After controversial penalty shootout loss, Spokane Velocity will host Union Omaha in League One Cup Saturday
A week after a near-win was nullified by a late foul call and ended with a loss in a penalty shootout, the Spokane Velocity will look to bounce back in the second game of the USL League One Cup this weekend.
As group stage play continues, the Velocity (3-2-1) will square off on Saturday at ONE Spokane Stadium against one of the stronger clubs in the league, the Union Omaha (3-0-1).
“We’ve had a good window to develop ourselves the past one to two weeks and now we have another opportunity to go and do what we love on Saturday,” Velocity coach Leigh Veidman said.
The Velocity were minutes away from securing a win April 27 against the Central Valley Fuego in the cup opener before a foul was called on Spokane defender Marcelo Lage in the box just seconds into stoppage time. Spokane fans and a number of Velocity players were outraged at the call.
Central Valley converted the penalty kick before the game went into a penalty shootout, where Spokane fell.
The Velocity will play group stage matches against the other clubs in the West Group throughout the season. The other teams in their group – the Union Omaha and Northern Colorado Hailstorm – also drew last weekend.
After group play wraps up, the advancing clubs will move into a knockout round.
Omaha finished first in the regular season last year before bowing out to the Charlotte Independence in the semifinals.
Despite losing several key players from last year’s roster to the higher-division USL Championship League, the club rebuilt a talented group.
Although not standing out in one statistical category, the club does a number of things well on both sides of the ball and has strong offensive depth.
“We are well aware of Omaha’s strengths and weaknesses, but the focus is ultimately on us,” Veidman said.
Seven players have recorded a goal in Omaha’s four games.
Union Omaha goalkeeper Rashid Nuhu has recorded 16 saves, good for third in the league.
The match will be broadcast on KREM and streamed on ESPN+. Kickoff is at 6 p.m.