Monday, July 23

LD Update: Amateur & elite youth league playoffs - MLS affiliate results & WPSL forfeit issues

Today was all about the amateur playoffs. In addition to the five elite semi-pro & amateur leagues, the USL Super-20 League and US Soccer Development Academy league crowned champions in a busy day that featured numerous MLS-affiliated sides.

PDL News: The Conference Championships were decided Sunday with only one of the three tournament hosts winning. The Carolina Dynamo advanced to the league semifinals next weekend with a stoppage time game-winner for a 1-0 decision against the Ottawa Fury. They will face Orlando City U23, who won in their home state, 4-2 in Ocala, against the Austin Aztex. The other semifinal will see the Seattle Sounders U23 side, 2-0 winners against host Ventura County Fusion, face Forest City London, who knocked off both division champions in the Central Conference, downing the host Michigan Bucks, 2-1, to avenge a series sweep during the season (1-0, 2-1). - PLAYOFF BRACKET

W-League News: The favorites prevailed in the Conference Championships Sunday as DC United rolled to a 3-0 victory against visiting Charlotte Lady Eagles. Top seed Pali Blues were narrow 1-0 victors against the Seattle Sounders while Quebec City Amiral needed penalties, 5-4, to advance versus the Laval Comets after a 1-1 stalemate. DC United will face third-seeded Final Four host Ottawa Fury in the semifinals while Pali takes on seventh-seeded Quebec City in the other. - PLAYOFF BRACKET

WPSL News: The Elite League wrapped up the regular season with the Boston Breakers claiming the regular season championship with a 1-0 win Sunday against Western NY Flash. Boston will play Chicago Red Stars in one semifinal Wednesday in Rochester, NY while the Flash take on the NY Fury.

The Red Stars, meanwhile, are also celebrating winning the USASA National Women's Cup, topping another WPSL entry, NY Athletic Club, in the Final Sunday, 3-2, in Chicago.

NYAC had withdrawn from the WPSL postseason to compete for the USASA National Cup despite reaching the Northeast Conference Final, allowing Aztec MA to advance uncontested to the WPSL Final Four in Pensacola, FL. It was one of three WPSL conferences, in fact, that did not even play a championship match. Automatic conference finalists FC Dallas withdrew in the Midwest, allowing fellow Big Sky South member Oklahoma FC to move onto the Final Four with its divisonal playoff victory. Also seeded directly into the conference final, the Final Four host Gulf Coast Texans did not need to play to claim the conference title as fellow Florida sides Tampa Bay Hellenic and Florida Sol of the Sunshine Division also withdrew.

The only conference title and Final Four participant to be decided on the field took place in San Diego, where Salt Lake United prevailed, 3-1, Sunday against conference tournament host San Diego SeaLions. The conference, however, was not unaffected by withdrawn teams as the Northwest champion Spokane Shine were replaced by second-place Issaquah due to player availability issues. - PLAYOFF BRACKET

NPSL News: The final team to advance to the league semifinals was determined Sunday with the Madison 56ers advancing, 2-1, on the road against AFC Cleveland. - PLAYOFF BRACKET

USL Super-20 News: The Chicago Fire downed fellow MLS affiliate Columbus Crew, 3-1, at the IMG Soccer Academy in Florida to claim the men's championship... On the women's side, it was the Colorado Rapids topping DC United in a narrow 1-0 decision.

USSDA News: In another all-MLS showdown, FC Dallas were 3-2 winners against the Vancouver Whitecaps in the U17/18 championship at Houston Dynamo's BBVA Compass Stadium. The U15/16 championship will be decided Monday with the New York Red Bulls playing St Louis Scott Gallagher Missouri.


4 comments:

  1. Gerald, we actually won our Conference Title (Southeast Division) we held our Conference Tournament July 13-15.

    Thanks!

    David Kemp
    Gulf Coast Texans

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  3. Thanks David, I will make the adjustments (the SE division tourney was not noted in the league's site, particularly in either the 'ultimate playoff guide' [http://www.wpsl.info/news/index.php?cat=1&id=1599] or in the site's master schedule). It still doesn't change the fact there was no Conference Final vs the Sunshine Division.

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  4. You mean Regional Final. Thanks for the coverage, good to see some people out there writing about the sport.

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