What’s better – and rarer – than a goalkeeper goal?

Not much you can expect in a professional soccer game, honestly. In this week’s edition of the USL Championship’s News & Notes we’ll take a look at Colin Shutler’s remarkable achievement for Orange County SC on Saturday night and the trend it continued along the way.

We’ve also got details on a major landmark for Birmingham Legion FC goalkeeper Matt VanOekel, the players who have scored goals for the most clubs in the USL Championship’s history, and how Trevor Amann’s made his presence felt in his USL Championship and Sacramento Republic FC debut.

We’ve also got our regular look at upcoming landmarks for players across the Championship, and the Discipline Report ahead of Week 2 of the regular season.

Let’s dive in.

NEWS & NOTES

ORANGE COUNTY’S SHUTLER JOINS RARE GROUP

Orange County SC goalkeeper Colin Shutler became just the third goalkeeper to record a goal in a USL Championship contest on Saturday night as his headed finish provided the equalizer for the side in the sixth minute of second-half stoppage time in a 2-2 draw against Sacramento Republic FC.

Shutler’s goal placed him alongside Neal Kitson of the Rochester Rhinos and Joe Kuzminsky of the Charleston Battery as the two prior goalkeepers to have found the net. All three were stoppage-time equalizers on the road for their respective clubs, with Kitson’s goal in the second minute of stoppage time against Antigua Barracuda FC on June 5, 2011 earning the Rhinos a 2-2 draw, and Kuzminsky’s goal in the fifth minute of stoppage time against Loudoun United FC on May 28, 2022 earning the Battery a 1-1 draw.

Goalkeepers Goals in USL Championship History
Colin Shutler, Orange County SC – at Sacramento Republic FC, 3/9/24
Joe Kuzminsky, Charleston Battery – at Loudoun United FC, 5/28/22
Neal Kitson, Rochester Rhinos – at Antigua Barracuda FC, 6/5/11

REPUBLIC FC’S TREVOR AMANN HAS BRACING DEBUT
Sacramento Republic FC’s Trevor Amann bagged a brace in his USL Championship debut on Saturday night in his side’s 2-2 draw with Orange County SC, making him the first player to move up from USL League One to score twice in his debut in the second tier.

Amann is the second player to have recorded two goals in his Republic FC debut following Thomas Enevoldsen, who scored twice against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on August 17, 2019 following a midseason transfer from Indy Eleven. Amann is also the first player to record a brace on their USL Championship debut since Bruno Lapa, who scored twice for Birmingham Legion FC against Memphis 901 FC on July 15, 2020.

BIRMINGHAM’S VANOEKEL REACHES 400-SAVE LANDMARK

Birmingham Legion FC’s Matt VanOekel became only the fourth goalkeeper to reach 400 regular-season saves in the USL Championship’s history on Saturday night as his eight-save shutout helped Legion earn a 1-0 victory against defending USL Championship title holder Phoenix Rising FC. The Legion original now sits on 401 regular season saves for his career. The eight-save performance also matched an individual single-game high in the Championship for his career.

VanOekel’s shutout against Phoenix also moved him into a tie for third all-time alongside 2015 USL Championship Goalkeeper of the Year Brandon Miller with 43 in his regular season career. The 37-year-old remains the fourth-eldest goalkeeper to have recorded a shutout in the league’s history, with Saturday’s clean sheet coming aged 37 years, 5 months, 18 days old, but that places him less than a month younger than the current holder of the No. 3 mark in former Nashville SC goalkeeper Matt Pickens at 37 years, 6 months and 14 days old.

WELL-TRAVELED WILLIAMS ADDS TO CAREER TALLY

Romario Williams scored on his debut for Hartford Athletic on Saturday night to lead the side to victory against El Paso Locomotive FC at Southwest University Park. The goal marked the sixth club the Jamaican international has scored for in the Championship overall since his first in the league for the Charleston Battery in March, 2016.

Only five players have scored for more clubs in the USL Championship than Williams during their career, with current Loudoun United FC winger Christiano Francois currently holding the league record having scored for eight different clubs. Francois could add to his tally after arriving at Loudoun this offseason, as could Williams’ new teammate Marcus Epps, who has scored for seven different teams during his career so far.

