TAMPA, Fla. – The United Soccer League welcomes back one of its biggest rivalries as the centerpiece to Week 4 of the regular season, as the first meeting for the River Cities Cup between Louisville City FC and FC Cincinnati also serves as FCC’s home opener at Nippert Stadium and brings together two sides who have opened the regular season with a pair of victories. The Western Conference also sees a major early-season meeting between two undefeated clubs, as Phoenix Rising FC plays host to Real Monarchs SLC on Saturday night with the Monarchs aiming to build on a two-game winning streak to start the defense of their regular-season championship. Other games to watch include Nashville SC’s first home game at First Tennessee Park, which sees early Eastern Conference leaders the Charlotte Independence visit the Music City, and a visit by defending Western Conference champions the Swope Park Rangers to face San Antonio FC at Toyota Field.

All 561 regular-season games, the 2018 USL Cup Playoffs and the 2018 USL Cup can be accessed via USLSoccer.com’s Match Center.

Standings | Statistics | Videos

11 THINGS

In the USL’s 11 Things to Know, Nicholas Murray examines a banner night for Indy Eleven that saw the club break its single-game attendance record and produce a solid display for its fans only for FC Cincinnati to walk away with victory, and the five teams that side tied on seven points at the top in the Western Conference, some of whom were expected and others who have made surprisingly strong starts.

USL NEWS & FEATURES YOU MAY HAVE MISSED

• Indianapolis Star: Indy Eleven's debut at Lucas Oil Stadium is 'top class'
• Cincinnati Enquirer: FC Cincinnati, Indy Eleven match shows the growth of American soccer
• St. Petersburg Times: Rowdies’ career scorer Derek Smethurst ready to see his record broken
• Indianapolis Star: ‘Stranger Things’ Star Shouts Out Indy Eleven
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Fink happy to be home with Saint Louis FC
• Las Vegas Review-Journal: UNLV grad Musovski begins pro career with Reno 1868 FC
• Hartford Courant: Dillon Stadium Deal Headed for Public Hearing, Vote
• Salt Lake Tribune: Monarchs Have Their Eye on the USL Cup in 2018
• Louisville Courier-Journal: Louisville shuts out Tampa Bay for second win of the season
• St. Louis Post-Dispatch: Saint Louis FC scores early, holds on for season's first victory
• Las Vegas Review-Journal: Alvarez, Lights FC rally for 2-1 win over Swope Park
• Fresno Bee: Fresno FC wins its first home game 2-1 against OKC Energy FC
• Richmond Times-Dispatch: Kickers break out of offensive funk, claim home victory 
• Charlotte Post: Draw vs. Atlanta less than satisfying for Independence

BUZZING ON SOCIAL

USL REGULAR SEASON SPOTLIGHT | RAPID-FIRE PREVIEWS

Wednesday, April 4
Tulsa Roughnecks FC vs. Portland Timbers 2
ONEOK Field, Tulsa, Oklahoma | 8 p.m. ET
Tulsa Roughnecks FC (0-3-0, 0pts) will try to rebound from a tough outing as it looks for its first points of the regular season when it plays host to the Portland Timbers 2 (1-2-0, 3pts). The Roughnecks suffered a 5-0 defeat to Orange County SC on home turf last Saturday night – their heaviest home loss since a defeat by the same score against Rio Grande Valley FC in the 2016 season – as the side finished the game with nine men. The only side yet to register a point in the Western Conference, Tulsa will be hopeful of rebounding against a T2 side that also fell this past weekend in a 4-2 defeat to Real Monarchs SLC. Wednesday’s game marks the fourth of a five-game road trip to start the season for Portland as renovations to Providence Park are completed before its home debut on April 18 against Rio Grande Valley FC.

