Monday, Feb. 08, 2010

RailHawks 2010 schedule released

The long-awaited 2010 schedule for the Carolina RailHawks and the provisional United States Soccer Federation Division 2 league was announced today. The schedule comes out almost a month after the USSF announced its second division of professional soccer would be a mash-up of two leagues, the established United Soccer League and the breakaway North American Soccer League, were denied sanctioning for 2010.

The teams that intended to form the USL and the NASL, including the RailHawks were pushed together for this year only. The RailHawks were members of the USL for the first three years of its franchise's existence.

The RailHawks' fourth season will begin on Saturday, April 10 against expansion franchise AC St. Louis. It's one of two home games that start the schedule, as the other comes against NSC Minnesota — also an expansion franchise — on April 16.

Each team in the USSF Division two will play 30 matches, 15 at home and 15 away.

“It’s exciting to finally have the schedule for next season,” said RailHawks coach Martin Rennie in a team press release. “We’re bringing back a strong nucleus from last year’s team and adding a few new key players that will help us build on all the success of 2009.”

After the back-to-back season-opening home matches, the RailHawks will be on the road for six of their next seven. In that stretch will be a 36-day layoff between home games.

The other side of that is that the RailHawks will play 10 of their final 15 matches at home.

One thing that home fans should like is that 11 of the RailHawks' 15 home matches are on weekends.

The USSF Division 2 playoffs will take the top eight teams from the league, regardless of its division standings. However, the first-place teams from the USL Conference and the NASL Conference will earn the top two seeds.

Each round of the playoffs will be a two-game, home-and-away aggregate goal series.

The Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup dates have also been established, though the release said they were "tentative." The first rounds will be on June 22-23.

The RailHawks also said in its release that they had reserved dates for at least two exhibition games – one in April, one in July – and plan to bring in at least one team from Mexico’s Primera División.

For the entire USSF Division 2 schedule, visit www.ussoccer.com.

CAROLINA RAILHAWKS 2010 USSF D2 SCHEDULE

Saturday, April 10 -- vs AC St. Louis

Friday, April 16 -- vs NSC Minnesota

Saturday, May 1 -- at Rochester Rhinos

Saturday, May 8 -- at Miami FC

Friday, May 14 -- vs Tampa Bay Rowdies

Wednesday, May 26 -- at Puerto Rico Islanders

Sunday, May 30 -- at Montreal Impact

Sunday, June 6 -- at Portland Timbers

Wednesday, June 9 -- at Vancouver Whitecaps

Saturday, June 19 -- vs Crystal Palace Baltimore

Saturday, June 26 -- vs Montreal Impact

Saturday, July 3 -- at AC St. Louis

Sunday, July 11 -- at Puerto Rico Islanders

Wednesday, July 14 -- at Montreal Impact

Saturday, July 17 -- at Rochester Rhinos

Tuesday, July 27 -- vs Rochester Rhinos

Saturday, July 31 -- vs Vancouver Whitecaps

Saturday, August 7 -- vs Montreal Impact

Wednesday, August 11 -- vs Rochester Rhinos

Saturday, August 14 -- at Crystal Palace Baltimore

Wednesday, August 18 -- vs Miami FC

Sunday, August 22 -- at Austin Aztex

Wednesday, August 25 -- at Tampa Bay Rowdies

Saturday, August 28 -- vs Puerto Rico Islanders

Friday, Sept. 3 -- vs Crystal Palace Baltimore

Saturday, Sept. 11 -- vs Portland Timbers

Wednesday, September 15 -- at NSC Minnesota

Saturday, September 18 -- at Crystal Palace Baltimore

Saturday, September 25 -- vs Puerto Rico Islanders

Friday, October 1 -- vs Austin Aztex