NEWS & NOTES

TAMPA BAY’S LEO FERNANDES JOINS 40 GOALS, 30 ASSISTS CLUB
The Tampa Bay Rowdies’ Leo Fernandes bagged his 40th regular season goal in the USL Championship on Saturday night as he notched the game-winner against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in Tampa Bay’s 2-1 victory at Al Lang Stadium. In turn, the 2022 Championship Player of the Year became only the 10th player in the Championship’s history to record at least 40 goals and 30 assists in his career in the league, reaching the mark in his 175th appearance.

Players with 40 Goals, 30 Assists in the USL Championship’s Regular Season
1. Enzo Martinez – 73 goals, 49 assists
2. Solomon Asante – 52 goals, 56 assists
3. Jorge Hernandez – 72 goals, 35 assists
4. Aodhan Quinn – 54 goals, 50 assists
5. Alex Dixon – 64 goals, 34 assists
6. Antoine Hoppenot – 41 goals, 47 assists
7. Chris Wehan – 51 goals, 32 assists
8. Rodrigo da Costa – 52 goals, 31 assists
9. Santi Moar – 45 goals, 34 assists
10. Leo Fernandes – 40 goals, 32 assists

INDY ELEVEN’S ROMARIO WILLIAMS REACHES 60 GOAL LANDMARK

Indy Eleven’s Romario Williams became the 19th player to reach 60 regular season goals in the USL Championship’s history this past Saturday during his side’s 3-0 victory against El Paso Locomotive FC. The Jamaican international reached the mark in his 146th regular season contest and currently ranks tied for fifth in the USL Championship’s history with a strike rate of a goal every 156.2 minutes.

Best Strike Rate Among Players with 60 Regular Season Goals in the USL Championship
1. Cameron Lancaster – 80 goals, 113.9 mins/goal
2. Cal Jennings – 63 goals, 136.1 mins/goal
3. Dane Kelly – 106 goals, 150.3 mins/goal
4. Wilson Harris – 65 goals, 150.6 mins/goal
T-5. Romario Williams – 60 goals, 156.2 mins/goal
T-5. Chandler Hoffman – 66 goals, 156.2 mins/goal

LOUISVILLE CITY FC REACHES 20-WIN LANDMARK

Louisville City FC became only the 13th team to reach 20 wins in a USL Championship regular season with its 1-0 victory against FC Tulsa this past Saturday, marking the second occasion the club had reached the landmark in its history.

LouCity is one of three teams to have recorded 20 wins in a regular season on multiple occasions, having previously done so in 2022. The club joins Phoenix Rising FC (2019, 2021) and the Tampa Bay Rowdies (2021, 2022) in that group. It now sits only four wins off the single-season record of 24 victories held by Phoenix (2019) and San Antonio FC (2022) with seven games to play in the regular season.

20-Win Regular Seasons in USL Championship History
Louisville City FC (2) – 2022, 2024
Phoenix Rising FC (2) – 2019, 2021
Tampa Bay Rowdies (2) – 2021, 2022
FC Cincinnati (1) – 2018
Memphis 901 FC (1) – 2022
Nashville SC (1) – 2019
New York Red Bulls II (1) – 2016
Orange County SC (1) – 2018
Real Monarchs SLC (1) – 2017
San Antonio FC (1) – 2022

TAMPA BAY’S NATE WORTH POISED FOR APPEARANCE LANDMARK

Tampa Bay Rowdies midfielder Nate Worth is on course to become the youngest player to record 50 regular season appearances in the USL Championship’s history and could become the first to do so before the age of 18 as the Rowdies enter the final stretch of the regular season.

Worth has made 44 regular season appearances in the Championship since his debut for the New York Red Bulls II aged 15 years, 119 days old against El Paso Locomotive FC on June 25, 2022. Sixteen of those have come with the Rowdies since his midseason move from FC Tulsa, and should he appear in each of the Tampa Bay’s final six regular season contests he would reach the half-century mark.

