Who Gives A Hoot?

Data Dive: A Wild Night Out West

That was a bit of a wild game but we were able to come out on top! From the penalty to the JP goal to the final save that sealed the win. So much that could be discussed but a few things I want to focus on as we go into a very busy week ahead.

A Save for the History Books

We have a Save of the Week candidate with the penalty save early in the first half. Not only does it have an opportunity to win that award, it has already gone down in the history books as the first penalty save in Union Omaha history*.

That * is that it is the first save in league history, not including our shootout win over Chicago in the cup. But that is indeed incredible! We’ve actually only allowed 2 penalties prior to the one from this game, both being converted. The first was in 2021 in the Morrison game against Tucson. The second was the first game this year in Madison (though all of us there were not convinced it *was* a penalty). Either way, this is historic and hopefully we won’t have any more penalties to need to save any time soon.

Clean Sweeps

This game was yet another clean sheet, due to the aforementioned penalty save as well as the last-second (should be Save of the Year candidate-level) save. That makes it the 8th clean sheet this year, which is quite incredible with only having played 17 games. The broadcast mentioned this stat a few times, so I thought I’d look into how it compares to previous seasons.

In 2020, we had 6 clean sheets after 16 games, with 15 goals conceded. That is pretty similar to the 8 we have after 17 games, though we have conceded only 13 goals so far this season. That means that even though our attacking form hasn’t been too great, the defending has been truly exceptional this season. And that is still very much a team effort, with the way the we are set up to defend as a team.

What about the mark from last year? Well, that was 10 clean sheets after 28 games, with 23 goals conceded. So we are close to that clean sheet mark already, though we do still have a long way to go to make sure we don’t concede too many goals. We’ve seen how quickly that can change, with Greenville (who had been 2nd best to us) letting in 8 goals in their past two games. But if we keep putting in the performances we have, it’s definitely an achievement that we can aim to beat.

Final note about defending: This game had the largest xG differential against us this year. We only had 0.67 xG vs Fuego’s 1.98 xG for a differential of -1.31. Despite that, still able to get the win with how good the defense has been!

West Coast Our Best Coast?

We went out to California and won our first competitive game there. Though.. that seems familiar. So far in fact, we’ve won every game we have played in a timezone west of us. Incredible!

Well… a few caveats. As mentioned, this was our first game in California, which incidentally is *technically* also our first game in Pacific time. So that helps. It also helps that the only other team we’ve played in a timezone west of us… is Tucson. And we have won every game we’ve played in Tucson. Which is really swaying the statistic here. Tucson technically is in Mountain Standard time during the season (as Arizona doesn’t follow Daylight Savings Time), so it’s a bit pedantic to say that it’s separate from Pacific, but I will do so.

We have two games left this season to see if this streak continues. We play at Tucson and then have our first game at Northern Colorado. Those September games will see if West is truly Best (for us).

Hope that everyone is ready for the 3-games in a week home-stand that we are about to have. Let’s start racking up those home points!

Central Valley Preview

Central Valley Fuego FC (6-5-7, 8^th place) vs Union Omaha (5-9-2, 7^th place)

All competitions: CV (7-5-8) vs OMA (9-9-3)

Fresno State Soccer Stadium – Fresno, California

9:30 PM (CST) ESPN+

Another Saturday means another Union Omaha gameday. It’s Week 19 of League One action and this week the Owls make their first trip to California to battle Fuego FC. A win could propel Union Omaha as high as fourth place and close the gap on the clubs above them in the standings, so make sure you are settled into the best spot in the house before the broadcast starts.

If you feel like Central Valley is a club that is hard to predict, you aren’t alone. With points taken in two out of three games against top-seeded Greenville, a recent win against second-place Richmond, and a split result with Tormenta FC, you would think Fuego FC would be higher in the standings. To offset those impressive results, the same club has dropped points to Chattanooga twice this season and suffered wide margins to Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC and Charlotte Independence.

Currently, Fuego FC sits in eighth place – a point behind Union Omaha. Having played 2 more games than the Owls, Central Valley has 12 more games to get themselves back above the playoff threshold. Speaking of that playoff threshold, Fuego FC has finished of 12 weeks of league play above the line, which is pretty impressive for a first-year club in the league. Of those 12 remaining games, 7 are at home, including today’s game against Union Omaha. Fuego FC will be looking to establish any advantage they can as the host and reintroduce themselves to the top six.

