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USL Championship News & Notes | Week 28

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 09/14/22, 12:50PM EDT

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Asante notches first three-assist game of 2022, Iloski becomes youngest to bag 20-goal season, and more


Indy Eleven's Solomon Asante recorded the second three-assist game of his USL Championship career on Saturday night, and the first of the 2022 season. | Photo courtesy Trevor Ruszkowski / Indy Eleven

Welcome to the USL Championship’s News & Notes, where this week we look back at another notable performance by a two-time MVP, a record-setting season for the current Championship Golden Boot leader, and the USL numbers behind the United States Men’s National Team squad set to be in action later this month.

More on all of that, and your usual look ahead to upcoming individual player landmarks across the league and the Week 28 Discipline Report. 

NEWS AND NOTES

SOLOMON ASANTE NOTCHES SECOND THREE-ASSIST PERFORMANCE, FIRST OF 2022 SEASON

Indy Eleven forward Solomon Asante recorded the first three-assist performance of the 2022 USL Championship season on Saturday night in his side’s 4-3 victory against Birmingham Legion FC. It marked the second time the two-time Championship MVP had recorded three assists in a single game in his career following his three-assist game against the LA Galaxy II on July 17, 2021.

Asante is the third player in the USL Championship’s history to record three assists in a game twice in his career, joining former FC Cincinnati winger Emmanuel Ledesma and former OKC Energy FC midfielder Jose Barril. Ledesma is currently the lone player to record two three-assist games in a season, accomplishing the feat in 2018 when he was voted USL Championship MVP.

Overall, a three-assist game has now occurred 25 times in the Championship’s history dating back to the start of the 2014 season, making it a much rarer feat than a hat trick historically.

ORANGE COUNTY’S MILAN ILOSKI YOUNGEST 20-GOAL SCORER IN CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

Orange County SC’s Milan Iloski recorded his 20th goal of the regular season on Saturday night to send his side to a 1-0 victory against the LA Galaxy II at a sold-out Championship Soccer Stadium in Irvine, Calif., and in doing so became the youngest player to record a 20-goal season in the league’s history.

Iloski reached the mark aged 23 years, 43 days old, surpassing the mark set by former North Carolina FC forward Daniel Rios, currently of Major League Soccer’s Charlotte FC. Rios recorded his 20th goal of the season in a two-goal performance on the final day of the regular season in the 2018 USL Championship season aged 23 years, 233 days old.

Youngest Players to Record 20 goals in a USL Championship Regular Season
1. Milan Iloski, Orange County SC (2022) – 23 years, 43 days
2. Daniel Rios, North Carolina FC (2018) – 23 years, 233 days
3. Kevin Molino, Orlando City SC (2014) – 24 years, 80 days
4. Cameron Lancaster, Louisville City FC (2018) – 25 years, 321 days
5. Matt Fondy, Louisville City FC (2015) – 26 years, 36 days

ROWDIES’ REMARKABLE STREAK COMES TO CONCLUSION

For more than four years, when the Tampa Bay Rowdies scored the opening goal in the USL Championship, it meant a positive result was on the way. On Saturday night in the Rowdies’ 2-1 loss to the Charleston Battery – which saw Sebastian Guenzatti equal the club’s all-time goalscoring record with his 60th tally for the club in the third minute – a streak of 73 games without defeat when scoring first came to an end as the Battery rallied for victory behind a pair of goals by Andrew Booth.

The Rowdies had last lost after scoring first in a USL Championship game on June 22, 2018 against the Harrisburg City Islanders, a game in which current Tampa Bay forward Lucky Mkosana scored twice for the visitors in a 2-1 win after Leon Taylor had opened the scoring for the Rowdies at Al Lang Stadium.

RIO GRANDE VALLEY FC’S CHRISTIAN PINZON REACHES FIVE-GAME SCORING STREAK

Rio Grande Valley FC’s Christian Pinzon scored in a fifth consecutive game on Saturday night in the Toros’ 3-1 victory against New Mexico United, and in doing so equaled the longest scoring streak in the USL Championship this season. Pinzon’s run matches those of Oakland Roots SC’s Ottar Magnus Karlsson, who had goals in five consecutive games between May 7 and June 1, and the Charleston Battery’s Augustine Williams, who scored in five consecutive games between July 16 and August 12 previously this season.

