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: NASL adopts split season; USL Pro award finalists

The big news of the day was the announcement from the North American Soccer League that it is altering its competitive structure to a two-season format in which the spring season will be held from March to July 4 followed by a 3-4 week break before the fall season commences.

LD Update: Carolina clubs win dramatic USL Pro playoff openers; NASL Game Night

It was a dramatic night of rallies in the opening round of the USL Pro playoffs as the Carolina clubs Charleston Battery and Wilmington Hammerheads advanced to the semifinals. Charleston came from behind at home to knock out Harrisburg while Richmond and Wilmington played a back-and-forth contest that saw the visiting Hammerheads prevail on a late strike.

In the NASL, two matches were of note. The two sides tied for second squared off, but the Tampa Bay Rowdies and visiting Puerto Rico Islanders played to a scoreless stalemate. Meanwhile, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers moved within two points of the pair by downing the league-leading San Antonio Scorpions.

LD Update: Final weekend in USL Pro; Strikers minus two stars

Eight of the nine games in the final weekend of the USL Pro regular season this week will likely decide the playoff field as teams two through eight fight for the remaining three berths of six or playoff positions that that include a second bye to the semifinals. Orlando City clinched the top spot several weeks ago. With all but the top three teams having two games left to play and only five points separating second-place Rochester and the pair of sixth-place sides Charlotte and Harrisburg, plenty of scenarios are in play for the final weekend. The LA Blue, four points back of postseason position are also in the hunt with some help. Seven of the nine matches are available via online streams.

LD Update: USL Pro Game Night; Zinho appointment; PDL/W-League signings

Three games... Three goals... Three road wins…

Charlotte Eagles 0:1 Rochester Rhinos – For the second consecutive week the Rochester Rhinos squeezed out a victory against the Eagles, this time in Charlotte. This time the Rhinos got the goal on their own with former Real Salt Lake and New York Red Bulls striker Conor Chinn, who tallied his first professional goal in the 18th minute. Kristian Nicht picked up his fourth consecutive shutout with two saves. It was not all bad news for Charlotte though as the Lady Eagles picked up a season-opening victory.  – MORE

Antigua Barracuda 0:1 Orlando City – Last week it was the Rhinos with an own-goal victory, this week it was Orlando doing the same. With an adjusted lineup due to Caribbean Football Union tournament action this week, the Barracudas were still a danger to the visiting defending champions, sending two shots off the post in the first half. Jamie Watson’s initial shot was stopped, but the rebound effort by Max Griffin as inadvertently turned into the goal by defender Troy Dublin in the 89th minute, spoiling the anticipated draw. – MORE 

LD Update: Edmonton out; Velez returns; Blues broken nose

No midweek lower division pro action aside from FC Edmonton's Canadian Championship contest...

ACC: Scoreless after the first leg, Toronto FC got an early lead at home just two minutes in via Reggie Lambe and, despite losing Richard Eckersley to a 16th minute red card, held on for a 2-0 series win against the Montreal Impact with a Ryan Johnson insurance tally in the 38th minute... In the late game, the second division FC Edmonton made things interesting with the opening goal in Vancouver after falling 2-0 at home. Yashir Pinto headed home a cross in the 54th minute to make it 2-1 on aggregate. Vancouver answered back though with Sebastien Le Toux scoring in the 75th. Le Toux headed a second in with three minutes left to leave no doubt and Darren Mattocks added another three minutes into stoppage to repeat the two-goal margin, 3-1, for a 5-1 aggregate win.

LD Update: Battery win; Herron injury; PDL signings

Charleston Battery 1:0 Pittsburgh Riverhounds - Nicki Paterson headed the deciding goal in on a 30-yard freek kick from Jose Cuevas just 10 minutes into the contest. The rest of the match belonged to the goalkeepers, Pittsburgh's Hunter Gilstrap in particular with some excellent stops on further Battery chances. - More

NASL News: The Fort Lauderdale Strikers lost one of its top strikers with Andy Herron suffering an MLC sprain and partial meniscus tear that will sideline him for 8-10 weeks.

LD Update: PR loses; NASL suspensions; Cascadia PDL signings

Fort Lauderdale Strikers 3:2 Puerto Rico Islanders – Someone finally got the better of the Islanders as they just could not stop Aly Hassan in Fort Lauderdale. Hassan tallied the opener in the 35th and added a second two minutes into the second half. Jay Needham buried a corner in the 50th and David Foley scored his third goal in four games in the 62nd to level terms. Hassan, however, continued to be a threat and after a few chances, completed the hat-trick with the winner in the 84th.  – More

LD Update: NASL preview; USL Pro honors; Amateur signings

NASL Preview: In a rematch of the 2011 semifinals, the Fort Lauderdale Strikers play host to the Puerto Rico Islanders Wednesday in the league's lone midweek contest. The Strikers upset the Islanders, 5-2 on aggregate , in the playoffs a year ago after splitting the season series 1-1-2 with each getting a win at home. The meeting will put two the league's top defensive sides against one another as Puerto Rico has allowed just one in four games and Fort Lauderdale two in three.

USL Pro News: The LA Blues fell, 3-2,  in a closed-door scrimmage with the LA Galaxy Tuesday with Matt Fondy setting up Carlos Borja for both goals after trailing by three…  Charleston Battery midfielder Ryan Richter was selected as the Player of the Week , and was the lone player from the club selected for the Team of the Week... The Rhinos inked a partnership that included jersey sponsorship with Rochester-based Excellus BlueCross BlueShield... 

LD Update: NASL Game Night; USL Pro signing

Tampa Bay Rowdies 1:1 Carolina RailHawks – The RailHawks just can’t find a victory. Earning a third consecutive draw Wednesday evening, at least they aren’t going empty handed. In the 66th minute Carolina took the lead on the road when Mike Palacio sent a cross to the back of the box to Brian Shriver, who volleyed it past Jeff Attinella. Four minutes later, though, the Rowdies answered when Dan Antoniuk redirected a cross back across the goal mouth with a header to Tsuyoshi Yoshitake for the equalizer. – More 

Puerto Rico Islanders 0:0 FC Edmonton – The bad news is that Edmonton is still scoreless after three games. The good news they finally picked up a point, playing to a scoreless draw in Puerto Rico after suffering 1-0 losses in Fort Lauderdale and Tampa Bay. Puerto Rico has been nearly perfect thus far, shutting out all three opponents. – More