Leading the way for Central Valley is their goalkeeper, Ofek Antman. And just like the Marvel superhero, he has the ability to make himself very big while minding the net. He currently sits behind Richmond’s Akira Fitzgerald in total saves, but only by three. The man also has five clean sheets on the season. Central Valley may be sitting lower than expected in the standings, but it isn’t because of their goalkeeper.

On the offensive side of the ball, forwards Christian Chaney and Villyan Bijev both have five goals so far this season. With those two carrying the offense, it hasn’t been enough for the team to see reliable consistency. A major issue with their offense is the lack of productivity. Midfielder Victor Falck leads the club with assists (3) and chances created (23), but the next-closest chance creator is forward Villyan Bijev with 18. A closer look also shows Bijev is also the team leader for crosses. With a scorer like Bijev on the field, the supporting cast should be taking on more initiative to generate offense. Whether that is a feature of the system or the demands placed upon a single player is for head coach Martín Vásquez to decide, but the offense doesn’t seem to be a strong point for the club.

Central Valley recently announced the signing of a new midfielder, Adrian Vera. The 25-year-old brings 6 years of experience from USL Championship-side Los Angeles Galaxy II, as well as 1 from Rio Grande Valley FC. The club released news of the signing on Tuesday, but Vera did not play any minutes during the Friday night 0-4 loss to Charlotte Independence. With league and federation approval, we could see Vera take the field tonight against the Owls.

Union Omaha lines up against Central Valley having extended their unbeaten streak to seven games. Last week, the Owls were able to save their home match against Chattanooga Red Wolves, thanks to the late-game heroics from midfielder Chavany Willis and his stellar goal in the dying moments of the game. The goal tied up the game, earned the club a point, and helped boost Union Omaha into the playoff picture for the first time in two weeks. The Owls have only lost 1 league game on the road, taking 14 points from the other 8 games. Of Union Omaha’s 17 goals scored this season, 11 have come from road games. The Owls have shown far more reliability in away games and they look to carry that standard to Fresno tonight.

These two clubs have only ever played each other one time. In Week 4, Union Omaha hosted Central Valley, won the game 3-0, and secured the victory in the first home game of the season for the Owls. With mere seconds remaining until the final whistle, Jordan “Sergio” Chavez received his second yellow card of the game, which turned into a red card. The Owls were already up 2-0, but before the referee could blow his whistle, JP Scearce received a pass from Noe Meza while on a fast break and slotted the ball home for the extra-secure insurance policy.

Tonight’s game kicks off at 9:30 PM (CST). Yes, you read that correctly. That means you get extra time to hang out with your favorite people ahead of the broadcast, as well as extra servings of your favorite food and beverages wherever you’re watching the game. Be noisy and bring the support for your Owls as they look to remain undefeated. Don’t forget to check back with Who Gives A Hoot for more Union Omaha content to feed your appetite between game days. As always…¡Viva Búhos!

Union Omaha Signs Corey Hertzog

In keeping with the club’s trend of making player announcements on any given Tuesday, Union Omaha unveiled the signing of long-time USL veteran forward Corey Hertzog. Pending league and federation approval, we could see Hertzog getting playing time with the Owls as soon as this weekend’s road match at Central Valley Fuego FC.

At 32 years old, Corey Hertzog brings a wealth of experience to Union Omaha. Hertzog gained attention while playing as a junior at Penn State University. During the 2010 season, Hertzog led the NCAA in goals (20), points (46), and points per game (2.09). At the end of the season, he decided to forgo his senior year, sign a Generation Adidas contract, and enter the 2011 MLS Superdraft, where he was drafted 13^th overall by the New York Red Bulls. He made his first start a month after his professional debut and scored against FC New York in the 2011 US Open Cup.

All in all, Hertzog has scored over 90 goals and earned over 30 assists in his professional career. One of those goals came earlier this year as Hertzog was signed to play with the Des Moines Menace during the US Open Cup. He was with the team at Morrison Stadium, started for the Menace against Union Omaha, and even scored against the Owls during the contest. Once the Menace were knocked out of the tournament, Hertzog went on to sign with Hartford Athletic of the USL Championship.

