LD Update: NASL Semis Preview; NASL Commish retires; MISL signings

Be prepared for the next two weekends of semifinal play of the North American Soccer League postseason to be close contests as they play out their two-leg series. In the eight previous matches this season in the two pairings, only one game saw a team leave victorious - and that was via a late penalty kick in a 1-0 decision. Low scoring is also likely as six of the other seven results between the teams finished in 1-1 or scoreless draws with one lone 3-3 exception. The regular season champion San Antonio Scorpions take on the defending league champion Minnesota Stars, who are looking to repeat as winners from the lowest seeded position. Meanwhile, the second-seeded Tampa Bay Rowdies are facing last season's regular season champion Carolina RailHawks, who are looking to get past the semifinals after falling to Minnesota a year ago.

LD Update: Battery win USL Pro title; Cunningham gets first NASL goal

Charleston celebrates title | courtesy Charleston Battery

Two rookies led the Battery, the playoff team with the most losses on the season (10), to the franchise's fourth championship in 20 years as Charleston defeated the Wilmington Hammerheads for the USL Pro title.

Meanwhile, in the NASL it was all ones... nearly. Three of the four matches concluded in 1-1 draws with the fourth finishing with just one strike between the two clubs.

LD Update: Champion Orlando City out; Charleston & Wilmington reach USL Pro Final

One upset was perhaps fathomable, but too was improbable. Both road teams, however, advanced Friday evening to reach the USL Pro championship game next Saturday.

The Wilmington Hammerheads, who accounted for Orlando City's lone loss this season, repeated the feat in stunning fashion. The Charleston Battery, meanwhile, battled the Rochester Rhinos to a 1-1 draw before prevailing in penalties.

LD Update: Puerto Rico falls in CCL opener; Hammerhead to Iceland; PDL award finalists

USL PRO: Harrisburg City Islanders 2:4 Orlando City - The Florida club may have already locked up first, but they certainly did not take it easy in Harrisburg. Jamie Watson struck six minutes in. After Garret Pettis equalized in the 10th, Watson would restore the advantage beore the break with his second in the 32nd. In the second half it was Dennis Chin, setting up defender Erik Ustruck with a rebound finish in the 52nd and scoring himself in the 75th to put the match out of reach. James McLaughlin provided a late effort for a rally in the 82nd. - MORE

LD Update: Pro honors; PDL playoff teams

NASL News: The league recognized Carolina RailHawks midfielder Mike Palacio as the Offensive Player of the Week and Atlanta Silverbacks goalkeeper Daniel Illyes as the Defensive Player of the Week... The Atlanta Silverbacks announced that interim coach Eric Wynalda has brought into the club three of his Cal FC players, signing Danny Barrera, Pablo Cruz and Mike Randolph.

USL Pro News: Rochester Rhinos striker Kendell McFayden was named as the Player of the Week, hilighting the league's Team of the Week... DC United 2012 draft pick Charles Rodriguez, a former member and captain of nearby University of North Carolina-Charlotte, has signed with the Wilmington Hammerheads.

LD Update: USL Pro Game Night; Canada Futsal loss; Hertzog loan extended

Charlotte Eagles 3:2 LA Blues - The Eagles got goals from three different players while the Blues tried to rally twice through Bright Dike. Mauricio Salles, who scored the dramatic late-game equalizer in Tuesday's 2-1 stoppage time Open Cup loss to Chivas USA, put Charlotte on top at the half-hour mark from the penalty spot. Two minutes later Christian Meza doubled the advantage. Dike scored his first in the 58th to pull back within one but Jorge Herrera restored the two-goal lead late on a great series of passes from Nate Thornton and Darryl Roberts in the 87th minute. A minute later Dike scored his second, but it proved to be too late even with three minutes of stoppage time. - MORE

MISL News: Milwaukee Wave player Ian Bennett and his Canadian Futsal team fell 4-1 in the first leg of their playoff series against El Salvador Thursday that will determine the eighth and final entrant to the CONCACAF Futsal Championship being held in Guatemala July 2-8. Former USL Vancouver Whitecap Alex Elliott scored the lone goal for Canada. He is joined by long-time USL players Ian Bennett (Palm Beach Pumas, Charleston Battery, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Rhinos) and Robbie Aristodemo (Toronto Lynx, Seattle Sounders), the 2001 Rookie of the Year for the second-division flight while playing for the Lynx.

LD Update: CFU Semifinal results; US Futsal roster; EPL-PDL friendly

CFU Semifinals: Only one club from the North American lower divisions will advance to the CONCACAF Champions League as the reigning two-time Caribbean Football Union champion Puerto Rico Islanders (NASL) and Antigua Barracuda (USL Pro) both lost their semifinal contests to their Trinidad & Tobago hosts Tuesday evening.

Cousins Rennie Britto and Jerrel Britto scored three goals to pace W Connection to a three-goal lead before Josh Hansen scored the Islanders' lone goal in a 4-1 defeat in the second match of the doubleheader. Antigua was in a deadlock with Caledonia AIA until Radanfah Abu Bakr opened the scoring in the 65th minute. Devorn Jorsling capped the victory four minutes from time in a 2-0 result.

LD Update: USL Pro Game Night & signings

After a perfect six-game win and shutout streak start, the Rhinos can't find a win at all. Rochester has gone five league games now without a victory (0-2-3) with the only win during that stretch coming against an NPSL side in the US Open Cup before falling out, 3-0, to MLS Philadelphia.

Wilmington Hammerheads 1:1 Rochester Rhinos - Although Rochester avoided giving up a goal in the first five minutes for a third consecutive game, Wilmington still created some of the more dangerous early opportunities, including one in the 19th minute that had to be cleared off the line by Troy Roberts. The Rhinos took the lead at the half-hour mark on a play started by goalkeeper Kristian Nicht. He sent long ball to Danny Earls, who delivered the ball to Tyler Rosenlund to head in at the near post. A second chance ball in the 68th minute was hammered past Nicht by Paul Nicholson to level terms. - MORE