USL Playoffs: Upsets Galore in Opening Round -

By Griffin Cappiello

Last weekend, the United Soccer League (USL) began the postseason for both the Championship and League One, the second and third division of American men’s club soccer, respectively.

On Saturday, #1 Louisville City FC hosted #8 Detroit City FC in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Devon Amoo-Mensah scored eleven minutes before halftime to give Detroit the lead, and they held on for the rest of the match to complete the biggest upset in USL Championship Playoffs history, knocking out the 2025 Players’ Shield winners.

#3 North Carolina FC hosted #6 Loudoun United FC. Oalex Anderson scored to take the lead for NCFC only six minutes into the match, and Loudoun was unable to find an equalizer. NCFC picked up their first postseason win in the USL Championship, but just three days later, the club announced that it would not field a team in the upcoming 2026 season.

#4 Pittsburgh Riverhounds welcomed #5 Hartford Athletic to Highmark Stadium. The match remained scoreless throughout regulation, and with neither team able to find a goal in extra time, a penalty shootout would decide the game. Pittsburgh goalkeeper Eric Dick made a key save on Hartford’s first kick from the spot, and the Riverhounds went a perfect 4 for 4 to win the shootout 4-2. They reached the Eastern Conference Semifinals for the first time since 2022 and eliminated the 2025 USL Jägermeister Cup winners, Hartford Athletic, in the process.

In the Western Conference Quarterfinals, #1 FC Tulsa hosted #8 Colorado Springs Switchbacks. The game was scoreless after regulation time, but just two minutes into extra time, Stefan Lukić scored to give Tulsa the lead. FC Tulsa picked up their first playoff win in club history, and the defending USL Championship winners, the Switchbacks, were eliminated.

#3 New Mexico United hosted #6 San Antonio FC and took the lead after Mukwelle Akale scored in the twentieth minute. Valentin Noël doubled their lead in the second half, and New Mexico United waltzed through to the Western Conference Semifinals.

In the final USL Championship game on Saturday, #4 El Paso Locomotive hosted #5 Phoenix Rising FC. Frank Daroma was sent off, leaving El Paso down a man midway through the second half. Late in the match, Phoenix was awarded with a penalty kick, and Charlie Dennis converted from the spot to send them through.

In USL League 1 action on Saturday, #2 Chattanooga Red Wolves hosted #7 Portland Hearts of Pine. Ollie Wright scored for the Hearts ten minutes into the second half, sending them through to the semifinals in their debut season.

#4 FC Naples welcomed #5 Union Omaha. The two sides shared a scoreless affair throughout regulation and extra time, resulting in a penalty shootout. Joel Serrano, a Naples goalkeeper who was substituted on late in extra time, made two big saves in the shootout, sending his team through to the semifinals as FC Naples won the shootout 4-2.

On Sunday, the Championship continued with #2 Charleston Battery hosting #7 Rhode Island FC. The game remained scoreless and resulted in a penalty shootout. Rhode Island went a perfect 5 for 5 as goalkeeper Koke Vegas forced a miss in the shootout, giving the defending Eastern Conference champions the 5-3 shootout win.

In the Western Conference, #2 Sacramento Republic FC hosted #7 Orange County SC. The match remained scoreless after ninety minutes, and despite Sacramento’s Rodrigo Lopez and Orange County’s Chris Hegardt both receiving red cards in the first half of extra time, neither team could find a winner. Orange County substituted on goalkeeper Tetsuya Kadono late in extra time, and he ultimately came up big in the shootout. Kadono and Sacramento goalkeeper Danny Vitiello each made two saves, but Kadono made the decisive game-winning save to seal the shootout 5-4.

To kick off League 1 action on Sunday, #1 One Knoxville SC hosted #8 Charlotte Independence. Sivert Haugli gave Knoxville the lead after only seventeen minutes of play, and Stavros Zarokostas doubled their lead in the second half. Christian Chaney scored for Charlotte, but it wasn’t enough to mount a comeback, and the Players’ Shield winners advanced, picking up their first postseason win in club history.

#3 Spokane Velocity FC welcomed #6 South Georgia Tormenta FC to ONE Spokane Stadium. The game was scoreless throughout regulation, but in extra time, Mason Tunbridge scored a penalty kick to give Tormenta the lead. Anuar Pelaez converted his own kick from the spot to equalize in the second half of extra time, sending the match to a penalty shootout. Spokane’s goalkeeper, Carlos Merancio, made a key save to give Velocity the 4-3 shootout win.

The USL Championship will continue with the Conference Semifinals this Saturday, November 8. In the Eastern Conference, #3 North Carolina FC will host #7 Rhode Island FC, and #4 Pittsburgh Riverhounds will host #8 Detroit City FC. In the Western Conference, #1 FC Tulsa will host #5 Phoenix Rising FC, and #3 New Mexico United will host #7 Orange County SC.

USL League 1 will continue with #1 One Knoxville SC hosting #4 FC Naples on Saturday, November 8, and #3 Spokane Velocity hosting #7 Portland Hearts of Pine on Sunday, November 9.

All USL Championship and USL League 1 Semifinals can be streamed on ESPN+.