The current youngest player to reach 50 regular season appearances in the Championship is Orange County SC’s Bryce Jamison, who achieved the landmark aged 18 years, 203 days old against Birmingham Legion FC on July 27 this season.

Youngest Players to Record 50 Regular Season Appearances in the USL Championship
1. Bryce Jamison, Orange County SC – 18 years, 203 days
2. Jacob Greene, Loudoun United FC – 19 years 60 days
3. Azriel Gonzalez, Tacoma Defiance – 19 years 72 days
4. Jeremy Garay, Loudoun United FC – 19 years, 114 days
5. Nighte Pickering, Memphis 901 FC – 19 years, 138 days

Quick Hits

- New Mexico United’s Alex Tambakis became the first goalkeeper in the USL Championship’s history to reach 600 saves in his career during a three-save performance against Detroit City FC this past Saturday. Tambakis had previously become the USL Championship’s all-time saves leader earlier this season.

- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC became the third team this season to reach 10 home victories in the regular season following Louisville City FC (12) and the Charleston Battery (11) with their 2-0 win against the Battery this past Saturday. The Switchbacks’ 10 wins at home has equaled a club record previously achieved in 2016 and 2022 with two home games remaining for the side in the regular season.

- Hartford Athletic’s run of three consecutive shutouts against Indy Eleven, Memphis 901 FC and Miami FC is the first time in club history it has recorded three consecutive clean sheets in USL Championship play. Goalkeeper Renan Ribeiro has recorded 12 saves in that span.

- Loudoun United FC’s 4-2 victory against Birmingham Legion FC marked the first time the side had rallied from a halftime deficit to take victory since October 9, 2019 against Saint Louis FC, a contest in which Loudoun also recorded four second-half goals.

- Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s 2-1 defeat to the Tampa Bay Rowdies marked the first time since September 15, 2022, against Birmingham Legion FC the Hounds had lost after holding a halftime lead, ending a streak of 24 consecutive games in which the side had either won or drawn from that position.

- Birmingham Legion FC’s 2-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies last Wednesday night marked their fifth consecutive win in USL Championship play in the series between the clubs. The Rowdies have been held scoreless in all five meetings, with their overall scoreless streak in USL Championship play against Legion sitting currently at 523 minutes.

- Monterey Bay F.C. has been held scoreless in four consecutive games after a 0-0 draw against Las Vegas Lights FC this past Saturday. The side’s scoreless streak currently sits at 362 minutes overall.

Upcoming Player Milestones

Appearances
Approaching 250 regular-season appearances
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 248
Justin Portillo (SAC) – 247

Approaching 200 regular-season appearances
James Musa (IND) – 198
Wes Charpie (LOU) – 197
Aarón Guillén (TBR) – 196  

Approaching 150 regular season appearances
Collin Martin (NC) – 149
Wilson Harris (LOU) – 149
Thomas Vancaeyezeele (HFD) – 148
Luis Felipe Fernandes (SAC) – 148

Approaching 100 regular-season appearances
Juan Carlos Azócar (PHX) – 99
Alex Lara (MB) – 99
Stefano Pinho (BHM) – 99
Nick Moon (TBR) – 98
Junior Etou (PIT) – 98
Robby Dambrot (LDN) – 98
Gabriel Torres (PHX) – 98
Arturo Rodriguez (CHS) – 97
Johnny Rodriguez (OAK) – 97  

Minutes
Approaching 20,000 regular season minutes
Speedy Williams (COS) – 19,667

Approaching 15,000 regular season minutes
Sebastian Guenzatti (IND) – 14,882
Bradley Bourgeois (TUL) – 14,854
Wes Charpie (LOU) – 14,823
Charlie Adams (LV) – 14,822
Russell Cicerone (SAC) – 14,708
Kyle Adams (LOU) – 14,631

