TAMPA, Fla. – The top four teams in the Western Conference will meet in two contests on Saturday night, while two of the top three teams in the Eastern Conference meet on Sunday, as a handful of teams have the chance to book their place in the 2016 USL Playoffs over the course of a 13-game slate of action this weekend to conclude Week 23 in the USL regular season. Rio Grande Valley FC hosts Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, and Sacramento Republic FC hosts Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 as the spotlight shines brightly out west this weekend.

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, August 27
Charleston Battery vs. Charlotte Independence
7:30 p.m. ET, MUSC Health Stadium
The Southern Derby will be decided on Saturday night when the Charleston Battery play host to the Charlotte Independence, with the visitors also having the chance to claim a playoff berth for the first time in their history.

The Battery (10-5-8, 38pts) can’t quite reach the postseason with a win on Saturday night, but a victory would be a nice boost as the side sits in position to make a run at a top-four position with seven games remaining in the season. Coming off a 1-1 draw with Wilmington last time out, Charleston will be looking to take its first win against the Independence this season.

The Independence (11-6-6, 39pts) can reach the postseason with help elsewhere. A victory for Charlotte combined with a loss by Bethlehem at Louisville, and a draw or defeat for Wilmington against Rochester would see the side claim its first playoff berth in the club’s second season. After a 4-0 win against Orlando City B last time out, the Independence will be looking to boost their top-four hopes with a victory.

Rio Grande Valley FC vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
8:30 p.m. ET, Toros Park
Fourth-place Rio Grande Valley FC hosts second-place Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on Saturday night looking to complete a sweep of the season series between the teams, and also move above the Switchbacks in the Western Conference standings.

The Toros (10-5-9, 39pts) hold a game in hand over Colorado Springs, and are coming off a 2-0 victory at Switchbacks Stadium last Sunday afternoon. Ruben Luna and Dzenan Catic scored the goals in that contest as the side recorded its eighth consecutive shutout, which in turn has set a USL record for consecutive shutouts.

The Switchbacks (11-7-7, 40pts) rebounded from their defeat by the Toros in midweek with a 2-0 victory against fellow playoff contender OKC Energy FC in the USL Game of the Week on ESPN3. Colorado Springs’ Miguel Gonzalez provided a spectacular game-winning goal for the Switchbacks, while Martin Maybin’s team-leading seventh goal of the season wrapped up the win in stoppage time.

Sacramento Republic FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
11 p.m. ET, Bonney Field
First-place Sacramento Republic FC holds a three-point edge on both Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC, and is on a three-game winning streak as it enters Saturday night’s big game at Bonney Field.

Republic FC (12-6-7, 43pts) recorded its second consecutive shutout victory on Wednesday night as Cameron Iwasa scored the only goal of the game with 14 minutes to go against Orange County Blues FC. Sacramento has scored nine goals in its past three games and has hit its stride as it looks to hold onto the top spot in the Western Conference.

WFC2 (11-6-7, 40pts) came back to claim a crucial victory in its last contest as Thomas Sanner scored a hat trick against Arizona United SC last Sunday at McLeod Athletic Park. Sanner’s three goals all came in the final 10 minutes of the contest, and earned the rookie USL Player of the Week honors. After the two sides played to a 0-0 draw in their first meeting, a win for WFC2 on Saturday night would give it the inside track to finishing first at the end of the season.

Sunday, August 28
New York Red Bulls II vs. FC Cincinnati
5:40 p.m. ET, Red Bull Arena
Having clinched their place in the playoffs a season ago, the New York Red Bulls II will try to take another step toward the USL regular season championship when it hosts third-place FC Cincinnati in the biggest game in the Eastern Conference this weekend.

The Red Bulls II (16-3-5, 53pts) edged out second-place Louisville City FC last Friday night on a penalty kick by Brandon Allen to become the first side to claim a postseason berth. Allen is now tied for third in the USL with 11 goals, while Junior Flemmings has been in fine form over the past few games to help power the highest-scoring attack in the USL.

FC Cincinnati (12-4-7, 43pts) could clinch a place in the playoffs before taking to the field on Sunday. Should both Bethlehem Steel FC and Wilmington Hammerheads FC fail to take a victory in their respective games against Louisville and Rochester, Cincinnati would clinch a playoff berth in its first season. If those results fail to materialize, however, Cincinnati would still earn a place with a victory, and keep the race for first place in the East alive.

NUMBER CRUNCHING
721 – Rio Grande Valley FC has gone 721 minutes without conceding a goal, a USL record. The Toros last conceded in stoppage time of a 2-1 defeat to Orange County Blues FC on June 26.