Coincidentally enough, during Hertzog’s years at Penn State University, he was coached by current Union Omaha technical advisor Bob Warming and head coach Jay Mims. At the time, Warming was the head coach and Mims was the coaching assistant. In Union Omaha’s press release announcing the signing, Hertzog mentioned his happiness to reunite with the coaching duo:

“I’m very excited to reconnect with my former college assistant coach, Coach Mims. His style of play, coaching ability and winning mentality is a perfect fit for me as a player. Then when I heard that Coach Warming, my Penn State coach, was joining the team as a technical advisor, I just felt like I was coming back to my roots. Last time I was with them, I scored a lot of goals! I owe them so much for what they’ve done for me and my career, and I want to pay them back with some goals, wins and a trophy!”

Union Omaha head coach Jay Mims expressed his own excitement with signing Hertzog:

“Corey is a proven striker that adds immediate quality to our team. He has intelligent movement and a nose for goal. Corey’s energy and competitiveness are contagious, and I am looking forward to him joining our hardworking, young group.”

Union Omaha travels to Fresno, California this weekend to play Central Valley Fuego FC. The Owls currently sit in sixth place in the USL League One standings and have at least one game in hand on the clubs above them. The next home match for Union Omaha is August 13^th, when Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC returns to Werner Park. Reserve your tickets now and don’t miss out on any of the action.

Data Dive: A Week of Deja Vu

I’m back after a three game week, which I have been unfortunately shut in my room throughout as Covid sucks. But thankfully, I’m feeling well enough to do another write-up as wow is there a lot to talk about. Let’s get into it!

Goals Find a Way
Thankfully, we found a goal right at the death to not only tie the game, but also end our scoreless streak. This 270+ minute scoreless streak over the past (essentially) 3 games was one of our longest in club history. It ended up being right around 306 minutes of game time if you include the extra time in both halves for each game. That puts the broken streak just slightly behind the stretch in 2020 and still a ways behind the goal-less stretch in 2021. It seems like right around the mid-point of each season, we run into one of these. Thankfully, we got through it, but hopefully we don’t go into another right away.

And that’s a worry, because our goal scoring stats …. really aren’t great this year. We have 17 goals, which is more than only Tucson who sit bottom of the table. And that’s partially from how many shots we convert into goals, which looking at the chart below, is the lowest in the league:

Taken on August 2nd, 2022 from the USL League One website

We have 17 goals from 144 shots, 51 of which were on target, giving us that 11.8% (rounded up on the image) conversion rate. We’ve talked a lot about how our offensive frustrations compare to 2020, so let’s actually look at some data on that. We are now 16 games through the season, the same number of games *in* the 2020 shortened season. So how did we fare that season?

2020: 20 goals on 186 shots, 71 on target, 10.8% conversion rate

Honestly not far off of what we are currently. We had a few more goals, but were taking more shots and had a slightly worse conversion rate. The shots really show the big difference here, as there have been just so many fewer. And if you don’t shoot, it’s a lot harder to score. So this season does actually track to 2020 fairly well. Hopefully though, we can get to the point where we are more along the lines of last season, which looked like this:

2021: 53 goals on 308 shots, 147 on target, 17.2% conversion rate, 28 games

Seeing Red Yet Again
There was another red card for an opponent this game. It has seemed that that situation has happened a lot this season … right? Yes! In fact, the 6 red cards against us this season is more than anyone else in the league has against them. Some of them have been straight reds (apparently the one from Tucson recently was a straight red? It seemed a second yellow from the berm), but many of them may be attributed to the large amount of yellows against us this season. We have the 2nd most yellows against us despite having at least 1 less game played than every other team. So that might play a hand in why there have been so many reds against us. It definitely did in this last game, as of the 3 yellows given to the opposition 2 were against the same player which resulted in the red card. The updated list as of the end of July for the whole league is below, where you can see how much of a disparity there is among the teams:

Records Shattered

While I was unfortunate in that I couldn’t go to this past game, there were sure a lot of people who did! 5,167 is a regular season league record for the club and that was just after the last league record was set against Tucson with 4,004. That’s a whole 1k jump in records in only a single game! Which is wonderful to see. 2020 was of course a bit hard to judge on, with Covid regulations limiting capacity. Last year we did pretty well in attendance, top in League 1, averaging about 3,350 a game. The lowest attendence was just above 2,700 and the highest was just shy of 3,900.

