TAMPA, Fla. – The longest-standing continual professional rivalry in the United States resumes on Saturday night, highlighting a big weekend of action to conclude Week 12 of the 2017 USL regular season. The weekend also brings a major 2016 USL Cup Playoffs rematch, and a much-anticipated debut for Phoenix Rising FC.

The Eastern Conference-leading Charleston Battery and Richmond Kickers face each other for the 60th time in their histories on Saturday night at MUSC Health Stadium in the first meeting between the clubs in their 25th-anniversary seasons. Saturday night also sees FC Cincinnati host the Charlotte Independence in the first meeting for the Queen City Cup this year, while Sunday brings a clash between the defending champion New York Red Bulls II and Louisville City FC, whose last matchup was for the 2016 USL Eastern Conference Championship last October.

The Western Conference’s weekend slate brings together Reno 1868 FC and USL Player of the Month for May, Dane Kelly, and Sacramento Republic FC for the first time in league action on Saturday night at Greater Nevada Field. The night is also set to see the highly-anticipated debut for Didier Drogba as Phoenix Rising FC hosts Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2.

Every game of the 2017 USL season will be available on the league’s Match Center, with updates from across the league also available via Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

GAMES TO WATCH

Saturday, June 10
Charleston Battery vs. Richmond Kickers
7 p.m. ET, MUSC Health Stadium
The 60th meeting between the longtime rivals sees the Charleston Battery play host to the Richmond Kickers, with both teams in the midst of greatly differing fortunes in their 25th-anniversary seasons. The Battery are also looking to continue to hold the upper hand on their rivals, with Richmond’s last win in the series having come in the 2014 USL Cup Playoffs.

Charleston (7-2-3, 24pts) remained on top of the Eastern Conference after a remarkable 4-4 draw against Louisville City FC last Saturday night at MUSC Health Stadium. Romario Williams reached 10 goals this season with a pair of tallies, but Louisville rallied to earn a point with two goals in the final 15 minutes.

The Kickers (2-6-4, 10pts) saw their winless streak reach seven games, meanwhile, as the New York Red Bulls II edged out a 1-0 victory at City Stadium last Saturday night. Richmond’s last win came on April 22, and the side would like nothing more than to get one over on its rival and hope a big road win can kick-start its season.

FC Cincinnati vs. Charlotte Independence
7 p.m. ET, Nippert Stadium
The Queen City Cup rivalry renews at Nippert Stadium with both FC Cincinnati and the Charlotte Independence looking to rebound from defeats in their most recent outings. Both teams took victories on home turf a season ago, and another tight encounter is expected with the teams separated by only three points in the Eastern Conference standings.

Cincinnati (4-5-3, 15pts) saw its two-game winning streak come to an end in a 1-0 defeat against the Rochester Rhinos, and now faces a crucial three-game home stand over the next three weekends. Following the visit from the Independence, the Eastern Conference-leading Charleston Battery will visit next Saturday and a Saint Louis FC side that will be looking to reverse its defeat in the first meeting between the clubs this season on June 24.

The Independence (3-3-3, 12pts) complete a challenging stint that saw the side take a 2-2 draw against the Tampa Bay Rowdies last Sunday on home turf and suffered a 1-0 defeat against Louisville City FC on Wednesday night at Slugger Field. Despite being down to 10 men, though, Charlotte pushed hard late for an equalizer against Louisville, and could take some positive feeling into Saturday’s contest.

Phoenix Rising FC vs. Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
10:30 p.m. ET, Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex
Former Premier League and UEFA Champions League winner Didier Drogba is set to make his debut for Phoenix Rising FC as it hosts Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2, with Saturday’s clash at the Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex also set to make the first game in charge for new Rising FC Head Coach Patrice Carteron.

Drogba arrived in Phoenix to a major welcome on April 21, and since then has been working to get match-fit. His presence could potentially boost Rising FC (4-5-0, 12pts), which fell 3-2 on Tuesday night against OKC Energy FC to remain outside the top eight in the USL’s Western Conference. Carteron, who brings experience from Ligue 1 and the Mali National Team, took his first training sessions with the club this week after his appointment last month, and is expected to be on the sideline for his first game on Saturday.