The 24-year-old – acquired by the Toros midseason from Club Deportivo Tapatio, the second team of Chivas de Guadalajara – will continue a pursuit of the Championship record of eight consecutive games with a goal set by Hadji Barry in the 2018 season with Sporting Kansas City II on Saturday night when Rio Grande Valley FC hosts Barry’s current club, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, at H-E-B Park.

11 USL CHAMPIONSHIP, LEAGUE ONE AND LEAGUE TWO ALUMNI NAMED IN USMNT SQUAD


Current United States Men's National Team players Matt Turner, Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams and Sam Vines all made more than 20 appearances in the USL Championship at the start of their professional careers.

Eleven alumni of the USL Championship, League One and League Two were named in the United States Men’s National Team squad announced by Head Coach Greg Berhalter on Wednesday morning. The side is set to face Japan at the Düsseldorf Arena in Düsseldorf, Germany on Sept. 23, and Saudi Arabia at the Estadio Nueva Condomina in Murcia, Spain on Sept. 27.

Among the inclusions are 2016 USL Championship Final winners Tyler Adams and Aaron Long, who was voted the 2016 USL Championship Defender of the Year, and 2019 USL League One title winner and All-League selection Ricardo Pepi. Overall, the players selected accumulated 263 combined appearances across the Championship, League One and League Two, and 19,991 minutes of action.

USL Championship Club Games Minutes Goals Assists Shutouts Saves
Tyler Adams New York Red Bulls II 29 2,092 0 1    
Matt Turner Richmond Kickers 27 2,428 0 0 7 81
Brenden Aaronson Bethlehem Steel FC 21 1,082 1 5    
Jesus Ferreira FC Tulsa 14 964 6 2    
Sam Vines Charlotte Independence 29 2,303 0 4    
Aaron Long New York Red Bulls II 60 4,550 5 2    
  Totals 180 13,419 12 14 7 81
               
USL League One              
Ricardo Pepi North Texas SC 13 1,094 13 1    
  Totals 13 1,094 13 1    
               
USL League Two              
Matt Turner Jersey Express 25 2,160 0 0 7 119
Aaron Long FC Tucson 17 958 3 4    
DeAndre Yedlin Sounders U-23 16 1,440 1 1    
Sean Johnson Atlanta Blackhawks 6 540 0 0 0 35
Jordan Morris Sounders U-23 4 315 1 0    
Josh Sargent Saint Louis FC U23 2 65 1 0    
  Totals 70 5,478 6 5 7 154

 

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances

Lewis Hilton (TBR) – 197

Approaching 150 regular-season appearances
Conor Donovan (SAC) – 149
Mikey Lopez (BHM) – 149
Paco Craig (MIA) – 148
Russell Cicerone (PIT) – 148
Wes Charpie (LOU) – 147

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Robbie Mertz (PIT) – 99
Sam Hamilton (NM) – 98
Alex Crognale (BHM) – 98
Joe Kuzminsky (CHS) – 97
Jake Areman (TBR) – 97
Adrian Diz Pe (TUL) – 97
Laurent Kissiedou (MEM) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 15,000 regular-season minutes
Justin Portillo (NM) – 14,957
Lebo Moloto (TUL) – 14,900
Kyle Greig (TBR) – 14,816
Lewis Hilton (TBR) – 14,752
Mitchell Taintor (SA) – 14,740

Approaching 10,000 regular-season minutes
Matt LaGrassa (SAC) – 9,944
Chris Cortez (MB) – 9,929
Thomas Vancaeyezeele (TBR) – 9,905
Sebastian Guenzatti (TBR) – 9,801
Matt Sheldon (CHS) – 9,796

