By Cam McCann Gonzaga University ‘25
After the conclusion of USL League One’s Jägermeister Cup group stage, Spokane Velocity FC’s inaugural season comes down to nine more regular season matches. Two of these crucial late-season matches come at home in the first week of September, with the first against Union Omaha Wednesday, Sept. 4, 6 p.m. at ONE Spokane Stadium.
It’s Back to School Night, and fans are called to wear blue for a “Blue-Out” in the stadium as Velocity will sport the new Impact Blue kit. The match will also be broadcast nationally on CBS Sports Network – one of only two USL League One matches broadcast nationally by CBS this season.
This will be the third time that Velocity faces off against Omaha after splitting their first two matches, which both were Jägermeister Cup contests. The first meeting at ONE Spokane Stadium gave the Owls the only stain on their otherwise perfect away record of 6-1-0, as Velocity’s Javier Martin Gil scored the winning goal in added time.
The clubs’ second meeting followed an entirely different tune than the first, as the score would go from a 1-1 tie to three unanswered Union Omaha scores, marking the first loss in the Cup for Velocity.
With different rules in play than with Cup play, there will likely be a different dynamic displayed than the two prior Cup matches.
Velocity’s focus on the regular season has helped elevate its position in the postseason picture, while Union Omaha sits near the top of the table, with just the Charlotte Independence holding more points to their name.
Union Omaha’s strongest offensive weapon, Pedro Dolabella, is tied for fourth in goals scored during regular season play. Velocity has been able to keep Dolabella to just one goal during live play, but the Brazilian also nailed a penalty kick in their first meeting.
Dolabella has provided more than just scores however, racking up three assists as well, tying him at seventh in League One. Fellow Owl Joe Gallardo has totaled four assists, tying him with Velocity’s Luis Gil, a former Owl, for third.
Gil’s ability to run the midfield and control the pace of Velocity has brought more than assists and goals as of late. The Velocity offense as a whole has been productive in recent weeks, putting up three goals on South Georgia Tormenta FC, scoring the game’s lone goal against Chattanooga Red Wolves SC and scoring on One Knoxville SC, a club that has allowed just 11 scores in their 14 regular season matches.
Spokane’s best trait as of late is in their ability to get diverse looks from different athletes, with an array of scoring coming from players at all three levels of the pitch. The most recent example of the club’s plethora of scoring options has come off free kicks. Derek Waldeck has set up two different backline defenders for scores in each of their past two contests.
With their offense clicking and the defense playing their part, Velocity’s playoff momentum is real. The squad has lost just once in its past six regular season matches, which came at the hands of the top-ranked Independence. This has allowed them to climb into the playoff picture, leapfrogging both the Red Wolves and Tormenta meanwhile steadily creeping up on Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC.
After their Wednesday clash against the Owls, Velocity returns to ONE Spokane Stadium three days later on Saturday, Sept. 7 to face Central Valley Fuego. It’s Hispanic and Latinx/a/o Heritage Night as well as the Les Schwab/90+ Soccer Gear Drive. Please bring new and used gear and you’ll receive a buy-one-get-one-free coupon for future Velocity tickets in gratitude.
This week’s two matches provide a perfect opportunity for Velocity to rack up more points and further entrench themselves in the playoff picture.