Swope Park Rangers vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Children’s Mercy Park, Kansas City, Kansas | 8:30 p.m. ET
The Swope Park Rangers (2-1-0, 6pts) and Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (1-2-0, 3pts) will both aim for bounce-back performances after suffering road defeats over the past weekend. The Rangers saw their perfect start to the season come to an end at the hands of Las Vegas Lights FC in a 2-1 defeat that saw Swope Park hold a halftime lead thanks to Rodrigo Saravia’s goal. Swope Park has won its last five regular-season contests at home dating back to last season and is undefeated in its last seven. The Switchbacks are looking to rebound from a 1-0 defeat against Saint Louis FC last Saturday that opened the club’s road trip to the Midwest.

Saturday, April 7
Toronto FC II vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
BMO Field, Toronto, Ontario | 2 p.m. ET
Two teams looking for their first wins of the season meet when Toronto FC II (0-2-0, 0pts) plays host to Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (0-0-2, 2pts) in what will now be TFC II’s home opener this season after last week’s postponement of its clash with Ottawa Fury FC. Toronto has battled well in its opening two games but was unable to break through in a 2-0 defeat to the Charlotte Independence in its last outing. TFC II has drawn each of its three previous home openers, including against Riverhounds SC in the 2016 season. Pittsburgh has yet to find a breakthrough offensively, playing to consecutive scoreless draws to start the new season. Riverhounds SC is 2-0-2 all-time on the road against Toronto, but the teams have played to a draw in each of the prior two meetings.

Richmond Kickers vs. New York Red Bulls II
City Stadium, Richmond, Virginia | 5 p.m. ET
The Richmond Kickers (1-2-0, 3pts) and New York Red Bulls II (2-1-0, 6pts) are both coming off victories as they square off for the first time this season in a series that has seen some high-scoring affairs in the past. The teams have combined for 21 goals in seven previous meetings, with New York having claimed victory in both meetings during the 2017 season. Richmond rallied for its first win of the 2018 season this past Saturday as it defeated North Carolina FC 2-1 behind goals from Yudai Imura and Raul Gonzalez at City Stadium. The Red Bulls II, meanwhile, put in an impressive attacking display in a 5-2 rout of the Charleston Battery at Red Bull Arena that saw four different players find the scoresheet.

FC Cincinnati vs. Louisville City FC
Nippert Stadium, Cincinnati, Ohio | 7 p.m. ET
The River Cities Cup resumes as FC Cincinnati (2-0-0, 6pts) hosts Louisville City FC (2-0-0, 6pts) for its home opener with a pair of perfect records on the line and a massive crowd expected at Nippert Stadium. Each side has claimed the rivalry series in its first two seasons with Louisville the current holder of the trophy after winning the series on goal differential a season ago after the teams split their three meetings. The all-time series between the clubs in regular-season play stands at 2-2-2. FCC is looking to build on a pair of 1-0 road wins to start the season that included victory last Saturday against Indy Eleven at Lucas Oil Stadium before a crowd of 17,535 in Indy’s home opener. Louisville has also yet to concede this season after a 1-0 victory against fellow Eastern contender the Tampa Bay Rowdies last Saturday that saw Oscar Jimenez score the only goal of the game.

North Carolina FC vs. Indy Eleven
Sahlen’s Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park, Cary, North Carolina | 7 p.m. ET
North Carolina FC (0-2-0, 0pts) will try to land its first points of the regular season when it hosts Indy Eleven (1-1-0, 3pts) in a contest between two sides that fell in their most recent outings. North Carolina held a halftime lead against the Richmond Kickers this past Saturday in their first road trip of the season but conceded twice in the final 15 minutes as the Kickers took victory at City Stadium. Indy also lost narrowly in its home opener as a missed penalty kick proved key in a 1-0 defeat against FC Cincinnati before 17,535 fans at Lucas Oil Stadium. Saturday’s game continues the longtime series between the clubs which saw Indy take three wins out of five meetings a season ago (3-1-1).

