I’m going to start this by saying that I am a massive fan of promotion and relegation (Pro/Rel). I love the idea that every game might mean something and that I’m not going to have to suffer through a team doing their best to lose on the chance of drafting the next franchise player. I love the idea that those who have earned their place in the league (for better or worse) are where they deserve to be and not where they paid to be. I also realize it’s not a system for every league, and that’s ok.
But the announcement this morning of the USL committing to a Pro/Rel isn’t without some trepidation on my part, especially as it pertains to a team like Union Omaha.
The USL has been discussing some form of Pro/Rel at least since the formation of USL League One in 2019. The traditional naysayers of this structure were right, at the time, for all the reasons why not to implement it at that time. Money is always the first consideration, and generally the first thing to sink implementing a new idea. In this case, the league has needed to get established and make sure teams were financially stable just to exist, let alone move back and forth between divisions. Even that has seen casualties with teams like FC Tucson and CV Fuego leaving League One while Northern Colorado Hailstorm, Lansing Ignite, and Rio Grande Valley have ceased operations all together.
Also at issue were US Soccer’s (USSF’s) Professional League Standards (PLS) which define what a league needs to have to get sanctioning within appropriate tiers. The biggest things that might hold a team back from promoting might be the following requirements (from the USSF PLS Men’s Division 1 standards, dated 17 March 2023):
– 75% of the league’s teams must play in metropolitan markets of at least 1,000,000 persons
– League stadiums must be enclosed, and have a minimum seating capacity of 15,000
– Each team ownership group must demonstrate the financial capacity to operate the team for five years.
– Each team must designate one principal owner with a controlling interest who owns at least 35% of the team and has the authority to bind the team.
– That individual owner must have an individual net worth of at least US $40,000,000, exclusive of the value of his/her ownership in the league and his/her primary residence.
– The principal owner, together with all other owners, must have a combined individual net worth of at least US $70,000,000 exclusive of the value of ownership interests in the league or team and primary personal residences.
For contrast, the same standards for Division 2 include:
– 75% of the league’s teams in markets of 750,000 persons
– Minimum seating capacity of 5,000
– Ownership group financial capacity to operate the team for three years
– Ownership net worth requirements are US $20,000,000 (principal) with no further requirement for Ownership group net worth.
And Division 3 standards include:
– No metropolitan market population requirement
– Stadium capacity of 1,000
– Principal owner net worth requirement is US$10,000,000
So while the money thing is a huge issue, not only in league sustainability, but also sanctioning within US Soccer (see NISA…), it’s not the only thing. Stadium issues and market population become the 1,000th paper cut in many cases.
Consider Union Omaha in this case. Promotion last year doesn’t change much on the stadium front. Werner Park has an official capacity of 9,023. But were the Owls able to secure promotion again to a Division 1 league, suddenly we are outside of PLS standards and a threat to that league’s D1 status.
Similarly, we’re ok on population. The Omaha Metro Area’s 1,001,010 population (per stats from Grow Omaha dated 17 March 2025) meets both D2 and D1 standards. And even if it didn’t we could still participate in those competitions provided the rest of the league met the 75% threshold. Assuming that the Omaha Metro continues on it’s approximately 3.5% growth per year since the 2020 census, there should be no issues for us on promotion.
So at issue becomes the stadium and the personal wealth of Gary Green as principal, and the remainder of the ownership group.
While I won’t report nor speculate on personal wealth, I can draw some hypotheticals. I’m trying to imagine an owner who meets standards for D3 at a net worth of US $10,000,000. How feasible is it in an off-season to double your personal net worth? How feasible in (possibly) two years to quadruple that, and ensure the rest of your group (if any) has a cumulative $30,000,000 to meet these standards. I’m not fully sure (else I’d likely be a millionaire myself!), but it’s in the realm of the possible that this becomes a roadblock.
That roadblock will either have to be revisited and revised by USSF, or waived. The good news on that front is that USL is smart enough to have at least hedged their bets that USSF will be accommodating along that front—something I honestly never thought I’d write. That possibility becomes more realistic every day, and it moves us closer to the federation actually helping grow the sport and leagues in this country vice just abdicating everything in favor of MLS.
So now we come to the number one thing Union Omaha supporters have been screaming about—a stadium of our own. When news of the downtown stadium dropped last year it was met with hopeful exuberance. When news of the collapse of the deal dropped earlier this year, it was met with an equally disappointed despair. The 9,000+ capacity stadium we call home now is only going to help us through the end of this season. There have been promises of plans in the works (and I do fully trust that there are), but the plan being held close to the chest has frustrated the fanbase.
The stadium plan coming to reality has always been key to our attempted promotion to USL Championship, so nothing changes on that front. What does change is the timeline we have, and what the team is looking to accomplish.
If the team wants to be in Championship when the new 2028 D1 league and Pro/Rel are slated to start, they will have to work on getting that stadium solution sooner rather than later. If they are confident in winning their way up the ladder, they can take their time (notwithstanding the need for a place to play in 2026).
The warning here is that there has to be a deliberate path. A stadium deal done incorrectly can not only impact the ability to play, but also could put a major dent in the financial requirements for included in the PLS. We can’t mortgage the future here by accepting a bad deal that puts either the ownership group or the taxpayers of the Omaha Metro in a bind just to be able to meet those ambitions.
To bring this back around, this Pro/Rel system has to take the same deliberate approach. Union Omaha is not going to be the only team in the USL that has these issues or questions. A lot of this will have to rely on some help from USSF on those roadblock PLS, or on the league itself to help supplement those teams. That is going to rely on money.
The problem with finances is that USL teams rely mostly on game-day sales (tickets, merch, etc.) to make up their budgets. Unlike most world leagues with Pro/Rel, there isn’t a massive source of external investment to help the teams soften the blows of relegation or match the competition of promotion. The most common place to get that external investment is in selling the broadcast rights to the league.
The USL partnership with ESPN+ and CBS has grown over the last couple of years, but it’s not been good enough to provide teams the revenue that would be required with moving up and down the pyramid. This is, again, something that I’m certain USL HQ is working on, and I’m going to trust the process that there are plans in the works to sell broadcasters on the highs, lows, and watchability of the new pyramid. That doesn’t mean we’re going to get the massive deals that the English Premier League or Major League Soccer pull in, but I do believe USL has the product and vision to encourage more broadcast investment going forward. That will not only translate to smoother transitions, but should also translate to better and more accessible coverage as the broadcast companies become true partners in the success (or failure) of the new structure.
So as pertains to Búho Nation, this should absolutely be a time of celebration and hope, but also of deliberation and caution. The fact that we don’t fully know the structure is a good thing. The fact that USL will be dropping more information is a good thing. The fact that they are putting this out now is a good thing. That all means there’s work being done and a lot of time to get this right between now and 2028.
I often say that hope is the first step on the road to disappointment. But with a tempered and steady step, it can lead to the dream of a new age in the sport we love. Let us move forward, deliberately and in Union.
The following words have never been said in reference to Union Omaha: The Owls began their USL 1 campaign with a loss.
That loss came in humbling fashion at the hands of Greenville Triumph in front of 1,611 fans last Wednesday night—one of them being Ronaldinho, now a member of the Greenville Triumph ownership group. The 3-0 scoreline would have made the Brazilian legend proud, even if it was almost completely against the run of gameplay for those 90 minutes.
Dominic Casciato’s first lineup of the year came as a big surprise to a lot of people, though we would find out some of the reasons why later with injuries to Lagos Kunga and Rashid Nuhu announced after the match day squad was released. The bigger surprise seemed to be the move from a 3-4-3 construct to a 4-2-3-1 with new arrival Mehdi Ouamri as the tip of the spear and Russell Shealy handling the goal with Shido out. Coach Dom also opted to take the experience of former Minnesota United and Nashville SC defender Brent Kallman in a center back pairing with Blake Malone with one of last year’s defensive standouts, Marco Milanese, ready to come in off the bench.
Rick Wright chose the same formation with stalwart Brandon Fricke anchoring the defense and holding the armband. With golden boot and USL 1 player of the year winner Lyam MacKinnon now in Orange County, Coach Wright placed an always dangerous Leo Castro up top with Ben Zakowski supporting an attack that was held mostly mute in their opener against Westchester SC.
The warning signs were unfortunately there from almost the opening kickoff, with Greenville sending a long ball looking for Connor Evans up the right side. The pass itself was well over everyone’s head, but for some reason Shealy decided to try to slide over and try to play the ball. Instead of a Union Omaha goal kick, the ball fumbled off the keeper and out for a corner kick. Though that would be dealt with well, it was the kind of mental lapse that would plague the Owls all night.
But things weren’t all bad in the opening, as Omaha dominated most of the possession and attacking chances. Except for a well-worked, but easily claimed header off of Leo Castro, the momentum was pretty much all in the visitors’ direction. As if to punctuate that dominance, almost immediately off that claimed header, Brent started the most dangerous attack of the early match.
The 11th minute saw the defender find Mehdi splitting the middle of the Triumph defense just on the right side of the penalty area. Mehid pushed the ball off to Kemi Amiche who switched play well to find Aarón Gómez on the left side. With the Greenville defense doing well to collapse, Aarón found Charlie Ostrem who fired a first-time cross off his left foot toward the 6-yard box. Triumph keeper Rankenburg appeared to misjudge the ball and ended up weakly flailing at the pass. The ball fell perfectly for Kemi, and with Rankenburg out of position, Kemi fired a rocket toward an open goal. Open, except for the foot of Fricke who cleared the ball off the line. A scramble almost saw Kemi have a chance for a put-back, but the Tyler Polak’s risky (but well-timed) tackle meant only a corner kick on which the Owls wouldn’t be able to capitalize.
Just two minutes later, another very dangerous attack started off of some great pressing play by Aaròn and Dion Acoff. Dion, having lost possession on the attacking right, followed the ball as Greenville passed it back to Zane Bubb in an attempt to get some room to clear. With Dion bearing down, Bubb flicked a pass over to D.J. Benton. Benton turned and tried to put the ball upfield, but didn’t realize how close Aarón was to the play. The pass ended up hitting Aarón square in the chest and falling for him in stride just outside the penalty box. Bubb did well to recover and cut off any dribbling angle which forced Aarón to fire off his shot quickly. With no time to put power or placement on the shot, his attempt rolled somewhat harmlessly back to Rankenburg.
