TAMPA, Fla. – The top four teams in the USL’s Eastern Conference meet on Saturday afternoon to highlight Week 18’s 13-game weekend slate that sees the second third of the season come its conclusion. The third and final edition of the River Cities Cup is set for Nippert Stadium as third-place FC Cincinnati hosts first-place Louisville City FC, while the second-place New York Red Bulls II play host to the fourth-place Charleston Battery hoping to take advantage should Louisville fail to take a victory on the road.

Every game of the 2016 USL season will be available on the league’s Match Center, with updates from across the league also available via Twitter, Facebook, Vine and Instagram.

GAMES TO WATCH
Saturday, July 23
FC Cincinnati vs. Louisville City FC
4 p.m. ET, Nippert Stadium
The third and final regular-season meeting for the River Cities Cup will see the rivalry trophy be claimed for the first time, and with postseason positioning also a factor and a big crowd set to fill Nippert Stadium again, the clash between the two rivals should be a must-see.

Cincinnati (10-4-4, 34pts) came close to inserting itself into the race for first place in the conference on Wednesday night against the Red Bulls II, but let a second-half lead slip as New York took a 2-1 win in front of 16,127 fans at Nippert. Cincinnati has typically responded well to defeat this season, taking a victory in each of its previous three losses, and would like nothing more than to take its first win in the series on Saturday.

Louisville (12-1-6, 42pts) took a big 4-1 win against Wilmington Hammerheads FC last Sunday in its last outing, and enters the game on a 17-game undefeated streak that has put that team one point ahead of New York in the conference standings. Louisville took a 3-2 victory in the first meeting of the season at Nippert Stadium, and will again have strong traveling support making the 90-minute trip as it looks to claim another victory on the road.

New York Red Bulls II vs. Charleston Battery
4 p.m. ET, Red Bull Park
Buoyed by their comeback victory on Wednesday night, the Red Bulls II play host to Charleston with the chance to claim first in the standings with a win, depending on the result of the River Cities Cup clash. The Battery have drawn their last two games, but are undefeated in their past five as they look to solidify a top-four place with the Rochester Rhinos in hot pursuit.

The Red Bulls II (12-1-5, 41pts) remained undefeated on the road this season with their win in Cincinnati on Wednesday night as goals by Justin Bilyeu and Florian Valot pulled three points out of the fire for the side. New York is on a 12-game undefeated streak entering the game, with its defense having conceded only 12 times in 18 games this season.

The Battery (9-4-5, 32pts) played to a 0-0 draw with Orlando City B in their last league contest, but were in action this past Sunday against the Nigeria Olympic Team in an exhibition in Atlanta. Charleston will be missing two key players for Saturday’s game, with both team assists leader Justin Portillo and Ricky Garbanzo unavailable after receiving their fifth yellow cards of the season against Orlando.

San Antonio FC vs. LA Galaxy II
8:30 p.m. ET, Toyota Field
Two of the hotter teams in the Western Conference meet on Saturday night when San Antonio FC hosts the LA Galaxy II at Toyota Field with playoff position at the forefront for both teams.

San Antonio (6-5-6, 24pts) has moved into the top eight of the Western Conference thanks to a six-game undefeated streak that continued last Saturday in a 2-0 victory against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2. With four wins in its last five games, and back-to-back shutouts, SAFC will be hoping to solidify its spot with a number of teams snapping at its heels in a tight Western race.

The Galaxy II (8-2-8, 32pts) bring their own three-game winning streak and eight-game undefeated streak to Texas with a chance to take sole possession of first place by the end of the weekend’s action. Los Dos returned to action with a 4-1 road win against the Portland Timbers 2, and have outscored their opponents 8-2 over their current three-game run of form.

Sunday, July 24
Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 vs. Sacramento Republic FC
5 p.m. ET, Thunderbird Stadium
Both WFC2 and Republic FC will be trying to shake off disappointing results in their last outings when they meet in a top-four Western Conference clash at Thunderbird Stadium, as Sacramento looks to pull level with Vancouver on points, and the current Western Conference leader looks to hold onto its top spot.

