NEWS & NOTES

HARTFORD’S MICHEE NGALINA REACHES 40-GOAL MARK IN REGULAR SEASON
Hartford Athletic’s Michee Ngalina scored the 40th goal of his career in the USL Championship’s regular season this past Saturday night in the club’s 2-1 victory against Las Vegas Lights FC at Trinity Health Stadium.

Reaching the mark aged 24 years, 133 days old, the 2022 USL Championship Young Player of the Year is the third-youngest player to reach the mark in the league’s regular season history. Ngalina ranks below current Louisville City FC star Wilson Harris and 2022 Championship Golden Boot winner Milan Iloski, currently of Danish SuperLiga club FC Nordsjaelland.

Youngest Player to Record 40 Regular Season Goals in the USL Championship
1. Wilson Harris – 22 years, 311 days
2. Milan Iloski – 24 years, 63 days
3. Michee Ngalina – 24 years, 133 days
4. Dane Kelly – 24 years, 160 days
5. Junior Flemmings – 24 years, 182 days
6. Daniel Ríos – 24 years, 239 days
7. Augustine Williams – 24 years, 305 days

LOUISVILLE CITY FC MOVES INTO TOP FIVE IN HOME SINGLE-SEASON SCORING LIST

Louisville City FC moved into the top five for single-season goals at home in the USL Championship’s history following its 3-1 victory against the Charleston Battery this past Saturday night at Lynn Family Stadium. LouCity has recorded 44 goals in 12 home league games, an average of 3.67 goals per game, putting the side on course to comfortably break the single-season record of 51 goals set by Phoenix Rising FC in 2019.

Most Goals at Home in a USL Championship Regular Season
1. Phoenix Rising FC (2019) – 51 goals / 17 games
2. New York Red Bulls II (2018) – 49 goals / 17 games
3. Real Monarchs SLC (2019) – 47 goals / 17 games
4. Louisville City FC (2024) – 44 goals / 12 games*
T-5. New York Red Bulls II (2019) – 42 goals / 17 games
T-5. Reno 1868 FC (2017) – 42 goals / 16 games

• READ MORE: How Louisville City FC can rewrite the USL Championship Record Book

REPUBLIC FC’S NICK ROSS VS. THE WOODWORK

Sacramento Republic FC midfielder Nick Ross became only the fourth player to hit the woodwork at least three times in a USL Championship regular season contest since start of the 2017 season last Wednesday night in Republic FC’s 2-0 victory against El Paso Locomotive FC.

Ross was the first player to do so since Omar Gordon for Austin Bold FC against Real Monarchs SLC on October 15, 2021. The single-game record of four instances of hitting the woodwork in a single game is held by former Canadian international Carl Haworth, who did so for Ottawa Fury FC against the Philadelphia Union II on May 25, 2018.

Most Hit Woodwork by a Player in a USL Championship Regular Season Contest
4 – Carl Haworth, Ottawa Fury FC – vs. Philadelphia Union II, May 25, 2018
3 – Nick Ross, Sacramento Republic FC – vs. El Paso Locomotive FC, August 14, 2024
3 – Omar Gordon, Austin Bold FC – at Real Monarchs SLC, October 15, 2021
3 – Lebo Moloto, Sporting Kansas City II – vs. Tacoma Defiance, October 11, 2017

RHODE ISLAND FC APPROACHES RECORD FOR DRAWS IN A REGULAR SEASON

Rhode Island FC recorded a late equalizer to earn a 1-1 draw against Oakland Roots SC this past Saturday night at Beirne Stadium. The result was the 12th draw of the campaign for the first-year club, which places it two off the USL Championship’s single-season record for tied contests.

Five teams have previously recorded 14 draws in a single campaign, with San Antonio FC the most recent to do so a season ago. Rhode Island’s seven home draws are also two off the record for the most drawn home games in a season of nine, which is held solely by San Antonio’s 2023 squad.

Most Drawn Games in a single USL Championship Regular Season
T-1. San Antonio FC (2023) – 14
T-1. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (2018) – 14
T-1. Charleston Battery (2018) – 14
T-1. Rio Grande Valley FC (2018) – 14
T-1. Ottawa Fury FC (2017) – 14
T-6. – Nine teams tied on 13 draws

Quick Hits

- Rhode Island FC’s Albert Dikwa became the 29th player to reach 50 regular season goals in the USL Championship’s history in his side’s 1-1 draw against Oakland Roots SC this past Saturday. Dikwa reached the mark in his 169 regular season appearance.

- Sacramento Republic FC’s Jared Timmer recorded his first goal in the USL Championship last Wednesday night against El Paso Locomotive FC. The goal came in Timmer’s 129th regular season appearance in the league.

- Detroit City FC’s Brett Levis scored his ninth goal in the USL Championship’s regular season last Friday night in Le Rouge’s 1-0 victory against Birmingham Legion FC. The goal was Levis’ first in the Championship since July 29, 2016 for Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, a span of 2,940 days.