Despite the dominance in attack, that was to be the Owls’ last shot on target for the rest of the match.
As the early stages of the match wore on, it seemed that despite Union Omaha’s lack of finishing, Greenville would be the team more in trouble. That thought was backed up in the 21st minute when midfielder Pascal Corvino came up hobbling off the ball. The non-contact injury would force Coach Wright into an early change and add to the early season injury woes that have bothered the Triumph so far.
But just when you might think Greenville were up against the odds, an extremely unlikely goal would manifest not 15 minutes later. Dion had pushed the ball up the right wing and sent a beautiful cross in to Brandon Knapp that would’ve given Rankenburg trouble had Brandon’s shot not been blocked by Benton. The ensuing counter attack saw Evans loft a ball up the right side looking for Castro. An indecisive Russell started to come out and sweep the ball away, only for him to realize he wouldn’t make it in time. With Blake screaming for him to get back, Castro took the chance to chip the ball over the wrongly positioned keeper for the opening score of the match.
That proved to be the turning point in the match, but it wasn’t the end to the defensive woes. Just before halftime another lapse led to the second Greenville goal. Following a foul by Brandon on the left side, Polak stepped up to take a free kick from just inside the Omaha half. A hopeful ball found it’s way to Castro’s head over Blake’s leaping effort. The ball flicked on to a streaking Zakowski as Brent noticed the Triumph man too late to be able to put him off receiving the ball. A volley straight of Zakowski’s left foot found the top corner in a place where Russell had no chance to save it.
Halftime brought a needed relief to a shell-shocked team that were looking for anything to help them get back into the game. To help pick them up, Coach Dom brought on USL 1 Finals MVP Joe Gallardo in place of Isidro Martínez. Unfortunately, the hope that the masked man could swoop in and save the day was quickly put to rest after the restart.
With their first bit of possession, Greenville worked the ball through the midfield, stringing together several good passes and shuffling around the Búho midfield. Eventually, the ball made its way out to Zakowski on the left side about 15 yards out. A perfectly placed ball found Castro again as he split between Blake and Brent in the box. Castro’s header again gave Shealy no chance to stop the bleeding.
While Union Omaha did have some chances flash across the face of goal, and one really good individual effort by Aarón go just wide of the post (thanks to an intervention by Benton), there wasn’t a lot to get excited about in the final 45 minutes. Greenville ceded the majority of possession (to the tune of 29% possession in the second half), but still found themselves unlucky not to have a fourth goal. Were it not for a very close offside call, Zakowski would have given it to them.
As the time ticked away, it became more and more apparent that the belt would be on its way to Greenville, and when the whistle finally sounded on the match, it seemed the end of a mere formality.
The Good:
There were some serious moments of quality, especially in the first half. The passing, especially from the back line, more often than not found its target. Brent Kallman had 58 accurate passes, and 4 of those went into the final third. Charlie Ostrem had 7 accurate passes into the final third. Blake and Dion added 6 and 4, respectively, and the four had a passing accuracy over 80% on the night.
There were also flashes of brilliance, notably the shots by Kemi and the pressing of Aarón that led to the best chances of the night. The team dominated almost all the usually relevant stats and were really unlucky to have gotten the goal that probably would’ve changed the face of the match.
Finally, the fact that they did all of this with new players, in a new formation, and on the road speaks to the potential that this team has. There are a lot of things to take away that are promising.
The Bad:
There’s also a lot to take away that’s not as promising.
First has to be the mental, positioning, and communication lapses that led to Greenville’s best scoring chances. The biggest one is, of course, Russell’s inexplicable indecision on a ball that Blake had covered, even if Castro was slightly behind him. Blake had the inside and was forcing Castro to the wing outside the box with hardly any other support for a cross. I’m not sure if Russell is used to playing those balls, or if he hasn’t developed the trust in his back line that Shido has, but that’s going to have to change quickly if Shido starts to miss more time.
There’s also Brent’s positioning on Zakowski’s goal, a tendency to bunch up for our midfielders, and a lot of times where a player had pushed up but had no support for a dangerous cross. Things seemed really off there.
There was also the trend of players trying to take on too much, especially on the dribble. As I was watching initially, I remember thinking that it seemed like the new players were trying to make their mark or announce themselves by going it alone and beating two, three, sometimes four players off the dribble. It reminded me a lot of Lagos last year when he struggled—he was overthinking things and trying too hard. His best work came when he got his confidence and communication with the supporting players right.
And to validate my thoughts, here are some of the stats on dribbling:
Kemi Amiche – 7 dribbles, 1 successful Charlie Ostrem – 3 dribbles, 1 successful Joe Gallardo – 3 dribbles, 0 successful Union Omaha Total – 19 dribbles, 4 successful
But probably the most damning thing I saw had nothing to do with stats. The first goal seemed to completely deflate the team. They were still trying, but the body language said the unit morale was gone. It also seemed like there wasn’t a presence on the pitch capable of bringing them out of it. There were occasions where it looked like Dion tried to live up to the captain’s armband, but it just didn’t come off. Dion’s a great player, and he can lead by example with his play, but he didn’t show to be a rallying force. Nor did Brent. Blake showed the potential, but he’s also not there yet.
If we can’t fix that very major problem, we’re going to find ourselves a sinking ship without a true captain.
What’s Next:
Union Omaha get a quick second to regroup before heading out to Golden, Colorado to take on USL 2 side Flatirons FC on the campus of the Colorado School of Mines. The match will be Thursday, March 20, at 8 pm Central Time.
After that we have to wait another 9 days as the Búhos travel to Statesboro to take on a very attack-minded South Georgia Tormenta team. A disappointing 2-4 loss to Richmond Kickers was followed up with a 2-0 defeat of expansion AV Alta FC, showing the Ibises have some striking power when needed. Kickoff in that one is Saturday, March 29, at 6 pm Central Time.
Interesting Facts:
The last time Union Omaha lost a match by this scoreline was July 22, 2023 at Lexington SC. In fact, that was the last time that the score was 3-0 against the Owls at any point in a match. They only followed that up with a 23-match unbeaten run in all competitions (including a PK defeat in the 2023 playoffs that technically counts as a draw).
This is the 5th time in their history that Union Omaha has lost a match 3-0, and it equals the worst defeat they’ve suffered to peer competition.
However, had Zakowski’s goal been allowed to stand, it would have marked the first time EVER the Owls had given up 4 goal to a USL 1 opponent. Instead, Union Omaha has to live with this being the 9th time in their history they’ve given up 3 goals to USL 1 opposition. They’ve lost 6 of those matches and drawn 2—the only win being a 4-3 slugfest against North Carolina FC on September 6, 2023.
According to g+ GameFlow (@gameflow.bsky.social), Castro’s first goal was massively against the run of play…as in at the time of the goal the Max Possession Value Difference was at a 0.275 in Union Omaha’s favor (see graphic below).
Oh, and one more for optimism. The team that Union Omaha beat to start the 23-match unbeaten run mentioned earlier – South Georgia Tormenta. Hmm…who was it we play next in the league?
Key Events:
Greenville Triumph Sub: 23’ – Pascal Corvino OFF; Carlos Anguiano ON (Injury)
With the New Year upon us, it got me thinking about the club that I help cover and love. We’ve got two stars, three shields, the best record of any team since we joined the league, and a coach that’s shown the ability to adapt to every changing situations. There’s wouldn’t seem to be a lot that would need to change for a club that is among the best in USL.
And yet…
Everyone from the front office, to the players, to the fans will tell you there’s always something to improve. Sitting on the laurels of the past is a good way to find yourself back in the bottom half of the table and struggling to get any excitement amongst the fans. So I posed this question to the Who Gives A Hoot guys: If you were Union Omaha, what would your New Year’s Resolutions be for 2025? For anyone who regularly supports or follows the team, the answers aren’t very surprising, and focused a lot on off-the-pitch wishes.
*Note:The resolutions are from the individual members. The commentary is mine. I don’t speak for any of these guys, any specific fan, nor any supporters group in making these comments. They’re my observations and analysis.
Kyle: – Actually put shovels in the ground for the stadium – Better communication with fans in general and supporters groups in particular – On the playing side: Rebuild and start with a home playoff game as a goal
The stadium issue came up a lot in the conversations we had about these resolutions. As mentioned in my previous article (here), sharing a stadium is not always ideal for the types of things soccer needs to grow. It’s even more complicated when Sarpy County actually owns the stadium and parking lot, putting even more constraints on activities at the venue. Finally, Omaha is considered a “20-minute city”, but Werner Park’s location stretches that concept and reduces the number of fans that might want to attend a match, but just can’t justify the drive.
There has been a promised solution, and 2026 was the original target for having a playable stadium (combined with a move to USL Championship). Since then the rumors have swirled that 2027 is more likely, that there may have to be a temporary stadium solution for the 2026 season (pending agreements with the Storm Chasers and Werner Park), and investor and city bureaucracy is often cited with those rumors as causes. Putting shovels in the ground would go a long way to easing the fanbase’s concerns that the dream will actually happen.
This also leads into Kyle’s second resolution – better communication with fans and supporters groups would also help with the stadium concerns. But this resolution goes beyond just the stadium. While I will credit the front office with their availability to questions, holding the team talks during the year, and often having a pre-/early-season event to share information with the season ticket members, there are times when the communication seems to be slower or non-existent. While I won’t cite specific instances (those are between the SGs and front office), some of the topics have included short notice requesting support for team appearances, policy changes and clarifications, gameday activities and experiences, etc. There’s another aspect, but I’ll mention this with a resolution later.
For Kyle’s final resolution, this is a no-brainer. This league is very transitional, especially since we still have a lot of two-year or one-and-one option style contracts. We’ll see a lot of turnover, and that can lead to a dip in performance—see Jay Mims’ third season when Union Omaha finished 5th in the league.