Goals
Approaching 75 regular season goals

Cameron Lancaster (LOU) – 73

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Christian Volesky (MB) – 49
Alex Dixon (PIT) – 48
Chris Wehan (NM) – 48
Lucky Mkosana (TBR) – 47

Assists
Approaching 30 regular season assists

Oscar Jimenez (LOU) – 29
Lewis Hilton (TBR) – 28
Leo Fernandes (TBR) – 28
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 27
Justin Portillo (NM) – 27

Saves
Approaching 250 regular season saves

Jeff Caldwell (COS) – 243

Shutouts
Approaching 60 regular-season shutouts

Evan Newton (ELP) – 58

Approaching 40 regular-season shutouts
Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 38
Alex Tambakis (NM) – 38

Approaching 30 regular-season shutouts
Joe Kuzminsky (CHS) – 29
CJ Cochran (TBR) – 29

Discipline Report – Week 28

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 28 of the 2022 USL Championship season:

The LA Galaxy II’s Carlos Harvey has been suspended for three games following his red card for violent conduct against Orange County SC on September 10. Harvey will be unavailable for selection in the Galaxy II’s contests against El Paso Locomotive FC this Sunday, Sacramento Republic FC on October 2, and New Mexico United on October 5.

The LA Galaxy II’s Preston Judd has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Orange County SC on September 10. Judd will be unavailable for selection in the Galaxy II’s contest against El Paso Locomotive FC this Sunday.

The New York Red Bulls II’s Michael Knapp has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Miami FC on September 9. Knapp will be unavailable for selection in New York’s contest against Monterey Bay F.C. this Saturday.

FC Tulsa’s Adrian Diz Pe has been suspended for two games for caution accumulation following his 11th yellow card of the season against Hartford Athletic on September 10. Diz Pe will be unavailable for selection in Tulsa’s contests against Detroit City FC on September 24, and Indy Eleven on October 1.

The Charleston Battery’s Romario Piggott has been suspended for two games for caution accumulation following his 11th yellow card of the season against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on September 10. Piggott will be unavailable for selection in Charleston’s contests against Memphis 901 FC this Friday, and Rio Grande Valley FC on September 23.

Birmingham Legion FC’s Marlon has been suspended for one game for caution accumulation following his eighth yellow card of the season against Indy Eleven on September 10. Marlon will be unavailable for selection in Birmingham’s contest against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Wednesday night.

Phoenix Rising FC’s Joe Farrell has been suspended for one game for caution accumulation following his eighth yellow card of the season against Oakland Roots SC on September 10. Farrell will be unavailable for selection in Phoenix’s contest against San Diego Loyal SC on Saturday night.

FC Tulsa’s Noah Powder has been suspended for one game for caution accumulation following his eighth yellow card of the season against Hartford Athletic on September 10. Powder will be unavailable for selection in Tulsa’s contest against Detroit City FC on September 24.

The LA Galaxy II’s Jalen Neal was suspended for one game following his red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity against Hartford Athletic on September 5. Neal served his suspension during the Galaxy II’s contest against Orange County SC on September 10.

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:

  • Birmingham Legion FC (1): Enzo Martinez

  • Charleston Battery (1): Preston Kilwien

  • Indy Eleven (1): Jesus Vazquez

  • LA Galaxy II (1): Remi Cabral

  • New York Red Bulls II (1): Curtis Ofori

  • Orange County SC (2): Ian Hoffmann, Milan Iloski

  • Rio Grande Valley FC (1): Erik Pimentel

  • Sacramento Republic FC (1): Luis Felipe Fernandes

  • San Diego Loyal SC (2): Kyle Adams, Alejandro Guido

The following players enter the upcoming matches one caution away from a yellow card accumulation suspension for their 11th yellow card of the season. Here is the breakdown per club:

  • El Paso Locomotive FC (1): Eder Borelli

  • Hartford Athletic (1): Younes Boudadi

  • Phoenix Rising FC (1): Kevon Lambert

  • Sacramento Republic FC (1): Rodrigo Lopez

  • San Antonio FC (1): Mitchell Taintor

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