Vancouver (9-4-5, 32pts) dropped back-to-back games for the second time this season in its visit to Texas a week ago, suffering defeats to Rio Grande Valley FC and San Antonio FC. WFC2 remains on top of the conference thanks to its nine wins this season, and on Tuesday night a handful of players impressed in the Whitecaps’ exhibition against the English Premier League's Crystal Palace, which should have brought some confidence back into the group ahead of a key league game.

Sacramento (8-5-5, 29pts) is winless in its last three games after a late goal sunk the side in a 1-0 defeat against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC last Saturday. Republic FC has looked to bolster its ranks with the addition of Jeremy Hall on loan after losing defender Emrah Klimenta to a torn ACL. The last time Sacramento went three games without a win this season, it rebounded with two consecutive wins, which grew into a nine-game undefeated streak that spanned May and June. 

NUMBER CRUNCHING
164,109 – FC Cincinnati broke the USL record for attendance in a single season on Wednesday night, as it surpassed Sacramento Republic FC’s total of 158,516 set a season ago. Including the club’s two non-league contests at Nippert Stadium, FCC’s total attendance is well over the 200,000 mark in its inaugural season.

30 – Louisville City FC’s Chandler Hoffman recorded his 30th regular-season goal in the USL last Sunday in his side’s 4-1 win against Wilmington, with his two-goal haul putting him at 31 for his career between the LA Galaxy II, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC and Louisville.

25 - Two other standout forwards hit landmarks last weekend, as the LA Galaxy II’s Jack McBean recorded his 25th regular-season goal in the USL with the club, and Long Tan recorded his 25th regular-season goal with Arizona United SC.

4 – Four points separate first-place Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 (32pts) from sixth place Rio Grande Valley FC (28pts) in the Western Conference standings entering this weekend’s games.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES
- Rio Grande Valley FC announced a new partnership with San Antonio-based supermarket chain H-E-B on Thursday, with the club’s new stadium to now be called H-E-B Park upon its completion.

- Three USL players were called into the U.S. U19 National Team squad that will head to Valencia, Spain for the COTIF Tournament. Orlando City B’s Pierre Da Silva, Bethlehem Steel FC’s Auston Trusty and the LA Galaxy II’s Hugo Arellano were named in the squad by Coach Brad Friedel.

- This season’s second edition of the Black Gold Derby arrives on Saturday night as OKC Energy FC (7-2-7, 28pts) hosts Tulsa Roughnecks FC (4-11-3, 15pts) at Taft Stadium (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). Energy FC took a 2-0 win in the first meeting this season, and is currently on a six-game undefeated streak with wins in its last two contests.

- The Richmond Kickers (7-6-5, 26pts) play host to Toronto FC II (5-11-5, 20pts) on Saturday night at City Stadium aiming to continue a strong recent run of form (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Kickers moved into sixth place in the Eastern Conference with their second back-to-back wins of the season, and last weekend took a 2-0 win against the Premier League’s Swansea City A.F.C. to continue their confident run of form.

- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (9-5-4, 31pts) will visit Saint Louis FC (6-8-5, 23pts) on Saturday night at World Wide Technology Soccer Park (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center) aiming to rebound from a late letdown against the Swope Park Rangers on Wednesday night. The Rangers’ stoppage-time goal earned a 1-1 draw, and kept the Switchbacks in third in the Western Conference.

- The Rochester Rhinos (8-4-6, 30pts) visit Bethlehem Steel FC (6-7-6, 24pts) on Sunday afternoon at Goodman Stadium aiming to continue their six-game undefeated streak (4 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Rhinos’ trend of alternating wins and draws in their current run of form continued on Wednesday in a 1-1 draw at Toronto FC II, but after Bethlehem’s 1-0 defeat to Harrisburg on Thursday, the Steel will be looking for a big bounce-back performance.

- The Swope Park Rangers (6-8-4, 22pts) and Orange County Blues FC (6-8-4, 22pts) meet at Children’s Mercy Victory Field on Saturday night in what could be a pivotal contest for both team’s playoff hopes (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). Both a point back of eighth-place Saint Louis, victory will be imperative for both as they look to move into the playoff positions.