had been successfully appealed by FC Tulsa following a review by the Independent Review Panel.

As a result, da Costa will now be available for selection in FC Tulsa’s home opener this Saturday as the club hosts Birmingham Legion FC at ONEOK Field at 8:30 p.m. ET. 

Indy Eleven’s Alex McQueen has been suspended for one game following his red card for violent conduct against Loudoun United FC on March 12. McQueen will serve his suspension during Indy’s contest against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday.

The LA Galaxy II’s Remi Cabral has been suspended for one game following his red card for serious foul play against San Diego Loyal SC on March 12. Cabral will serve his suspension during the Galaxy II’s contest against San Antonio FC on Saturday.

Memphis 901 FC’s Graham Smith has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on March 12. Smith will be unavailable for Memphis’ contest against Oakland Roots SC on Saturday.