By Cam McCann, Gonzaga ‘25
Shortly after a hard-fought 1-0 loss to Central Valley Fuego FC, Velocity head coach Leigh Veidman had a message for the team’s fanbase.
“Fans, if there is ever a time to pack ONE Spokane Stadium and support your team, it’s Saturday at 6 p.m.!”
Spokane Velocity FC has given its fans a memorable season filled with plenty of historic moments not just for USL, but for the city as well. As the playoffs draw near, the club needs energy from the home crowd more than ever.
Veidman and his team find themselves in a “win-and-in” scenario, needing just one more victory in their final three games to clinch a playoff spot alongside the best teams in USL League One. Their next opportunity is Saturday against Greenville Triumph SC, a club that’s already secured its position in the playoffs. The theme for the match is Honoring Indigenous Peoples’ Night.
Greenville and Spokane have only met twice throughout all competitions this season, including the inaugural League One match for Velocity. Triumph won that match on their home pitch 3-1. The second meeting was a Jägermeister Cup match on May 25 in Spokane that resulted in a draw where Greenville earned an additional point after nine penalty shots earned them the 5-4 advantage.
Greenville’s strength resides in their offensive pace. The club is second in the league in total shots, as well as fourth in goals. These numbers are in large part due to Lyam MacKinnon and Leonardo Castro, who are both top 10 in the league in goals (MacKinnon second, Castro tied for ninth) and shots (first and sixth, respectively). MacKinnon also leads the club in assists, and is tied with Velocity’s Luis Gil for second in League One with five.
While Spokane has had a lower scoring production, especially since Gil went out with a thigh injury, their passing has still remained at the top of the league, as they only have two fewer passes than top-ranked Forward Madison in the category, and both those clubs lead the league in passing accuracy.
These long, fluid build-ups that Velocity has incorporated into their offensive attack could be streamlined once again if Veidman deems Gil ready to be back in action. The 30-year-old midfielder was questionable for last match, however is not on the injury list for this match.
While a win would automatically clinch Velocity a spot in the postseason, there are other scenarios for landing the club in the playoffs that include several of the teams just outside of the playoffs being on the losing end of their next matches.
Velocity’s place at seventh may be where they end up when all is said and done in the regular season, as they currently remain four points behind sixth-ranked One Knoxville SC and the fifth-ranked Charlotte Independence. One Knoxville is also the final opponent on Spokane’s regular season schedule, on Oct. 26, with just an away match Oct. 19 against Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC as the buffer between Saturday’s clash and the Knoxville finale.
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