LD Update: NASL & USL Pro Game Night; Islanders advance in CFU

The Rochester Rhinos were knocked from the ranks of the unbeaten, leaving just the NASL's Minnesota Stars and fellow USL Pro side Orlando City. All three were in action Thursday and Friday, within three days of victories in the US Open Cup Second Round. The other two played to draws.

Fort Lauderdale Strikers 0:0 Minnesota Stars - The visiting Stars remain unbeaten after eight (4-0-4). Minnesota kept a clean sheet despite rookie Mitch Hildebrandt making hist debut. At the other end Jeff Attinella faced minimal challenges. He saw a Devin Del Do effort ring off the crossbar, and made a quick save on a shot from in the 58th. - MORE

Harrisburg City Islanders 1:0 Rochester Rhinos - The Rhinos gave up their first goal and perfect record in a draw last week. This week, they were unable to rally again as the offense continues to struggle finding consistent scoring. Three minutes into the second half JT Noone's cross from the left flank was headed on goal by Morgan Langley. Goalkeeper Kristian Nicht nearly made the save only to see it go in off his outstretched hand. - MORE

Lower Division Five Stars - Round 7... plus US Open Cup Rd 2

Five Stars of the Week - Round 7

1 – Jonathan Greenfield – D – San Antonio Scorpions: The expansion side continues to impress with its current run. On Saturday they blanked another club that has been hot of late, FC Edmonton, with Greenfield also picking up for an unusually silent offense by providing a goal and assist. 

2 – Yann Ekra – F – Harrisburg City Islanders: Tallied a hat-trick in a 4-0 victory over the visiting Dayton Dutch Lions. Normally, this would be a number one performance, but Dayton had played a valiant 1-1 draw in Rochester the night before.

3 – Nick Noble – G – Harrisburg City Islanders: With the Open Cup looming Tuesday, he played the entirety of both games at home, getting a pair of shutouts against Pittsburgh, 0-0, and Dayton, 4-0, with eight saves.

LD Update: Honors & English Exhibitions

NASL News: The Puerto Rico Islanders got off to a slow start in the Caribbean Football Union's Club Championship Cup tournament with a 1-1 draw against Trinidad & Tobago's Caledonia AIA... The league announced San Antonio Scorpions' Jonathan Greenfield as the Defensive Player of the Week and Dan Antoniuk of the Tampa Bay Rowdies as the Offensive Player of the Week.

USL Pro News: The Charleston Battery announced a July 28 friendly against Nottingham Forest of the Npower Championship (English second flight) at Blackbaud Stadium... Forest will also be playing Orlando City, who announced they will play the two-time European champions July as well as affiliated side Stoke City of the English Premier League July 28... A hat-trick for Harrisburg's Yann Ekra earned him the Player of the Week honor, highlighting the Team of the Week.

LD Update: NASL & USL Pro Game Night

The San Antonio Scorpions were the only home club to win in the NASL for the week, tallying their fourth consecutive victory to extend their unbeaten run to five.

In USL, the Harrisburg City Islanders ended the run of 11 winless games for home clubs with a big victory over winless Dayton, but more importantly ended their own string of four winless games (0-1-3). Wilmington Hammerheads, meanwhile, still were not able to win at home, earning just a draw on the night.

LD Update: USL Pro Game Night

Home teams in USL Pro are now winless in the last 11 games, a streak that began Sunday, May 6. It appears to be part of a larger trend that has seen very little home field advantage this season. Only two clubs in the league have a winning record at home (Orlando City 2-0-1, Wilmington 2-0-1) while six teams have winning records on the road, four of them unbeaten.

Pittsburgh Riverhounds 1:1 Richmond Kickers - The Riverhounds kept their one-point lead on the Kickers in the standings courtesy of a strike from Ricky Smith just before the break. A ball headed back to goalkeeper Hunter Gilstrap led to a collision with David Bulow, giving Matthew Delicate a chance to bury the loose ball into an empty net in the 71st. - MORE

LD Update: Carolina & LA signings; WPS is done

NASL News: The Carolina RailHawks announced the addition of rookie defenders Nick Millington and Jamie Finch.

USL Pro News: The Los Angeles Blues officially announced they have signed former MLS striker Maykel Galindo.

PDL News: The league announced Des Moines Menace forward Husref Jupic as the Player of the Week along with the Team of the Week.

W-League News: The Pali Blues topped the New Zealand U-20 National Team in a friendly, 3-0.

WPS News: On the Facebook page, Women's Professional Soccer announced that in addition to coming to a settlement with estranged owner Dan Borislow, the WPS Board of Governors agreed to permanently suspend operations and dissolve the league, leaving the USL W-League and WPSL as the remaining women's leagues of note.

Lower Division Five Stars - Round 6

Five Stars of the Week*

1 – Kristian Nicht– G – Rochester Rhinos: Two shutouts on the road in 1-0 wins at both Charlotte and Charleston, posting 10 saves in the victory against the Battery.

2 – Pablo Campos – F – San Antonio Scorpions: The striker scored twice on the road for a 2-1 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies. 

3 – Ilja vanLeerdam – M – FC Edmonton: A goal and assist for a 2-0 win in Atlanta gave the Canadians their second victory, the first on the road.

4 – Bright Dike – F – LA Blues: On loan from the MLS Portland Timbers, the striker was dangerous in his debut Friday, a 1-0 win in Dayton, and then tallied a goal and an assist in a 3-0 win at Pittsburgh.