NPSL Week 10 South Region Review/Preview

South Atlantic Conference

Seven points separate top from bottom in the conference.

Upward Stars are at 15, Myrtle Beach Mutiny are at 11, FC Carolina Discoveries are at 10, Carolina Railhawks U-23's are at 9, and Gate City are at 8.

Last week, Myrtle Beach got a big three points with a win over Railhawks and Gate City got just a big a win over Upward Stars.

The only action this week is Discoveries hosting the Railhawks...

South Central Conference

Tulsa Athletics are on top with 24 points in 9 matches- five points clear of OKC FC and 6 clear of Dallas City FC. Group two is lead by Corinthians at 15 points. Liverpool and Joplin each are at 10. Fort Worth are at four points and BCS Clash are still looking for their first points.

Just so you know, the goal differential for them now is at minus-85.

Last week, Tulsa knocked off Dallas 4-1. Levi Coleman had a hat trick.
((HT: Tulsa Athletics))


Dallas City got their three points back with a win over Fort Worth.
((HT: Fort Worth Vaqueros))


Corinthians had an up and down week- shutting out Fort Worth, but losing to OKC FC
Martin Hansson caught up with head coach Jon Burklo
((HT: Corinthians FC their own selves))


Liverpool put 10 goals on BCS and Joplin had the week off.

This week is the last week of the regular season with Tulsa is at Liverpool, OKC gets BCS, Dallas City hosts Joplin before the Demize head to Corinthians. Corinthians also host Fort Worth on Friday. The Vaqueros also get a round with BCS.

Southeast Conference

Chattanooga FC, New Orleans, and Silverbacks Reserves all have 20 points and Nashville FC are at 18. Rocket City United are at 8 points, the Georgia revs are at 4, and Knoxville Force are at 2.

CFC had a big three points against the Jesters to re-emphasize the log jam
((HT: Mad Kemp))


Nashville FC have had to keep in step in a busy week- beating Rocket City 2-0
((HT: Rocket City FC))


Then, NFC lost to Silverbacks Reserves 1-0 to come back to the pack:

"Eventhough, we made the effort to win, we could have taken care of it before we did," Silverbacks head coach Alejandro Pombo told OSG Sports. "But every game is a fight in the Southern Conference because there are so many good teams. I also like the pressure, though, that every game brings. I grew up playing with that kind of pressure. I'm pretty comfortable with it."

Nashville still is ready for the home stretch, but injuries to keeper Stephen Lunney and Anthony Cedano are a concern going forward for the home finale with Knoxville.

"Every game matters right now," Lunney told OSG. "All our games now are like playoff games. The season is on the line every week. Obviously, the loss to Atlanta is disappointing, but it all leads to the post-season."

"We have to create and finish chances when we have them," Nashville head coach Brian Johnson said. "But every match in conference is tough. There are no laughers around here and it's good for the level of players that are here. I do think that players play physically and there are times that the tactics outpace the refs, though."

This week, Silverbacks Reserves (who also beat Rocket City) play Georgia Revs and Chattanooga plays Rocket City.

Sunshine Conference

Miami United and Jacksonville United are at 21 and 20 points. Tampa Marauders and Storm are at 7 points with Cape Coral Hurricanes at 3 points.

Last week, Miami beat Cape Coral and Jacksonville beat Tampa.
This week, Storm plays twice at Jacksonville and Miami while Tampa hosts Cape Coral.

Atlanta Silverbacks Beat Colorado in USOpen Cup With 8 Men

((HT: Colorado Rapids))

It was, let's face it, a weird night at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in suburban Denver last night as the winner prepped for the quarterfinals in the US Open Cup- the United States version of the FA Cup- where any team, regardless of level can have a chance at winning a $250,000 cash prize for their franchise.

And the NASL is making their mark in the tourney. Carolina Railhawks beat the LA Galaxy 1-0, and the Silverbacks knocked off the Rapids 2-1 in a wild game that had weather delays (pictured, scarily right by Kevin Pugh/Colorado Rapids)

and ended up with the Rapids playing with a 10-on-8 advantage after a massive scrum and disagreements that led to five Silverbacks red cards- three to players and two to coaches who left the box and two reds for the Rapids- one player and a coach.

The end result is that it was 10v8 for 35 minutes- the last 25 of regulation and another 10 of stoppage time while everything was being settled on the pitch.

Here's the highlights- skip ahead to the hour mark
((HT: Atlanta Silverbacks/Colorado Rapids))


Rapids defender Drew Moor, the guy at the bottom of the pile and recipient of the cleats to the face said the loss was unacceptable
((HT: Colorado Rapids))


The Silverbacks will play either Columbus or Chicago in July in the Open Quarters. It will be interesting to see what the red card situation is for that match and how it may affect the home team.

They Said It Would Happen...And It Did In The US Open Cup... NASL Beats MLS

((HT: atpdv/Real Salt Lake))

Pundits (whoever consider themselves as such) thought that, at least, one NASL side would knock off MLS sides in the opening

night of 4th Round US Open Cup play.

It actually, happened three times.

New York Cosmos beat NY Red Bulls 3-0. Carolina Railhawks beat Chivas USA in PK's and the Atlanta Silverbacks may have had a signature win for the franchise in their stoppage-time win over Real Salt Lake, 2-1, at Silverbacks Park (the full house pictured, right).

