Best of the rest: Who to watch at the bottom of the USL table
Which players demand your attention on the non-playoff teams?
With a month and a half left on the USL calendar, three clubs are languishing with a sub-10% chance of making the playoffs: Loudoun United, Hartford Athletic, and the Las Vegas Lights. Despite their poor form, all three teams have talented, impactful players worthy of your attention.
Who’s standing out at the bottom of the table? I’ve got a shortlist with a few representatives from each of 2023’s also-rans. Note that I’m going for lesser-known players here. Antoine Hoppenot, for instance, is the most exciting guy on any of these teams. Someone like Emmanuel Ledesma brings star power. I wanted to dig deeper.
Kalil ElMedkhar (Winger, Loudoun)
With six goals and four assists in 2023, Kalil ElMedkhar is part of three-man front line that makes Loudoun an extremely fun watch. I could easily have chosen Tommy Williamson or Zach Ryan here - they’ve got 14 goals as a pair. ElMedkhar gets the nod for his box-to-box influence, ranking third on the team for tackles won and first for chances created.
In the clip, you see #23 hold up play before cutting to the top of the box to score moments later. A winger by trade, ElMedkhar has the sixth sense for cutting inside to get involved. He’s very technical with the ball at his feet in tight spaces, but he’s equally strong dribbling in the open field, and you’ll often see him carry it into the attacking zone. ElMedkhar’s your man for a bit of everything as an attacker.
Houssou Landry (Central Midfielder, Loudoun)
If “breathtaking moments per 90” were a stat, Houssou Landry would be amongst the USL leaders. The 6’3” midfielder is a powerhouse in the middle of the park, with the motor and passion to match the physical skills. Second on Loudoun in terms of interceptions and tackle attempts, Landry is fearless while intervening defensively, and he always turns takeaways into quick advances up field.
Those traits are seen above. Landry picks off a pass and turns on the jets, coasting past multiple defenders to lead the charge on the counter. There are moments where the Ivorian’s skills lag behind his energy, but he’s still a thrill whenever he finds a touch.
Honorable Mentions, Loudoun: Zach Ryan (FW), an un-injured Koa Santos (RB)
Prince Saydee (Forward, Hartford)
Prince Saydee is fast. There are players on every team that have a bit of pace, but none show it as often as Saydee does. During stops in Miami and Phoenix, the winger-forward hybrid scored twice in two seasons. This year alone, Saydee has four goals, building on an eight-assist campaign in 2022. He’s quickly learning how to leverage his quickness into contributions, and it makes him a must-watch talent.
The Liberian prowls the channels far in front of Hartford’s back five, waiting to receive an outlet pass and go to work in transition. Saydee is fearless in taking on defenders, and you’ll often see him knock a touch around a foe, round him, and re-find the ball with a head of steam. Hartford isn’t much fun in general, but Saydee keeps you coming back.
Conor McGlynn (Center Back, Hartford)
I’ve long been at the head of the Conor McGlynn fan club, lauding his poise under pressure and good sense for destruction as a holding midfielder. McGlynn has rarely been used in that No. 6 role in 2023, but his new, more complex deployment is worthy of your attention. Off the ball, #28 will sit in the back line like a defender. When Hartford gets possession, he’ll advance into the midfield where his full skillset shines.
The clip above is exemplary. The ball is rolled to McGlynn’s feet in his own box, and he then dribbles through half of the opposing defense before lofting a gorgeous assist into a streaking forward. That level of class and composure is rare, but the Hartford man shows it off with regularity. McGlynn has been used in his fluid center back-center midfield role less often as of late, but he’s still compelling nonetheless.
Honorable Mentions, Hartford: Antoine Hoppenot (FW), Edgardo Rito (RB)
Daniel Rios (Forward, Las Vegas)
On loan from the Houston Dynamo and talented enough to earn three caps for the El Salvador national team, Daniel Rios struggled to get time early in 2023. Now, with three straight starts under his belt for Las Vegas, he’s breaking out, having scored four goals across the triad of matches. Rios doesn’t typically lead the line, mostly operating as a winger or second striker that works off of a No. 9 and feasts as a result.
Watching the emergence of a 20-year-old with international potential is reason enough to like Rios, but he’s enjoyable on the field beyond the hype. Though a bit right-footed, Rios is good in tight spaces and has the body control to make up for it. Above, you see him turn his hips to start a one-two before bursting into the box for a nasty chipped finish. The Salvadoran is full of those enticing moments.
Justin Ingram (Central Midfielder, Las Vegas)
Justin Ingram didn’t get enough credit in his rookie year as part of a middling Indy Eleven team, and he isn’t getting enough credit now in Las Vegas. Even as a deep-lying No. 8, he ranks third on the Lights for chances created, and he’s completed more passes than any other midfielder on the team. That patience and unflappability makes Ingram stand out; in a team that rarely exerts control, the Indianapolis native is a deft operator that can spark inspired offensive sequences.
Most often seen spraying diagonal balls or dropping deep in build-up, Ingram has box-to-box verve in his back pocket. You see it in the clip above, where he beats the opposing midfield with a give-and-go before charging into the attacking half. There aren’t many Lights players with that sort of ability, and Ingram makes it all look easy on a regular basis.
Honorable Mentions, Las Vegas: Alejandro Mitrano (DF), an apolitical clone of Andrew Carleton (AM), Eric Oteng (AM)