Welcome back to our weekly look around the USL Championship, where in the past week one of the league's all-time greats continued to rise up the regular-season assists chart and alongside two of his standout contemporaries, and El Paso Locomotive FC's Diego Abarca made club history while also writing an entry into the USL Championship's Record Book with his first professional goal. 

More on that, a rarity for Louisville City FC, the end of the longest scoring streak in the Championship so far this season, as well as the usual upcoming individual landmarks and Week 14 Discipline Report. 

NEWS AND NOTES

SOLOMON ASANTE MOVES INTO TIE FOR SECOND IN ASSISTS
Recent Indy Eleven signing Solomon Asante moved into a tie for second place in the USL Championship’s regular season with 44 assists in his career on Saturday after a two-assist performance against the Charleston Battery at Patriots Point. Asante is now tied with Hartford Athletic’s Danny Barrera and Phoenix Rising FC’s Aodhan Quinn – last season a teammate of Asante – with the trio each sitting five assists behind all-time leader Kenardo Forbes of Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on 49.

USL Championship All-Time Regular Season Assists Leaders
1. Kenardo Forbes (PIT) – 49*
T-2. Solomon Asante (IND) – 44*
T-2. Danny Barrera (HFD) – 44*
T-2. Aodhan Quinn (PHX) – 44*
5. Maikel Chang – 38

* - active player

LOUCITY LAYS GOOSE EGG IN TAMPA BAY
Louisville City FC became the 10th team to fail to record an official shot on goal in a game in the USL Championship this season on Sunday night against the Tampa Bay Rowdies, with the side recording only five shots officially in the contest at Al Lang Stadium. It marked the first time since the USL Championship partnered with Opta prior to the 2017 season that LouCity had failed to register a shot on target across the regular season and playoffs in a game, with the club’s five shots tying for the second-fewest in a game in that span after a three-shot outing – all of which were on target – against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on September 15, 2018.

The Rowdies, meanwhile, became the second team this season to hold two separate opponents without an official shot on target, joining El Paso Locomotive FC. Tampa Bay had previously held Atlanta United 2 without an official shot on goal during their meeting on March 23 at Fifth Third Bank Stadium.

Teams to Register No Shots on Target in a Contest (2022 Season)
Oakland Roots SC – at Rio Grande Valley FC, 3-12-22
Atlanta United 2 – vs. New York Red Bulls II, 3-16-22
Atlanta United 2 – vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies, 3-23-22
Loudoun United FC – at Miami FC, 3-26-22
Monterey Bay F.C. – at El Paso Locomotive FC, 4-9-22
Atlanta United 2 – vs. Detroit City FC, 4-9-22
Birmingham Legion FC – at Pittsburgh Riverhounds, 5-7-22
LA Galaxy II – at Memphis 901 FC, 5-18-22
Sacramento Republic FC – at El Paso Locomotive FC, 5-18-22
Louisville City FC – at Tampa Bay Rowdies, 6-5-22

EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE FC’S DIEGO ABARCA JOINS YOUNGEST GOALSCORER LIST

El Paso Locomotive FC’s Diego Abarca became the youngest goalscorer in El Paso Locomotive FC history, the second-youngest goalscorer in the USL Championship this season, and slotted in at No. 30 on the league’s all-time list for youngest regular season goalscorer as he recorded his first professional goal aged 16 years, 11 months, 16 days against Hartford Athletic on Saturday night at Southwest University Park.

The goal trailed only the New York Red Bulls II’s Illia Tyrkus for the youngest goalscorer in the Championship this season, with the May Goal of the Month winner’s first professional goal coming at the age of 16 years, 9 months, 14 days old against Hartford Athletic on May 14.

Abarca’s standout finish also gained national attention, ranking No. 8 on ESPN’s SportsCenter on Saturday night, while ranking No. 1 on ESPN’s Futbol Americas weekend countdown on Monday night.

OAKLAND’S OTTAR MAGNUS KARLSSON’S SCORING STREAK ENDS AT FIVE GAMES
Oakland Roots SC’s Ottar Magnus Karlsson saw a five-game scoring streak come to an end on Saturday night in his side’s 2-0 victory on the road against Monterey Bay F.C., bringing to a close the longest streak of the season so far. The Icelandic forward recorded six goals across the five games for Roots SC, and in the process took sole possession of the league lead with 10 goals so far this season.

