Tape Session: Previewing the USL Championship Playoffs
One play to explain each first round match-up in the Championship
The first round of the USL Championship Playoffs has arrived, so which in-game battles should you be watching for? We have tape on every match-up that’s coming this weekend, and I’m spotlighting a key tactical battle that could help decide each game.
Want a more conventional assessment of each club’s title bona fides? Check out my latest Backheeled column. Now, let’s dig into the tape.
(1) FC Tulsa - (8) Colorado Springs Switchbacks
When Colorado Springs faced off against Tulsa this year, they completed just 83% of pass attempts in their own half. Against everyone else, that number soared to 91%. The Switchbacks haven’t had an answer against Luke Spencer’s press this season, and their bid for a repeat will end with a whimper if that holds true on Saturday night.
Tulsa is hyper-aggressive when pressing backpasses, and that’s why Colorado Springs is on the back foot at the start of the clip. You see winger Kalil ElMedkhar closing hard against defender Matt Mahoney, forcing one of the USL’s best initiators into the tightest of windows.
Mahoney‘s ensuing pass is aimed at no one in particular, allowing center back Ian Carlo to step up within Tulsa’s 4-2-3-1 to intercept. Immediately, he’ll find Jamie Webber at the No. 10 spot, and it’s off to the races. Tulsa created 19% more fast break shots and 15% more fast break xG than any other USL team this season, and scenarios like this are the reason why.
Colorado Springs struggles to find their structure as the ball turns over, while Webber instantly spearheads a passing triangle alongside winger Alex Dalou and overlapping fullback Lucas Stauffer. You can see the defense swing back and forth as that trio circulates the ball, culminating in a cross from Webber and dangerous header from Taylor Calheira at striker.
This, in a nutshell, is the danger that comes in the face of the Tulsa press. Give the ball away, and you’re asking for danger. Whether it’s through deeper fullback play, a commitment to a circulatory double pivot, or a more vertical approach anchored around Kyle Vassell, the Switchbacks need to find answers lest they repeat last weekend’s 3-0 loss at ONEOK Field.
(2) Sacramento Republic - (7) Orange County SC
Across all competitions this year, Orange County’s Chris Hegardt picked up three goals and nine assists. In the matches where Hegardt lit up the box score, OCSC lost just once. Against Sacramento’s elite defense, his ability to influence the game (or lack thereof) will be definitional to the upset effort.
At the start of October, Sacramento travelled to Orange County with a heavily rotated lineup playing a surprise back four. Late-on, however, Neill Collins brought on the heavy hitters and reprised the Republic’s 5-2-3 shape in block. That’s what you’re seeing here – alongside a fairly successful passage where OCSC breaks said formation down.
As Danny Stone’s side builds out, they’re shifting their baseline 4-4-2 in a few ways. The fullbacks fan up the sidelines, presenting themselves as threats to the Sacramento wingbacks. Deeper, central midfielders Stephen Kelly and Malik Pinto both drop to the level of the center backs. Kelly stays in the middle of the pitch, Pinto stretches left, and that spacing creates a four-on-three edge against the high pressers.
Once Orange County establishes that advantage, it’s all one- and two-touch passing as they enter the attacking zone. Pinto receives in the channel and hits left back Ryan Doghman; Doghman has drawn the wingback, so he can first-time a pass into Hegardt as he makes a diagonal run into the open seam. Meanwhile, both No. 9s probe centrally in expectation of a Hegardt cross.
While the final serve is ahead of those forward runners, this is the blueprint for Orange County. Keep the tempo high, force Sacramento into uncomfortable spacing, and you’ve got a route to chance creation through Hegardt.
(3) New Mexico United - (6) San Antonio FC
In his lone regular season match against New Mexico, star midfielder Jorge Hernandez took 64 touches, attempted three shots, and created two chances in open play. Can he repeat that performance for a San Antonio team whose offense exploded in Week 34? Will New Mexico’s re-worked back line hold steady, and who’s their pick in the pivot? The answers to those questions will be vital this weekend.
San Antonio is in 4-2-3-1 mode here, using a throw-in to activate Juan Agudelo’s hold-up skills at the No. 9 spot. You can expect Santiago Patiño – a player with eight goals in eight career playoff games – to get the start this weekend in place of Agudelo, but the effect will remain the same in a physical sense.
Even before the throw is taken, one of New Mexico’s defensive mids has rotated toward the sideline to cover Jorge Hernandez on the left wing. As the ball comes back into play, Jorge and Nicky Hernandez (the No. 10) trade places. That swap and an eventual reception from Agudelo draw even more attention from the midfield. With New Mexico occupied, there’s room for a quick passing sequence into Jorge Hernandez.
