April 19, 2024 – United Soccer League One (USL1)
Union Omaha News Release
After Union Omaha staved off El Paso’s attempt at avenging their Open Cup defeat last year, it’s now the Owls’ turn to seek righteous vengeance. Their league home opener sees them squaring off against Charlotte Independence, who knocked the Players’ Shield-winning Omaha squad out of the playoffs on penalties after 120 minutes of scoreless soccer. Steevan Dos Santos especially will have a point to prove; held scoreless in two regular season meetings, he exploded for a second-half hat trick in their October 4th match at Werner Park… only to fall silent in the playoffs, with his wide-left penalty making the difference in the shootout.
GOING THE DISTANCE
Don’t be surprised if you see some serious rotation in these squads. Both teams had U.S. Open Cup matches midweek against tough USL Championship opposition. So tough, in fact, that Omaha and Charlotte played a full 120 minutes against their foes before vanquishing them on penalty kicks. Charlotte has one more day of rest, having played Rhode Island FC on Tuesday, but a short week for both teams isn’t ideal before a matchup like this. If any players start cramping up in the latter stages of this match, now you know why.
BELLA OF THE BALL
Amidst big performances from players like Dos Santos and Joe Gallardo, a sneaky X-factor so far this season has been midfielder Pedro Dolabella. He’s the kind of player who shows up all over the pitch. Dolabella tends to drop deep in the build-up to help the Owls work their way forward, and there were times against El Paso where he was temporarily the deepest player on the pitch. But with four shots and three chances created in league play, plus a goal and assist in the Open Cup, he can make an impact far higher up the pitch as well. That’s before getting into his height, which can make him a threat on set-pieces or just nodding on deep passes from Rashid Nuhu.
SERIES HISTORY
By this point you should know about the most notable match between these two clubs. Even before that, though, it’s been an even series ever since the Independence dropped down from the Championship for 2022. How even? In each regular season, the teams have gone 1-1-1. The playoff defeat in last year’s semifinal was the first time the away team has won, but even then, that was on penalty kicks. While Khori Bennett (3 goals vs. Omaha) has moved on to the bright lights of Vegas, Tresor Mbuyu (2 goals) remains a fixture for the Independence…