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USL Championship News & Notes | Week 18

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 07/06/22, 10:44AM EDT

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Kelly one appearance from all-time mark, Barry surges up scoring charts, Robinson returns to scoresheet after seven years


Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC's Dane Kelly could become the USL Championship's all-time regular season appearances leader on Wednesday night as the Hounds host Indy Eleven at Highmark Stadium. | Photo courtesy Mallory Neil / Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC

Welcome to this week’s edition of the USL Championship’s News & Notes, where this week one of the league’s all-time greats can claim the top spot in another category, the Championship’s assist king finally arrives at a notable milestone, and we look at the youngest player to have reached 20 regular-season goals in the league after Jake LaCava joined the club this weekend.

More on all of that, and a look at upcoming individual landmarks for players and the Week 18 Discipline Report.

NEWS AND NOTES

DANE KELLY SET FOR REGULAR SEASON APPEARANCES RECORD
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s Dane Kelly moved level with George Davis IV on 242 regular-season appearances in the USL Championship on Friday night as he came on as a substitute in the Hounds’ 3-0 victory against the New York Red Bulls II at MSU Soccer Park.

The Jamaican, who is already the Championship’s all-time leading goalscorer with 105 regular-season tallies, can now become the Championship’s all-time regular season appearances leader as early as Wednesday night when the Hounds play host to one of Kelly’s former clubs, Indy Eleven, at Highmark Stadium.

FOUR-GOAL SPREE SENDS BARRY INTO ALL-TIME GOALSCORING TOP THREE


Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC's Hadji Barry moved into a tie for third all-time in the USL Championship with 73 regular season goals in his career after scoring four times in the past two outings. | Photo courtesy Isaiah J. Downing / Colorado Springs Sw

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC forward Hadji Barry brought the fireworks over the Fourth of July weekend with four goals in two games against Sacramento Republic FC (Friday) and San Diego Loyal SC (Monday) to move to double-digit goals this season. The four tallies also moved the 2021 USL Championship Most Valuable Player and Golden Boot winner into a tie for third place all-time in the Championship’s regular season with 73 goals overall in his career.

The 29-year-old Guinean passed Championship legend Jorge Herrera, who now sits in fifth place all-time, and is now level with Louisville City FC’s Cameron Lancaster, whose single-season record of 25 regular season goals Barry equaled a season ago. Both Barry and Lancaster are one goal behind current Hartford Athletic forward Corey Hertzog on 74 goals as their teams enter this week’s action.

HALF-CENTURY UP FOR PITTSBURGH’S KENARDO FORBES

It took 10 games to arrive, but this past Friday night Kenardo Forbes became the first player in the USL Championship’s history to log 50 regular season assists as he delivered the helper on Alex Dixon’s opening goal in a 3-0 victory against the New York Red Bulls II.

Forbes has recorded five assists so far this season, one off the current league lead, but had been looking for his landmark helper since April 23, when he bagged a pair of assists against Atlanta United 2 at Highmark Stadium. Seventeen chances created, and 1.8 Expected Assists later, and he reached the mark. The 34-year-old now sits six assists ahead of his closest rivals for the all-time lead.

SECOND GOAL A LONG TIME COMING FOR LOUDOUN'S ROBINSON

Jalen Robinson’s goal for Loudoun United FC against FC Tulsa on Sunday night was just his second in the ULS Championship for his career. It also marked the longest number of days between goals in the league’s history, with the center back’s prior goal having come while on loan at the Richmond Kickers from D.C. United in the 2015 Championship season.

Robinson’s first goal came on March 28, 2015 against Wilmington Hammerheads FC in a 2-2 draw at Legion Stadium. 2,654 days later, his second arrived, ironically in another 2-2 draw as Loudoun and Tulsa ended all square. The mark broke the prior longest stretch that was held by Rodrigo Lopez, who had gone 1,835 days between goals in the league after spending five seasons in the top two tiers of Mexican soccer before returning to Sacramento Republic FC for the 2020 campaign.

Longest Stretch Between USL Championship Goals
Jalen Robinson – 2,654 days (March 28, 2015 – July 3, 2022)
Rodrigo Lopez – 1,835 days (Sept. 12, 2015 – Sept. 20, 2020)
Tarek Morad – 1,628 days (Oct. 14, 2017 – March 30, 2022)
Quinton Griffith – 1,583 days (June 7, 2013 – Oct. 7, 2017)
Sean Reynolds – 1,575 days (April 20, 2013 – August 12, 2017)
Bradley Kamdem Fewo – 1,469 days (June 3, 2017 – June 9, 2021)
Kai Greene – 1,459 days (Aug. 30, 2017 – Aug. 28, 2021)

TAMPA BAY’S LACAVA SIXTH-YOUNGEST TO 20 CHAMPIONSHIP GOALS

The Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Jake LaCava notched the second two-goal performance of his career in the USL Championship on Saturday night in the side’s 2-0 victory against Memphis 901 FC and in the process became the sixth-youngest player in the league’s history to reach 20 regular season goals.