11 – OKC Energy FC’s Cody Laurendi recorded his 11th shutout of the season last Saturday against Tulsa Roughnecks FC, setting a new club record.

11 – Cameron Iwasa’s 11th goal of the season against Orange County Blues FC tied the Sacramento Republic FC single-season goal-scoring record, set by Tommy Stewart in 2014.

6 – Pittsburgh Riverhounds forward Corey Hertzog has scored six goals in his past six games, and is one shy of reaching 25 for his USL career.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES
- Louisville City FC goalkeeper Greg Ranjitsingh earned his first international call-up on Thursday as he was named in Trinidad & Tobago’s squad for its upcoming World Cup Qualifiers against Guatemala and the United States. Trevin Caesar (Orange County Blues FC) and Neveal Hackshaw (Charleston Battery) were also named in the squad.

- A trio of USL players was also named in Jamaica’s squad for its World Cup Qualifiers against Panama and Haiti. Michael Binns (Wilmington Hammerheads FC), Cory Burke (Bethlehem Steel FC) and Ryan Thompson (Saint Louis FC) will all be part of the Reggae Boyz group for the two games.

- Three other USL players were named to their respective country’s squads for World Cup Qualifiers, with Saint Louis FC’s Irvin Herrera named in El Salvador’s roster, FC Montreal’s Maxime Crepeau named to Canada’s squad, and Seattle Sounders FC 2’s Myron Samuel named in the St. Vincent & the Grenadines side.

- The Richmond Kickers (11-6-7, 40pts) will take aim at a place in the playoffs when they host Orlando City B (8-8-8, 32pts) at City Stadium on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Kickers need a win, and both Bethlehem and Wilmington to fail to take a victory, to book a sixth consecutive playoff berth in the USL.

- Saint Louis FC (7-9-8, 29pts) plays host to San Antonio FC (8-8-7, 31pts) at World Wide Technology Soccer Park on Saturday night (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center) with a chance to jump past SAFC in the tightly-packed Western Conference standings. San Antonio is coming off back-to-back wins, however, and will be eager to hold off the challengers to its current eighth-place position.

- The Rochester Rhinos (10-5-10, 40pts) can both clinch a playoff berth and help out others looking to do so when they visit Wilmington Hammerheads FC (6-11-7, 25pts) at Legion Stadium on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). With a win and a draw or loss by Bethlehem Steel FC against Louisville, the defending USL champions will return to the postseason.

- The Swope Park Rangers (8-9-6, 30pts) will look to boost their playoff hopes when they play host to the LA Galaxy II (9-5-9, 36pts) at Children’s Mercy Victory Field on Saturday night (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Rangers are a point behind San Antonio for eighth place, and four back of Orange County for seventh, and face a Los Dos side that is now winless in its last four contests.

- Louisville City FC (13-4-8, 48pts) has already booked its place in the postseason, but will want to take a victory against Bethlehem Steel FC (6-10-8, 26pts) at Slugger Field on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET | Match Center) as it tries to hold off FC Cincinnati for second place in the Eastern Conference. Louisville will also have a number of other teams rooting it on, as a Steel loss or draw is needed for three other teams to book their playoff berths this weekend.

- OKC Energy FC (9-4-10, 37pts) will look to rebound from its midweek loss to Colorado Springs when it plays host to Tulsa Roughnecks FC (5-16-3, 18pts) in the final Black Gold Derby of the season on Saturday night at Taft Stadium (9 p.m. ET | Match Center). With seven games remaining, Energy FC still holds an outside chance at a high seed in the Western Conference Playoffs, and completing a season sweep of the Roughnecks would be a step in the right direction to that end.

- The Harrisburg City Islanders (7-14-4, 25pts) and Pittsburgh Riverhounds (5-15-4, 19pts) are both coming off victories as they square off in the final meeting of the Keystone Derby Cup on Saturday night at FNB Field (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). The City Islanders need a big late run if they are to return to the playoffs this season, but face a Riverhounds side that is coming off a 4-1 win on Wednesday night against Wilmington.

- Arizona United SC (8-10-6, 30pts) and Real Monarchs SLC (8-11-5, 29pts) face a crucial game in the Western Conference playoff race when they meet at the Peoria Sports Complex on Saturday night (10:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). Arizona is coming off back-to-back defeats that saw it slip out of the top eight, while the Monarchs have revived their chances with back-to-back victories going into the contest.