The inaugural season of USL League One has reached its summit, and two teams with ample MLS ties will vie for the third-division competition’s championship, set for Saturday at FC Dallas’ Toyota Stadium.
FCD’s North Texas SC were the regular-season champions and will host the final after defeating Forward Madison FC 2-0 in their semifinal clash at the same venue. The 16-year-old Homegrown attacker Ricardo Pepi struck twice to sink the Flamingos, who tested NTSC goalkeeper Jimmy Maurer several times but could not find a breakthrough.
Signed as an FCD HGP in June, Pepi finished the regular season as League One’s third-leading scorer with 11 goals and the El Paso native continued that form in the semifinal, netting twice in a three-minute span in the second half.
The other semifinal took place in Lansing, Michigan, where Chris Bermudez's calm finish into the bottom left corner in the 59th minute was enough for Greenville Triumph SC to knock off No. 2-seeded Lansing Ignite 1-0.
Triumph are coached by D.C. United legend John Harkes and Bermudez, a native of Union City, New Jersey, spent time in the New York Red Bulls’ youth system before a stint in Mexico at Pachuca.
Saturday’s final is set for 7 pm ET and will air on ESPN+ in the United States; international viewers can watch on USL League One’s YouTube page.