But there’s something to be said for keeping your eyes on an attainable goal. A third consecutive Player’s Shield would be nice, but it shouldn’t be an all-or-nothing prospect. A good season, finishing top 4, and getting to have at least one more magical playoff match at Werner is a reasonable goal.
Luke: – Marketing investment reaching beyond the existing base – Injury Reports – Clarify Roster Locks and Trade Windows
Marketing has always been a strange topic for Union Omaha. There’s some marketing that’s being done, but it seems to be inconsistent or riding on the same style as the Storm Chasers. The latter is understandable, considering they were the established side of the company and much of the front office came from a baseball background. Then you look at things like the marketing for the Sporting Kansas City match at Caniglia. That was a surge in marketing and promotion that brought a sellout crowd to the venue.
But SKC, and the opportunity to see MLS players, is a match that almost sells itself, especially since Omaha is heavily SKC-colored for MLS support. What I want to see is more outreach, more investment, and more push to get those who are interested, but just can’t be moved to regularly attend matches.
There’s also a feeling among some supporters that they’ve been doing a lot of heavy lifting for getting the word out, bringing friends, and drumming up new avenues of support. While you might say, “that’s what supporters should do” (and you’re not wrong), a push in investment from the club in that direction would help those supporters feel they aren’t hitting the streets for nothing.
The injury report point is also a small annoyance of mine when it comes to coverage, but also affects the supporters. For them, its not always just about who’s playing and who’s not, but maybe who needs their support behind the scenes. In obvious cases, like Mechack Jérôme and family, the supporters didn’t need an injury report to jump into action and support. But for some of the more subtle ones (Steevan Dos Santos’ injury that kept him out of the SKC match), knowing who is sitting out on the sidelines helps them send their support, encouragement, and remind them that they still have the fans behind them in recovery.
While I don’t want injury reports to go into a breach of privacy, HIPPA regulations, or provide a competitive advantage, I would also like to see something giving an idea of who won’t be available and an estimated timeline. Some teams do this. Others do this, but then don’t update, so a player ruled “out” is now in the staring XI. That’s because the League doesn’t set the standard for such public reporting. I’d love the League to standardize that policy, but until then, having this as a resolution for the team would be awesome.
And speaking of League standards, the idea of the League clarifying when rosters are locked, when transfer windows are open, and (from me) details behind the transfers is something I’ve been dreaming of for a long time. This one falls firmly in the League’s hands to resolve. Expanding your supporter (customer) base means transparency with the fans on what they can expect. It also generates content, discussion, and analysis about what players could be on the move, who would be a good fit, and who missed out on a deadline day. Anything getting people talking about the League in a positive way is good.
Braedon: – More clear and transparent progress toward a stadium solution
Braedon went the simple route, and really just wants to know what the stadium solution is, especially because the aforementioned 2026 season may not be at Werner Park (if the rumors are to be believed). Shovels in the ground would be great, but the need for transparency and progress to keep the supporters excited, and to gear up potential new supporters when the downtown venue is ready, can’t be stressed enough. More and better communication is always a good thing.
Tim (Me!): – Publish the bylaws that tell me how many yellow cards you must accumulate to get a suspension
This one is definitely for the League, since I think the previous resolutions have covered the team pretty well. It also goes along with the injury report standardization, roster rules, etc.
The League has seemingly not updated it’s media guide since 2022. (Please…if anyone can prove me wrong I’d love to see the link!) That document was awesome for exactly what I’m asking for. It gave a preview of the teams, an explanation of the season and playoffs formate, then had a section for the USL League One Rules—everything from player status to progressive discipline for card accumulation. There was even a section for rules on photographs, promotional material, and other coverage concerns. It was beautiful.
But there isn’t a readily accessible document like that, and even the 2022 version requires a Scribd account to download (though you can still read it for free). Simple things like this would go a long way toward showing the transparency that fans want while providing the context and coverage materials that teams/media need to help increase the League’s exposure to new viewers. When people don’t know what’s going on, they go find a place where they do.
Do not take these resolutions as a sign that I don’t love the club and the League. It comes across as a bit negative because I’m focusing on things to change. The League and the Front Office don’t have infinite resources nor personnel to do everything perfectly. Even if they did, they’re human. I totally get the limitations they have.
That said, a little improvement should always be the goal. And what better time than as you ring in a New Year.
If you want more views and discussions on Union Omaha and USL League One heading into 2025, keep checking out the Who Gives A Hoot? podcast.
Author’s Note: Hey all! I know…it’s a Christmas miracle. The Penguin actually wrote and published something! I have to apologize for my months-long absence. There have been quite a lot of things going on in my life and my family’s lives that required my attention much more than this. I will always advocate for people to take care of themselves and those around them first—when this is gone, that is who we have. I hope you’ll accept this article as a bit of a peace offering, a thank you for your understanding, and (with any luck) the first step in a renewed ability to cover the game we love. With Holiday wishes to you and yours, Tim.
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Búho Nation has had about a week now to fully digest the early Christmas present that left a lot of the supporter base wondering whose name needs to go on the naughty list for next year. Prior to the schedule dropping, there was a lot to be excited about. On the heels of the second USL 1 Playoff Championship and a third Player’s Shield, the 5,849 fans that watched the final could find various things to get hyped about.
The long-term season ticket holder may have been gearing up to see how the most successful team in USL 1 history could handle the challenge of playing more USL Championship teams in the reformatted Jagermeister Cup. The casual fan could have been getting excited about seeing the new look of the team and having a few nice days out at the stadium. The new fan who just got hooked on the play and execution of this team could have been carrying that momentum over while welcoming the new teams to the league. Everyone would have something to build on a great run by a great team as we look to grow the supporter base that will flock to a new stadium in the (optimistically) near future.
Then the schedule actually dropped, and all that momentum went out the window.
While we don’t know the schedule of the US Open Cup yet, we do have a picture of the USL competitions, and it heavily favors any UO members that have a frequent flyer card. While the team is used to being road warriors to start a season, they’ve never faced a stretch like this. Of the first 15 games, 3 of them are at home with the first one being May 10. Omaha welcomes Portland Hearts of Pine for the team’s 6th match (all competitions) and a small two months after the season kicks off on March 8.
To put that in perspective, the 2024 Búhos started their season on the road against Central Valley Fuego on March 16, then waited almost a month to play their second game at One Knoxville. And still, they managed to get 7 home matches in their first 15 games last season.
Having to wait two months to watch the team in person, to celebrate the dawning of a new season, and be ready to cheer on the defending champion will do absolutely nothing to build on the feelings of last season. While I doubt we’ll hear as many “Omaha has a soccer team!?” type comments as in previous years, there is a section of the target audience that may lose some of the excitement by having to wait until May to get that feeling going again.
And while you still have your die-hards that will be packing the Berm, Section 119, and the standing sections (“MODELO!!!!”), the schedule gets even sillier for them. Of the three home matches Omaha will have by July 12, two of them are on “School Nights” — June 12 against Greenville Triumph (Belt/Rivalry match) and June 25 against Richmond Kickers. Such weeknight games are generally a lower draw, further reducing the ability of your supporter base to get out and spur the team on to victory.
And before we say that this is always the case, I looked at past schedules to see if that was really true. With 2020 discounted due to the funky COVID scheduling, what I found was this:
Additionally, the first 15 matches each year broke down like this:
Now you can see a semblance of this issue in early seasons, but not to this extent. Additionally, In the last two years there’s been a real effort to even things out and let the team build a pattern of support to begin each season. That effort is pretty obviously gone with the swirling winds.
I truly believe the supporter base has every right to be upset at how this schedule is playing out. Yes, eventually Omaha would have to play these games on the road. Yes, the team still has to navigate around the Storm Chasers and their (now) separate ownership group. But that doesn’t cool the supporter’s frustrations over having to wait two months to see their Búhos play.
So the question becomes, who the hell are the supporters supposed to be angry at?
A lot of times, the first place to take the punches of a supporter base is the Front Office of the team. There are often assumptions that don’t take into account some of the actual behind-the-scenes issues with things like concessions, promotions, and yes—the schedule. This is understandable, especially when there’s a feeling that the Storm Chasers always get priority for dates. And while there are occasions where that ire might be well-placed, often it’s things outside of the team’s control.
So in order to temper my own ranting and get to the heart of what went wrong with the schedule this year, I talked to Martie Cordaro, President of both Union Omaha and the Storm Chasers. I got a chance to ask him about the schedule and some of the initial feelings about the schedule. What he provided was an honest look at what happened, and a pretty convincing show that the Front Office isn’t really the one to blame here.
I started with a question about the USL Championship possibly having a hand in the schedule issue.
RBP Media: “Obviously, we share the stadium with the Storm Chasers, but it sounds like USL Championship, they already kind of had their marker down on a few of the weekend dates, and therefore some of the stuff that we asked for they were unavailable for. And so it kind of threw things into a little bit of a scheduling blender for lack of a better term. If that’s what I caught correctly.”
Martie Cordaro: “Yeah, I don’t know that it’s USL Championship’s fault. I would say, you know, they don’t make the schedule USL does, and when they were making the Jager Cup schedule because of them (USL C) being now included in the Jager Cup, it was more restrictive. If it was all just League One clubs, it’d be a lot easier to look and say “hey, can we take one of our October dates and maybe flip one with Madison in May,” for example, which is an example of something we could try to do. So, again, I don’t want to pin it on Championship, it’s more just a product of we could have drawn a home Jager Cup match on the last Saturday in April, that’s not the schedule we were given by the league.”
This makes a good bit of sense when you think about it. With the new format of the Jagermeister Cup, the inclusion of the USL Championship teams, and the fact that the group stage isn’t home/away anymore, the idea of trading the matches goes out the window. If the teams were selected in a draw, then that settles that. It’s a bit frustrating that the Jager Cup match gets in the way, but it’s not something that the Front Office has any control over.
But the Cup is just 1 of 12 early season road matches. Even with a home match in late April (26th), the fans are still waiting 7 weeks to get a taste of soccer in Werner Park, and that’s a long time removed from the magic of the 2024 Final. Was that cause for concern in the Front Office?
