2018 USL Playoffs

Last updated
2018 USL Cup
CountryUnited States
Canada
Teams16
Defending champions Louisville City FC
Champions Louisville City FC
Runners-up Phoenix Rising FC
Matches played15
Goals scored43 (2.87 per match)
Top goal scorer(s) Didier Drogba
Brian Ownby
Michael Seaton (3)
← 2017
2019 →

The 2018 USL Cup Playoffs was the postseason tournament following the 2018 United Soccer League regular season, the fourth since the league rebranded for the 2015 season, and second as a USSF Division II league. Including USL Pro history, it is the seventh postseason tournament. The tournament will begin on the weekend of October 20 and end on November 8.

Contents

Sixteen teams (top 8 per conference) will compete in the single elimination tournament. Teams will be seeded one through eight in each conference. The conference semifinal winners will play against each other in the Conference Championship, which will serve as the overall semifinals for the playoff. The winners of the Eastern and Western Conference Championship will play for the USL Cup. The winner of the playoffs will be crowned league champion.

FC Cincinnati clinched the USL regular-season title on September 26th and will be the number one seed in the Eastern Conference. [1]

Conference standings

The top 8 teams from each conference advance to the USL playoffs.

Bracket

 
First RoundConference Semi-FinalsConference FinalsUSL Championship
 
              
 
October 20 – Nippert Stadium
 
 
#1 FC Cincinnati (a.e.t.) 1 (6)
 
October 27 – Nippert Stadium
 
#8 Nashville SC 1 (5)
 
#1 FC Cincinnati 0
 
October 20 – MUSC Health Stadium
 
#5 New York Red Bulls II 1
 
#4 Charleston Battery 0
 
November 2 – Louisville Slugger Field
 
#5 New York Red Bulls II 1
 
#5 New York Red Bulls II 1
 
October 20 – Highmark Stadium
 
#2 Louisville City FC 5
 
#3 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 2 (7)
 
October 27 – Louisville Slugger Field
 
#6 Bethlehem Steel FC 2 (8)
 
 #6 Bethlehem Steel FC 0
 
October 20 – Louisville Slugger Field
 
#2 Louisville City FC 2
 
#2 Louisville City FC 4
 
November 8 – Lynn Stadium (ESPN2)
 