The rest of this play is a Rorschach test. On one hand, SAFC is able to engage their attackers, bend the opposing midfield, and active Hernandez on the edge of the box. Still, New Mexico doesn’t let him get a clean shot off! Valentin Noel’s recovering rotation from the No. 10 spot limits the star midfielder’s options, and center back Kalen Ryden steps at the perfect moment to make him uncomfortable. You’ll take this if you’re Dennis Sanchez.
San Antonio ranked third in the USL by taking 43% of their shots in the box in the regular season. That’s a sign of inefficient creation, and it’s a habit Sanchez will hope to encourage. We’ll see who he starts in the pivot and if he keeps Talen Maples at right back, but he’d surely love to limit Jorge Hernandez’s involvement to plays like this.
(4) El Paso Locomotive - (5) Phoenix Rising
El Paso and Phoenix have played three times already in 2025, combining to score a whopping 18 goals across those matchups. Whichever team can tighten up at the back is in position to advance this weekend. After moving into a lockdown back five, Rising seem to have found their answer. Thus, the onus is on the Locomotive – a team that conceded five times in the final weekend – to stay disciplined in central defense.
While Phoenix operates in a back four here, we’re seeing the same attacking patterns that’ve remained in the new 3-4-3. Initially, Rising possess through the right side of their back line, which encourages El Paso’s Gabi Torres – a left-sided elbow player within their 4-3-3’s midfield – to step up. Behind him, the remaining pivot is parted like the Red Sea. Thus, Rising are able to find Hope Avayevu at his feet between the lines with relative ease.
Avayevu is an out-and-out false No. 9 these days; receptions like this are his stock and trade. Here, he draws the attention of an El Paso center back as soon as he gets a touch. The Locomotive hope to induce a turnover, but Avayevu knows there’s pressure on his back and first-times the ball toward a waiting JP Scearce in the pivot.
Now, there’s trouble. Scearce sees Darius Johnson streaking up the left wing and plays him through. Locomotive right back Memo Diaz stops the Grenada international from crossing in, but he concedes a corner in the process. It’s the exact sort of line-breaking transition play that Rising will hope to leverage this Saturday.
This time around, Phoenix won’t have the central striker that you see above, which may allow El Paso to dispense with the overeager defensive closure. Still, the Locomotive need to stay far more compact through the midfield regardless of what happens in central defense. If you allow Rising that much space in transition, you’re going to have a problem.
(1) Louisville City - (8) Detroit City
With their playoff dreams on the line in Week 34, Detroit used a wingback-driven counterpressing sequence to turn Tampa Bay over and create a short-field goal when it mattered most. That was an exception to a season-long rule: this club finished last in the USL with 2.5 fast break xG across the regular season. If Le Rouge have any chance at beating Louisville City, they’ll need to create transition opportunities before the East’s #1 seed can settle into an impenetrable 5-4-1 block or pin Detroit into their own defensive third.
Doing so won’t be easy against a Louisville team that conceded just 19 goals in the regular season, but you see the proof of concept here. Detroit starts this sequence playing out from the back in a true 3-4-3, but they’re matched man-for-man by Danny Cruz’s defense. Rather than attempt a risky pass on the ground, defender Shane Wiedt opts to chip a pass toward his striker.
Detroit doesn’t win the initial header, nor do they claim the second ball. While Detroit ranked fourth in the USL with 568 midfield recoveries this season, they lost that battle both times they played Louisville. The result here? LouCity can settle in possession and find Taylor Davila at his feet.
Still, Davila isn’t allowed to receive without a response. As the ball moves his way, right wingback Matt Sheldon doggedly sprints inside to close down.
Sheldon will force a turnover in splendid fashion, but it’s worth noting how the rest of the team retains their structure. The double pivot and left-sided wingback Alex Villanueva are in position, preventing Davila from releasing a quick pass upfield. Further ahead, forwards Ates Diouf and Darren Smith are already starting to turn in anticipation of a Sheldon-initiated counter.
While Detroit can’t get a clean shot off, this is their blueprint. They enter the first round as heavy underdogs, but if they can take advantage of transitional moments to catch the Louisville defense out, they’ll at least make Saturday interesting.
(2) Charleston Battery - (7) Rhode Island FC
When Charleston and Rhode Island last met, Aaron Molloy attempted only three passes into the box on 112 touches. Cal Jennings and MD Myers – the latter started; the former replaced him in the 64th minute – attempted zero shots off of 30 receptions. It was as ineffectual as we’ve seen those stars all year, and it owed to RIFC’s adjustments in the press. If Khano Smith can repeat the trick, his side will have a puncher’s chance at advancing to the conference semifinals.
