USL News Release
Friday, September 14, 2007
TAMPA, FL – The postseason for the USL First Division 2007 Championship kicks off Friday, September 14 with the first leg 
match-ups of the two-game, aggregate score Quarterfinals, which conclude on Sunday, September 16.
The four semifinalists to advance from the opening round of playoff action will be re-seeded for the Semifinals, also two-leg, aggregate score series, the following weekend with the Championship coming Saturday, September 29. If any series finish tied after 180 minutes of action, the teams will play a series overtime consisting of two 15-minute periods. If no winner is determined in series overtime, penalty kicks will be utilized as the tiebreaker.
The second leg of the Vancouver-Portland series Sunday at 8:00 pm ET will be live on Fox Soccer Channel. All other games will be available on USL Live.
Quarterfinal Previews
1-Seattle Sounders v 8-Carolina RailHawks
Leg One: 9/14 @ Carolina Leg Two: 9/16 @ Seattle
In an ironic twist, the top and bottom seeds were also the final two remaining USL clubs in the Lamar Hunt US Open Cup before suffering elimination via overtime in the Semifinals just over a week ago. The Commissioner’s Cup winners come into the series with one loss in their last 14 (11-1-2) while the RailHawks have struggled of late in league play with a mark of 4-8-2 over the last 14 and just one two-game win streak the entire season (May 12 and 19). The Sounders rank third in goals for (37) and fewest goals allowed (23) on the season while Carolina is second lowest in goals for (24) and tied for sixth in fewest goals allowed (34). Offense will likely be the key to the game as the Sounders have not been shutout since June 23 against Montreal, a 14-game run, while the RailHawks have netted just three goals in their last five games.
In their two meetings this season, both in the first half of the campaign, the Sounders posted 1-0 victories with league co-Goal Scoring Champion Sebastien Le Toux scoring the game-winners.
2-Portland Timbers v 7-Vancouver Whitecaps
Leg One: 9/14 @ Vancouver Leg Two: 9/16 @ Portland
Part of the northwest rivalry, the two clubs know one another well and come into the match having played to a scoreless draw in the USL-1 season finale last Sunday. It was the second consecutive scoreless affair between the two following a 2-1 winner at home for Portland in the first meeting of the year July 19 in which Martin Nash gave Vancouver the lead only to see Andrew Gregor and Lawrence Olum rally the Timbers to the win.
Since that meeting, the Whitecaps have lost just once over the course of nine games (2-1-6) and have been very strong defensively, allowing just seven goals. Vancouver was fourth best in defense with 24 goals allowed this season, but was third worst in offense with 27 of their own. Portland, meanwhile, stalled out a bit over that stretch with a mark of 4-3-6 over the final 13 games, but have three wins in their last five (3-1-1). The Timbers led the league defensively with just 18 goals allowed and were tied for fifth with three other teams in offense with 32 goals.
3-Montreal Impact v 6-Puerto Rico Islanders
Leg One: 9/14 @ Montreal Leg Two: 9/16 @ Puerto Rico
The Islanders and Impact have not met since their June 29 match in Montreal, a 1-0 victory for the home side and played to a 1-1 draw May 11 in Puerto Rico. Charles Gbeke and Fred Moojen scored the two Montreal goals and Alberto Zapata provided the equalizer in the draw for Puerto Rico.
Since their last meeting, the Islanders have gone 6-4-4 while the Impact have been 8-4-3. Both clubs have had key moments of the season. Puerto Rico named former MLS coach Colin Clarke manager May 22 and the club has gone unbeaten at home since at 6-0-3. Montreal got goalkeeper Matt Jordan back from a fractured jaw August 10 and have been 5-2-1 since with six shutouts.
Consistent leaders in defense over the past few years, the Impact gave up the second fewest goals on the season at 21 while scoring 32. Puerto Rico was tied for sixth defensively (34 allowed) and were fourth offensively (35 scored).
4-Atlanta Silverbacks v 5-Rochester Rhinos
Leg One: 9/14 @ Atlanta Leg Two: 9/16 @ Rochester
A side that traditionally has faded over the second half of the season, the Silverbacks maintained their form en route to the postseason going 7-4-3 over the last 14 games. Rochester, crippled by injuries to key players, struggled much of the year before finding their form upon the return of goalkeeper Scott Vallow August 10 and going 4-2-0 with their star back between the posts at the close of the campaign. The Rhinos were 5-3-0 over their last eight with all three losses coming at the hands of rival Montreal, which they avenged with a win in the season finale.
Atlanta swept the season series with a 2-0 win in Rochester June 29 and a 4-1 win at home July 14. League Scoring Champion Dan Antoniuk had two of the Atlanta goals as scoring was shared by five players while Chad Severs had the lone Rhinos tally. Rochester would argue they were a different team without Vallow in goal for both and star strikers Matthew Delicate and Hamed Diallo for the second.
The Rhinos were second in the league in scoring (39) despite missing Diallo for visa issues and Delicate due to injury and were uncharacteristically fourth worst defensively (36) due to the injuries to Vallow and several players in the back line. Atlanta, on the other hand, were tops in the league in scoring with 40 goals and were fifth defensively with 30 allowed.
