Photo credit: NASL

Rishi Sehgal is to continue as North American Soccer League interim commissioner for the remainder of the 2017 campaign, Soc Takes understands. NASL owners are happy with the status quo in the league’s front office — with Keith Bruce also as executive consultant — effectively putting the search for a new NASL commissioner on hold for the time being.

Since Sehgal took interim leadership at the beginning of the year, replacing Bill Peterson, the league has not only stabilized but also expanded, with the announcements of two new teams — in Orange County and San Diego — for the 2018 season.

In a further boost, local businessman Robert Palmer will take over league-owned Jacksonville Armada FC on Tuesday. Supervising the Armada has taken up much of the league’s time and resources, with chief operating officer Brian Melekian taking a key role.

But now after a lengthy search, Palmer will be confirmed as the new Armada owner on Tuesday, as has been reported locally in Jacksonville. The aim was to have a new Armada owner in place by the start of the fall season, which has now been achieved.

The search for new teams is far from over and an 11th franchise, most likely in the Central Time Zone, is due to be announced in the coming weeks. The group presented to the Board of Governors at a recent meeting in New York City. “It is in the final stages,” said a well-placed source.

An NASL spokesman did not respond for a statement by the time of publication.

You can follow Bob on Twitter @WilliamsBob75.

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Photo credit: Kevin Johnston/Soc Takes

LAS VEGAS — USL expansion club Las Vegas Lights FC had plenty of positives to exit Saturday’s 2-0 loss to the Montreal Impact with. The Lights held the MLS side scoreless in the first half, mostly contained Ignacio Piatti, did some decent work in the defensive and middle thirds of the pitch, played very physical soccer and already have a passionate contingent of supporters.

Unfortunately, starting goalkeeper Ricardo Ferrino took the phrase “having a bad day at the office” to uncharted heights. His disastrous performance marred what was otherwise a fairly encouraging display by the hosts.

Ferrino ventured outside the box to attempt to dribble through Impact players at least three different times in the match. No, that’s not a typo. It “worked” the first time and got a rise from the sellout crowd of 10,387 at Cashman Field. Evidently, that motivated the 26-year-old to continue the flashy showmanship, ultimately with nightmarish consequences.

After being at fault for both goals, Ferrino again found himself with the ball at his feet in traffic outside the box and opted to dribble through two Montreal attackers. He coughed up possession, then bear-hug tackled Impact midfielder David Choiniere as Choiniere wound up to shoot at the vacated net.

It was likely one of the easiest decisions the referee has had to make in his career, as he coolly reached in his back pocket and sent Ferrino off. Earlier, Ferrino escaped cards after deliberately kicking an opponent after a play at least twice, but the head ref and linesmen didn’t see the infractions.

“(Ferrino) was dribbling and cutting our forwards every time they step on him,” Impact forward Michael Salazar, who opened the scoring after Ferrino came recklessly flying out of the box, told ImpactMontreal.com. “So we’re just like, ‘OK, we’re just going to go get him.’”

CAMP 2018 – Jour 19 | La chance aide parfois, le travail toujours.
2018 CAMP – Day 19 | Luck is great but most of it is hard work.#IMFC pic.twitter.com/DzdzzJHY8z

— Impact de Montréal (@impactmontreal) February 11, 2018

Lights manager Chelis might already be thinking about turning to another No. 1 goalkeeper. That probably seems like a complete and total knee-jerk reaction, but Ferrino’s shift truly was that bad. His cringeworthy decision-making and utter disregard for sportsmanship were alarming. There’s no way to sugarcoat it.

The Impact’s newest piece, Raheem Edwards, made an immediate one. He played extremely high up the pitch on the right flank, practically looking like a striker at times. Edwards was a persistent headache for the home side.

Piatti made himself dangerous on a few occasions by rolling short passes on the ground to open teammates at the top of the box. On the whole though, Lights defenders Marcelo Alatorre and Joel Huiqui worked well together to limit Nacho’s damage. Alatorre’s busy shift earned him Man of the Match honors.

The first Hardest Working Man of the Match goes to captain @MarceloAlatorre. Well deserved, Alatorre. 👏🏽 pic.twitter.com/BlLBUEfvHs

— Las Vegas Lights FC (@lvlightsfc) February 11, 2018

Lights supporters wasted no time making their presence felt in the stadium. Unfortunately, one of the traditions is yelling a certain word during goal kicks which doesn’t deserve repeating. On the brighter and much more creative side, they’re also chanting “Lights” during that word in “The Star-Spangled Banner,” a neat wrinkle to have prepared for the first match ever.