RBPM: “The the biggest question that I had with the schedule drop and everything else with 12 of the first 15 games away, I assume that there’s a little bit of concern on you guys’ part, too that the momentum from the championship season, the the 5800 plus that we had there and getting to grow that supporter base and fan base, that we’re losing a little bit of that momentum having to wait until May 10th for a home opener. Is that is that accurate?”
MC: “I wouldn’t say that. You know selling outdoor sports in Nebraska for March and April is definitely not advantageous. I mean, we would start in May every year if we could, but it’s not realistic. You want as balanced a competition schedule as possible, and then you also want sellable dates. So I would tell you quite the opposite, from a group ticket sales perspective and a single game perspective you know, we have a longer runway, if you will, to be able to market and create new fans. But, yes, from a competition perspective, yeah, it’s a lot of dates on the road. Again, like I said, in ’22 it was a similar schedule. I think everyone remembers when we scheduled home dates in late March and early April in ’23. We were asking you all to come help shovel snow and we played in a sleet storm. So, I would look at it the opposite, but you know, we’re the ones marketing and selling, so, you know, every position, including the coaching staff, has a different angle with which they’re looking at a particular item or topic.”
Once again, the logic is there. While Búho Nation won’t like to hear that Martie would have us start in May every year if he could, he’s not wrong on the sellable dates issue. The specific match he mentioned was on March 26, 2023—a 1-1 draw against Forward Madison and the last time Union Omaha opened the season at home (well, Caniglia…but whatever). The supporters were enlisted earlier in the day to clear the snowfall from the field to make sure the match could proceed. The game itself drew only 1,913. Two weeks later, only 1,665 fans watched a 1-2 defeat to North Carolina on a rainy, 43-degree day.
While that kind of weather isn’t guaranteed, it’s also not out of the ordinary. And unless you’ve got “Cornhuskers” in your name, you aren’t going to draw a religious following in such harsh conditions. From an attendance, sales, and marketing standpoint, you absolutely want to get as close to a guarantee of perfect weather as you can.
Martie did reiterate later that the team had selected “the last Saturday in April as one of our primary home schedule dates…But we weren’t able to trade out of it because it’s a Jager Cup weekend, not a regular season weekend if you will, and we were prohibited from making that trade.” So going back to the first question, they tried, but the Cup and the draw got in the way.
So with weather and Jager Cup scheduling a factor, I turned the attention onto how to maintain the excitement of the championship season.
RBPM: “So, do you guys have any plans to kind of mitigate the lack of early home games, trying to maintain the excitement and the momentum, maybe watch parties, maybe other team events that you guys are possibly looking at to keep people engaged until that home opener?”
MC: “Yep. Sure do.”
RBPM: “I’m guessing nothing that you’re quite ready to show or spell out for anyone?”
MC: “No, there’s no announcements. I mean we just got our schedule on Wednesday finalized and released on Thursday. So no, we…you know our staff is, for the most part, on break for two weeks. So anything we would be announcing would probably be four weeks or so from now.”
This wasn’t completely unexpected. The schedule release was delayed this year for multiple reasons, not the least of which was the legal actions involving Northern Colorado Hailstorm that ultimately led to the League withdrawing their franchise agreement and all but folding the team. This, along with Central Valley Fuego suffering a similar fate meant there were a lot of things hanging in the air to resolve before a schedule could be compiled, much less finalized. That didn’t give much time to finalize any plans for things like promotions, theme nights, or marketing for specific games.
However, I expect that there are ideas forming and a general sense of “maybe we could do this,” within the Front Office staff’s thoughts. We’re just going to have to wait a bit to hear what they are.
So despite any feelings the supporters (to include me, in full honesty) might have concerning the long road trip to start the match, there are reasons behind all of this.
RBPM: “Yeah, the supporters are definitely very interested in this and I know the supporters have a lot of feelings and a lot of opinions, and it’s kind of why I wanted to talk to you about to make sure that, you know, ‘hey, I get it. We all want the home opener and we all want the championship. We can’t wait to see the team again.’ But this isn’t just let’s knee jerk and say ‘Hey, that stupid schedule. How could they do that to us?’”
MC: “Yeah, and look. I would offer this. We want to raise a banner. We want to celebrate a championship. We want to relive the ’24 season and pass out rings to our players in front of the home crowd. So, you know, there are a lot of things we would want to do as well. So, you know, waiting until May 10th, again, like I said, we thought we were going to have a home opener in April, and we didn’t. That’s not the date we were given by USL.”
The desire is there, and the Front Office seems to share our feelings as supporters about how amazing it will be to finally celebrate that championship season. But again, there was a reference to USL not giving Union Omaha the primary home date preference.
Since the League and Jager Cup schedule wouldn’t be able to accommodate, I started thinking toward the U.S. Open Cup. Though the schedule hasn’t been announced yet, could an early season match be a way to see the team at home?
RBPM: “Does the lack of having the league home stuff…Is that going to impact you guys’ decisions to go ahead and try to bid on an early Open Cup match, maybe just to to get the team exposed? Or are there other thought processes there?”
MC: “Well, you know, the majority of the Open Cup matches the last three seasons haven’t been played at Werner. That shouldn’t be impactful, as long as UNO and/or Creighton are available. So there shouldn’t be any Open Cup impact. Our preference, obviously, would be to play at Werner. We have a distinct home pitch advantage. I think that’s proven out as being the most successful pro soccer franchise in the last five years at any level in North America. So, we would rather play at Werner Park, but I would probably say number two it’s proven out that UNO is a great partner. And they’ve welcomed us with open arms at Caniglia, and that would probably be the first place we would look. And then Creighton has been fair to us in the past as well. But it’s been a couple seasons since we played a match there.”
This was also a pretty expected response. Union Omaha hardly ever shies away from bidding to host, despite the fact that it is often not as profitable, depending on the opponent and the round, with hosting fees going up at each stage. That, at least, will be something to possibly look forward to.
But what I also pulled out of that is the “distinct home pitch advantage” that we enjoy with Werner Park. As mentioned previously, other positions such as coaches and players may not like the sparse early home schedule. Not getting a chance to get used to that home pitch advantage, in addition to the buses, planes, hotels, and other woes of life on the road might come with its competitive disadvantages. A recent interview from League One on The Rocks with Coach Dominic Casciato included a discussion of the schedule, which it didn’t appear that coach was a big fan of. While he didn’t specifically say he hated it, and while he basically said the mentality is just to win the game in front of you, his tone definitely gave the impression that it wasn’t his favorite schedule to see. (I recommend listening to that interview as well, and any of Rich and Bryan’s USL 1 coverage at https://www.youtube.com/@leagueonetherocks).
So as the insights wound down, I thought I’d ask one more question about the scheduling overall — the amount of Sunday-Thursday matches scheduled for Union Omaha this year. For context, in addition to two of the three home games mentioned above, the Owls will be playing at home on a “school night” in seven more matches—two on Sunday and five more on Wednesday. This isn’t including any other of such matches, like the season opener in Greenville on Wednesday, March 12 (currently slated for 4 p.m. CT according to FotMob). Midweek matches aren’t usually good “sellable dates,” so it seemed counterproductive.
RBPM: “I guess the last question that I’ve got for you on the schedule bit is, there is a little bit of talk too about the midweek matches. We’re looking at, we got six Wednesday matches, a Thursday match and two Sunday matches, the days that, you would consider, you got to get to bed on a school night type matches. What really played into to that? We get more midweek matches at home this year than we are Friday and Saturday.”
MC: “It’d be a great question for the league. It’s not something that I’m able to answer. Again, not being the schedule maker, not being the one that’s looking at the overall template. But, one that’s specific, again, Jager Cup impacted, if you look at, very specific, June 25th. We put in to host, as one of our five primary dates June 28th. So the two road Jager Cup matches are two primary home dates of our five that were requested, that we weren’t granted. So those are ones we tried and we weren’t given them, per the schedule that dropped on Thursday. But that’s one example, you know the others, you know, when the Storm Chasers are gone, the 12-game road trip which is middle to late July. You’re always, I would tell you, we’re always going to try to get three matches during that period. It’s a great home stand. It’s great from a competition perspective. No travel, so that’s why that Wednesday. So that was one of the dates we did request. The others, you’d have to ask someone in a different capacity.”
Midweek games are always a concern, not just for “school night” attendance, but also for rest and competition. A deep squad can make those Wednesday/Thursday games work with weekend games on the caps, but not as often. We do sometimes see the need to do this anyway due to the baseball team. While their schedule traditionally holds to a week at home/week away pattern, it’s not always clean. You sometimes get overlap onto a Saturday, and when you take into account having to flip the field (a three-day process, minimum), it can push some of our home dates to weird days.
But beyond that, the team did try to get a couple more weekends. It seems to be something that was ultimately out of their control, either by the (un)luck of the draw, or by not being able to foresee the Jager Cup dates.
That the League would be the best one to answer is somewhat supported by the fact that we aren’t alone in putting in our miles to begin the season, so I wanted to mention that before the conversation ended.
RBPM: “I understand we’re not completely alone in this. I think, I highlighted a couple of guys here…Portland kind of being in a similar situation. They’re looking at six home matches out of the first nine and they start (their home matches) on May 4th. And I imagine for similar reasons to us. You’re looking at One Knox who in the first 15, they’ve got 5 (home matches) and 10 away. So by no means, do I want to say this is a Union Omaha specific problem, but it was definitely highlighted that we had a disproportionate, like with three of those home matches.”
MC: “Yeah, absolutely. And look, any question’s always valid and welcomed, and some of the things we control. Some we don’t. And again, above all, now with the Jager Cup, being a real factor because it includes Championship clubs, you know, it will continue to impact the schedule, soccer specific stadium or not. I think that’s something good for supporters and everyone to understand and know. So, while it’s good that we’re now playing between the two leagues, there are some things, like this, you know, two of our five primary dates on Saturday nights weren’t granted because they are road USL Jager Cup Championship games that were on the road.”