- New Mexico United moved to 4 of 9 from the penalty spot this season when Greg Hurst’s penalty kick was saved against FC Tulsa last Wednesday night. The club’s five missed penalty kicks are one shy of equaling the record for the most missed penalties in a single season of six, set by the Portland Timbers 2 in 2019 when the side went 8 of 14 from the spot.

- Orange County SC was held scoreless for a fourth consecutive contest this past Saturday in a 1-0 defeat to El Paso Locomotive FC, extending the club’s scoreless streak to 362 minutes. The streak is the longest in club history since a 414-minute scoreless streak between July 19 and August 8, 2014.

- Miami FC suffered its eighth consecutive defeat last Wednesday night against Memphis 901 FC, the longest such streak since the club joined the USL Championship. It is now one defeat shy of equaling the longest losing streak in the league a season ago, when Hartford Athletic suffered nine consecutive losses between August 5 and September 30

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 198
James Musa (IND) – 196
Wes Charpie (LOU) – 196

Approaching 150 regular season appearances
Adrián Diz Pe (IND) – 149
Leland Archer (CHS) – 148
Thomas Vancaeyezeele (HFD) – 146

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Renzo Zambrano (PHX) – 99
Jack Gurr (SAC) – 99
Andre Fortune (LV) – 99
Nick Moon (TBR) – 98
Derek Dodson (BHM) – 98
Abdoulaye Diop (DET) – 97
Juan Carlos Azócar (PHX) – 97
Nanan Houssou (NM) – 97
Alex Lara (MB) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular season minutes
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 19,977
Justin Portillo (SAC) – 19,976

Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Wes Charpie (LOU) – 14,792
Sebastian Guenzatti (IND) – 14,712
Charlie Adams (LV) – 14,680

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Florian Valot (LDN) – 9,955
Jordan Farr (TBR) – 9,907
Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 9,720

Goals
Approaching 60 regular season goals
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 59
Romario Williams (IND) – 58

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Frank López (MIA) – 49

Approaching 40 regular season goals
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 39
Leo Fernandes (TBR) – 38
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 38
JJ Williams (RI) – 37
Justin Portillo (SAC) – 37
Tyler Pasher (BHM) – 37

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 48
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 46
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 46

Approaching 40 regular season assists
Christiano Francois (LDN) – 39

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 29
Jorge Hernández (SA) – 29
Cam Lindley (IND) – 28
Florian Valot (LDN) – 28

Saves
Approaching 600 regular season saves
Alex Tambakis (NM) – 594

Approaching 450 regular season saves
Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 445

Approaching 300 regular season saves
Jordan Farr (TBR) – 285

Approaching 250 regular season saves
Jake McGuire (NC) – 245
Tomás Gómez (OC) – 236

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Antony Siaha (MB) – 195

Shutouts
Approaching 50 regular season shutouts
Alex Tambakis (NM) – 49

Approaching 40 regular season shutouts
Tomás Gómez (OC) – 38

Approaching 30 regular season shutouts
Nate Steinwascher (DET) – 27

Discipline Report – Week 25

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 25 of the 2024 USL Championship season:

Oakland Roots SC’s Neveal Hackshaw has been suspended for one game following his red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity against Rhode Island FC on August 17. Hackshaw will be unavailable for selection in Oakland’s contest against Memphis 901 FC on Saturday night.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Blake Bodily has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Loudoun United FC on August 17. Bodily will be unavailable for selection in Tampa Bay’s contest against Detroit City FC on Wednesday night.

Orange County SC’s Kyle Scott has been suspended for one game for caution accumulation following his eighth yellow card of the season against El Paso Locomotive FC on August 17. Scott will serve his suspension in Orange County’s contest against the Charleston Battery on Saturday night.

Birmingham Legion FC assistant coach Braeden Cloutier has been suspended for one game for leaving the technical area to dissent a match official during the side’s contest against Detroit City FC on August 16. Cloutier will serve the suspension during Birmingham’s contest against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC on Saturday.

Louisville City FC’s Phillip Goodrum is no longer on caution accumulation warning after receiving a good behavior credit following his third consecutive game without a yellow card against the Charleston Battery on August 17.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s Illal Osumanu is no longer on caution accumulation warning after receiving a good behavior credit following his third consecutive game without a yellow card against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on August 17.

Hartford Athletic Head Coach Brendan Burke is no longer on caution accumulation warning after receiving a good behavior credit following his third consecutive game without a yellow card against Las Vegas Lights FC on August 17.

The following players enter the upcoming matches one caution away from their eighth yellow card of the season and a one-game suspension for caution accumulation.

Here is the breakdown per club:

• Indy Eleven (1): Callum Chapman-Page

• Las Vegas Lights FC (1): Gennaro Nigro

• Memphis 901 FC (1): Marlon Santos

• North Carolina FC (1): Lamar Batista

• San Antonio FC (2): Mitchell Taintor, Kevon Lambert

• FC Tulsa (1): Edwin Lazso