There are some logistical issues at Cashman Field that need to be worked around. Lines to enter the match were staggeringly long; spectators weren’t getting ushered through the gates fast enough. There was also quite a bit of congestion in the main concourse before the game and during halftime — entirely understandable given the massive turnout for the inaugural match. The secondhand smoke infiltrating the entire concourse wasn’t ideal either.

One thing that definitely needs tweaking, if not altogether axing, is the club’s use of in-match loudspeaker sounds. Similar to an NBA game, sound effects were piped in during the match. As the supporters’ section develops chants and starts bringing drummers and other musicians, hopefully the game day operations folks at Cashman will cease this practice. By no means did it ruin the experience, but there was a definite level of tackiness to it.

Ultimately, a night chock-full of positives for the club and community was slightly tarnished by Ferrino’s bizarre antics. But there are plenty of reasons to be bullish about pro soccer in Sin City. Las Vegas has something special on its hands in Lights FC.

Follow Kevin on Twitter: @KJboxing.

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Image credit: Indy Saints FC

INDIANAPOLIS — A new Division II women’s side may soon be coming to the Circle City.

Indy Saints FC submitted a bid to join the Women’s Premier Soccer League (WPSL), the club announced Friday. The expansion bid will now be considered by the WPSL’s Executive Committee at an upcoming Nov. 15 meeting.

“We talked about fielding a women’s team when we started the Saints last year but we wanted to get a year under our belts first,” Indy Saints FC owner and general manager Chris McGrath said in a press release. “We wanted a league with a high level of play, established systems and a good brand. The WPSL meets that and we look forward to approval of our application and getting started.”

Indy Saints FC head coach and director of soccer operations Jason Brown expressed similar optimism.

“We are excited about the opportunity to bring a women’s program under the Saints banner,” Brown said. “Our goal is to provide a high level training and playing environment that will continue the development of our aspiring women’s players.”

Some initial tryout information for the women’s side has already been made available:

Want to get updates on tryouts for the 2018 Lady Saints? sign up here https://t.co/5h7EYgoivA @SocTakes @AroundIndy @LadyVictory11 pic.twitter.com/Y4qZrZ2W0L

— Indy Saints FC (@IndySaintsFC) November 3, 2017

The men’s team, meanwhile, is still looking for a suitable destination. After running into issues in the Champions Soccer League USA (CSL USA), the team departed the league in search of a more stable one.

“There are a lot of moving parts on the men’s side,” McGrath explained.

Photo credit: Indy Saints FC

The club appears confident regarding the acceptance of its WPSL bid.

“I spoke with Sean Jones, the WPSL executive director,” Brown said. “He reviewed the bid and was complimentary of it. We are excited about this project.”

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Patrice Carteron, left, and Didier Drogba met during Chelsea’s run to the UEFA Champions League title. Six years later, their partnership has molded Phoenix Rising FC into an emerging club within United States professional soccer. Photo credit: Michael Rincon/Phoenix Rising FC

PHOENIX — Didier Drogba, enduring the worst season of his storied Chelsea career in the spring of 2012, met a young French coach, Patrice Carteron.

Five years later, the bond formed between the two is at the core of Phoenix Rising FC’s emergence as United Soccer League title contender and the frontrunner for the next round of Major League Soccer expansion.

As the USL Playoffs begin Friday, Drogba enters the final minutes of his playing career, for he announced in March that 2018 would be his final season. The Rising, with the third-best record in the Western Conference, will host Portland Timbers 2 in Friday’s first round match.

And the club’s season-long success can be traced back to Drogba and his handpicked coach, someone not present with Rising for its playoff run – Carteron.

* * *

“I was more of a fan at that point… He wanted to win the Champions League so badly for Chelsea.” Photo credit: Michael Rincon/Phoenix Rising FC

Carteron had just begun his tenure as Mali’s national team coach in 2012 and was living part-time in London as he finished his UEFA A License coursework. He had a mutual contact with Drogba, for his best friend was Drogba’s personal trainer.

Upon meeting, Carteron and Drogba quickly realized they shared the same ideals. They began working together in advance of UEFA Champions League matches, particularly focusing on set pieces.

Drogba, who had been losing playing time to Fernando Torres, regained confidence as Chelsea made an improbable run to the UEFA Champions League final. In that final vs. Bayern Munich, Drogba scored the equalizing goal in the 88th minute, ironically – for Carteron’s sake – from a set piece. He later converted the winning penalty kick to give Chelsea its first Champions League title.