The fact that Martie took the time to talk to me on the Saturday before Christmas speaks truly to how he led that response. The questions did seem very welcome, and the only thing he really didn’t want to answer was the question concerning what ideas they had to maintain the excitement of last season—and that’s literally because they haven’t had time to think about it.
So while it’s often our first response to blame the Front Office, I think the logic holds that a lot of this can be put at the League’s feet. That’s not to say that the League is specifically targeting any particular fanbase and trying to screw them out of momentum and excitement. It simply means that the League has decisions to make, and sometimes those decisions seem counter to what a team may request to do.
But it’s also understandable that a fanbase would be frustrated. It’s understandable if the team were a little frustrated. When we can’t see the process, and don’t really get to look into why a process has worked out the way it did, we are going to get upset and rail at whomever it looks like has frustrated us.
And for now, I think that frustration can be directed at the League much more than the Union Omaha Front Office. But rather than rail against something we can not control, let’s throw that energy into our chants, our Tifos, and our support of the 2025 Owls every time we get to see them.
Call it “Us Against the World”, and run it back.
(*Note: I have contacted USL League One in an attempt to learn more about the scheduling process and how this year’s schedule came to be. If/when I hear back from them, I’ll supplement this with their inputs.)
It’s that time of year again, and Omaha is back in the playoffs for the fifth time in a row and have never missed qualification for the USL League One postseason. Los Buhos will be looking to get their first postseason win since 2021 after falling short in the semifinals last year against Charlotte. However this year there are now eight teams compared to the previous six, meaning no one gets a bye to the semifinals and everyone has a matchup heading into the first weekend of action.
Credit: USL League One
I’ll be making some predictions based on first round match ups and looking at the path to the final for teams starting with yours truly Union Omaha and Richmond Kickers on Sunday November 3rd. Richmond really made a bounce back after last season’s failure to defend their 2022 Players Shield. After finishing eleventh they have made the playoffs once again and face defending and current shield winners Omaha away. I hate to be the one to be the bearer of bad news for Richmond but this matchup is definitely in the Owl’s favor. While Omaha has never won at City Stadium their fortress of a home ground is not in play this year with Richmond the final team to clinch meaning they won’t be at home throughout the playoffs. Based on Omaha’s form and home field advantage the Owls will most likely advance to the semifinals this year and for the third time in club history.
Next we have Spokane Velocity and Hailstorm for a true western match up. The Jager Cup? Plate? Champions leapfrogged Madison on the final match day against the mingos with a one goal win to lock up second spot as they march to a possible league double this season along with a playoff game with Spokane who has the worst form of all the playoff contenders. Five loses in the last seven matches make it look cloudy in Eastern Washington with them arguably having the toughest path to the final and I don’t see them making it past Northern Colorado. In fact I’d be surprised if Spokane score a goal against the well drilled Hailstorm given their form away from home, but if they play compact there might be a chance, but it is Hailstorm’s game to lose.
Next is Charlotte Independence against Forward Madison. Madison hosts their first playoff match in club history after the two previous appearances ending with a Ricardo Pepi brace in 2019 and a Trevor Amann hat-trick in 2023. The Mingos have gotten the better of Charlotte this year though. After winning 4 – 2 last match up it seems that Madison could get their first postseason win but don’t expect it to be a cake walk. Charlotte can win on any given match day and they know it with Juan Obregon coming second in the golden boot race this year and Austin Pack in goal, Charlotte could very well spoil the party at Breese Stevens. Only 90 minutes and maybe extra time will tell but I feel Madison will advance this year.
And finally we have Knoxville and Greenville. Knoxville will be crossing the Appalachians to meet familiar foe Greenville with golden boot winner Liam MacKinnon. Both clubs have met three times this year including an Open Cup match and two of them ended level at 90 minutes. While Greenville’s form looks good on paper they are vulnerable on defense and can be stopped on offense. Don’t let the 5 – 1 Tormenta win last weekend fool you, Knoxville in my opinion are the best equipped team this round to win away from home and possibly make a run to the finals. Defense wins championships is the mantra and they live and breath it. Their only loss in the last 17 matches in all comps came to Omaha away, and with Sean Lewis in goal keeping the net clear Knoxville seems to have the formula to just not lose in regular time. Greenville could also do it but their form against better sides may be the undoing of their hopes to lift the league title again. They will have to dig deep to break down this Knoxville side but I feel Knox has them beat this round despite their previous match ups. Knoxville in penalties.
Round winner predictions recap
Omaha > Richmond in 90
Northern Colorado > Spokane in 90
Madison > Charlotte in 90
Knoxville > Greenville in pens
Find out this weekend for yourself and call me out on my bad predictions on Twitter or BlueSky @braejohn30 for both.
And on a final note I want to congratulate Steevan Dos Santos on behalf of the pod for his announced retirement after the post season ends. Steevan you leave a legacy beyond compared for not just USL but lower league soccer in the U.S. as a whole. What ever you do after we wish you good luck on your post soccer life and plans.
Have you heard the news? Well if you didn’t it was announced on September 24th, 2024 that Gary Green owner of Union Omaha has sold his ownership stake in the Omaha Storm Chasers baseball team. This announcement came out of left field (no pun intended) and shocked just about everyone in both the baseball and soccer community alike in Omaha. Gary Green and Alliance Sports, the holding group for the team, have sold the Chasers to Diamond Baseball Holdings, the largest owner of minor league baseball teams in the country in a move that speaks to the continued commitment Green has towards Union Omaha.
DBH is owned by private equity group Silver Lake which has invested in large enterprises such as Fanatics the largest sports apparel seller in the U.S. and City Football Group the owner and operator of Manchester City, the leviathan of clubs across the world. This announcement marks the end of a pivotal decade for the Storm Chasers as they left their previous home Rosenblatt Stadium in 2011 and opened Werner Park after being owned by Omaha billionaire Warren Buffet. The team would go on and win multiple Triple-A titles under the stewardship of Gary Green. Now what does this mean for Union Omaha? Well let’s get to the nitty gritty details on what this announcement means for the future of the club.
The exact details of the sale have not been made public but what can be inferred is that Gary Green is going all-in on soccer in the city. With a stadium construction project on the horizon and no news on sources of funding from the city or state, a sale of the Chasers is a quick way to raise capital to make sure the project moves forward towards the announced breaking ground date of Fall 2024 and eventually opening before the season in 2026. This also gives questions about what will happen between operations on the front office side. Martie Cordaro has said that at the moment operations will stay the same in public interviews. Alexis Buolos and Martie will still be the heads of the club for the immediate future but that of course will most likely change as Union moves to their future home.
What this development also indicates is the potential growth soccer could have in Omaha and in cities like it across the nation. While minor league baseball can bring in reasonable expectations of growth year over year with MLB paying the salaries of the big hitters (no pun intended again) and the local clubs reaping the benefits of easy to please crowds and a restructured league system after covid. Soccer is not the same. As it grows in popularity across the nation it can be said it is the final frontier of American sports. Many MLS and NWSL owners have seen the money start rolling in recent years with skyrocketing valuations and TV deals, and many in the USL have seen that they too can get a slice of the pie with proper investment and backing from leagues and the federation.
No longer willing to let other operations stand in the way of success, Gary Green has made it clear that Union Omaha is his priority for the future. In an op-ed published in the wake of the announcement Green mentioned his commitment to the younger generation and newer developing fanbase in the area and a plan that “seeks to eliminate barriers like the “pay to play” model and provide access to top-level soccer programming. Omaha’s youth will not just have new fields to play on — they will be coached and mentored by professional players, fostering leadership and development opportunities that reach far beyond the game.” Such a commitment for the future of youth development is key in the future of the club’s success. Beyond identifying promising new professionals it is also vital to find it at home in their formal years. That along with the much anticipated professional women’s team has the possibility to be transformational for Omaha and should be followed with eager eyes as the months leading up to breaking ground inch closer and closer.
The sale marks the end of an era in Omaha but it also means it is building towards a future that started 4 years ago in a baseball stadium that is home to some of the most successful and well known professional teams in the country. While this sale may be final. The work is not and many wait with bated breath to see the success continue for Omaha whether it is on a dirt infield or a grass pitch.
Once again, Union Omaha proved to be a pitch the Richmond Kickers just couldn’t seem to handle.
A goal from Brandon Knapp and a brace from Joe Gallardo led the way as the Owls downed the Roos 3-0 in USL League One play on Saturday night. Some early miscues from the Richmond defense and a dominant first half paced the victory, while the Omaha defense held stout in the second half to give Rashid Nuhu his fourth clean sheet of the year.
Following a two-week layoff, Dom Casciato put out a mostly unchanged lineup from the XI rolled out against Central Valley Fuego. One of those put Zeiko Lewis up for his first start of the year in place of Aáron Gomez. The second was forced by Indy Eleven recalling Max Schneider from his very short loan spell. With Pedro Dolabella serving the second of his two-match suspension, Nortei Nortey got the call to shore up the midfield.
On the other side, Darren Sawatzky chose to go with a bigger lineup in hopes of matching Omaha’s physicality. Richmond made four total changes, with Guilherme França, Dakota Barnathan and Chandler O’Dwyer charged with duties on the left while Adrian Billhardt tried to make his presence felt on the right. It seemed to be a solid counter to what the Owls would attempt to do.
That is, until it wasn’t.
From the opening minute one could tell that this wasn’t going to be Ryan Shellow’s night. A simple back pass from Nil Vinyals went off the keeper’s left foot and immediately over the byline for a corner kick. Joe stepped up to take the corner and placed the ball onto the head of a rising Steevan Dos Santos. With literally the Owls’ seventh touch of the match, Shellow was called on to make an awkward save on the bouncing header to keep the score level.
But if that wasn’t a wake-up call, Omaha would provide a full alarm shortly thereafter. Under pressure just outside his own box, Justin Sukow attempted another simple back pass to Shellow. With Brandon bearing down on him, the keeper lost his footing letting the ball slip away. The 24-year-old midfielder wasn’t caught napping, reacting quickest to the loose ball, and slotting home for the first professional goal of his career.
