September 5, 2024 – United Soccer League One (USL1)
Union Omaha News Release
Spokane, Wash. – Spokane is quickly becoming a place for owls to fear, if these Owls’ first two matches there are anything to go by.
As USL League One’s leading team in possession, Spokane turned the tables on Omaha by adopting a more defensive mentality, soaking up pressure and pouncing on the visitors’ mistakes with ruthlessness in spades. Despite an xG (expected goals) tally of 0.52-2.52, Velocity ran out 2-1 winners, with Omaha’s sole goal purely a consolation in the late stages.
“It’s a tough one to take, because we were completely dominant for 90 minutes,” said Head Coach Dominic Casciato.
The first half, despite its lack of scoring, saw the field tilted towards Spokane’s goal. Joe Gallardo was central in several attacking moves, such as a whipped cross to Pedro Dolabella at the far post that found his head, the crossbar, and goalkeeper Brooks Thompson’s leg, just barely staying out of the net. Gallardo would get his own chance at a far-post header in the 35th, also to no avail.
Another way to talk about the extent of the field tilt is this: Spokane had a single shot in the first half, and it came 38 seconds into the match.
Unfortunately, the beginning of the second half one-upped that.
An underhit backpass from Blake Malone put Luis Gil one on one with his former teammate Rashid Nuhu. Gil simply outwaited Nuhu, letting him commit to the ground before rounding him and slotting it home. That made three goals in three matches against Omaha for Gil this season, and it made the visitors’ jobs a lot harder.
What also hurt was Gallardo being helped off in the 60th minute when his left foot got caught in the turf in a battle for the ball. While it’s a luxury to have players like Missael Rodríguez and Lagos Kunga coming off the bench, Gallardo is the leading chance creator for the Owls on the season.
Spokane continued to frustrate Union Omaha from there. While much of the game was played in their own third, Velocity stayed compact off the ball and forced the Búhos to work the ball around the perimeter of the box and put in crosses. In fact, in the first half alone their 17 crosses matched their total for last week’s slugfest in Madison. They would finish this match with an astonishing 38 crosses.
Naturally, it would be on a wide free kick that they’d concede again. After Luca Mastrantonio felt obliged to level Luis Gil all alone on the right flank, Derek Waldeck was put on the spot for a…