“I was more a fan at that point,” Carteron said. “Didier worked hard and earned minutes later on. He wanted to win the Champions League so badly for Chelsea.”

Carteron returned to Africa that summer where he found tremendous success. He led Mali up to 25th in the FIFA men’s rankings, a record-high ranking for the country, and a third place finish in the 2013 African Cup of Nations, all in the backdrop of an ongoing Mali civil war.

He then moved to the Democratic Republic of Congo where he managed TP Mazembe for three seasons, winning the 2015 CAF Champions League with the club.

And his success caught the eye of another African, his Cote d’Ivoire friend who he worked with in London five years earlier.

* * *

“I think everyone here gives everything because the manager gave us his trust.” Photo credit: Michael Rincon/Phoenix Rising FC

When Phoenix businessman Berke Bakay led a group of eight owners that purchased a struggling Arizona United SC club in 2016, he made an immediate splash with a vibrant rebrand to Phoenix Rising FC and the introduction of musicians Diplo and Fall Out Boy bassist Pete Wentz as co-owners.

Yet the most stunning addition was the following spring – Drogba joined the ownership group and committed to play his final seasons with the club.

But Drogba had one primary condition if he was going to move to the Arizona desert to join a lower-division club playing in a temporary stadium — Carteron would be his coach.

“Didier paid attention to my results in Africa,” Carteron said. “He convinced me to join him in Phoenix.”

Both Drogba and Carteron both made their anticipated debuts midseason vs. Vancouver Whitecaps 2 on June 10, 2017, and the results in Phoenix after the two reunited were tremendous. The Rising lost only five of 29 USL matches within the first year of their arrival, a far cry from the dismal 2016 season where the club lost nearly half its matches.

“All of the players love him,” Drogba said. “He has done a great job. His speeches before the games were amazing. I think everyone here gives everything because the manager gave us his trust.”

* * *

“He could play in Europe and the big clubs again. His determination and work ethic would allow that.” Photo credit: Michael Rincon/Phoenix Rising FC

Drogba remains without a question the league’s most recognizable star. He scored 14 goals in 22 appearances since his Rising debut and was honored in May vs. Sacramento Republic FC for his 500th career appearance.

His most notable 2018 highlight was a corner-kick assist vs. LA Galaxy 2 where he paused to drink a young fan’s water before firing a perfectly-placed cross at the front post.

“Even at 40, if he had the same desire, he could play in Europe and the big clubs again,” Carteron said. “His determination and work ethic would allow that.”

Drogba provided guidance from his two-decades of global achievements to an energetic, youthful, yet mostly inexperienced squad, a group of players that Drogba said he enjoyed learning and working with while also teaching himself patience during training sessions.

“Meeting Drogba, he comes from a different galaxy, his stories, experiences and work ethic,” said Rising midfielder Alessandro Riggi, who also trained with Drogba while with Montreal Impact’s USL affiliate in 2015-16. “After training, this guy takes a bag of balls, goes to his free kick spot and takes shot after shot, effortlessly.

“There are two sides to Drogba. There’s his work ethic where he doesn’t speak, he doesn’t need to, but you learn from him working hard. The other side, when guys are out of line and not focused, that pisses him off. It’s disrespectful to the game, and he speaks up.”

Drogba missed more than half the 2018 season, a handful of spring matches for injury precaution (throughout his career he sat out matches on artificial surfaces to protect his knees), and then an extended four-month break while he worked in Russia as a BBC World Cup commentator in addition to representing the Rising at business meetings across the globe.

Without its global star and captain, the Rising didn’t miss a beat.

The club finished with a club-record 19 wins. Chris Cortez led the roster with 17 goals (tied for second-best in the Western Conference) complemented with Solomon Asante’s 12 goals.  Combined with players such as Riggi, who is one of the club’s best distributors, and Jason Johnson (13 goals in 2017), the Rising became most prolific offensive teams in the league.

And the strong team chemistry that allowed the seamless transition with Drogba out of the lineup can be attributed to Carteron’s shrewd training approach.

* * *

“Even if you catch him in a plane and he is resting, it looks like he is still thinking about the game, dreaming about the match.” Photo credit: Michael Rincon/Phoenix Rising FC

Competition is the theme with the Rising. The players say it stems from an intense preseason schedule where they played five MLS clubs, including a Feb. 24 victory over New York Red Bulls, and a match against L.D.U. Quito in Ecuador.