The next 10 minutes flowed pretty much the same way between the two sides. Union Omaha found plenty of passing lanes, some good attacks down the left side, and allowed Richmond to continue to make mistakes in the back. Despite having played a match only eight days prior, the Kickers seemed to be the ones out of sync while the Owls maintained their locked in chemistry.
But even with the disjointed nature of play, Richmond still found a few moments of quality through Billhardt on the right side. One such moment saw a good sequence of passing and switching of the ball that ended up with Billhardt just outside the right side of the box against Charlie Ostrem. A quick move and deft touch opened enough space for a left-footed shot to the far post that sent Shido diving and didn’t miss the net by much.
The optimism that chance held would be quickly extinguished only a couple of minutes later. The Owls put together a great string of passing of their own, cycling the ball well up the left, back through midfield, and finally finding Dion Acoff’s feet. The winger didn’t hesitate from the right side as he was able to cut inside and start a run across the top of the 18-yard box. With a massive hole formed in the defensive line, Dion noticed Joe breaking into the space ahead of Sukow. With nothing else to do, the Richmond man switched sports to put in an excellent rugby tackle. The play was not suitable for soccer, however, and referee Wesley Costa pointed immediately for a penalty. Having won the penalty, Joe placed the kick perfectly in the left corner, just outside Shellow’s glove, to put the Owls up 2-0 inside 20 minutes.
Another misplayed back pass almost resulted in another penalty not long after. Nathan Aune found himself under immense pressure and managed to get the ball out back toward Shellow. The keeper’s touch let him down again and the ball popped up and away allowing Steevan to settle between Shellow and the ball. That could’ve ended poorly for Richmond, but the keeper managed to keep from running into Steevan and only made slight contact with his back. The striker tried to make the most of it, however, and fell over under the perceived challenge. The ref was having none of it, though, and immediately whistled the play dead to give Steevan his yellow card for simulation.
Richmond, to their credit, didn’t completely fold up following the second goal or the continued pressure that Omaha brought. Billhardt kept his runs going and proved to be the most dangerous of the Roos for most of the remainder of the first half. Nil Vinyals would get into the act as well, launching a shot just wide left of the net off of a chaotic play in the box. For the most part, the Owl midfield and defense found themselves just a step quicker on the passes and were able to cut out a lot of the trouble that found its way into their box.
For all of that improvement, Richmond can consider themselves lucky not to have had another penalty called right before halftime. Off a free kick from Joe, the ball bounced back and forth without fully being cleared by the Richmond defense. Eventually it fell to Nortei with a good bit of open space on the left side of the box. Seeing the run, Steevan moved to get in position near the edge of the six-yard box. Once again with nothing else to do about it, França appeared to pull Steevan down before he could get to Nortei’s low cross. In real time, it was surprising that the ref didn’t call it (there’s speculation that the earlier simulation tinted his view), however, on replay it appeared that Steevan was falling forward with no sign of being pulled backward. Controversial, yes, but also lucky not to have been called on the field.
With that, Richmond went into the locker room breathing a sigh of relief and wondering what they needed to do to get things right in the second half.
Based on how the restart went, Richmond almost seemed to figure it out.
A couple of tactical substitutions and a good rest energized the Kickers out of the locker room and they began to execute their game much better. The momentum in possession started to even out more with Richmond finding their passing, their runs, and cutting down on some of the mistakes that plagued them in the first half.
It almost bore fruit in the 50’ when the Kickers found themselves aggrieved by having their own penalty shouts waved away. Off a goal kick, Richmond won an aerial duel that knocked the ball back to a wide open Billhardt in the final third. A quick turn and run allowed him to place a through ball to Emiliano Terzaghi, who had split two Búho defenders into the box. While running for the ball, Terzaghi’s feet got tangled up with Marco Milanese taking the three-time USL 1 MVP down inside the box. Once again, the referee saw nothing in the contact and allowed play to continue.
It was a sign of things to come for the next 30 minutes, though.
Shido was called into action twice in close order, once off a free kick from Vinyals and again when back pass issues started to plague the Omaha defenders. Charlie’s pass inside his own box was too light and Billhardt would have made him pay had the Omaha keeper’s reactions been only a hair slower.
It was almost a complete reversal of the first half with Richmond providing the more dangerous chances and Omaha getting the occasional counter or moment of possession to provide relief. The difference being only that the Owls were able to recover from their mistakes—if only just—and never fully broke under the Roos’ attack.
As the minutes ticked down, it seemed like it was only a matter of time before a goal was scored. Fortunately, that goal would belong to Joe.
Lining up for a free kick from about 25 yards out, Joe intended to curl the ball over the wall and into the near post. He was unable to completely clear the wall, however, and the ball deflected off of França. As Shellow moved to cover the near side, he could only watch helplessly as the ball ricocheted to the far post to put the game out of reach.
Richmond would come up with another half-chance or two, but ultimately Joe’s second proved to be too much for the resilient Roos to overcome. The Búho Backline saw the game out in controlled fashion and delivered a clean sheet and three points for the supporters in attendance.
The win put the Owls back in second place, two points back of Charlotte Independence with two games in hand. For Richmond, their season continues to fall apart as they are now winless in their last five USL 1 matches and only two points off the bottom, having played two more matches than Central Valley.
The Positives
Wow…how does one find the positives in a 3-0 home victory after being off for two weeks and down two really good midfielders—one of which is your top scorer? I suppose we should talk about the interplay, the pressing, the reactions, and the like.
And all of that actually is down to the play of the midfield. The combination of Brandon Knapp and Nortei Nortei had not played together much this season. Add in Charlie Ostrem, and you have a midfield trio that well could have found itself with some chemistry issues and gaping holes for Richmond to exploit. To their credit, you wouldn’t have known they weren’t the regular starting choices.
Nortei played with a high level of energy, intelligence, and skill that shows why the team picked him up from Northern Colorado. He hasn’t always displayed it this year, but when he’s on, he is on. He was responsible for not only 23 accurate passes (6 of those in the final third), but several times won possession back in the middle of the pitch to kill quick counters and start some of our own.
Brandon, besides scoring his first goal because of his pressing and reaction times, did even better. 32 accurate passes, 12 of those in the final third, and won possession back 6 times over the course of the match. He pressed, played smartly, and took advantage of the mistakes Richmond gave him.
Finally, Charlie had a very solid night in movement, opening spaces, but also in tracking back and keeping Billhardt at bay (as much as one can). He won four tackles, put in six crosses, and generally made himself a menace to clog up lanes or force Richmond into rethinking their attacks.
The three of them together nailed down what was probably the biggest question mark going into this match. While we should be excited to get Pedro back for Thursday’s match against Madison, we should also be excited at what we saw Saturday.
The Negatives
Yes…there are negatives. At least two of them I want to throw out.
First I’ll talk about the silly cards. The Owls took three cards on the night—none of them for physical play or fouls.
Steevan’s card for simulation might be forgiven. He’s a striker, he feels contact in the box like he did, I don’t blame him for going down. It’s always a risk, but you also don’t often see simulation cards given. Plus, in this league, that may have been called as a penalty by some refs. Half-pass on this one.
But the card for Joe kicking the ball away was extremely petty—and this coming from a penguin that can get really petty. I get a small sense of frustration, some building pressure in the second half, but it’s one of those mental switch-offs that fortunately didn’t have any real effect on this game.
Finally, Marco’s card for dissent. Almost any cards given for dissent are silly to me. The ref isn’t changing the call, so the outburst does nothing but get you either ready to go in the book, or (as in this case) actually in the book. For the heart and anchor of the defense, any silly card risks worse—especially when you’re scrambling to fend off a fierce period of attack from a desperate team.
The second negative I have is the chaos that was the first 30-35 minutes of the second half. Richmond came out angry, firing, and with nothing to lose. It’s a credit to the defense that they kept the Kickers off the scoresheet, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
The second half saw Richmond out possess, out pass, out shoot, and pretty much outperform Omaha. And while you can say that it was representative of a team defending a 2-0 lead, it took some last ditch defending at times (see Marco’s clearance off the line off of a fumbled corner). That kind of chaos management hasn’t traditionally been our strong suit, and could prove fatal against better opponents—the kind you might find in the playoffs.
That’s not to say that overall the team didn’t play well. They killed it for the most part. But an inch slower on a couple of those second half plays and the scoreline looks a little different.
What’s Next
The Owls travel for a Thursday night match in Madison to finish off the Jägermeister Cup group stage. A win against the Mingos could not only secure the wild card slot for Omaha, but also deny Madison a slot as Group 2 winners.
After that, Union Omaha finds its way back to Spokane on Wednesday, September 4, in a return to USL League One play. That match will be featured on CBS Sports Network.
Interesting Facts
This was the third straight victory, and fourth straight unbeaten, for Omaha over Richmond. The only other win for the Owls in the series was back in October 2021 – a 2-0 victory that clinched the Players Shield for that season.
To keep piling on Richmond, they have failed to keep a single clean sheet in USL League One play this year. The last USL 1 clean sheet they have was on July 1, 2023 – a 2-0 victory over Chattanooga Red Wolves. In that time, they’ve been shut out 7 times in USL 1 play.
Despite the Owls being third in the league in total Yellow Cards (45), and first in Yellows per match (3.46), only Joe Gallardo is in the top 10 for accumulated cards (T5 – 6).
Brandon Knapp’s goal from about 3 yards out still only had a 0.55 xG. I blame Darwin Nuñez.