The reason "they"- whoever the "they" is was that the critical mass of a domestic tournament combined with the tournament in Brazil took a lot of key players out of circulation. In the RSL-Atlanta match-up, Kyle Beckerman and Nick Rimando are in Brazil and Saborio was out with injury- otherwise he would have been with the Costa Rican side that won their opening round match.

The Red Bulls were without Tim Cahill and Roy Miller for their World Cup competition. Dax McCarty was out due to knee injury, and, Thierry Henry and Jamison Olave because of turf.

The Goats were, well, the Goats... as a 9th-place team in the MLS Western Conference, only had Minda called up by Ecuador as a replacement at the last...

But, getting back to the action at the HQ home base, after a horrific gaffe by Carillo in the 10th minute that gave RSL the 1-0 lead the Silverbacks pressed for the remainder of the clock and got the duke.

Here's the highlights


OSG Sports caught up with Poku afterwards about what is, probably, "that" win for the franchise in the soccer-scape:

"The coaches and players were ready," he admitted post-match. "It's the first time I played against a professional team. And since we're a new team together with new coaches, we're starting to figure it out. I think we're getting there."

And in stoppage time, Poku was getting some encouragement to go ahead and shoot to keep the match from going to the same fate the last time the two played where RSL took the match in extra time to advance in the Cup.

"I had the ball and the guys were saying, "Poku, just take it!' So, I gotta take it, right? There was what...??? One minute left...??? So I took the shot..."

And with a shrug of his shoulders, Poku described how games can change on a drop. The Silverbacks looked like a team that knew they could work the far channels with Rudolph and Burgos- working crosses into the box for guys like Chavez to elevate and cause problems for RSL keeper Joe Attinella.

Silverbacks Technical Director Eric Wynalda, who is a joy to watch and cover if only for educational purposes for starters, sees the win as one of those victories that you can grow from:

"I think it's one of those seminal moments, yeah," he said. "The season, at times, has been painful for us this year. But when you excel, it can breathe life into a franchise.

"It's what this tourney is all about. You talk about how this is a game for us and a time to shine. We've embraced it. We've showcased it. And it's why I love this competition. It's been a hard go, and there are times where we've let ourselves down. But to the other part... we believe we can win games like this. We've got another game, now, in ten days and we'll put a lot into that. It gives us another quality opponent and it couldn't come at a better time."

The Silverbacks get either a trip to Orlando to play Orlando City SC or to Colorado to play the MLS Rapids on June 24.

And as for Willie B FC...???

Growth comes in stages... it's why it's called exactly that- sometimes it's in spurts. Sometimes it's in fits and starts and as long as the new faces in new places can figure it out, the curve under Wynalda looks like the stair-steps the franchise is looking for after last year's Soccer Bowl appearance.

It's about building an attitude with the players who buy in and bringing the right players to fit the philosophy that will court success. The thought process Wynalda is looking for with guys who wear the red and black kits over time will fill in just fine...

Silverbacks Decide On "No Coach" For New Coach

And it will be interesting to see how this works...

There is no doubt that, when Eric Wynalda took over as Technical Director, the Atlanta Silverbacks player personnel decisions meant that the team took it up a few notches- that included an appearance in the NASL Soccer Bowl and a first-half title...

Evidence below...


But when it was found out that Brian Haynes wasn't coming back to be 2014 head coach, Wynalda went with a different idea...

No one person would replace Haynes and Wynalda (pictured right, thanks Neal Malone and the Silverbacks their own selves) would manage from his TD role:

Here's a typical week under the reorganization...

“I’m going to talk you through a typical week under our system. You play a game on Saturday, and on Sunday, you recover. On Monday, I will give my team the day off. On Tuesday, it’ll usually be something on the physical side – in the case of preseason, weight training. Wednesday would basically be the first time you have a practice where you’re actually preparing for the weekend’s game instead of recovering. On Wednesday night, I will fly to Atlanta to be with the team on Thursday when we start the technical and tactical stuff that is necessary to prepare for an opponent. On Friday, we’ll train and travel – maybe not in that order – and then I’ll manage our team during our games on Saturday.”

“I know this system sounds less conventional, as our country is used to having a “head coach,” but that’s maybe something we’ve accepted as the norm. This is different. We’re committed to it, and if we didn’t think this was the best way to go, we wouldn’t be doing it.”

Wynalda has proven that, with his initial overseer role with his Cal FC club, that he knows talent and he knows how to create relationships and opportunities that make all aspects of his creative ladder work. He also knows that, living in California, it will be an adventure in being on two coasts at once running a franchise...

The HQ will keep an interested eye on this franchise operation model and see how it works for a league runner-up to go into their 15th season...

The HQ is all for putting people in charge who know what they're doing and leaving them alone to work their model...
Let's see if the ownership group is going to allow that to go 100-percent, growing pains and all...

Coach Interviews Himself

((HT: Atlanta Silverbacks))

This is what happens when your coach is also a television analyst...
And your television analyst is Eric Wynalda...

Nothing like tough, introspective questions from yourself...

And I said, "Self..."


Wynalda has proven himself ("self...") to be a talented coach with a philosophy not shared by others when it comes to gameplanning and a guy who wants to attack what he thinks is seriously wrong with USA Soccer- both on the field and off...

Interesting to see what's running through his brain on a regular basis...