But then enter this season. No game (yet) has been below 3k, helping us to have seen 22,666 in total attendance so far this season. That gives us a current average of 3,778 per game, well above last year. It also puts us above a few solid USLC teams as well (as of the most recent collected stats I could find). Hopefully we continue to trend in that direction through our large amount of home games this month, even with the 2 Wednesday games which may drive it a little lower. But just 6 games into 15, it’s incredibly promising and hopefully continues to get better game by game as we see people coming back after their first UO experience. Let’s hope to see that 4k+ number consistently this month!

Willis the Hero as Owls Earn the Draw

It took more than 90 minutes for Union Omaha to score against Chattanooga, but the late, equalizing heroics from Chavany Willis earned the Owls a point, extended their unbeaten streak to seven matches, and kept themselves above the playoff threshold. In front of 5,167 people and under a beautiful Nebraska sky, the Owls continued to show their ability to grind and find results.

Union Omaha looked strong in the first 15 minutes, creating several quality possessions and building their attack, but Chattanooga capitalized on an early goal that would set the tone for the rest of the match. With a pass deflecting off of a Union Omaha defender, Chattanooga’s Pedro Hernandez was able to get to the ball first as it crept into the penalty area, took one touch on the ball, and placed the ball in the back of the net.

The rest of the half was an equal battle, with spare chances for both sides. Chattanooga owned the ball for large stretches of the half, earning 61.5% of the possession. They needed the possession because they were losing a lot of the duels before halftime. Union Omaha ended up winning 56.3% of the duels, with 68.8% of the aerial duels. The three shots on goal in the first half from the Red Wolves would be the only shots on goal for the rest of the match. The second half told a very different tale.

Union Omaha started the second half with a steady stream of higher-quality possessions. Chattanooga was held at bay and rarely found themselves able to generate any offense. Frustrations started to grow from the Red Wolves, conceding 4 fouls in the first 11 minutes of the second half, matching the total amount of fouls they conceded in the entire first half. Just five minutes into the second half, Chattanooga’s Pedro Hernandez earned his first yellow card for a harsh tackle. In the 66^th minute, Hernandez would receive a second yellow card and his marching orders to the locker room. For the remaining 24 minutes, plus stoppage time, Union Omaha would play up a man, while still down a goal.

Offensive opportunities were easier to come by for the Owls and they were able to take more shots inside the box, double their shot total from outside the box, and more than tripled the amount of crosses they were able to perform. There was only one statistic that was still eluding them: goals scored.

As the frustrations from the large crowd inside Werner Park grew, Union Omaha was able to relieve some of that tension with some aforementioned heroics. After the fourth official raised the board and alerted the crowd of the five additional minutes of stoppage time, urgency among the crowd was at a premium. As Joe Brito received the ball along the right sideline, he immediately turned up field to link up with Dion Acoff. The short pass inside to Acoff was followed with an evasive maneuver to avoid a few Red Wolves defenders and he had some space to work with. The center of the field, right outside the penalty area, was wide open and Chavany Willis took advantage of the opportunity. As he floated into space, Acoff set him up with a trickling pass that was primed for a banger. What followed was a world-class strike from Willis that rocketed into the upper corner of the near post. Chattanooga goalkeeper Carlos Avilez went horizontal to block the shot, but he had no chance and could only watch as the ball sailed past him.

In a video posted to social media, Union Omaha head coach Jay Mims said, “[I’m] happy for the guys to get that goal. We just never stopped fighting. We never stopped until the very end.”

The draw kept Chattanooga in 8^th place, with only one win in their last six matches. Week 19 doesn’t favor the Red Wolves much, as they play at Central Valley on Wednesday and then host Greenville on Saturday.

With the draw, Union Omaha jumps a spot and ends Week 18 in 6^th place, above the playoff threshold for the 6^th time this season. The Owls still have at least a game in hand on their neighbors, with as many as three games in hand on league-leading Greenville Triumph. Union Omaha travels to Central Valley for the first time on Saturday for their lone match of Week 19.

Union Omaha has officially entered the second half of the 2022 season, so there is still plenty of drama to come. The Owls have played six home games and ten away games, which means they have nine home games and five away games left in the season. If you don’t already have your tickets for those remaining home games, reserve your ticket now and be at Werner Park in person to witness all of the action to come.