Most Clubs Scored for in a USL Championship Career
8 – Christiano Francois: El Paso Locomotive FC, Miami FC, Ottawa Fury FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Reno 1868 FC, Richmond Kickers, Rio Grande Valley FC, Rochester Rhinos

7 – Dane Kelly: Charleston Battery, Charlotte Independence, Indy Eleven, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Reno 1868 FC, Richmond Kickers, Sporting Kansas City II

7 – Corey Hertzog: Hartford Athletic, Orlando City SC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Reno 1868 FC, Saint Louis FC, San Diego Loyal SC, Wilmington Hammerheads FC

7 – Kyle Greig: FC Cincinnati, Louisville City FC, OKC Energy FC, Saint Louis FC, Tampa Bay Rowdies, Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, Wilmington Hammerheads FC

7 – Marcus Epps: New York Red Bulls II, Memphis 901 FC, Philadelphia Union II, Phoenix Rising FC, Portland Timbers 2, San Antonio FC, FC Tulsa

6 – Romario Williams: Atlanta United 2, Charleston Battery, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Hartford Athletic, Miami FC, New Mexico United

6 – Chandler Hoffman: Birmingham Legion FC, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, LA Galaxy II, Orange County SC, Harrisburg City Islanders, Real Monarchs SLC

6 – Christian Volesky: Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, Monterey Bay F.C., OKC Energy FC, Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, Rochester Rhinos, Saint Louis FC

Quick Hits
- Louisville City FC’s Wilson Harris will get his first chance this season to become the youngest player to record 50 regular season goals in the USL Championship’s history when LouCity visits El Paso Locomotive FC. The current mark is held by Jamaican international Junior Flemmings, who was 24 years, 8 months, 3 days old when he recorded his 50th regular season goal. Harris will be 24 years, 3 months, 17 days old on Saturday.

- Sacramento Republic FC extended its home opener undefeated streak to 10 games on Saturday night, the longest active streak in the Championship.

- Las Vegas Lights FC’s Valentin Nöel scored the first goal of the 2024 USL Championship season, the first time it has been recorded by a Lights player.

- Memphis 901 FC’s Neco Brett became the 37th player to reach 200 regular season appearances in the USL Championship when he came on as a second-half substitute against Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday afternoon.

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Seth Casiple (OC) – 197

Approaching 150 regular-season appearances
Matt Sheldon (DET) – 148
Will Seymore (NM) – 148
Albert Dikwa (RI) – 148
Kevon Lambert (SA) – 148
Tyler Pasher (BHM) – 147

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Yuma (ELP) – 99
Grant Stoneman (RI) – 99
Aedan Stanley (IND) – 99
Younes Boudadi (IND) – 99
Ben Ofeimu (MIA) – 99
Conor McGlynn (RI) – 98
Prince Saydee (RI) – 98
Harry Swartz (NM) – 98
Tommy McCabe (LDN) – 98
Maxi Rodriguez (DET) – 97
Enoch Mushagalusa (HFD) – 97
Deshane Beckford (HFD)

Minutes
Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Aaron Guillen (TBR) – 14,983

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Thomas Vancaeyezeele (HFD) – 9,995
Prosper Kasim (BHM) – 9,777
Robbie Mertz (PIT) – 9,734
Albert Dikwa (RI) – 9,613

Goals
Approaching 70 regular season goals
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 69
Augustine Williams (IND) – 66

Approaching 60 regular season goals
Romario Williams (HFD) – 57
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 56

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Wilson Harris (LOU) – 49
Rodrigo Da Costa (NC) – 47

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 46
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 46

Approaching 40 regular season assists
Christiano Francois (LDN) – 38

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 28
Rodrigo Da Costa (NC) – 28
Cam Lindley (IND) – 27

Saves
Approaching 300 regular season saves
Paul Blanchette (OAK) – 283
Kendall McIntosh (SA) – 278

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Christian Herrera (COS) – 199
Rocco Rios Novo (PHX) – 186
Nathan Steinwascher (DET) – 181 

Discipline Report – Week 2

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 2 of the 2024 USL Championship season:

Loudoun United FC’s Christiano Francois has been suspended for one game following his red card for violent conduct against San Antonio FC on March 9. Francois will be unavailable for selection in Loudoun’s contest against North Carolina FC this Saturday afternoon.