Tampa Bay Rowdies vs. Ottawa Fury FC
Al Lang Stadium, St. Petersburg, Florida | 7:30 p.m. ET
The Tampa Bay Rowdies (2-1-0, 6pts) will look to get back on track after their first setback of the regular season against Ottawa Fury FC (0-1-0, 0pts), which will be happy to get back on the field after two weeks off due to last weekend’s postponed contest against Toronto FC II. Fury FC opened the season with a 4-1 defeat on the road against the Charlotte Independence and will be looking for a more incisive performance against the Rowdies. Tampa Bay fell 1-0 to Louisville City FC this past Saturday, an outing that broke a 19-game scoring streak for the club that dated back to July 1, 2017. Tampa Bay edged the regular-season series between the clubs a season ago, going 1-0-2 thanks to a 1-0 victory early in the season at Al Lang Stadium.

Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC vs. Rio Grande Valley FC
Weidner Field, Colorado Springs, Colorado | 8 p.m. ET
Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC will return to its home turf at Weidner Field for its second game of the week when it plays host to Rio Grande Valley FC (0-0-2, 2pts) following its midweek visit to the Swope Park Rangers. The Toros will be looking to finish what they started in their third outing of the regular season after conceding leads in both of their first two games that led to a pair of draws. This past Saturday the Toros gave up a two-goal lead with 10 minutes to go in a 2-2 draw with Sacramento Republic FC, a result that RGVFC will be keen to learn from as it looks to continue the success it has found against the Switchbacks. The Toros have won all four prior meetings between the clubs.

OKC Energy FC vs. Portland Timbers 2
Taft Stadium, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma | 8 p.m. ET
OKC Energy FC (1-3-0, 3pts) will try to end a three-game losing streak when it plays host to the Portland Timbers 2 as T2 wraps up its trip to Oklahoma that begins in Tulsa on Wednesday night. Energy FC suffered a 2-1 defeat to Fresno FC in its most recent outing last Saturday night as a late goal lifted the Foxes to victory on their home turf. Energy FC has had a consistent history of success against Portland in the past three seasons, going 4-1-0 in their prior regular-season meetings.

Nashville SC vs. Charlotte Independence
First Tennessee Park, Nashville, Tennessee | 8:30 p.m. ET
A sellout crowd is expected for Nashville SC’s first game at First Tennessee Park when the undefeated Charlotte Independence (2-0-1, 7pts) visit for their first road game of the season. Nashville (1-1-1, 4pts) took its first victory in the club’s professional history with a 1-0 win against Bethlehem Steel FC last Saturday as Michael Cox etched his name in NSC’s history book by scoring the first goal in the club’s professional era. The hosts will likely face a big test from the Independence, who are off to their best start in club history after a 2-2 draw against ATL UTD 2 last Saturday that saw Jorge Herrera score twice. The 38-year-old Colombian is now tied for the league-lead with four goals this season.

Saint Louis FC vs. Fresno FC
Toyota Stadium – Saint Louis, Fenton, Missouri | 8:30 p.m. ET
Saint Louis FC (1-1-1, 4pts) and Fresno FC (2-1-1, 7pts) square off for the first time with both teams coming off victories in their most recent outings. STLFC earned its first victory under new Head Coach Anthony Pulis in a 1-0 victory against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC that saw Kyle Greig score his second goal in as many games for his new club. Greig now sits on 38 goals for his USL career. The Foxes, meanwhile, are on a two-game winning streak after picking up their first home win in club history this past Saturday against OKC Energy FC. Rony Argueta’s goal with eight minutes to go gave Fresno a 2-1 win it will be looking to build on as it heads to the Midwest for the first time in its inaugural season.

San Antonio FC vs. Swope Park Rangers
Toyota Field, San Antonio, Texas | 8:30 p.m. ET
San Antonio FC (1-1-1, 4pts) will look to pick up its second home win of the regular season when it hosts a Swope Park Rangers side that will already have seen midweek action in Week 4. San Antonio was held to a 0-0 draw by the LA Galaxy II this past Saturday as a saved penalty kick denied the visitors a chance at victory at StubHub Center. Swope Park has held the upper hand previously in the series, going 3-1-2 in the prior meetings between the clubs.