When you’re looking for more Union Omaha content, make sure to check with Who Gives A Hoot Media for articles, data breakdowns, and weekly episodes of the podcast. With 14 games left in the season, we’ll keep you up to date on the latest happenings within the club.

Match Report:

Goals:

20’ – OMA 0 – 1 CHA: Pedro Hernandez (Unassisted) – unlucky deflection off OMA defender

90+3’ – OMA 1 – 1 CHA: Chavany Willis (Assisted by Dion Acoff)

Discipline:

50’ – Yellow Card: CHA Pedro Hernandez

66’ – 2^nd Yellow Card (Red Card): CHA Pedro Hernandez

67’ – Yellow Card: CHA Aaron Lombardi

Substitutions:

45’ – OMA: Noe Meza on for Hugo Kametani

45’ – OMA: Eddie Gordon on for Gabriel Claudio

63’ – OMA: Alex Bruce on for Kemal Malcolm

63’ – OMA: Dion Acoff on for Luis Gil

71’ – CHA: Rey Ortiz on for Alex Tejera

81’ – OMA: Chavany Willis on for JP Scearce

82’ – CHA: Josue Cartagena on for Juan Galindrez

86’ – CHA: Jorge Luna on for Jimmie Villalobos

86’ – CHA: Jonathan Guadarrama on for Rafael Mentzingen

Union Omaha Hires Bob Warming

If you had any suspicions about a special guest seen along Union Omaha’s sideline, you’re right. That man is none other than Bob Warming and yesterday, Union Omaha announced that Warming will be joining the team as a Technical Advisor.

Bob Warming is highly respected and highly sought after in the soccer community, especially in the Omaha area. From 1990-1994, Warming was the head coach at Creighton University, collecting awards and titles along the way. After leaving Creighton, Warming soon returned to Creighton, coaching from 2001-2009. In combination with his first stint at Creighton, Warming amassed 183 wins, 7 Missouri Conference regular season titles, 7 Missouri Conference tournament titles, and 11 NCAA Tournament appearances.

Jay Mims and Bob Warming hold a long-time soccer friendship, spanning over a decade. In 2018, Warming took the head coaching position at the University of Nebraska-Omaha (UNO), after Jay Mims stepped down from the same position. In this press release from the club, Bob Warming mentioned their working relationship:

“It has been 12 years since Jay and I worked together. In that time, he has become an elite coach. Elite in the big things. Elite in the bits and pieces. He and Bobby are great to be around, and the players make all of us in Omaha proud. So grateful for this opportunity. We are going to have some fun.”

Jay Mims returned the compliments in the same press release, saying:

“Coach Warming is an incredible coach, but an even better person. Having his knowledge and experience around the team is such a great resource to have. I look forward to spending time with him and having some much fun against on and off the field.”

Bob Warming was first spotted along the Union Omaha bench a week ago, when the ESPN+ broadcast showed him sitting alongside the rest of the coaching staff at the Greenville match. Mere days later, his familiar face was spotted with the team at the Forward Madison match. While fans were happy to see him with the coaching staff, many questions were raised about his role with the club moving forward. Luckily, those questions are answered and his inclusion to the staff brings even more optimism as the second half of the season approaches.

Union Omaha faces off against Chattanooga Red Wolves tonight at 7 PM at Werner Park. If you haven’t purchased your tickets yet, go to the team website to reserve your spot for the action. There’s going to be a large crowd, possibly the largest the club has ever seen. This home match will also be Coach Warming’s first with the team since the press release, so make sure you’re there to welcome him with enthusiasm.

Keep cheering on the Owls as they enter the second half of the season. If you are looking for more great Union Omaha content, keeping checking in with Who Gives A Hoot Media for more articles and episodes of the podcast. We have you covered for all of the latest and greatest content for your favorite local soccer team.

Chattanooga Preview

Union Omaha (5-8-2, 7^th Place) vs Chattanooga Red Wolves (6-3-8, 8^th Place)

All competitions: OMA (9-8-3) vs CHA (6-3-9)

Werner Park – Papillion, Nebraska

7:00 PM (CST) ESPN+

Jay Mims and co. look to extend their unbeaten streak to seven matches as they welcome the Chattanooga Red Wolves to Werner Park. Tonight’s match kicks off at 7 PM and will be broadcasted on ESPN+.

The Red Wolves return to Omaha for their second-ever match at Werner Park. Last week, Chattanooga hosted Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC and the evening ended with a 0-0 draw. It was the first time the Red Wolves were held scoreless since Week 10, when they lost to Union Omaha in Chattanooga. Despite scoring the second-most amount of goals in the league, the Red Wolves currently find themselves in 8^th place after losing 6 of their last 10 games. After occupying the top spot in the standings in four separate weeks earlier this season, Chattanooga has slid below the playoff threshold. Things went from bad to worse with the recent news regarding Chattanooga’s head coach Jimmy Obleda.

On Friday, July 22^nd, USL League One announced that Jimmy Obleda had been “provisionally suspended,” pending results from an investigation. The USL Players Association raised the allegations of misconduct, which kick-started the subsequent investigation. In the meantime, Obleda will be missing from the sidelines and the managerial duties will fall on his assistants.

Union Omaha continues to flirt with the playoff threshold and enters the match unbeaten in their last six outings. The Owls only have two losses this season, padding their place in the standings with eight draws, one less than last season. While Union Omaha has only scored three goals in the last five games, Jay Mims has shown the depth of his bench with renewed energy via second-half substitutions. Case in point: Union Omaha showed potential against Forward Madison with four second-half subs that jumpstarted offensive chances. With each passing week, the players show the potential. Union Omaha scored two goals in their last home game, so let’s hope that’s the start of a trend and not the exception.

Union Omaha and Chattanooga have only faced each other four times since the Owls joined the league. All time, Chattanooga has two wins to Union Omaha’s one win. In the last three matchups, neither side was able to score more than one goal. Tonight’s match could be a fast a furious affair, filled with plenty of physicality. Keep an eye out for Chattanooga’s Juan Galindrez, Rafael Mentzingen, and Moe Espinoza. Those guys are all routinely punishing their opposition.

Another exciting development for tonight’s match is the possibility for a huge crowd. Current ticket sales are high, the weather will be beautiful, and Union Omaha is looking to capitalize on the situation. If you don’t have tickets already, you may have a tougher time finding tickets, so go to the team website now to reserve your spot in the stadium and witness history. While you’re preparing for the festivities, don’t forget to get to the stadium early to check out the tailgate. As usual, there will be plenty of games, music, food, and beverages to keep you entertained. Bring the noise, bring the passion, and cheer on the Owls to another victory. As always…¡Viva Búhos!

Forward Madison Preview

Forward Madison (6-5-4, 5^th Place) vs Union Omaha (5-7-2, 7^th Place)

All competitions: MAD (7-5-5) vs OMA (9-7-3)

Breese Stevens Field – Madison, Wisconsin

7:00 PM (CST) ESPN+

Good morning, Búhos Nation! Just when you were starting to recover from last week’s action, USL League One throws another game at you for more excitement. Union Omaha plays their second midweek match of the season as they travel to Madison, Wisconsin to take on Forward Madison. Tune into ESPN+ at 7 PM for all of the action.

Forward Madison currently sits in fifth place after having a week-long break from league action. The Flamingos didn’t rest the entire time, though. Instead, they scheduled an international friendly against Pumas Tabasco, a professional team from Liga de Expansión MX. The friendly was played a week ago, ended in a 2-2 draw, and gave them value playing time during a bye week.

In league play, Forward Madison’s most recent game was a home win against South Georgia Tormenta FC in Week 16. The 2-0 victory allowed Forward Madison to remain in third place in the standings. As is expected of the Flamingos, they have an impressive home record of 4-1-2, with the last home loss happening back on May 21^st (Week 8). In the last five weeks, they’ve only lost one game, while winning three. The team is led by forwards Jeremiah Streng and Matheus Cassini, both with four goals on the season. Their goalkeeper, Raiko Arozarena, has impressed in his short time with the club. Arozarena was loaned to Forward Madison from the Tampa Bay Rowdies in exchange for fellow goalkeeper Phil Breno.

Union Omaha managed to earn a draw during Saturday’s game against Greenville Triumph, remaining undefeated in their last five games. While the score ended 0-0, there were still a lot of positives to take away from the performance. The Owls seemed to explore a new formation, showed decent passing, and moved personnel efficiently to maintain pressure on the Triumph for the full 90 minutes. Despite earning the point, Union Omaha fell to seventh place in the standings. Fear not, as the Owls are still in second place for average points earned per game. This is the first week that Union Omaha will make up one of their games in hand. Each of those games will be very valuable as the season progresses. For example: if the Owls win tonight, they will jump to third place, sitting behind Richmond only because of the total-win tiebreaker.

Fans inside Breese Stevens Field will be treated to a special occasion involving both Forward Madison and Union Omaha. Earlier this season, both clubs announced the Unified Soccer Series. In conjunction with Special Olympics Nebraska and Special Olympics Wisconsin, both clubs held tryouts for players (with or without disabilities) to play during the halftime break of the two remaining matchups between the two clubs. The first game will be played tonight, while the second will take place on August 31^st, when Forward Madison visits Omaha. It does not sound like the game will be broadcast by ESPN+, so stay tuned to social media for videos and interviews with the players.

It may be a work day, but it’s definitely a game day. Wear the team’s colors, proudly display your pride, and spread the word about the game tonight. This rivalry has brought plenty of entertainment in the past, so tonight should be no exception. Whether you watch at home, or at a viewing party, bring the noise and support the Owls. As always…¡Viva Búhos!

Owls Bolster Roster, Sign Luis Gil

On Friday, exciting news broke as Union Omaha announced the signing of midfielder Luis Gil. The 28-year-old California native brings a wealth of experience, ranging from Major League Soccer (MLS) to Liga MX to virtually every ladder of the US Soccer national team, culminating in two caps for the senior squad.

Luis Gil grew up in Garden Grove, California and started playing soccer at the age of three. By the time he was 15 years old, he was already attending the IMG Soccer Academy and playing with the US Soccer Development Academy. From 2008 to 2009, Gil made 32 appearances with the U17 National Team, scoring 5 goals. In 2010, Gil signed a Generation Adidas contract with Major League Soccer. Despite gaining the attention of Premier League-side Arsenal, Gil’s professional rights went to the Kansas City Wizards. With a backroom deal in place, Gil was traded to Real Salt Lake, where he would go on to make 134 appearances and score 11 goals. In October of the same year, Gil made his Real Salt Lake debut in a CONCACAF Champions League group-stage match against Cruz Azul. His first MLS goal came against the New York Red Bulls in 2011.

While playing with Querétaro of the Liga MX, he experienced a series of loan spells that saw his return to the MLS with clubs like Orlando City, Colorado Rapids, and Houston Dynamo. In 2019, Gil felt the need to get out of his comfort zone and try to redefine his career. It took a surprising move to Czech Republic and a stint with FK Viktoria Žižkov to really rediscover his strengths and enhance his play. In an interview 2020 with Brian Sciaretta, he spoke about his decision:

“I had options in MLS, but I kind of wanted to get away from that. The whole idea was just kind of get away from where I was comfortable. I feel like I was just so used to a certain way and a certain style…It was kind of a quick decision in a way. It was just something where I can get back to where I wanted to be – the player that I wanted to be, where coached didn’t know me. I wanted something different.”

Adjusting to Czech soccer took some time for Gil, but he learned to embrace the style and began having fun playing the beautiful game again. In the same interview with Sciaretta, he said:

“The soccer here is actually very distinct. Czech football, I would say more in the second league, than first, it’s very, very physical and very direct. It’s kind of its own football in a way. It’s kind of under the radar, but it’s actually a very pretty decent high level even at the second tier. Then obviously, once you get to the first divisions, you can start seeing the Sparta Prague’s, the Slavia Prague’s. Those teams are consistently fighting in the Europe League. It’s been an adjustment at first, but I have found some success here. I’m playing consistently, scoring some goals, making some assists, making some plays. I’m getting back into it and getting back to myself. Hopefully I continue to grow.”

The hard work and perseverance paid off and his current coach, Jay Mims, doled out the compliments. In Union Omaha’s press release, Mims said:

“Luis adds great quality and experience to our team. He has played at the highest level in our country, including at every level with the USMNT. Adding an experienced, quality player like Luis will have such a great impact on our team on and off the field for the second half of the season. We are excited to welcome Luis to the club and I know the players are eager to have another hardworking, humble person in the locker room.”