Vancouver (4-5-2, 14pts) is coming off a 1-0 victory against the Portland Timbers 2 last Sunday afternoon as Marco Bustos’ goal earned the side its second win in its past three outings. WFC2 is currently one place outside the playoff positions, and is looking forward to the opportunity to spoil the party its host will be hoping to throw.

Reno 1868 FC vs. Sacramento Republic FC
10:30 p.m. ET, Greater Nevada Field
Reno 1868 FC and Sacramento Republic FC meet for the first time in the USL regular season on Saturday night, with 1868 FC aiming to continue an outstanding run of form that has pushed the side into the playoff positions in the Western Conference one third of the way through the club’s inaugural season.

Reno (4-3-3, 15pts) took its fourth win in its past five games, and extended its league undefeated streak to six overall with a 3-2 win on Wednesday night against Rio Grande Valley FC. Dane Kelly notched his league-leading 11th goal of the season, while Luis Felipe and Brent Richards both scored their first league goals for the club as 1868 FC earned another impressive win.

Sacramento (4-5-3, 15pts) played to a 0-0 draw against the Toros last Saturday night in its past outing, and now sits one place behind sixth-place 1868 FC in the Western Conference. Republic FC will take some confidence into the contest, however, having earned a 2-0 victory against Reno when the teams met in the Third Round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on May 31.

Sunday, June 11
New York Red Bulls II vs. Louisville City FC
4 p.m. ET, MSU Soccer Park
The New York Red Bulls II and Louisville City FC are both coming off narrow victories as they meet for the first time since NYRB II won the Eastern Conference Final of the 2016 USL Cup Playoffs and went on to win the league crown. Separated by two points in the top four of the Eastern Conference this season, the matchup promises to be another important meeting between the two clubs.

The Red Bulls II (5-5-2, 17pts) recorded their second consecutive victory with a 1-0 win against the Richmond Kickers at City Stadium last Saturday night. Brandon Allen’s seventh goal of the season lifted New York to the victory, and the Red Bulls II now return home looking to continue their undefeated record all-time against their visitors on Sunday.

Louisville (5-1-4, 19pts) also earned a 1-0 victory on Wednesday night as it defeated the Charlotte Independence in front of 7,403 fans at Slugger Field on rookie Richard Ballard’s first goal in the USL. City moved ahead of New York into third place in the Eastern Conference with its victory, and will be hoping to continue its pursuit of the top two after earning seven points from the past three games.

NUMBER CRUNCHING

400 – Orlando City B’s Zach Ellis-Hayden scored the 400th goal of the USL season last Saturday night, as it proved the game-winner in OCB’s 2-1 victory against the Pittsburgh Riverhounds at Highmark Stadium.

8 – Dane Kelly was named the USL Player of the Month for May after recording eight goals in four games for Reno 1868 FC, including a pair of hat tricks. Kelly has now recorded 59 goals in his USL career, the all-time league lead.

7 – Real Monarchs SLC’s winning streak stands at seven games after its 1-0 victory against Orange County SC last Saturday. The Monarchs would draw level with the league record, held by 2014’s Orlando City SC side, with an eighth consecutive win when they host the Portland Timbers 2 on Saturday night.

6 – San Antonio FC’s Diego Restrepo has recorded six consecutive shutouts after the side’s 0-0 draw with the Swope Park Rangers last Saturday night. SAFC’s shutout streak now sits at 554 minutes, chasing the league record held by Rio Grande Valley FC of 758 minutes.

2 – Two players with USL ties will be part of the 2017 FIFA Confederations Cup that kicks off in Russia next Saturday, with Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2’s Deklan Wynne and Reno 1868 FC loanee Kip Colvey both named in New Zealand’s squad for the tournament.

OTHER NEWS AND NOTES

- A pair of major international exhibitions were announced by USL clubs this week, with FC Cincinnati to host La Liga’s Valencia at Nippert Stadium on July 24 and OKC Energy FC to welcome 2016-17 CONCACAF Champions League winner Pachuca of Liga MX on July 11.