Carteron emphasized the importance of daily competition with the quality roster he assembled, and it was understood no spot in the lineup was given each week.

An example of the theory in practice – Riggi was nominated for USL’s Team of the Week after his two assists May 9 in a 3-0 victory at OKC Energy FC. He didn’t start again for three months.

“He’s definitely the most interesting coach I’ve worked with,” Riggi said. “He makes you grow a lot mentally in the game, what it takes to win and the desire needed. He speaks a lot about having a great spirit.”

Carteron’s attention to detail is unparalleled, even compared to compulsiveness often seen with coaches.  After an early-season victory, he walked into the locker room and began detailing the exact temperatures forecasted for the next match, which was still a week away, and where cooling tents would be strategically placed for the water breaks.

“He doesn’t take a day off,” Riggi said. “Even if you catch him in a plane and he is resting, it looks like he is still thinking about the game, dreaming about the match.”

* * *

“We are building the momentum and doing a lot of work to make sure we can be one of the most attractive teams to get to MLS.” Photo credit: Michael Rincon/Phoenix Rising FC

Phoenix’s immediate goal for the upcoming four weeks is straightforward — winning the 2018 USL Cup, giving soccer-loving Phoenix its first professional title in the sport, and seeing out Drogba’s playing career with him as a champion one final time.

However, Carteron will remain absent from the touchline during this run.

The Frenchman left the club in June when he became manager at Al Ahly, one of Egypt’s top clubs. The move to Cairo was the next step in the ascension of his career, even if his return to Africa did not align with the conclusion of the Rising’s season.

Interim coach Rick Schantz stepped into Carteron’s place and will continue to lead the club in the playoffs. Schantz also held the interim role during the 2017 until Carteron’s arrival midseason.

Although separated, Drogba and Carteron, the two men who met at Chelsea six years ago, have built the long-term foundation and momentum for the Rising’s ultimate goal – a MLS expansion bid.

The club was one of 12 ownership groups to submit an expansion bid in late 2016. The Rising’s USL success in 2018 bolstered its bid, for it averaged a sellout capacity 6,381 attendance at its home matches. The club recently revealed plans for a new 21,000 seat stadium and has added additional investors to the ownership group.

Phoenix is now considered one of the favorites to join the league with MLS finalizing its 27th and 28th expansion slots as early as December. Drogba is at the forefront of this push, meeting numerous times behind the scenes with MLS commissioner Don Garber and marketing his club at events during the FIFA World Cup in Russia.

“We are building the momentum and doing a lot of work to make sure we can be one of the most attractive teams to get to the MLS,” Drogba said. “It’s the love of the game. This team is very competitive. The manager is a competitor. He doesn’t like to lose, this team doesn’t like to lose, and that’s how we push forward together.”

Follow James on Twitter: @James_Poling.

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Two old flames rekindled their relationship Saturday evening at Al Lang Stadium, as the Tampa Bay Rowdies beat the Indy Eleven 3-1 to grab an important three points in the USL Eastern Conference table.

The two clubs were former acquaintances in the currently on-hiatus NASL. Tampa departed for the USL following the 2016 season, the last time the teams met. The Eleven followed suit a year later, making the jump after their 2017 campaign.

The victory moved the Rowdies up the conference table to just two points shy of the all-important top eight in the conference, and three points behind Indy. Here are three keys that led to the result:

ROWDIES’ ATTACK UP RIGHT SIDE

Junior Flemmings regularly found space and burned Indy up the right side. His excellent individual foray forward combined with keen vision led to Tampa’s opener. After dribbling a great distance, Flemmings found Stefano Bonomo alone in behind the defense with an incisive pass, and Bonomo calmly slotted the ball home at the near post.

Several Tampa Bay players turned in over-par shifts, but Flemmings proved the key that truly unlocked the left side of Indy’s midfield and defense. His late header goal on a cross from Georgi Hristov cemented his man-of-the-match showing and, more importantly for the Rowdies, the win.

NOT ENOUGH BEYOND STARIKOV

Eugene Starikov was a beastly creature all over the pitch for Indy. He used his low center of gravity and upper-body strength to win balls and shield off defenders, often while dropping deep to help out in the midfield.

