TAMPA, Fla. – Two of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference square off on Saturday night, the Video Assistant Referee system comes to the league, and the battle for position in the Western Conference continues in a 13-game slate of action this weekend to conclude Week 21 in the USL regular season. The Richmond Kickers host FC Cincinnati as they put a six-game winning streak on the line on Saturday, and a rematch of last season’s Western Conference Final in the USL Playoffs features OKC Energy FC hosting the LA Galaxy II. 

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
Friday, August 12
New York Red Bulls II vs. Orlando City B
7 p.m. ET, Red Bull Arena
The New York Red Bulls II host Orlando City B in a game that will see a historic first as a test of the new Video Assistant Referee system is conducted in a professional game for the first time at Red Bull Arena.

The Red Bulls II (13-3-5, 44pts) would move into first place in the Eastern Conference with a victory on Friday night, as they sit two points back of Louisville City FC with two games in hand. Coming off a 5-0 win against Harrisburg in their last outing, the Red Bulls II are looking to earn back-to-back wins for the first time since a three-game winning streak last month.

Orlando (8-6-7, 31pts) will provide a strong test for New York, however, as it enters on a nine-game undefeated streak overall, and back-to-back dramatic wins over the past two weekends. OCB took a 2-1 win last Saturday night against Toronto FC II to boost its eighth-place position in the Eastern Conference thanks to Michael Cox’s stoppage-time winner, and will be aiming to continue to create separation from the group below the playoff positions.

Saturday, August 6
Richmond Kickers vs. FC Cincinnati
7 p.m. ET, City Stadium
Two of the top four teams in the Eastern Conference will meet on Saturday night as the Richmond Kickers put a six-game winning streak on the line against an FC Cincinnati side that has closed the gap to five points on rival Louisville with two games in hand entering the weekend.

Richmond (11-6-5, 38pts) matched its longest winning streak in the USL era last Saturday as a late goal by Yudai Imura grabbed a 2-1 victory against FC Montreal. Imura has scored six goals over the course of the streak for the Kickers, also bagging the game-winner in the side’s 1-0 win against the Rochester Rhinos last Wednesday, and will be one to watch in a key midfield battle.

Cincinnati (12-4-5, 41pts) is also coming off a victory against Montreal on August 3, when a pair of goals by Sean Okoli earned a 2-0 win at the Complexe Sportif Claude-Robillard. Okoli is now tied for third in the USL with 11 goals this season, with Coach John Harkes’ side now on a three-game undefeated streak to regain its footing after a dramatic loss to the New York Red Bulls II on July 20.

OKC Energy FC vs. LA Galaxy II
8 p.m. ET, Taft Stadium
A rematch of the Western Conference Final in the 2015 USL Playoffs brings together two sides in the LA Galaxy II and OKC Energy FC who are looking to remain in the hunt for the top spot in the Western Conference after disappointing results a week ago.

Energy FC (8-3-9, 33pts) is winless in its past three contests, and managed only two shots on goal in its two games in Week 20 action as it fell 1-0 to Sacramento Republic FC and drew 0-0 with Rio Grande Valley FC. Four points behind both Colorado Springs and Vancouver with three games in hand, OKC will be looking for its attacking spark to return as it looks for revenge against Los Dos.

The Galaxy II (9-4-8, 35pts) are coming off a massive collapse against the Portland Timbers 2 last Saturday night that saw the side hold a three-goal halftime lead, only to fall 4-3 at the StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium. Los Dos also appears set to be without USL leading scorer Jack McBean for the remainder of the season after reports he is set for a six-month loan stint with Coventry City in England.

Arizona United SC vs. San Antonio FC
10:30 p.m. ET, Peoria Sports Complex
Both currently on the outside looking in at the Western Conference playoff positions, Arizona United SC and San Antonio FC face another potential do-or-die clash as both teams look to find a place in the top eight by the end of the season.

Arizona (7-8-6, 27pts) is coming off back-to-back wins for just the second time this season after it notched six goals in two contests in Week 20 against Vancouver and Orange County. Chris Cortez was named the USL Player of the Week on Tuesday for his two game-winning goals, while Luke Rooney and Long Tan also shone in helping United move within two points of a playoff berth.

San Antonio (6-7-7, 25pts) almost claimed a massive road win last Saturday night, only for a late penalty kick to force the side to settle for a 1-1 draw against Sacramento Republic FC. With the fewest games played of any side in the Western Conference, the opportunity is there for SAFC, but it must take advantage of its games in hand in games like this to have a chance at a playoff berth to cap its inaugural season.

NUMBER CRUNCHING

800 – Charlotte Independence midfielder Jun Marques Davidson scored the 800th goal in the USL this season last Sunday in a 2-2 draw with Bethlehem Steel FC.

16 – With the signing of Auston Trusty by the Philadelphia Union and Chris Schuler by Real Salt Lake this week, 16 players have made the move from the USL to Major League Soccer this calendar year, already matching the total from 2015.

6 – Six players have played every minute of the season for their teams: Bethlehem Steel FC’s Ryan Richter, the Richmond Kickers’ Hugh Roberts, Saint Louis FC’s AJ Cochran, Rio Grande Valley FC’s Charlie Ward, OKC Energy FC’s Cyprian Hedrick and FC Cincinnati’s Mitch Hildebrandt.

5 – Rio Grande Valley FC has recorded five consecutive shutouts, but has gone only 1-0-4 over the course of those contests.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES
- Auston Trusty became the second player to make the move to the Philadelphia Union from Bethlehem Steel FC as a Homegrown Player on Wednesday. Trusty has made 13 appearances for the Steel this season as an Academy signing, and joins Derrick Jones as a summer HGP addition from the Steel.

- Sacramento Republic FC will play host to Liga MX giant Chivas de Guadalajara on October 5, the club announced on Tuesday. The contest will be the second between Chivas and a USL club this year, after OKC Energy FC played host to the historic club in June.

- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC moved to the top of the Western Conference standings on Thursday night with a 1-0 victory against Tulsa Roughnecks FC. Conor Doyle scored his first goal since joining the club on loan from the Colorado Rapids to break a five-game winless streak for the Switchbacks.

- Louisville City FC (13-3-7, 46pts) plays host to the Rochester Rhinos (9-5-8, 35pts) in a rematch of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2015 USL Playoffs on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). Louisville took a victory in the first meeting between the teams this season, and will be looking to improve on a 1-1 draw in midweek against the Harrisburg City Islanders.

- Rio Grande Valley FC (7-5-9, 30pts) hosts Seattle Sounders FC 2 (7-9-6, 27pts) on Saturday night (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center) with both sides entering on impressive runs of form. S2 is undefeated in its past six games (4-0-2), while the Toros have not conceded in their past five (1-0-4) as the sides square off in a crucial clash to the Western Conference playoff picture.

- The Charlotte Independence (9-6-6, 33pts) are on a four-game undefeated streak as they play host to North Carolina rival Wilmington Hammerheads FC (6-9-6, 24pts) on Saturday night at Ramblewood Stadium (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Independence will look to reverse a 2-1 defeat when the teams last met in Charlotte on July 9.

- Saint Louis FC (7-8-7, 28pts) will look to boost its playoff hopes when it hosts Sacramento Republic FC (9-6-7, 34pts) on Saturday night at World Wide Technology Soccer Park (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). STLFC has been strong at home this season, but sitting a point back of eighth place entering the weekend the club needs to start picking up victories if it is to earn its first playoff berth this season.