A win would propel either side into the top five in the table. A draw or a loss keeps them out.

Union Omaha

The Owls are fresh off a disappointing 3-3 draw with Chattanooga Red Wolves SC, which they would have lost had Rashid Nuhu not saved a late stoppage-time penalty kick.

Through seven matches, Omaha has struggled to find wins, settling for two wins and four draws. It’s still early, but this is where they struggled in 2022.

On the bright side, they rank 4th in the league in goals scored per match, after a 2022 season in which they finished tied for last. They rank 7th in goals allowed per match, but maintain a goal differential of +2.

Noe Meza again leads the club with three goals, followed by two from Joe Gallardo. The remaining goals have come from five others, indicating a dynamic attack. Joe Brito and Luis Gil lead in assists with two each.

Meza also leads in shots with 18, but Gil and Pedro Dolabella have 14 each. The later converted one of his shots into a goal. The club overall leads the league on shots per match at 15.1.

The most chances come from Gil and Meza, with five others providing at least six each.

JP Scearce leads the squad with 14 tackles won and 53 duels won, while the 6’4″ Steevan dos Santos leads aerial duels won.

Nuhu has played all minutes in goal, with 22 saves, eight goals conceded, and three clean sheets.

Union Omaha Absent / Questionable: Yoskar Galvan, Eddie Gordon, Stefan Mueller

Greenville Triumph

Greenville comes off of a home loss to One Knox SC in which they went up 1-0 early but gave up a goal in each half to lose 2-1.

The squad can score goals, ranking third in the league in goals scored per match. However, they are tied for second-worst in the league in goals conceded per match, resulting in a goal differential of -1.

Lucas Coutinho leads the club with four goals, exceeding his previous USL League One high, followed by Noah Pilato with three and Leo Castro with two. Four others have one goal each.

Castro leads the squad with four assists on the season, while Coutinho and Lyam MacKinnon have provided two each. Castro also leads in shots and is second to Coutinho in chances created. The club is tied for first in the league on the shot conversion rate.

The squad has seen a revolving door of injuries, affecting roster stability. Jonah Biggar, Max Flick, Noah Franke, and Aaron Walker are among those who have appeared in 2023 and were out of the roster last weekend, while Luke Croll and Jamie Smith have yet to appear.

Captain Tyler Polak leads the defense with 19 clearances and 14 interceptions, while Devin Boyce leads with 11 tackles won. Castro provides a dominant presence in the midfield, with 63 duels won and 32 aerial duels won.

Jared Mazzola has played all minutes in goal, with 24 saves, 14 goals conceded, and two clean sheets With the injured Ben Hale’s recent retirement, Mazzola is the de facto number one.

Greenville Triumph Absent / Questionable: Jonah Biggar, Luke Croll, Max Flick, Noah Franke, Jamie Smith, Aaron Walker

Head to Head

This is the first match between Union Omaha and Greenville Triumph in 2023.

While Greenville has seen a stronger schedule so far, both clubs come in with goals scored per match on the higher end and goals allowed per match on the lower (more conceded) end. While Greenville’s defense has struggled overall, Union Omaha’s has been inconsistent. That could cause a high-scoring shootout match here, much like Omaha’s last match at Chattanooga.