After 55 matches and 127 goals, we’ve reached the midway point of the USL Super League season.
Here are the three biggest takeaways from the Fall Schedule:
There will be peaks and valleys
A brand-new league is always going to come with a learning curve. Coaches are trying to find the best lineups and formations to earn results, teams are bringing in players to fill voids and bolster their squads. The first 18 weeks were a period of trial and error and seeing what does and doesn’t work.
With that comes peaks and valleys for each club. Carolina Ascent started on an 11-match unbeaten streak before losing its last three outings. Brooklyn faced some early bumps in the road before sailing to six consecutive wins and a comfortable first-place lead. Fort Lauderdale started strong, hit a rough patch of earning one point from five matches, then closed out the fall with three gritty wins.
The parity within the league means any team could win against any opponent. A lot of the results in the first half of the season were determined by the current state of the teams when they faced each other.
Finishing is crucial
The stats don’t lie when it comes to shot conversion in this league; results come from being able to finish in front of goal. Dallas, Brooklyn, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa Bay are all exceeding an 11% conversion rate, and they are averaging around 1.6 points per game. Lexington is the exception because while the team converted on goal, its defense often canceled out the offensive efforts.
Spokane, which finds itself at the bottom of the table, leads the league in shots (181) but ranks second-to-last in goals (13). DC Power is converting at the worst rate in the league (4.5%), has recorded only seven goals, and three of those came from the penalty spot or the other team. In Carolina’s last three matches, just six of its 27 shots were on target, resulting in only one goal and a 3.7% conversion rate.
These clubs, specifically Carolina and Spokane, which have exceptional backlines and goalkeeping, have to figure it out on the offensive end if they want a successful spring schedule.
Young players are rising to the occasion
The Academy players were some of the biggest names and brought major results to the teams this season. Sealey Strawn was a game-changer off the bench for Dallas over the second half of the fall campaign, finishing with a goal, an assist and four chances created. DC’s Allie Flanagan recorded a brace that gave the team its first home win.
The league also provided more opportunities for players straight out of college to make their professional debuts. Lexington’s Madi Parsons leads the league in goal contributions (5g/5a) in her first season of professional soccer. Four of the five Players of the Month were 23 years old at the time of the honor. Stella Spitzer made her debut at 14 years old for Carolina Ascent. This fall showcased the talents of the younger players and the future of women’s soccer.
This is an excerpt from The Super Newsletter, the USL Super League’s free weekly newsletter. Sign up here to get it in your inbox every Thursday.