The USL Championship enters Week 8 of the regular season on Wednesday night with an intriguing doubleheader in the Western Conference, where San Antonio FC hosts Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on CBS Sports Network at 8:30 p.m. ET before Monterey Bay FC visits New Mexico United for a top-three showdown on CBS Sports Golazo Network at 9 p.m. ET.

Ahead of the two games, we’ve got one question for each club.

1. Can San Antonio FC Rebound With Mitchell Taintor?

To be sure, it’s a small sample size seven games into the season, but the numbers for San Antonio FC defensively when Mitchell Taintor is on the field and when he’s absent are pretty glaring. In the club’s four-game winning streak to start the season, it averaged conceding 0.7 goals per 90 minutes when Taintor was on the field. In the two games since then, that average has doubled to 1.4 goals per 90, resulting in the two defeats the side has suffered.

The good news for San Antonio? Taintor is off the injury report for Wednesday night’s game, meaning he can resume his tandem with Alex Crognale at the center of defense. As SAFC looks to break a three-game losing streak across all competitions, it could be the boost the side needs to get back on track.

2. Can Justin Dhillon Continue His Goal Contributions Streak?

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC came into the season looking to figure out who its No. 9 was going to be. So far, veteran forward Justin Dhillon has fit the bill with four goals and one assist in six appearances since being introduced into the starting lineup. That’s put him on course for his best single-season performance since his lone double-digit scoring season for Tacoma Defiance in 2019.

Dhillon is currently on a four-game goal-contributions streak coming into Wednesday night after his assist against El Paso Locomotive FC this past Saturday. That’s one shy of his career-high, achieved twice previously with the Defiance in 2019 and more recently with San Antonio FC in 2022. As he returns to Toyota Field, he’ll be eager to make an impact.

3. Can New Mexico Make an Early Impact?

There’s no side in the USL Championship that has valued possession more than New Mexico United this season. Since the arrival of Head Coach Dennis Sanchez this offseason, the numbers have even trended up from a season ago, when the club was already one of the most ball-dominant teams in the league, moving to a 64.2 percent average possession mark this season.

Despite that, New Mexico has needed to be attritional to get results. It has scored only once in the first half so far this season, with five of its seven goals in league play coming in the final half-hour and stoppage time. The side has also recorded only 45 shots and 16 shots on target, tied for third-fewest in the league in both categories. Going up against a Monterey Bay FC defense that’s been solid this season, getting an early jump could be important with the chance to move into first place at hand.

4. Can Monterey Bay Regain Its Attacking Jump?

There’s very little to complain about for Monterey Bay FC as it enters Week 8 of the campaign. The side is top of the Western Conference and has tied the club’s longest undefeated streak in USL Championship play at six games as it heads to New Mexico. Where the side has dropped off in recent weeks, however, is in front of goal, where it’s recorded only two tallies in the past three games and played to a pair of scoreless draws in that span.

Monterey Bay broke out with four consecutive games with at least three goals across the league and Open Cup to help establish its current position in the standings, and it’s been among the most active teams in the Championship in its overall numbers with 75 shots and 27 shots on target while ranking fifth in the league with an 8.86 Expected Goals mark. If it can find its attacking jump at Isotopes Park – where it’s lost all three of its prior visits in league play – then it has a great chance to solidify its spot at the top of the West.