Cheat Sheet: Charlotte Independence Advance in USL Cup; Appalachian FC, Asheville City & Independence II Make USL 2 Playoffs
Also: Both Asheville City SC squads make playoff runs as AVL Women fall 1-0 to Vermont Green FC in the USL W National Semifinal.
The Charlotte Independence may be the best professional team in Charlotte right now — in any sport — and with a win in the USL Cup Saturday night, they could still bring two titles home to Charlotte this year.
Sure, Charlotte FC is still the better soccer team. The Jacks lost 6-0 to the Crown’s rotation squad in April, and even the in-form Independence aren’t a match for the average MLS squad. Within the United Soccer League, however, the Independence are well-positioned to compete for their first-ever title.
The Jacks are undefeated in their last 14 matches across all competitions, including a club-record 8-match winning streak. The team’s last loss was on April 18 in Knoxville.
Now, thanks to the 2-2, (2-4) penalty shootout win over USL Championship side Charleston Battery on Saturday, the Jacks advance to the quarterfinals of the competition. Their next match is tentatively scheduled for Wednesday, August 12, and their opponent will be drawn later today.
Should the Independence advance, the USL Cup semifinals will be held on Wednesday, September 9 before the final on the weekend of October 2-4, 2026.
”Obviously, we have quality. Obviously, we have really good players,” said Independence captain Clay Dimick. “But what separates this group from other teams around the league and in the USL is the mentality we have—the collective mentality, from the top down, to fight for everything. Nothing has been given to us. We’ve been ready to fight in every environment, every game, and that wasn’t any different tonight. That’s what took us over the finish line. I’m just incredibly proud of this group and of showing that we have the mentality and the quality to hang with anybody on any given day.”
The Independence are currently second in the USL League One standings with 30 points from 9 wins, 2 losses, and 3 draws. League leaders Union Omaha are only one point ahead, but have played 16 matches to the Independence’s 14.
The Jacks still have half the season ahead of them, but things are going in the right direction — and that’s before factoring in their USL Cup run.
In this year’s edition of the USL Cup, also known as the Prinx Tires USL Cup for sponsorship reasons, the Independence won Group 6 last night with their victory over Charleston. It’s their second shootout win of the competition against a USLC squad — they beat the Pittsburgh Riverhounds on May 15 — and it will be the club’s second appearance in the knockout rounds of the competition, which is in its third year.
The Independence went undefeated in the group stage.
Asheville City SC Women Fall 1-0 to Vermont Green FC in National Semifinal
An exciting postseason run for Asheville City SC’s Women came to an end Saturday night as the back-to-back Southern Conference champions fell 1-0 to Vermont Green FC in the USL W League national semifinals.
2,500 fans were in attendance at Virtue Field in Burlington, Vt. as the undefeated Vermont Green continued their exceptional inaugural season, winning a spot in the 2026 final in Seattle, Wash.
“We are so proud of this group, to repeat as National Semi-Finalists is such a testament to the players and the coaching staff,” Mathes Mennell, Asheville City SC COO, Sporting and Club Operations, told Soccer Sheet. “The USLW is such a competitive league and our ability to maintain a very high competitive excellence is something we are very proud of. Certainly, we are gutted by the result but this teams willingness to thrive in tough moments is the epitome of both Asheville and Asheville City Soccer Club.”
Asheville City head coach Maxi Viera’s side fought hard and created chances. The match was tight throughout the 90, with neither team able to break through in the first half. Then, at the 55 minute mark, the Green’s Emily Mara — who plays both soccer and hockey for Boston College — scored her third goal of the postseason.
Mara dribbled the ball into the penalty box from the left side, avoiding multiple Asheville defenders. Shooting from the area left of the goal box, her right foot sent the ball into the upper right corner of Asheville’s net, out of reach for goalkeeper Lilly Heaslet.
It was the only goal the Green would need.
Asheville responded by dominating possession for the next 20 minutes before Vermont responded with two shots on frame, forcing a pair of saves from Heaslet.
The Blues fought until the very end, but yet again, but for the second year in a row the women of Asheville City fell in the national semifinal: the Achilles Heel of the Boys in Blue as well.
The Green face off against Salmon Bay FC in the National Championship at 8 PM ET on Saturday, July 18.
Charlotte Independence II, Asheville City SC Men and Appalachian FC Advance to USL 2 Playoffs
The Charlotte Independence’s first team weren’t the only squad of Jacks to punch their ticket: the Independence II finished in first place in USL League Two’s South Atlantic Division, guaranteeing the squad a spot in the national playoffs.
The Independence II are the pre-professional affiliate of the Charlotte Independence men’s professional soccer team.
“It’s been a fantastic season this year thanks to a great group of committed players with the core of that group being club alumni that played here as youth players,” Independence II head coach Nick Fusco told Soccer Sheet. “The club has put more and more resources behind the program which has allowed us to host some top players from around college soccer which has taken us to another level as well. Overall, we are excited to see what this group can do in the playoffs coming off a historic season in USL 2 for our club.”
While the Independence II went into the weekend having clinched a playoff spot, their 3-1 win over North Carolina FC U23 secured a first place finish. This is the second time the Jacks’ second team has made the USL 2 playoffs; they lost in the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs last year after finishing second in the division.
It’s a complete turnaround from 2024, when they finished at the bottom of the table in 8th place.
The Jacks overcame a complete overhaul of the division to finish the season with an 11-1-2 record, and an average of 2.5 points per match. Their sole loss came on June 29 to Asheville City SC, the USL 2 powerhouse joined the division after going undefeated in the South Central Division of the Southern Conference two years in a row, and winning the conference playoff in 2024.
Also joining the stacked division this year were Hickory FC, the reigning NPSL National Champions, and Appalachian FC of Boone, N.C. for a total of 11 teams.
Asheville secured second place in the division with a Saturday evening draw against Hickory FC, earning a critical away point.
“It has been an interesting year for the USL-2 team,” Mennell told Soccer Sheet. “Changing conferences and divisions was always going to be challenging but we are very pleased with how the players and staff managed this transition. Obviously, we were disappointed not to finish first but when we consider that we only lost one game of fourteen, it just speaks to the depth and competitiveness of the South Atlantic Division and the Eastern Conference. We started a bit slow, especially by our standards, but the team is playing its most effective football at the moment, which is exactly what you want come playoff time.”
Asheville City SC will host Virginia Beach United in the first round of the USL2 Playoffs at Greenwood Field in Asheville on Tuesday, July 14th at 7:00 PM.
While the Blues are playing their best soccer entering the playoffs, Hickory FC will miss out on postseason play after dropping points down the home stretch. Though they started the season with a win over Asheville, the team lost twice to Appalachian FC, making Saturday night’s contest a must-win.
Hickory FC still had a chance at making the playoffs, but needed Appalachian FC to falter in the final match of the season Sunday night. Instead, App won 1-0 at home over SC United Bantams, leapfrogging Hickory in the standings and earning the equivalent of a wild card berth in the USL 2 playoffs.
“Thank you to everyone who stood with Hickory FC throughout our first USL2 season,” read a statement posted to Hickory FC’s Instagram account. “It did not end the way we hoped, but your support never wavered. You packed Moretz Stadium, brought the energy, and reminded us what makes this community so special. This is only the beginning. We will learn, grow, and return stronger next summer.”
Appalachian FC will travel to Allentown, Penn. on Tuesday, July 14th at 7:00 PM to face the Lehigh Valley United Rush. Both teams are making their first USL 2 postseason appearance.