🗳️ Time now to vote for your Cornerstone Family Dentistry Man of the Match for #TBRvIND#ElevenForever

— Indy Eleven (@IndyEleven) July 22, 2018

Beyond Starikov though, no Eleven player positively impacted the game on a consistent-enough basis. The other guys listed in Indy’s Twitter poll delivered workmanlike efforts and had their moments, but no one else’s physicality and work rate stamped an imprint on the match quite like Starikov’s. He also added his team’s lone goal, but would’ve still been Indy’s man of the match without it.

The former Cosmos attacker has been in fine summer form since returning after missing a string of games with a knock in the spring. He’s made a strong case to head coach Martin Rennie to leave him as a staple in the starting XI.

QUALITY CHANCES AND A LITTLE LUCK

The match stats were quite even across the board. Both sides finished with exactly 13 total shots, and both put four on frame. The possession battle was neck and neck at 52-48 Rowdies, with the hosts also stringing a few more passes together.

The difference between them was in the meat and potatoes. Flemmings’ pass to Bonomo set up a virtual tap in, and the former’s header also developed from being afforded too much space and leverage to elevate after an excellent chipped pass from Hristov. So, while Indy recorded the same number of shots on target, the edge in quality of chances went to the Rowdies and ended up making all the difference.

Of course, a stroke of luck also goes a long way. The Rowdies’ second strike was just that, as an attempted clearance by Indy defender Kevin Venegas ricocheted off Hristov and in, putting the Eleven on their heels early facing a daunting two-goal deficit.

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Justin Ashcraft of Mon Goals and our own Kevin Johnston link up to preview Saturday’s match between Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC and the Indy Eleven. The two also briefly review the clubs’ 2-2 draw on Aug. 29 and size up the Eastern Conference playoff picture.

Click the image above to listen.

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Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Under the guidance of now-Orlando City SC manager James O’Connor, Louisville City FC established itself as a formidable juggernaut in the USL. Back-to-back runs to the conference finals in 2015 and 2016 followed by a league title in 2017 prove as much. And this season — mostly coached by O’Connor — the club sits in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with games in hand on multiple teams above it.

Enter new LouCity head coach John Hackworth, whose motto might as well be “maintain the status quo.” And why not? With the the club already shrouded in success at the USL level, ‘twoud arguably be foolish to implement drastic changes.

“I think he has a lot of confidence in who we are and what we’re able to do,” said player-coach George Davis IV, who shed the latter half of his job title upon Hackworth taking over. “If I had to guess, I would say he would come in here and try to make it better any way that he can. But I don’t see him coming in here and trying to reinvent the wheel because we’ve been successful, and I know he wants to carry on that tradition.”

But don’t expect the squad to be wholly sans tinkering under Hackworth. According to Indy Eleven head coach Martin Rennie, LouCity supporters might witness at least one mildly significant tweak: the formation. While it certainly could’ve been orchestrated by the current trio of player-coaches, Indy’s manager noticed something following his team’s 2-2 draw with LouCity on Aug. 5 at Louisville Slugger Field.

“I coached with him in MLS,” Rennie said of Hackworth. “He was at Philadelphia while I was at Vancouver. So yeah, I think he’s a good coach and I’m sure he’ll do a good job here. It’ll be interesting to see how he adjusts things. Obviously, (in our game on Aug. 5) the system changed for the team, so I’m assuming he asked for that to happen.

“I think it was more of a back four — 4-2-3-1. (There’s) a lot of the similar style of play and similar problems to solve, but it’s obviously different than a back three. I think we’ve become so used to Louisville playing that back three system and they’ve done it well, so it’s probably a little adjustment for them as well.”

Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes

Hackworth arrived in Louisville with a breadth of experience. In addition to his MLS tenure, he previously coached at the collegiate level at Wake Forest and South Florida. Hackworth’s most recent stop was managing the U17 U.S. men’s national team.

“One of the things that I personally like is he’s spent the past several years developing players,” said player-coach-turned-just-player-again Luke Spencer. “The locker room is full of guys who want to get better, and he’s somebody who can certainly come in and make that happen.”

So, how much noticeable change — if any — will occur on Hackworth’s watch? The answer might be revealed sooner rather than later. Hackworth will make his debut roaming the touchline in LouCity purple at 7:30 p.m. ET tonight when his side hosts Nashville SC.

“Every coach has their own way they want to play. His way is an attractive style. But he’s not going to be James, he’s not going to be anyone else in the locker room. He knows what he likes. We’re going to buy into it.”

Just don’t expect a new iteration of the wheel.

