With nearly two months in the rear-view, a lot has taken place in the USL Super League’s inaugural season. Let’s catch up on all the action!
Carolina Ascent SC started off hot and haven’t looked back. Their opener boasted a sold-out crowd and ended with a 1-0 win in Charlotte. This was a sign of success to come, as the club sits atop the league standings through five matches.
Perhaps even more impressive is what Brooklyn FC has accomplished to this point. Unforeseen setbacks with their home venue saw the squad play their first match three weeks after opening weekend. Brooklyn captured a point on the road in their first outing, and what they’ve done since has been nothing short of extraordinary.
Brooklyn FC has rattled off three straight victories, including a road defeat of Tampa Bay Sun FC. While Brooklyn hasn’t necessarily been lighting things up offensively, their staunch defense has made this run possible. They have allowed just one goal through their first four matches, largely thanks to goalkeeper Sydney Martínez’s eight saves.
Third in the standings is Tampa Bay Sun FC, who has played the most matches of any team. They took the spot with a 3-0 win over DC Power FC on Wednesday. What’s allowed Tampa Bay to shine is their balanced approach, tied for second-most goals in the league while being tied for third-least goals allowed.
The club they leapfrogged on the table is Fort Lauderdale United FC, which has gotten on a roll with back-to-back wins. These two efforts have seen a combined five goals, which is more than some teams have scored all season. With a date looming against the Brooklyn squad and its daunting defense, they’ll need to keep putting balls on goal to keep the streak moving.
Not every club has had as much success as those previously mentioned, though. DC Power FC and Lexington SC have yet to pick up a win. If this is still the case in a few weeks, they’ll have a chance to separate themselves when they play each other on October 25. Defense has held both back, with goal differentials sitting at -4 and -8 for DC and Lexington, respectively.
It’s important to remember that each team has only played four, five or six matches to this point. These early fixtures have given us a decent idea of what to expect from the teams, but it’s certainly not the end-all be-all that it can feel like at times. Essentially, if you’re a fan and your team hasn’t gotten off to the best start, take it with a grain of salt. There’s still plenty of soccer to be played and plenty of adjustments to be made.
As for individual spotlights, there have been some noteworthy performances. Fort Lauderdale’s Addie McCain leads the league in goals scored by a wide margin with five. The former SEC Midfielder of the Year may also hold the crown for match performance of the year, with three of these goals coming in a hat trick versus Lexington in September.
Defensively, Carolina goalkeeper Meagan McClelland leads the league with three clean sheets, including the first in league history. The New Jersey native has conceded just two goals through five appearances, which has helped the club rise to the top of the standings.
USL recently released the back-end of the Super League’s schedule, so be sure to check it out. Things will only heat up from here, so there’s plenty of action that we’ve yet to see! As for Sporting JAX, be on the lookout for some future announcements regarding our USL Super League team. To stay updated, follow us on social media and subscribe to the Sporting JAX Newsletter today!