September 27, 2024 – United Soccer League Championship (USL)
Memphis 901 FC News Release
The playoff push is on for Memphis 901 FC with five matches remaining in the USL Championship regular season and a third consecutive top-four finish on the line.
The Beale Street Boys face one of the toughest schedules in the league to close the season with three top-four matchups, the first coming this weekend on the road at Louisville.
Memphis sits at No. 4 in the Western Conference two points behind No. 2 Colorado Springs and even with No. 5 Las Vegas. Prior to the bye week, 901 FC dropped North Carolina FC 3-0 thanks to a first-half brace from Marlon.
“We’re 11 games unbeaten at home so that shows the strength we have in front of our fans playing at AutoZone Park,” Bruno Lapa said. “For us to be able to have at least that first game at home would be huge. The vibe around the group is that we can definitely make a run in the playoffs.”
The 13th matchup between the two clubs this weekend will be a familiar one not only with the rivalry only reignited by last season’s penalty shootout thriller, but also with the players on the field.
Memphis will face former Beale Street Boy Phillip Goodrum for a second time this season. The forward scored the lone goal in 901 FC’s loss to Tulsa before moving to Louisville in a midseason transfer. 901 fans will also see Aiden McFadden suit up in purple. The defender appeared in 13 matches for Memphis in 2023 and started in that first round playoff match last season while on loan from Atlanta United.
“The one thing we can focus on is a game up there on Saturday night in front of a good crowd that’s expecting them to win,” Head Coach Stephen Glass said. “We’ve done pretty well when we go into hostile atmospheres. The players thrive on it and enjoy it.
“We’ve got some of our best performances in those environments and situations. I’ve got no doubt it’s going to happen again on Saturday night. It won’t be easy but we’re well prepared and we’ll go in like we always do looking to win.”
Kickoff for the matchup at Lynn Family Stadium is set for 6:30 p.m. CT. Fans can watch the matchup on ESPN+ and WMC 5 Plus.
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