Union Omaha (12-8-4, 1st place) vs. North Carolina FC (6-4-15, 12th place)
Werner Park, Papillion, Nebraska
6 PM (CST), ESPN+
Good morning, Búhos Nation, and welcome to another exciting week of USL League One action. It’s Week 28 and your beloved Owls face off against North Carolina FC tonight at Werner Park for the first time ever. North Carolina FC, who has already been eliminated from the playoffs, has nothing to lose. Union Omaha, on the other hand, has everything to gain, so make sure you are in the stadium to cheer them on to victory.
North Carolina FC is looking to finish off the week as strongly as they started it: with a win on the road. On Wednesday, the club visited FC Tucson and finished the match with a 2-0 win. The win proved to be their sixth of the season and their second on the road. North Carolina FC currently sits in last place in the league and out of playoff contention. Under a very rare circumstance, the club could see itself rise up to 9th place by the end of the regular season. This would require North Carolina FC to win their remaining matches, while watching Fort Lauderdale, Forward Madison, and South Georgia Tormenta FC lose their remaining matches. The odds are extremely low, but at least the club has a reason to play.
Union Omaha has a lot more to play for today and three points would be a crucial step toward attaining those goals. Last week’s loss to Greenville Triumph took a little bit of wind out of their sails, but the squad has already moved past the loss and remains focused on finishing in first place before November arrives. A win tonight would move Union Omaha up to 13 wins and 47 points, which means they would essentially lock up a top-two spot in the playoffs (first-round bye, home field advantage in the semifinals). The Owls aren’t looking to settle for a top-two finish. It’s first place or bust for them. As long as Union Omaha matches results with Chattanooga Red Wolves for the rest of the season, they’ll be in first place and have home field advantage throughout the playoffs. After looking over attendance records during the same weeks as a Union Omaha home match, there has only been one match (Forward Madison vs Richmond) that surpassed a home crowd at Werner Park. This goes to show how great Búhos Nation is and how consistent you are at supporting their home team.
These two clubs have only faced one another once in the past: a 3-0 win for Union Omaha back on September 4th. Tonight will be a true test for North Carolina FC because they haven’t played in front of a bigger crowd this season than 2,552 people. Union Omaha’s smallest home crowd attendance this season was 2,722 people, so if Búhos Nation fills up Werner Park the way they have this season, North Carolina FC will face its two toughest opponents this season: Union Omaha and Búhos Nation.
If Union Omaha wants to keep a clean sheet tonight, they’ll have to keep an eye on players like midfielder Jay Tee Kamara (leads the team in assists and chances created, tied for team lead in goals), forward Robert Kristo, and midfielder Selmir Miscic. Their offense operates like a committee, sharing the goals and opportunities pretty evenly across the board. On defense, Max Flick likes to be the conductor for the orchestra in front of him. Flick leads the team in passes and shows a lot of patience playing out of the back. In goal, North Carolina FC has seven clean sheets on the season and Jake McGuire has six of those clean sheets. McGuire has also made 60 saves this season. Don’t be surprised if North Carolina FC plays a bunker defense and then spends a lot of time spreading passes around the field. They aren’t a team that likes to cross the ball into the box too often. This means a lot more on-the-ground, individual battles. They also like to take chances at dribbling the ball up the field, which plays right into Union Omaha’s preferred method of defense. As the Owls shift personnel side to side, a player attempting a long dribble up the field won’t bode well for successful chances. Union Omaha should be pretty successful at shutting down their offense. It’s an interesting matchup, though.
If you haven’t heard yet, the tailgate before tonight’s match will feature roasted hog from our very good friends at Blek Omaha. There will be a spit roast and all of their delicious spices to go with the main dish. They’ve been at multiple tailgates in the past and have never failed to deliver amazing tastes. Bring your family and friends to the tailgate and enjoy games, music, drinks, food, and all of your Búhos friends, as well. If you’re on the way to the stadium, switch over to the newest episode of the “Who Gives A Hoot?” podcast. You know the names, the faces, and the voices. Now get to know more of their takes on various topics. This week’s episode doesn’t disappoint either. See you at the stadium. ¡Viva Búhos!
Who Gives A Hoot? 