INDY’S MANUEL ARTEAGA SETS UP SHOOTING GALLERY

Indy Eleven’s Manuel Arteaga recorded the club’s first hat trick since joining the USL Championship this past Saturday against the Charleston Battery and equaled the second-highest total of individual shots on goal in a match on record in the process. The Venezuelan recorded six shots on target overall against the Battery, sitting two back of the all-time record of eight shots on target set by Corey Hertzog for Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC against the Philadelphia Union II on August 26, 2017 at Highmark Stadium.

Most Individual Shots on Target, Single Regular Season Game (2017-Present)
1. Corey Hertzog – 8 for Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC vs. Philadelphia Union II, 8-26-17
T-2. Manuel Arteaga – 6 for Indy Eleven at Charleston Battery, 6-4-22
T-2. Djiby Fall – 6 for FC Cincinnati vs. Saint Louis FC, 4-15-16
T-2. Donovan Ewolo – 6 for North Carolina FC at Atlanta United 2, 9-21-18
T-2. Russell Cicerone – 6 for Saint Louis FC vs. Miami FC, 3-7-20
T-2. Amando Moreno – 6 for New Mexico United at Real Monarchs SLC, 9-11-20
T-2. Michee Ngalina – 6 for Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Tacoma Defiance, 6-16-21
T-2. Devon Sandoval – 6 for New Mexico United vs. Charleston Battery, 7-12-21
T-2. Enzo Martinez – 6 for Charlotte Independence at Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, 7-4-17
T-2. Kevaughn Frater – 6 for Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Portland Timbers 2, 8-5-17
T-2. Axel Picazo – 6 for Philadelphia Union II at Loudoun United FC, 9-12-20

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Alex Dixon (PIT) – 199

Approaching 150 regular-season appearances
Santi Moar (PHX) – 149
Kai Greene (MB) – 148
Seth Casiple (OC) – 148
Kalen Ryden (NM) – 147

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 99
Albert Dikwa (PIT) – 99
Shannon Gomez (SA) – 98
Will Seymore (NM) – 98
Joe Kuzminsky (CHS) – 97
Dominic Oduro (CHS) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 15,000 regular-season minutes
Yann Ekra (TBR) – 14,938

Approaching 10,000 regular-season minutes
Duke Lacroix (SAC) – 9,971
Mikey Lopez (BHM) – 9,847
Chris Cortez (MB) – 9,784

Goals
Approaching 75 regular-season goals
Corey Hertzog (HFD) – 74
Cameron Lancaster (LOU) – 73

Approaching 50 regular-season goals
Solomon Asante (IND) – 49
Kyle Murphy (MIA) – 47
Alex Dixon (PIT) – 47

Assists
Approaching 50 regular-season assists
Kenardo Forbes (PIT) – 49

Approaching 40 regular-season assists
Antoine Hoppenot (DET) – 37

Approaching 30 regular-season assists
Santi Moar (PHX) – 29
Corey Hertzog (HFD) – 29
Oscar Jimenez (LOU) – 29
Alex Dixon (PIT) – 29

Saves
Approaching 250 regular-season saves
Connor Sparrow (MIA) – 248

Approaching 200 regular-season saves
Trey Muse (MEM) – 190

Shutouts
Approaching 30 regular-season shutouts
Joe Kuzminsky (CHS) – 29
Kyle Morton (LOU) – 27

Discipline Report – Week 14

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 14 of the 2022 USL Championship season:

Rio Grande Valley FC’s Jose Francisco Torres has been suspended for one game following his red card for violent conduct against the LA Galaxy II on June 4. Torres will be unavailable for selection in Rio Grande Valley’s contest against Oakland Roots SC on Saturday night.

San Antonio FC’s Fabien Garcia has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Sacramento Republic FC on June 4. Garcia will be unavailable for selection in San Antonio’s contest against Monterey Bay F.C. on Saturday night.

The LA Galaxy II’s Preston Judd has been suspended following his eighth caution of the season against Rio Grande Valley FC on June 4. Judd will be unavailable for selection in the Galaxy II’s contest against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday night.

El Paso Locomotive FC’s Eder Borelli has been suspended following his eighth caution of the season against Hartford Athletic on June 4. Borelli will be unavailable for selection in El Paso’s contest against Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday night.

The following players enter the upcoming matches one caution away from a yellow card accumulation suspension for their eighth yellow card of the season. Here is the breakdown per club:

• Las Vegas Lights FC (1): Alex Lara

• Sacramento Republic FC (1): Rodrigo Lopez