Orange County SC vs. LA Galaxy II
Champions Soccer Stadium, Irvine, California | 10 p.m. ET
Orange County SC (2-1-1, 7pts) will try to build on an excellent road trip to Oklahoma and pick up its first home win of the season when it hosts the LA Galaxy II (0-1-2, 2pts) in the first meeting of the regional rivals this season. Orange County swept both of its games in the Sooner State with a 1-0 win against OKC Energy FC and 5-0 victory against Tulsa Roughnecks FC that saw Thomas Enevoldsen score a hat trick. The former Danish international is now tied for the league-lead with four goals for the club. Los Dos earned a second consecutive draw in a 0-0 stalemate against San Antonio FC this past Saturday but is still looking for an attacking spark after scoring only one goal and four shots on target in its first three games.

Phoenix Rising FC vs. Real Monarchs SLC
Phoenix Rising Soccer Complex, Phoenix, Arizona | 10 p.m. ET
Two of the anticipated leading contenders in the Western Conference will put their undefeated records on the line when Phoenix Rising FC (2-0-1, 7pts) hosts Real Monarchs SLC (2-0-0, 6pts) in the marquee Western Conference game of the weekend. Rising FC earned its second win of the season this past Saturday as Solomon Asante converted a stoppage-time penalty kick to earn a 1-0 win against Reno 1868 FC at Greater Nevada Field. Asante has scored in each of Phoenix’s opening three games of the regular season. The Monarchs scored twice in the opening 10 minutes on their way to a 4-2 win against the Portland Timbers 2 in their home opener this past Saturday and have scored seven goals in their first two games of the regular season to start with a perfect record.

Sacramento Republic FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2
Papa Murphy’s Park, Sacramento, California | 10:30 p.m. ET
Sacramento Republic FC (2-0-1, 7pts) will try to continue its undefeated start to the season when it hosts Seattle Sounders FC 2 (1-2-0, 3pts) after a pair of road games the past two weekends. Republic FC needed a big comeback late this past Saturday to earn a 2-2 draw with Rio Grande Valley FC, as an own goal by the Toros in stoppage time earned the visitors a point at H-E-B Park. S2 is coming off back-to-back losses but has looked bright in the early season despite its setbacks. Sacramento is undefeated in its last eight meetings with Seattle, however, with S2’s only victory in the all-time series having come in its inaugural game to kick off the 2015 regular season.

Sunday, April 8
Bethlehem Steel FC vs. Charleston Battery
Goodman Stadium, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania | 3 p.m. ET
Bethlehem Steel FC (1-2-0, 3pts) and the Charleston Battery (1-2-0, 3pts) will both look to even their early-season records after suffering defeats last time out when they meet for the first time this season. Steel FC was edged out in a 1-0 loss against Nashville SC this past Saturday for its second consecutive loss, while the Battery suffered a 5-2 loss to the New York Red Bulls II to open a four-game road trip. A silver lining for the Battery in their defeat was a pair of goals for Tah Anunga, but the five goals conceded was the most in a regular-season contest by the side in the USL’s modern era.

ATL UTD 2 vs. Penn FC
Coolray Field, Gwinnett, Georgia | 4 p.m. ET
ATL UTD 2 (1-0-1, 4pts) will aim to continue its impressive start to its inaugural campaign when it plays host to Penn FC (0-1-1, 1pt) in its second home game of the season. Atlanta picked up a point in its last outing, a 2-2 draw with the Charlotte Independence at the Sportsplex at Matthews that saw the visitors twice take the lead, only for Jorge Herrera to respond on both occasions for the Independence. Atlanta took a 3-1 victory against the New York Red Bulls II in its first game at Coolray Field and will be hoping for more of the same against a Penn FC side that has yet to find the net in its first two games of the season. Penn played to a 0-0 draw with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC in the opening game of the Keystone Derby Cup series this past Saturday.