Key Events:
Union Omaha Goal: 4’ – Brandon Knapp (1st) (Unassisted); 1-0
In the 2023 regular season Union Omaha went 11-3-2 at home and had a positive goal difference of 16 along with going undefeated at home starting on May 27th. The away record was not as good but still a respectable 8-5-3. A record as a whole that Omaha would use to propel themselves into their second Player’s Shield while going undefeated in their last 14 matches, winning 13 of them. To say Omaha has continued that success at home would unfortunately not be true. While the season this year is different, having the Jagermeister Cup to balance with the regular season. There is an undeniable difference in the team’s record this year. In the regular season Omaha is 6-0-1 by far the best away record in the league with no other team at the moment having more than 4 wins away. However Werner is no longer the fortress it once was. In the 5 matches at Werner Park this year in the regular season the team has only come away with 5 points. Such a dismal record of course should be criticized but maybe it could be said of the inconsistency of playing in such a venue. During the Chattanooga match on July 27th it was decided on a freak own goal after a frustrating game overall for the Buhos. The other loss came against Northern Colorado after the Buhos went down to ten men. These are the only losses Omaha has experienced at home all season in both Jager and league competition however but it goes to show much more critical it is that Omaha gets points at home during the last matches of the regular season. Points mean so much more overall in the grand scheme of things than they did last year because there are 22 league matches compared to 32 in 2023.
Omaha has fared far better with key wins at home and away in the Jagermeister Cup making the team poised to make it to the knockouts at the time of this writing. But the question remains. What needs to be done to win the shield again this year? Well nothing says Omaha like going on a hot streak again. In the final ten regular season matches Omaha only plays one team currently in the top four spots in the league and only has Madison left in the Jager Cup group stage. Six of those final ten matches in the regular season are at home which means that there is plenty of opportunity to make the most of the matches left. And of course like last season Omaha has games in hand. Omaha has two matches in hand on the top four as of writing this so don’t let the table fool you quite yet. There is still a lot of soccer to play in this season and knowing this team’s potential they won’t go down that easily.
In other news Max Schneider the new loan from Indy Eleven has been recalled after just three appearances with the club leaving a hole back in the defensive midfield role after the retirement of PC. It would stand to reason that Nortei Nortey would be the most likely candidate to fill that role. Dion Acoff seems to have returned from injury also and also congratulations to Steven Dos Santos for tying the club record for goals scored! Dos Santos shares the record with former owl, Noe Meza with 23 goals in all competitions for the club.
A frustrating couple of weeks almost got even more frustrating for Búho Nation. That is until a 90’+6’ strike from Steevan Dos Santos gave Union Omaha a 0-1 victory against Central Valley Fuego on Friday night. Wallis Lapsley added six saves for the Owls’ first win, and first clean sheet, in almost a month. Meanwhile, Fuego found themselves cooled off in heartbreaking fashion after winning three of their last four and were kept off the scoresheet for the first time since the May 29 Jägermeister Cup match in Omaha.
Union Omaha was forced into at least one change outside of their normal rotation for the Cup match. Pedro Dolabella was out of the team sheet while serving the first of a two-match suspension for throwing an elbow at a Forward Madison player during the 2-2 draw the previous Saturday. With him out of the lineup, Max Schneider was called on to make his first start since his loan signing. Joe Gallardo and Brandon Knapp also made a return to the starting XI, while Charlie Ostrem got his debut and first start since joining the team on July 30.
Jermaine Jones kept only three starters from the side that defeated Chattanooga Red Wolves last weekend. Razak Cromwell, Bryan Bustamante, and Omar Lemus anchored the continuity with the other eight members rotated, including goalkeeper André Zuluaga making only his sixth appearance in all competitions this year.
Union Omaha would make their intentions known very early in this match. With less than a full minute elapsed, the Owls took a throw in deep inside the final third and turned it into a great chance. Steevan, taking the throw inside the box, lofted a cross over Zuluaga’s head and onto the crossbar. The ball rebounded right to Charlie who found Aáron Gómez alone in the center about 7 yards out. Aáron took a mighty swing at the volley, but whiffed on the chance to fire it past the keeper. The ball trickled harmlessly away and was cleared easily by Fuego.
Though it was a sign of the threat that Omaha could bring to bear, it was also a harbinger of the type of night Los Búhos would be in for.
The next 15 minutes were pretty much all Omaha in momentum. Good play up the wings, with Dion Acoff primary on the right side, led to several good positions if not good chances at goal. The defense wouldn’t let Fuego out of their own half for most of this period, forcing them into desperate long balls that were easily cut out by the defenders. Many of the second and third balls were going to the Owls as Fuego seemed to get more and more frustrated by the lack of ability to play out.
The 16’ minute would bring that moment of miscommunication that often undoes the normally stout Búho defense. Off a free kick just inside the Omaha half, Fuego fired quickly in hopes of setting up Qudus Lawal who was sneaking behind the defense. The errant pass was headed backward by Blake Malone, but seemed to surprise Wallis. While not a threat on goal itself, it did force a corner that would call the Omaha keeper into action quickly.
Taran Williams’ corner went well placed to the far post where Cromwell significantly out jumped his marker to put the ball in on target. Wallis had the shot read all the way, but it was a moment of danger that very well could have been avoided.
From here the game opened up a little for each side, but while possession went more in Fuego’s favor the threat was more in Omaha’s. The right wing became the best avenue of attack with several deep penetrations forward but no final ball to set up a chance. A couple of times Aáron would find himself with a great opportunity, served up by either Joe or Charlie, only to see the shot blocked or the volley misplayed to end the attack.
Conversely, the Fuego attack started to find more space in the midfield, playing through some patient passes. Abandoning so many long balls worked well for them in keeping possession, but most of the time Max would find ways to plug the holes before too much damage could be done.
When Max and the back line weren’t collapsing back to keep Fuego in check, Wallis was there to make sure nothing got in the net. Within a two minute stretch, the Owl keeper was tested three times. First was a shot by Zahir Vasquez that went between Luca Mastrantonio’s legs and was saved by a diving stop to Wallis’ left. Next came a one-on-one breakaway by Lawal where the keeper got just enough of the shot to keep it out long enough for Marco Milanese to clear the line. Finally, a long shot off a free kick by Cromwell forced a leaping save to keep the ball out of the top corner and the game even.
The momentum stayed with Fuego for a few minutes more as Union Omaha started to have trouble playing through the midfield. However, there would still be more threat from the visitors just before halftime as the press created some turnovers in great areas to allow for quick counter attacks.
Within 30 seconds of each other, two great turnovers led to chances for Aáron that just didn’t make it to the target. The first off a through ball from Brandon Knapp to the left side of the box was skied well over net. The second, a beautiful lobbed ball that put Aáron in 1-on-1 against the keeper was saved as Zuluaga came out leaping and easily defended against Aáron’s attempted chip shot. The follow up shot by Charlie on an open net streaked wide, finishing off the half in pretty much the same way it started: Lots of teeth, but no bite.
The halftime stats would only add to the frustration. Union Omaha managed to get 11 shots off, 7 of those from inside the box, with only one of those on target. Their 23 touches in the opposition box led to 3 big chances, but no one seemed to be able to finish.
As if the failure to take advantage of those chances weren’t enough, Jermaine Jones still had several key starters ready to come in off the bench. Having weathered the first half storm, it looked like Fuego might be ready to spark in the second half.
Yet within the first few minutes after the break it was Omaha who had the better attack and chances, limiting Fuego much they way they did to start the second half. More good runs by Dion turned into an early chance or two and the midfield started to step up better to take away the ease with which the hosts had exploited that early of the pitch. While not fully sharp, the game became more back and forth, but with little threat to Wallis’ goal. The match had turned into a stalemate with no one really able to find an advantage.
That advantage perhaps should have come to the Owls just before the hour mark. As they were starting to push the ball up into more dangerous situations, Dion took the ball up the right wing and played a nice 1-2 with Joe to open a path into the box. As Joe dribbled toward the defense, Alfredo Midence found himself beaten and a step behind the quick midfielder. He reached out a hand and appeared to push Joe from behind causing him to fall over in the box. With all the players stopping to expect a whistle, Referee Olvin Oliva (in perfect view of the play) waved off all pleas for a penalty and instead awarded Omaha a corner as the ball trickled across the end line. Whether truly a penalty or not, Búho Nation would feel aggrieved that the ref didn’t consider pointing to the spot for even a moment.
The attacking momentum stayed with Omaha for the most part except for a couple of shots that kept Wallis on his toes and the Búho backline honest. While Central Valley never seemed like a goal was imminent from them, neither was it from the Owls either. Several chances passed into the box only for the ball to be met wide or shot over the bar. Occasionally, the strikers would just miss as Steevan did to a well placed ball from Joe that would’ve seen the Cape Verdean able to put the ball into the far post with a flailing Zuluaga almost helpless. Still, the game didn’t seem to be in too much trouble for the Owls.
Until it was, of course. In the 80’ Central Valley would find their last best chance to take the lead in this match. Working the ball through midfield after intercepting a long ball by Wallis, Chris Heckenberg found himself in a ton of space outside the Omaha area. Dribbling past one marker, Heckenburg opened up Midence on the left side set up in prime position to take a shot. Midence put his boot through the ball, but Wallis not only read the play correctly, but was able to hold on to the laser beam of a shot and control it to kill off the attack.
The final 20 minutes belonged to Union Omaha as the pressed to find the winner and keep their group hopes alive. Steevan seemed to turn back the clock with some of his physical play, getting to loose balls and muscling Fuego off their strides and passes. Joe kept things running with smart passes and good vision. Lagos kept moving forward with his dribbling play and frustration of the Central Valley defense.
And it would be those three that would finally see the breakthrough Omaha had desperately been seeking since the first minute.
Intercepting a goal kick near midfield, Nortei Nortey managed to find Joe with a whole lot of grey shirts around. Joe poked the ball perfectly into Lagos’ stride, and the young striker was off to the races. Even though there were four defenders back, José Carrera-Garcia felt the need to blatantly pull Lagos back by his shirt to stop the attack. In the moment, it might have seemed like taking the yellow card was worth it, but it gave Joe all the space he needed to save the game.
Stepping up to the free kick from about 35 yards out, Joe lofted a ball that just barely made it over two Fuego defenders before settling at the Steevan’s feet well inside the area. Taking a quick settling touch, Steevan placed a powerful ball up and to the keeper’s right. The accuracy of the shot left Zuluaga with nothing he could do but look back into the net and hang his head at a clean sheet and three points lost.