Here, Rhode Island presses into a 5-1-3-1 to address Charleston’s short-from-the-back build. Marc Ybarra (who may or may not start in the playoffs) is the midfielder to make it happen. As he marks Molloy, RIFC‘s JJ Williams charges at goalkeeper Luis Zamudio in the opposing box. As Zamudio releases a pass toward a center back, Williams curls his run that way.
Rhode Island’s spacing is such that the central midfield is entirely inaccessible. The Battery might want to switch over the high press as it leans toward the path of the ball, but that isn’t an option; on the weak side, right wingback Clay Holstad hedges upfield to cut out such a pass.
Charleston is sped up, and a straight-line long ball up their right is the result. Arturo Rodriguez can’t claim it, Rhode Island’s back line is technical enough to withstand counterpressure after the second ball is won, and suddenly Smith’s side can breathe.
Across last year’s Eastern Conference Final and the clip you’re seeing from late August, similar trends prevailed. Rhode Island never let Charleston settle, and their offense did enough to get over the line. We’ll see if they can repeat the trick on Sunday – where, this time around, the Battery will be armed with Houssou Landry in the midfield and the pairing of Myers and Jennings up top.
(3) North Carolina FC - (6) Loudoun United
North Carolina traveled to Loudoun last week and claimed a clean-sheet victory to lock up a home playoff match. Smooth sailing with Loudoun on the menu once again…right? Not quite. Star winger Abdellatif Aboukoura only played about 25 minutes in Week 34, and Loudoun put up 0.8 xG in that short amount of time. If he repeats that performance on Saturday, it’ll be a long night for North Carolina.
As Loudoun builds here, they’re facing down a North Carolina team that’s sunk into a late-game 5-4-1. Call me crazy, but you probably won’t see Oalex Anderson operating as a wingback when the opening whistle blows this Saturday! Still, the focus here is on Loudoun’s attacking shape, a 2-2-6 of sorts that would look formidable against any USL defense.
There’s a back-to-front widening across Loudoun’s attack. Central midfielders Tommy McCabe and Drew Skundrich sit in the channels, wider than the level of the dual center backs. The forwards in front of them go sideline to sideline.
As the play kicks off, McCabe passes back and forth with striker Florian Valot on the drop; meanwhile, left back Kwame Awuah runs up to replace the Frenchman. That interchange does two things: it (1) draws the attention of the NCFC midfield and (2) puts Awuah and Aboukoura into a temporary two-on-one against the wingback.
McCabe hits a pass straight into Aboukoura, who’s able to cut inside on his right foot as the opposing defense recovers. A cross ensues, and Loudoun gets a dangerous chance amidst the ensuing scramble.
For Loudoun, the sense of structure and pace of play here is exemplary. The opposite is true for North Carolina. If they can stay out of low block – or create transitional chances into Oalex Anderson after clearing crosses while pinned deep – they’ll feel good about their chances.
(4) Pittsburgh Riverhounds - (5) Hartford Athletic
In the first five months of the season, Danny Griffin attempted a good-not-great 10.8 passes in the final third per appearance. Since September began, that count is up nearly 50% to 15.8 final-third attempts per game, emblematic of Pittsburgh’s added flair through the midfield. For Hartford to pull off an upset at Highmark Stadium, they’ll need to own the central areas and stay organized at the back.
Pittsburgh likes to attack in a 5-1-3-1, but Griffin isn’t the pivot player that’s moving upfield in this instance. Instead, Bradley Sample does the honors. You’d actually call the formation a 3-3-3-1 as Griffin receives and starts to turn upfield, but that doesn’t do justice to the horizontal dynamics at play: Pittsburgh’s wingbacks are stretching the field, and that three-man attacking midfield group stays narrow to outnumber Hartford‘s double pivot.
We’ve seen Brendan Burke switch between 5-1-3-1 and 5-2-3 defensive structures throughout the year, but the end result – defending with a flat four-man midfield in block – is always the same. That’s why winger Michee Ngalina (marked at the bottom of the frame) tucks inside as Griffin starts to look upfield from his deep-lying spot; Ngalina is ready to deny a driven pass into Sample or Charles Ahl.
With Ngalina occupied, Griffin knows there’s open space somewhere. He picks his head up, finding wingback Luke Biasi in a wide one-on-one as a result. By that point, Pittsburgh has sent four runners into the box, meaning that Ahl will have the space to convert off a knockdown. It’s easy to focus on the end of the play, but the goal wouldn’t be possible without Pittsburgh’s decision to split the pivot high-low.
What’s the response for Burke? He’ll need to trust Emmanuel Samadia and Sebastian Anderson at the wingback spots, but ball pressure is key. Give Griffin time to breathe in possession, and you’re asking for trouble.
Need more Championship coverage in audio form? Check out: