NEWS & NOTES

TAMPA BAY ROWDIES’ LEO FERNANDES JOINS TWO ELITE LISTS
The Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Leo Fernandes recorded his first goal of the 2025 USL Championship season on Saturday night in his side’s 2-2 draw against Birmingham Legion FC, with his first-half penalty kick marking his 40th goal in the Championship’s regular season in the Rowdies’ colors.

The 2022 Championship Player of the Year became the 11th player to record at least 40 regular season goals for one club in the league’s history, and the second to do so for Tampa Bay following former teammate Sebastian Guenzatti. 

Players with 40 goals for one club in the USL Championship Regular Season (2011-present)
1. Cameron Lancaster, Louisville City FC – 75
2. Sebastian Guenzatti, Tampa Bay Rowdies – 59
3. Cameron Iwasa, Sacramento Republic FC – 57
4. Solomon Asante, Phoenix Rising FC – 49
5. Enzo Martinez, Charlotte Independence – 44
T-6. Wilson Harris, Louisville City FC – 43
T-6. Jorge Herrera, Charlotte Independence – 43
T-8. Dane Kelly, Charleston Battery – 42
T-8. Matthew Delicate, Richmond Kickers – 42
10. Hadji Barry, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC – 41

11. Leo Fernandes, Tampa Bay Rowdies – 40

Fernandes’ 40-goal landmark also placed him in an elite group of only three players who have recorded at least 40 goals and 30 assists for one club in the league’s regular season, placing him alongside Solomon Asante (Phoenix Rising FC) and Enzo Martinez (Charlotte Independence).

Players with 40 goals, 30 assists for one club in the USL Championship Regular Season (2011-present)
1. Solomon Asante, Phoenix Rising FC – 49 goals, 41 assists (90 goal contributions)
2. Enzo Martinez, Charlotte Independence – 44 goals, 30 assists (73 goal contributions)
3. Leo Fernandes, Tampa Bay Rowdies – 40 goals, 32 assists (72 goal contributions)

LOUISVILLE CITY WITHIN A WIN OF EQUALING REGULAR SEASON HOME WINNING STREAK MARK

Louisville City FC claimed the inaugural edition of the Commonwealth Cup last Thursday night with a 2-0 victory against Lexington SC at Lynn Family Stadium. The victory marked the 12th home regular season victory in a row for LouCity dating to the club’s 2-1 victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on July 19, 2024, one shy of the all-time home winning streak record set by Orlando City SC when it recorded 13 consecutive wins in the 2014 regular season.

Louisville City has gone 19-1-0 in the Championship’s regular season at home since the start of the 2024 season, recording 64 goals – an average of 3.2 per game. It can equal Orlando’s mark this Saturday night when it hosts Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC at 7:30 p.m. ET (CBS Sports Golazo Network).

Most Consecutive Home Victories in the USL Championship Regular Season
1. Orlando City SC – 13 games, 2014
T-2. Phoenix Rising FC – 12 games, 2019
T-2. Louisville City FC – 12 games, 2024-25*
T-4. Indy Eleven – 11 games, 2019-20
T-4 Real Monarchs SLC – 11 games, 2018
6. New Mexico United – 10 games, 2023-24

* - active streak

EL PASO LOCOMOTIVE’S ANDY CABRERA NOTCHES CLUB’S FIRST HAT TRICK

El Paso Locomotive FC forward Andy Cabrera notched his first hat trick in the professional ranks this past Saturday to lead his side to a 3-0 victory against Derby Del Camino Real rival New Mexico United. The performance marked the first hat trick in the rivalry series and the first in Locomotive’s history, coming in the club’s 192nd regular season contest in the USL Championship.

Cabrera became the 115th player to record a hat trick in the Championship’s regular season, with only recent arrival Lexington SC and Oakland Roots SC yet to have seen a player record a hat trick in the Championship’s regular season during their time in the league.

Quick Hits

- The Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Endri Mustali became the third-youngest player to record a goal contribution for the club in the USL Championship with his assist on Pacifique Niyongabire’s equalizer against Birmingham Legion FC on Saturday night, aged 17 years, 330 days old. Only Tate Johnson (17 years, 90 days) and Nate Worth (17 years, 152 days) were younger when recording their first goal contribution for the club.

- The Charleston Battery’s Juan David Torres recorded eight shots in his two-goal, one-assist performance against Hartford Athletic this past Saturday, equaling his mark for the most shots by an individual player in the USL Championship in the current regular season. Torres also recorded eight shots against Louisville City FC on March 8.

- The Charleston Battery’s Cal Jennings has recorded a goal contribution in six consecutive league games following his goal against Hartford Athletic this past Saturday. Jennings has recorded six goals and one assist in that span, dating to his two-goal performance against Rhode Island FC on March 15.

- Detroit City FC’s Connor Rutz scored the fastest goal in the USL Championship this season with his tally after 82 seconds against Indy Eleven this past Saturday.

- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s current run of 15 consecutive games with a goal in the USL Championship – including finding the net in all eight games of the current regular season – is the longest such streak in the club’s history.

- Las Vegas Lights FC’s 0.2 Expected Goals mark in its 1-0 victory against Loudoun United FC this past Saturday was the fifth-lowest for a side that claimed victory on record in the USL Championship’s regular season. The Lights also hold the second-lowest rank at 0.1xG from a 1-0 win against Rio Grande Valley FC on July 17, 2022 when the side was outshot 27-3.

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 150 regular season appearances
Sam Gleadle (LOU) – 148
Florian Valot (LDN) – 147
Danny Griffin (PIT) – 147

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Mohamed Traore (PHX) – 99
Christian Herrera (COS) – 99
Jake Rufe (BHM) – 99
Bryce Washington (NC) – 98
Ronaldo Damus (BHM) – 97

Minutes
Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Alex Crognale (SA) – 14,947
Forrest Lasso (TBR) – 14,861
Mark Segbers (CHS) – 14,743

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Ben Ofeimu (IND) – 9,958
Grant Stoneman (RI) – 9,930
Drew Skundrich (LDN) – 9,893
Maxi Rodriguez (RI) – 9,834
Sam Gleadle (LOU) – 9,764
Manuel Arteaga (TBR) – 9,743
Romario Williams (IND) – 9,665
Sergio Rivas (NM) – 9,628
Patrick Seagrist (TUL) – 9,623

Goals
Approaching 80 regular season goals
Augustine Williams (PIT) – 77
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 76

Approaching 50 regular season goals
Phillip Goodrum (LOU) – 49
Justin Dhillon (COS) – 48
Manuel Arteaga (TBR) – 47

Approaching 40 regular season goals
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 39
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 38
Ethan Zubak (OC) – 37
Dariusz Formella (PHX) – 37
Justin Portillo (SAC) – 37
Tyler Pasher (BHM) – 37

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

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 29
Cam Lindley (IND) – 28
Robbie Mertz (PIT) – 27  

Saves
Approaching 500 regular season saves
Matt VanOekel (BHM) – 491

Approaching 300 regular season saves
Jake McGuire (NC) – 293
Christian Herrera (COS) – 291

Approaching 250 regular season saves
Hugo Fauroux (LDN) – 248

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Eric Dick (PIT) – 196

Shutouts
Approaching 50 regular season shutouts
Matt Van Oekel (BHM) – 48
Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 47

Discipline Report – Week 10

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 10 of the 2025 USL Championship season:

Lexington SC’s Forster Ajago has been suspended for two games following his red card for violent conduct against Louisville City FC on May 1. Ajago will be unavailable for selection in Lexington’s contests against Loudoun United FC on Saturday night and FC Tulsa on Sunday, May 18.

FC Tulsa’s Taylor Calheira has been suspended for one game following the upgrade of his yellow card against Orange County SC on May 3 to a red card by the League Disciplinary Committee. Calheira will be unavailable for selection in Tulsa’s contest against El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday night.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Abraham Romero has been suspended for one game following his red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity against Phoenix Rising FC on May 3. Romero will be unavailable for selection in Colorado Springs’ contest against Las Vegas Lights FC on Saturday night.

Indy Eleven’s Hayden White has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Detroit City FC on May 3. White will be unavailable for selection in Indy’s contest against Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday night.