As the final whistle blew, Union Omaha found themselves shed of their winless streak and on 13 points with 1 match left to play in Group 3. Even though Northern Colorado has a massive edge on them to win the group, the Owls gave themselves hope for a miracle comeback—even if they did leave it very late.
The Positives
Once again, Wallis Lapsley did an amazing job at keeping Fuego off the scoresheet. He made six saves, three of them in pretty quick succession, and they weren’t easy to do. Wallis showed off his ability to read the ball, fight through screens, and the athleticism to react to some powerful and well placed shots from the defense. I’ve said before that there are several teams in this league, and some in the Championship, where Wallis could be a starter. We’re lucky to have him, if nothing else so that we don’t have to face him.
Even though Wallis was called into action six times, the defense did a really good job of making sure that the periods of threat were minimized. Max Schneider played a crucial role in this by helping to plug up the midfield when Fuego started to find their rhythm in that area of the pitch. Even though Max’s stats don’t reflect the tackles and possession won that the others may have, his presence there forced passes that enabled the others to do their defensive duties in winning back the ball. Led by Dion Acoff (7), five outfield players had at least five possessions won with three of those being midfield/forward players (Joe Gallardo, Aáron Gomez, and Brandon Knapp).
And speaking of Brandon, he had a very solid game in midfield. His passing was decent, and he did manage to create a chance, but where he really showed his value was in the aforementioned possessions won (5) and his aerial duels won (5). When Fuego had started the match attempting long balls and runs behind the defense, a lot of the credit for cutting these out goes to Brandon in the midfield. The only player to win more duels for the Owls was Steevan (7), and considering his size that’s not surprising.
It appears that even if he’s not getting on the scoresheet or assist log, Brandon is starting to fit in very well with Dom’s system. He’s starting to acquit himself very well, if quietly sometimes, and is going to be the kind of player that you’ll notice his absence more often than not.
Finally, a quick shout to Charlie Ostrem on his debut and first start. He led the team in touches with 68 and created 3 chances—a great start for someone seeing their first action with the team. While his passing accuracy overall (64%) and his final third accuracy (47%) won’t light the world on fire, he did manage to get in 10 crosses, which is what his winger position is designed to do. He’s showing great promise for his first run out, and I can only expect him to get better as he starts to build chemistry with the team.
The Negatives
The fact that we left the game so late after dominating the attacking momentum is still concerning. It’s not that we didn’t get good chances—the Owls logged an xG of 2.36 (to Fuego’s 0.63). We got the ball into the right places and couldn’t do anything to really test Zuluaga—a keeper who is not in favor and has limited appearances for the team.
To illustrate this, of our 19 shots, 11 of them were off target, 5 were blocked, for 3 on target. Of those 19 shots, 13 of them were from 12 yards or closer. Only one of those—Steevan’s winner—was on target. Even worse is that 4 of those were from 6-yards or closer, all of them off target. This likely doesn’t include Aáron’s first minute whiff on a really open net that would’ve set the tone for the entire match (though I can’t confirm that).
These are the types of things that keeps opponents in the game. It not only emboldens them to the idea that they can steal three points from us (see the Chattanooga match), but also frustrates our attack. The more frustrated the attackers, the more we tend to see hopeful shots that are amazing when they come off, but further demoralizing when they don’t.
There were prolonged periods of the match where Fuego was able to work through our midfield pretty easily and set up some great spells of possession. While this didn’t lead to a lot of attacking momentum (thanks to the team defense mentioned in the positives), it gave Fuego some opportunities that should have been cut out before they got dangerous. That gap will need to be corrected going forward if Omaha look to make a deep run in the playoffs.
What’s Next
Union Omaha has a bit of a layoff now with some time to rest, reset, and incorporate some lessons learned into their training. The next action is on Wednesday, August 21 in a friendly against Bellevue University at 6:30 pm at Werner Park. The friendly will be 2 30-minute halves with some prizes and knockerball played at halftime.
The Owls return to league play at home against the Richmond Kickers on Saturday, August 24 at 7 pm. The Kickers are currently 10th in the table, on a three-game losing streak, and have lost the most games of any team in the league so far. Despite this, they still have a very dangerous Emiliano Terzaghi and Nil Vinyals that won’t make this an easy task. Getting back in the win column could put Union Omaha back at the top of the table, pending results from the other league matches.
Interesting Facts
Central Valley’s home scoring drought against the Owls continues. In five matches against Omaha at home, Fuego has only scored one goal. Overall in nine matches, Fuego has only scored four goals, and has only beaten Omaha once in their history—a 0-2 victory at Werner Park in October 2022. They have never done anything but lose to the Owls at home, now going 0-0-5 with a goal difference of -6.
Union Omaha has played three matches against Fuego this season. So far they have attempted 42 shots across those games. Only six have been on target resulting in three goals. The xG in those matches has been (chronologically) 1.50, 0.40, and 2.36.
Even though there were some seemingly missed calls, there are a couple of notable things about referee Olvin Oliva. First, the four cards issued (and most of them late) were the lowest total he’s given since a March MLS NXTPRO match between Philadelphia Union II and New England II. He’s also been called up twice for international friendlies—both times as a fourth official—for Ecuador vs. Bolivia and Mexico vs. Brazil. Finally, he shows no signs that he crossed any picket lines, continuing to work between MLSNP and USL League One during the lockout. Some credit there, where it is due.
Key Events:
Central Valley Fuego Subs: 46’ – Shavon John-Brown ON; Ashkanov Apollon OFF – Alfredo Midence ON; Zahir Vazquez OFF – Clayton Torr ON; Issa Yaya OFF Central Valley Fuego Subs: 60’ – Chris Heckenberg ON; Bryan Bustamante OFF – José Carrera-Garcia ON; Taran Williams OFF Union Omaha Sub: 62’ – Lagos Kunga ON; Aáron Gomez OFF Union Omaha Sub: 75’ – Missael Rodriguez ON: Blake Malone OFF Union Omaha Yellow Card: 78’ – Lagos Kunga (Tactical Foul) Union Omaha Yellow Card: 82’ – Max Schneider (Game Delay – Kicking Ball Away) Central Valley Fuego Yellow Card: 90’+5’ – José Carrera-Garcia (Tactical Foul) Union Omaha Goal: 90’+6’ – Steevan Dos Santos (4th) (Unassisted) 0-1 Central Valley Fuego Yellow Card: 90’+7’ – Razak Cromwell (Pushing)
This is an update to an ongoing story. For the original story, look here.
The Omaha Parliament member who left Union Omaha’s 2-2 draw against Forward Madison after being confronted by members of the front office staff issued a statement regarding the incident earlier Monday evening. The fan, who identified himself as “Mushy” (@Deadunion402 on Twitter/X), indicated that the decision to depart the stadium was his after being given the choice to “stop waving the Palestinian flag or leave.”
“Martie” and “Alexis” refer to Union Omaha President Martie Cordaro and General Manager, Business Operations Alexis Boulos. Mr. Cordaro has been involved with Union Omaha from the beginning and also serves as the Omaha Storm Chasers President. Ms. Boulos is in her first season with the club. According to “Mushy” it was Mr. Cordaro who spoke to him directly about the flag.
“Mushy” is a 5-year season ticket holder with the club who left the match in around the 80th minute of Saturday night’s match. His initial post to social media said “Ashamed of my club. @Union_Omaha I’ve brought the flag to multiple matches and have never been asked to leave. Kicking out a 5 year season ticket holder for standing against genocide. Dead union is debating on his future presence for the remainder of the 2024 season.”
“Mushy” has said that Gary Green, Principal Owner and CEO of Union Omaha and the Omaha Storm Chasers intends to reach out to him personally on the matter.
In addition to “Mushy’s” seeking conversations with the front office, Omaha Parliament has been in touch with team leadership to discuss the issue and try to find a way forward.
The supporters group’s initial response on Saturday night was to cease all drumming and chanting for the remainder of the match and to include the Unified series match that followed.
In a statement released Sunday night, and after conversations with team leadership, Parliament issued a statement found here.
They acknowledged the 80th-minute incident and that the options given to the fan were to “put down the flag, or leave peacefully, with the latter action being taken peacefully.”
Parliament continued their statement indicating that “to our knowledge, there is currently no policy or code of conduct that was broken by the member.” Additionally, the statement reflects that this flag had been “brought through security…and had already appeared at several matches earlier in the season”.
A request for a statement from Union Omaha’s front office has been acknowledged, but no statement has been issued.
The USL Fan Code of Conduct (retrieved August 4, 2024) cites: “The use of language or display of gestures, symbols, signs, or imagery that would reasonably be considered threatening, obscene, pornographic, or discriminatory in nature, including on the basis of race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, ability, and/or sexual orientation.”
Additionally, Union Omaha’s policy on “Banners and Signs” says that “Fans are allowed to bring small banners and signs as long as they are not offensive and do not obstruct the view of other fans.” The team’s published Fan Code of Conduct does not specifically address flags nor expand further on the topic outside of USL’s guidance.
The flag has become a point of contention since the start of the Israel-Hamas conflict in October 2023, but seemingly more so within the United Soccer League over the past few days.
On Saturday morning, the Northern Guard Supporters (@NGSDetroit) released a statement reporting that Detroit City FC had “agreed to comply with CBS’ request to censor supporters ahead of today’s nationally televised game.” This included the “additional restriction on displaying nation or country flags not related to the host country, the playing teams, or the players’ home countries during the broadcasted match”.
Northern Guard also cited the exposure that USL gives to the DCFC supporters as “the greatest atmosphere in U.S. Soccer,” something that is on display as DCFC were one of two teams (with Oakland Roots) chosen to feature home matches on CBS proper and one of three teams hosting twice on the CBS broadcast family (with Sacramento Republic and Colorado Switchbacks). The group found that “This move is particularly disheartening as it diminishes the opportunity for supporters to showcase the true essence of our unwavering support for the Club we love.”
An e-mail has been sent to the USL Headquarters requesting comment, but no response has been received at this time.
It remains to be seen how the leagues and clubs will address such forms of protest going forward. What is certain is that this is not an issue that can be expected to go away lightly.
Who Gives A Hoot? 