#7 Indy Eleven 1
 
#2 Louisville City FC 1
 
October 20 – Championship Soccer Stadium
 
#3 Phoenix Rising FC 0
 
#1 Orange County SC 4
 
October 27 – Championship Soccer Stadium
 
#8 Saint Louis FC 0
 
#1 Orange County SC 1
 
October 20 – Zions Bank Stadium
 
 #5 Reno 1868 FC 0
 
#4 Real Monarchs 0
 
November 3 – Championship Soccer Stadium
 
#5 Reno 1868 FC 1
 
#1 Orange County SC 1
 
October 19 – PRFC Soccer Complex
 
#3 Phoenix Rising FC 2
 
#3 Phoenix Rising FC 3
 
October 26 – PRFC Soccer Complex
 
#6 Portland Timbers 2 0
 
#3 Phoenix Rising FC 4
 
October 20 – Papa Murphy's Park
 
#7 Swope Park Rangers 2
 
#2 Sacramento Republic FC 1
 
 
#7 Swope Park Rangers 2
 

Schedule

Conference Quarterfinals

October 20, 2018 (2018-10-20) [2] East FC Cincinnati 1–1 (a.e.t.)
(6–5 p)		 Nashville SC Cincinnati, Ohio
4:00 p.m. EDT Bone Soccerball shade.svg95'
Smith Yellow card.svg 104'
Ledesma Yellow card.svg 111'		 Report Davis Yellow card.svg 110'
Bourgeois Soccerball shade.svg115'
Tyrpak Yellow card.svg 116'		Stadium: Nippert Stadium
Attendance: 20,217
Referee: Farhad Dadkho
Penalties
Adi Soccerball shad check.svg
McLaughlin Soccerball shad check.svg
Smith Soccerball shad check.svg
Hoyte Soccerball shad check.svg
Lasso Soccerball shad check.svg
Walker Soccerball shad check.svg		Soccerball shad check.svg Doyle
Soccerball shad check.svg Allen
Soccerball shad check.svg Winn
Soccerball shad check.svg LaGrassa
Soccerball shad check.svg Tyrpak
Soccerball shade cross.svg Davis
October 20, 2018 (2018-10-20) [3] East Charleston Battery 0–1 New York Red Bulls II Charleston, South Carolina
7:00 PM EDT Bolt Yellow card.svg 16' Report Barlow Soccerball shade.svg21'
Stroud Yellow card.svg 66'		Stadium: MUSC Health Stadium
Attendance: 1,687
Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
October 20, 2018 (2018-10-20)East Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 2–2 (a.e.t.)
(7–8 p)		 Bethlehem Steel FC Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
7:00 PM EDT Zemanski Soccerball shade.svg25'
Dover Yellow card.svg 86'
Roberts Soccerball shade.svg105'Yellow card.svg 109'
Forbes Yellow card.svg 113'
Holland Red card.svg 119'		 Report Moumbagna Yellow card.svg 45'
Ngalina Soccerball shade.svg70'
Chambers Soccerball shade.svg109'
Nanco Yellow card.svg 111'		Stadium: Highmark Stadium
Attendance: 5,189
Referee: Michael Radchuk
Penalties
Kerr Soccerball shad check.svg
Forbes Soccerball shad check.svg
Banjo Soccerball shad check.svg
Greenspan Soccerball shad check.svg
François Soccerball shad check.svg
Vancaeyezeele Soccerball shad check.svg
Dabo Soccerball shad check.svg
Lee Soccerball shade cross.svg		Soccerball shad check.svg Chambers
Soccerball shad check.svg Nanco
Soccerball shad check.svg Holness
Soccerball shad check.svg Moar
Soccerball shad check.svg Skundrich
Soccerball shad check.svg Mahoney
Soccerball shad check.svg Real
Soccerball shad check.svg Mbaizo
October 20, 2018 (2018-10-20)East Louisville City FC 4–1 Indy Eleven Louisville, Kentucky
7:30 p.m. EDT McCabe Soccerball shade.svg29', 48'Yellow card.svg 66'
Ilić Soccerball shade.svg42'
Lancaster Soccerball shade.svg73'		 Report Mitchell Yellow card.svg 46'
Saad Soccerball shade.svg67'
Ouimette Yellow card.svg 72'		Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field
Attendance: 6,763
Referee: Mark Allatin
October 19, 2018 (2018-10-19)West Phoenix Rising FC 3–0 Portland Timbers 2 Tempe, Arizona
7:30 p.m. MST Drogba Soccerball shade.svg28'
Johnson Soccerball shade.svg62'
Asante Soccerball shade.svg90'		 Report Zambrano Yellow card.svg 40'
Hanson Yellow card.svg 84'
Diz Pe Red card.svg 90+5'		Stadium: Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex
Attendance: 7,511
Referee: Rubiel Vazquez
October 20, 2018 (2018-10-20)West Real Monarchs 0–1 Reno 1868 FC Herriman, Utah
3:00 PM MDT Velásquez Yellow card.svg 45+4' Report Brown Soccerball shade.svg90+2'Stadium: Zions Bank Stadium
Attendance: 3,000
Referee: Ismir Pekmic
October 20, 2018 (2018-10-20)West Orange County SC 4–0 Saint Louis FC Irvine, California
7:00 PM PDT Seaton Soccerball shade.svg11', 29', 64'Yellow card.svg 21'
Quinn Yellow card.svg 47'
Bjurman Soccerball shade.svg66'		 Report Walls Red card.svg 21'
Hertzog Yellow card.svg 88'		Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 3,360
Referee: Ramy Touchan
October 20, 2018 (2018-10-20)West Sacramento Republic FC 1–2 Swope Park Rangers Sacramento, California
7:30 PM PDT Bijev Soccerball shade.svg16'
Matjašič Yellow card.svg 38'
Hord Yellow card.svg 68'		 Report Kuzain Soccerball shade.svg27'
Barry Soccerball shade.svg31'
Akhmatov Yellow card.svg 58'		Stadium: Papa Murphy's Park
Attendance: 11,569
Referee: Joseph Dickerson