- OKC Energy FC (4-5-1, 13pts) recorded its third win in its past four league outings with a 3-2 victory against Phoenix Rising FC on Tuesday night at Taft Stadium in the USL Game of the Week on ESPN3. Wojciech Wojcik scored twice for the host, but was forced out of the game late with a fractured elbow, and will be out indefinitely after undergoing surgery.

- Orlando City B (4-4-4, 16pts) and the Rochester Rhinos (4-1-4, 16pts) played to a 1-1 draw on Wednesday night at Orlando City Stadium in the first of the Rhinos’ two games in Florida this week. Rochester is now undefeated in its past six outings and is one of only two teams in the Eastern Conference alongside Louisville to have only suffered one loss this season.

- San Antonio FC (9-0-3, 30pts) will take aim at a USL record sixth consecutive road victory when it visits OKC Energy FC on Saturday night at Taft Stadium (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). SAFC played to a 0-0 draw at home against the Swope Park Rangers last Saturday to remain undefeated this season, but would surpass the New York Red Bulls II’s five-game road winning streak last season with a win against Energy FC.

- The Tampa Bay Rowdies (6-3-4, 22pts) will try to get back on a winning track when they host the Rochester Rhinos at Al Lang Stadium on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Rowdies are winless in their past three games after a 2-2 draw against the Charlotte Independence last Sunday, and have needed goals inside the final 10 minutes to take a point from each of their past two outings.

- Two Western Conference playoff contenders meet at H-E-B Park when Rio Grande Valley FC (4-4-2, 14pts) hosts Seattle Sounders FC 2 (5-5-2, 17pts) on Saturday night (8:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Toros are coming off a midweek defeat against Reno 1868 FC, while S2 swept to a 3-0 victory against the LA Galaxy II in its past outing.

- Ottawa Fury FC (3-3-4, 13pts) and the Harrisburg City Islanders (2-4-4, 10pts) will both look to boost their playoff hopes when they meet at TD Place on Saturday night (7 p.m. ET | Match Center). Fury FC is undefeated in its past three games after playing to a 1-1 draw with Bethlehem Steel FC last Sunday afternoon, while the City Islanders are looking to break a seven-game winless streak after a bright start to the season.

- Real Monarchs SLC (10-1-0, 30pts) will look to equal the USL record for consecutive victories when it hosts the Portland Timbers 2 (1-10-1, 4pts) at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday night (9 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Monarchs earned their seventh consecutive victory last Saturday night as Chandler Hoffman’s seventh goal of the season stood as the winner against Orange County SC after Real goalkeeper Connor Sparrow recorded a six-save shutout. T2 is coming off a 1-0 defeat to Vancouver in its past outing.

- Toronto FC II (1-7-4 7pts) and the Pittsburgh Riverhounds (4-5-3, 15pts) meet for the second time this season when they square off at the Ontario Soccer Centre on Saturday night (7:30 p.m. ET | Match Center). The Riverhounds won the first meeting between the clubs 1-0 on a standout strike by Victor Souto, and will be hoping for a repeat performance to break their current three-game winless streak.

- The LA Galaxy II (2-7-2, 8pts) play host to Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (4-4-5, 17pts) on Saturday night at StubHub Center Track & Field Stadium (10:30 p.m. ET | Match Center) with the Switchbacks looking to build on a dramatic win last time out. Rony Argueta’s stoppage-time finish lifted the Switchbacks to a 1-0 victory against OKC Energy FC last Saturday to break a four-game winless streak.

- Saint Louis FC (4-3-3, 15pts) hosts Bethlehem Steel FC (4-6-1, 13pts) on Sunday evening at Toyota Stadium – Saint Louis (5 p.m. ET | Match Center) aiming to build on a solid victory in its return to its home venue last Friday night. A.J. Cochran and Christian Volesky found the net for Saint Louis in a 2-0 win against Toronto FC II that pushed the side back into the Eastern Conference’s top eight.

- The Swope Park Rangers (4-4-1, 13pts) and Tulsa Roughnecks FC (5-5-0, 15pts) meet on Sunday evening at Children’s Mercy Victory Field (5 p.m. ET | Match Center), with both teams looking to build on positive results last time out. The Rangers earned a 0-0 draw with San Antonio FC last Saturday, while the Roughnecks took a 3-1 victory against the Portland Timbers 2 in their past league outing.