LaCava – who joined the Rowdies on a season-long loan from the New York Red Bulls this preseason – has notched nine goals so far this campaign to lead Tampa Bay. The all-time leader remains current Louisville City FC forward Wilson Harris, who is currently the lone player to have reached the mark as a 20-year-old, with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Michee Ngalina almost among the top five.

Youngest Players to Reach 20 USL Championship Goals
1. Wilson Harris – 20 years, 276 days
2. Ethan Zubak – 21 years, 34 days
3. Marco Bustos – 21 years, 102 days
4. Jack McBean – 21 years, 142 days
5. Michee Ngalina – 21 years, 145 days
6. Jake LaCava – 21 years, 172 days
7. Ariel Lassiter – 21 years, 364 days
8. Michael Seaton – 22 years, 149 days
9. Junior Flemmings – 22 years, 187 days
10. Jordan Hamilton – 22 years, 197 days

Upcoming Player Milestones


Veteran center back Liam Doyle is set to make his 150th regular season appearance in the Championship when the LA Galaxy II visit San Diego Loyal SC on Saturday night. | Photo courtesy Christian Inoferio / Rio Grande Valley FC

Appearances
Approaching 150 regular-season appearances

AJ Cochran (IND) – 149
Liam Doyle (LA) – 149
Zach Carroll (MEM) – 148
Joey Calistri (PHX) – 147  

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Rodrigo da Costa (TUL) – 98
Sebastian Velasquez (ELP) – 97
Sean Okoli (OC) – 97
Jack Blake (SD) – 97
Joe Kuzminsky (CHS) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 15,000 regular-season minutes

Alex Dixon (PIT) – 14,930

Approaching 10,000 regular-season minutes
Chris Cortez (MB) – 9,861
Russell Cicerone (PIT) – 9,820
CJ Cochran (TBR) – 9,809
Karl Ouimette (DET) – 9,776
Kevon Lambert (PHX) – 9,770
Jack Metcalf (SD) – 9,755

Goals
Approaching 75 regular season goals

Corey Hertzog (HFD) – 74
Hadji Barry (COS) – 73
Cameron Lancaster (LOU) – 73

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Solomon Asante (IND) – 49
Kyle Murphy (MIA) – 48
Alex Dixon (PIT) – 48
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 48

Assists
Approaching 40 regular season assists

Antoine Hoppenot (DET) – 37

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

Saves
Approaching 300 regular season saves

Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 285

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Trey Muse (MEM) – 198
Eric Lopez (LA) – 196

Shutouts
Approaching 30 regular-season shutouts

Joe Kuzminsky (CHS) – 29
CJ Cochran (TBR) – 28
Kyle Morton (LOU) – 27 

Discipline Report – Week 18

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 18 of the 2022 USL Championship season:

San Diego Loyal SC’s Kyle Vassell and Orange County SC’s Ahmed Longmire have each been suspended for two games following their red cards for violent conduct during their clubs’ contest at Torero Stadium on June 30. Each player has served one game of their suspension this past weekend. Vassell will also be unavailable for selection in San Diego’s contest against the LA Galaxy II this Saturday night, while Longmire will be unavailable for selection in Orange County’s contest against Monterey Bay F.C. this Saturday night.

Orange County SC’s Michael Orozco has been suspended for one game following his red card for violent conduct, while Kevin Partida has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses during the club’s contest against Phoenix Rising FC on July 2. Both Orozco and Partida will be unavailable for selection in Orange County’s contest against Monterey Bay F.C. this Saturday night.

Oakland Roots SC’s Charlie Dennis has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against the LA Galaxy II on July 1. Dennis will be unavailable for selection in Oakland’s contest against Sacramento Republic FC this Saturday night.

Birmingham Legion FC’s Mikey Lopez and Head Coach Tom Soehn have each been suspended for one game following Lopez’s red card for two cautionable offenses and Soehn’s red card for abusive language on July 2 against Louisville City. Lopez will be unavailable for selection in Birmingham’s contest against Atlanta United 2 on Wednesday night, during which contest Soehn will also serve his suspension.

El Paso Locomotive FC’s Ricardo Zacarias has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Atlanta United 2 on July 2. Zacarias will be unavailable for selection in El Paso’s contest against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday night.

Indy Eleven’s Manuel Arteaga has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Miami FC on July 2. Arteaga will be unavailable for selection in Indy’s contest against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Wednesday night.

Memphis 901 FC’s Lucas Turci has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on July 2. Turci be unavailable for selection as Memphis plays host to Phoenix Rising FC on Saturday night.

El Paso Locomotive FC’s Yuma was suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Rio Grande Valley FC on June 29. Yuma served his suspension during El Paso’s contest against Atlanta United 2 on July 2 and will be available for selection when Locomotive FC faces Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday night.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Beverly Makangila was suspended for one game for caution accumulation following his eighth caution of the season on July 1 against Sacramento Republic FC. Makangila served his suspension when Colorado Springs played host to San Diego Loyal SC on July 4 and will be available for selection against El Paso Locomotive 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:

  • Hartford Athletic (1): Younes Boudadi

  • LA Galaxy II (1): Liam Doyle

  • San Antonio FC (1): Mitchell Taintor

  • FC Tulsa (1): Gabriel Torres

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