Conference Semifinals

October 27, 2018 (2018-10-27)East FC Cincinnati 0–1 New York Red Bulls II Cincinnati, Ohio
4:00 p.m. EDT Adi Yellow card.svg 41' Report Moreno Soccerball shade.svg12'Yellow card.svg 72'Stadium: Nippert Stadium
Attendance: 16,617
Referee: Tim Ford
October 27, 2018 (2018-10-27)East Louisville City FC 2–0 Bethlehem Steel FC Louisville, Kentucky
7:30 p.m. EDT Ownby Soccerball shade.svg34', 59'Yellow card.svg 79'
Smith Yellow card.svg 64'		 Report Moar Yellow card.svg 57'
Mbaizo Yellow card.svg 83'
Ofeimu Yellow card.svg 86'		Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field
Attendance: 6,881
Referee: Farhad Dadkho
October 26, 2018 (2018-10-26)West Phoenix Rising FC 4–2 Swope Park Rangers Tempe, Arizona
7:30 p.m. MST Johnson Soccerball shade.svg22'
Drogba Yellow card.svg 29'Soccerball shade.svg90+4'
Cortez Soccerball shade.svg36'
Lambert Soccerball shade.svg48'		 Report Blackwood Soccerball shade.svg26'
Barry Soccerball shade.svg33'
Akhmatov Yellow card.svg 49'		Stadium: Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex
Attendance: 7,707
Referee: Guido Gonzales Jr.
October 27, 2018 (2018-10-27)West Orange County SC 1–0 Reno 1868 FC Irvine, California
7:00 PM PDT Alston Yellow card.svg 21'
Quinn Soccerball shade.svg29'
Duke Yellow card.svg 90+2'		 Report Richards Yellow card.svg 12'
Brown Yellow card.svg 41'
Hoppenot Yellow card.svg 45+2'		Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 4,021
Referee: Victor Rivas

Conference Finals

November 2, 2018 (2018-11-02)East Louisville City FC 5–1 New York Red Bulls II Louisville, Kentucky
7:30 p.m. EDT Ilić Soccerball shade.svg23' (pen.), Yellow card.svg 40'
Spencer Soccerball shade.svg32'
Davis Yellow card.svg 61'
Craig Yellow card.svg 65'
Ownby Yellow card.svg 69', Soccerball shade.svg81'
Williams Soccerball shade.svg73', Soccerball shade.svg75'
McCabe Yellow card.svg 80'		 Report Ndam Yellow card.svg 22'
Tinari Yellow card.svg 44'
Barlow Soccerball shade.svg60'		Stadium: Louisville Slugger Field
Attendance: 10,059
Referee: Ramy Touchan
November 3, 2018 (2018-11-03)West Orange County SC 1–2 Phoenix Rising FC Irvine, California
7:00 p.m. PDT Chaplow Yellow card.svg 47'
Hashimoto Soccerball shade.svg82'		 Report Cortez Soccerball shade.svg2'
Drogba Soccerball shade.svg73'
Forbes Yellow card.svg 90+7'		Stadium: Championship Soccer Stadium
Attendance: 5,189
Referee: Tim Ford

USL Championship

November 8, 2018 (2018-11-08) [4] Final Louisville City FC 1–0 Phoenix Rising FC Louisville, Kentucky
8:00 PM EST Smith Yellow card.svg 45'
Spencer Soccerball shade.svg62', Yellow card.svg 90+1'
Ranjitsingh Yellow card.svg 90+3'		 Report Farrell Yellow card.svg 39'
Drogba Yellow card.svg 73'
Lambert Yellow card.svg 85'		Stadium: Lynn Stadium
Attendance: 7,025
Referee: Joseph Dickerson

Championship Game MVP: Luke Spencer (LOU)

Top goalscorers

RankPlayerClubGoals
1 Flag of Cote d'Ivoire.svg Didier Drogba Phoenix Rising FC 3
Flag of the United States.svg Brian Ownby Louisville City FC
Flag of Jamaica.svg Michael Seaton Orange County SC
4 Flag of the United States.svg Tom Barlow New York Red Bulls II 2
Flag of Guinea.svg Hadji Barry Swope Park Rangers
Flag of the United States.svg Chris Cortez Phoenix Rising FC
Flag of Serbia.svg Ilija Ilić Louisville City FC
Flag of Jamaica.svg Jason Johnson Phoenix Rising FC
Flag of Ireland.svg Niall McCabe Louisville City FC
Flag of the United States.svg Luke Spencer Louisville City FC
Flag of Jamaica.svg Devon Williams Louisville City FC

[5]

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References

  1. ↑ Brennan, Patrick. "FC Cincinnati takes USL regular-season title with 4-1 win against Richmond Kickers". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 1 October 2018.
  2. ↑ Brennan, Patrick. "FC Cincinnati announces playoff match dates, times, ticket pricing information". Cincinnati.com. Retrieved 24 September 2018.
  3. ↑ Cardamone, Sarah. "PLAYOFF TICKETS NOW ON SALE". CharlestonBattery.com. Retrieved 11 October 2018.
  4. ↑ "2018 USL Cup Scheduled for Nov. 8". USLsoccer.com. Retrieved 12 October 2018.
  5. ↑ "Playoffs Stats". United Soccer League.
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