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Photo credit: Kevin Johnston/Soc Takes

Norwich City‘s fine form continued Saturday at home against Stoke City, though a result ultimately eluded the Canaries for the first time in quite a while. A 35th-minute Timm Klose own goal proved their undoing in the 1-0 defeat. The loss snapped Norwich’s unbeaten streak at eight across all competitions, with six of those results coming in league play.

After a dismal start in which the Canaries appeared set to fend off relegation this season, they quickly righted the ship and now look closer to the part of promotion contender than bottom feeder. What the squad truly is this season remains to be seen however, considering the recent run of sublime form only brought the club’s goal differential to zero following Saturday’s narrow setback. That’s how bleakly the team’s 2018-19 campaign began.

Against Stoke, Norwich manager Daniel Farke rolled out his oft-used 4-2-3-1 with veteran ‘keeper Tim Krul in net. It marked the fifth-consecutive time Farke used the exact same 11 in Championship play. Stoke, meanwhile, came out in a 4-1-4-1 featuring two alterations to its most recent lineup. Peter Etebo and James McClean joined the 11 after not starting in Tuesday’s 2-0 win over Bolton.

Norwich bossed several statistical categories, completing a staggering 398 more passes than the visitors while owning 69 percent of the possession. But unable to solve a sneaky-good Potters back four of Bruno Martins Indi, Ashley Williams, Erik Pieters and Cuco Martina, the hosts never cancelled out Klose’s own goal with a strike of their own.

The Canaries honored a fallen supporter with a special tribute at Carrow Road in the 53rd minute. Longtime season ticket holder Dawn Brown passed away this week from cancer at age 53, and her daughter took to Twitter to ask the club and supporters if they’d partake in a full minute of applause in memory of her mother. The club obliged in a top-class gesture:

A fan has asked that City supporters take part in a minute’s applause in the 53rd minute in memory of her mum, Dawn Brown, a season-ticket holder who passed away earlier this week after battling cancer. Our thoughts are with Dawn’s family and friends. #ncfc https://t.co/K5WDw8cnv3

— Norwich City FC (@NorwichCityFC) October 6, 2018

Next up for Norwich is an Oct. 20 away fixture against Nottingham Forest. The Tricky Trees currently sit in fifth in the table with 19 points, just one above the Canaries.

Though the unbeaten run came to a halt Saturday, Norwich produced another rather encouraging showing. The last few weeks have served as portents of positivity after a doom-and-gloom start.

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INDIANAPOLIS — A brace from Ayoze and a Soony Saad rocket from distance weren’t enough for the Indy Eleven on Wednesday night at Lucas Oil Stadium, as goals by the Charleston Battery’s O’Brian Woodbine, Ataulla Guerra and Tah Anunga saw the teams share points.

Indy took a 3-2 lead in stoppage time on Ayoze’s second, but Anunga answered right back with a dagger a minute later to silence a stunned crowd.

Nashville SC is one of several USL sides entrenched in a playoff battle. Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes




Photo credit: Robbie Mehling/Soc Takes

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Photo credit: Swope Park Rangers

United Soccer League club Swope Park will not return to Swope Soccer Village and is exploring stadium options for the 2018 season.

The club, which MLS club Sporting Kansas City owns and operates, is working with the league to meet the United States Soccer Federation’s Division II requirements. Swope Soccer Village (capacity 3,500) did not meet the federation’s 5,000 requirement and had additional issues with USL league standards.

“Swope Park’s stadium is noncompliant and will not be used for the 2018 season,” USL president Jake Edwards said. “The club has presented other options to us. One would be (Sporting KC’s) main stadium, and it is looking at other options, too.”

Swope played the past two seasons at Swope Soccer Village. It hosted its 2017 Western Conference quarterfinal match vs. Phoenix Rising, which had an overnight delay at halftime because of inclement weather.

The USL took issues with the stadium after the Phoenix match and, per league policy, initially moved the conference semifinal match to opposing Sacramento. After meeting with club officials, Swope’s match vs. Sacramento and its subsequent conference final vs. OKC Energy were played at Sporting KC’s stadium, Children’s Mercy Park.

“We were aware of some issues at the Swope Park facility,” Edwards said. “There were additional issues that came up during the (quarterfinal) match that we felt we needed a different environment for the next playoff round.

“We worked with Sporting KC. They did a great job of working with us to make the main stadium available, and it proved to be a fitting environment for a USL playoff match.”

Swope, which won the Western Conference in each of its first two seasons, plays at Louisville City on Monday in the 2017 USL Cup.

Follow James on Twitter: @James_Poling.

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