Approaching 10,000 regular season minutes
Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 9,990
Jorge Hernández (SA) – 9,896
Danny Barbir (MIA) – 9,807
Wilson Harris (LOU) – 9,790
Alexis Souahy (NM) – 9,727

Goals
Approaching 50 regular season goals
Luis Solignac (SA) – 47

Approaching 40 regular season goals
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 39
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 38
JJ Williams (RI) – 38
Ronaldo Damus (COS) – 38
Justin Portillo (SAC) – 37
Tyler Pasher (BHM) – 37

Assists
Approaching 50 regular season assists
Enzo Martinez (BHM) – 49
Rodrigo Lopez (SAC) – 46
Brian Ownby (LOU) – 46

Approaching 30 regular season assists
Niall McCabe (LOU) – 29
Jorge Hernández (SA) – 29
Cam Lindley (IND) – 28
Florian Valot (LDN) – 28

Saves
Approaching 300 regular season saves
Jordan Farr (TBR) – 298
Danny Vitiello (SAC) – 281

Approaching 250 regular season saves
Tomás Gómez (OC) – 236

Approaching 200 regular season saves
Koke Vegas (RI) – 187

Shutouts
Approaching 50 regular season shutouts
Matt Van Oekel (BHM) – 47

Approaching 40 regular season shutouts
Tomás Gómez (OC) – 38

Approaching 30 regular season shutouts
Tyler Deric (MEM) – 28
Nate Steinwascher (DET) – 27
Jake McGuire (NC) – 27  

Discipline Report – Week 29

TAMPA, Fla. – The following is the USL Championship’s discipline report for Week 29 of the 2024 USL Championship season:

North Carolina FC’s Justin Malou has been suspended for one game following his red card for denial of a goalscoring opportunity against Memphis 901 FC on September 14. Malou will be unavailable for selection in North Carolina’s contest against Indy Eleven on Saturday.

El Paso Locomotive FC’s Robert Coronado has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Indy Eleven on September 14. Coronado will be unavailable for selection in El Paso’s contest against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday.

El Paso Locomotive FC’s Miles Lyons has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Indy Eleven on September 14. Lyons will be unavailable for selection in El Paso’s contest against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday.

Oakland Roots SC’s Camden Riley has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against San Antonio FC on September 14. Riley will be unavailable for selection in Oakland’s contest against Hartford Athletic on Saturday.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC assistant coach Matt Besemer has been suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against the Charleston Battery on September 14. Besemer will serve his suspension during Colorado Springs’ contest against El Paso Locomotive FC on Saturday.

Phoenix Rising FC’s Alejandro Fuenmayor has been suspended one game for caution accumulation after receiving his eighth yellow card of the season against Sacramento Republic FC on September 14. Fuenmayor will be unavailable for selection in Phoenix’s contest against San Antonio FC on Saturday.

FC Tulsa’s Harvey St. Clair has been suspended one game for caution accumulation after receiving his eighth yellow card of the season against Louisville City FC on September 14. St. Clair will be unavailable for selection in Tulsa’s contest against Rhode Island FC on Saturday.

Hartford Athletic’s Anderson Asiedu was suspended for one game following his red card for two cautionable offenses against Memphis 901 FC on September 11. Asiedu served his suspension during Hartford’s contest against Miami FC on September 14.

The following players and coaches enter the upcoming matches one caution away from their eighth yellow card of the season and a one-game suspension for caution accumulation.

Here is the breakdown per club:

• Detroit City FC (1): James Murphy

• Indy Eleven (1): Callum Chapman-Page

• Memphis 901 FC (2): Marlon Santos, Akeem Ward

• New Mexico United (1): Greg Hurst

• North Carolina FC (1): Lamar Batista

• Oakland Roots SC (1): Memo Diaz

• Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (1): Illal Osumanu

• Rhode Island FC (1): Jojea Kwizera

• San Antonio FC (1): Kevon Lambert