In this episode, we react to USL Cup Round 2 and start with the headline grabber: actor and former academy player Cristo Fernández (aka Dani Rojas from Ted Lasso) signing with El Paso Locomotive. We dig into what it actually means on the field, why this does not feel like a gimmick, and what a realistic role could look like as El Paso pushes toward the top of the West.

Round 2 also gave us real Cup moments across the map, led by Sporting JAX’s first official men’s pro win with a composed 2-0 result. Plus, we hit the standout performances and scorelines, including Colorado Springs’ 4-0 statement, Tampa Bay’s 4-1 road thumping, and Boise’s 4-3 comeback thriller, along with the other results that shaped the week.

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Do you want to share your thoughts on the show? Feel free to write to host Vince Galvano by emailing: talkuslchampionship@gmail.com

Inquiries: talkuslchampionship@gmail.com

Wolfgang Prentice takes home USL Championship Player of the Month for April, and Week 9 delivered headline moments everywhere you looked: the World Cup Trophy’s stop in Birmingham set the stage for well attended night, while Pittsburgh went into Louisville and left with a statement 2-0 win built on ruthless finishing and a standout goalkeeping performance.

Across the rest of the slate, Phillip Goodrum finally opened his Lexington account as LSC broke their winless run, Oakland got debut magic from Tucker Lepley to complete a comeback, Hartford snapped their drought with late set-piece drama, and New Mexico kept Isotopes Park feeling like a fortress. Next up, we turn the page to USL Cup action and what it can reveal about squad depth, rotation choices, and which teams can carry weekend momentum into midweek results.

Follow the podcast @TalkUSL across all social media channels (Instagram, BlueSky, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook)

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Do you want to share your thoughts on the show? Feel free to write to host Vince Galvano by emailing: talkuslchampionship@gmail.com

Inquiries: talkuslchampionship@gmail.com

The USL Players Association and league are finally closing in on a new CBA, with real movement on 12-month contracts, minimum compensation, and mandatory health insurance but with key details still to be finalized, including NIL and long-term healthcare structure.

We also react to another gutting U.S. Open Cup exit for the Championship, track the coaching chopping block as changes begin and the carousel keeps spinning, and run through April’s Player of the Month nominees, plus match takeaways, storylines to watch next, and much more.

Follow the podcast @TalkUSL across all social media channels (Instagram, BlueSky, TikTok, YouTube, and Facebook)

Support the podcast by leaving a review

Do you want to share your thoughts on the show? Feel free to write to host Vince Galvano by emailing: talkuslchampionship@gmail.com

Inquiries: talkuslchampionship@gmail.com