In the same press release, Gil shared his own excitement. “I’m thrilled to be a part of a championship team. [I’m] Hoping to help bring another to the city of Omaha!”

Gil joins Union Omaha just as the team travels to Greenville, South Carolina to face off against first-placed Triumph. Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday night at 6 PM and will broadcast on ESPN+.

Greenville Preview

Greenville Triumph (9-4-4, 1^st Place) vs Union Omaha (5-6-2, 4^th Place)

All competitions: GVL (10-4-5) vs OMA (9-6-3)

Legacy Early College Field – Greenville, South Carolina

6:00 PM (CST) ESPN+

Wake up and smell the Belt! It’s Week 17 of the USL League One regular season and with it brings the juicy matchup of Greenville Triumph hosting Union Omaha. The Owls look to upset the current leader while Greenville looks to create even more separation from the pack. Kickoff is slated for 6 PM on ESPN+ and you’re not going to want to miss this chapter of the Green Belt rivalry.

Greenville Triumph has spent a quarter of the season in first place, but will extend that reign to another week, regardless of tonight’s outcome. With six points between themselves and second-place Richmond, the Triumph could extend their lead to a three-game buffer with a win and other results this evening.

The Triumph is undefeated in their last seven matches and hasn’t lost at home since Saturday, April 23^rd, back in Week 4. Last week, Greenville played two matches and gained four points in the standings. The first match was a midweek game against South Georgia Tormenta FC, which gave fans a 10-goal treat, albeit a draw. The second match was another road game. This time, the Triumph traveled to Richmond Kickers to take on the second-place team in the league and dismantled them with a 3-1 victory. Just like we’ve witnessed in previous seasons, Greenville is very successful at home, yet still shows enough of their pedigree on the road to bolster their place in the standings. The team has remained healthy this season and taking advantage of that status.

Union Omaha encountered a challenging match last week, physically and emotionally, as they battled against FC Tucson. Though the Owls ended the night with a 2-1 home victory, it didn’t come without its own unintended consequences: JP Scearce will miss tonight’s match after receiving a red card. The midfielder has been an aggressive mainstay in the middle of the field, but that duty will undoubtedly pass on to the next player tonight. The emotional win, especially with the deciding goal occurring in the first minute of second-half stoppage time, could be the spark this team needs to change the course of their season. Seeing the team come together to defend each other during the second-half skirmish could also yield similar results. That’s the beauty of emotions: they can seal a bond of loyalty in the locker room that inspires greatness.

The Triumph may use the same recipe to try and defeat the Owls, but Union Omaha just added a very interesting ingredient to their roster, which could result in a different product on the field. On Friday, Union Omaha announced the signing of 28-year-old midfielder Luis Gil. He joins the team from Phoenix-based Valley United FC, who competes in the National Independent Soccer Association (NISA). Gil brings a wealth of experience ranging from Major League Soccer to Liga MX to the United States Men’s National Team. The midfielder shows a heavy desire to insert himself in the offense and drive into the final third. He likes to go at defenders and isn’t afraid to assert himself physically with the opposition. His creativity and experience could be a great addition to the squad, especially since he would likely fill the position left vacant by Scearce’s red card.

These two clubs have faced off a total of five times since 2020. Their records are identical: 2 wins, 1 draw, 2 losses. Union Omaha’s last loss, five weeks ago, was to none other than Greenville Triumph, 0-2 at Werner Park. Tonight’s match has all of the fixings for great entertainment and will decide where the Belt will reside until mid-September, when these two meet again for their last matchup of the regular season. Will Union Omaha return the favor and deliver a loss to Greenville on their home turf? Will Luis Gil make an appearance? How much has Union Omaha’s confidence been boosted after last week’s victory? There are so many storylines, but the action on the field will far exceed any storylines ahead of kickoff.

It’s Belt Week! Grab your Union Omaha gear, make some noise, and cheer on the Owls as they look to climb the standings and bring that beautiful garment back to Omaha. Whether you’re watching from home or you’re out at a watch party, make sure you are firmly in place with a good view of the TV once the broadcast starts. You’re not going to want to miss the action from this edition of the rivalry. As always…¡Viva Búhos!