FC Tucson goes for its first conference championship in unfamiliar territory.
The Men in Black (9-2-5) face Oakland, California-based Project 51O (11-4-1) in the USL League Two Western Conference championship on Friday at 1:30 p.m. Arizona time. The match will be streamed on sportsengineplay.com, which can also be assessed via USL League Two’s website.
The Western Conference title match is the first part of a day-night doubleheader in Peoria, Illinois. In the nightcap, host Peoria City (10-1-3) faces the Flint City (Michigan) Bucks (12-1-2) for the Central Conference championship.
The winners play on Sunday for a spot in the USL League Two Final on Aug. 3.
Peoria City’s home is Shea Stadium — no, not where the New York Mets and Jets used to play, but the similarly-named facility near the campus of Bradley University. Like FC Tucson’s home at Kino North Stadium, Shea Stadium was a baseball ground and was known as Meinen Field where Bradley Baseball played from 1970 through 2002.
Ventura County’s Mikkel Goeling (15) gets the initial block on a shot by FC Tucson midfielder Lars Walczyk (6), but Walczyk would gather the rebound and fire home the would-be game winner in the first half of the teams’ USL League Two Western Conference semifinal playoff match Sunday in Tucson
In 2003 it was converted to a soccer stadium that features lawn seating and asymmetrical stands on what was the first base side.
FC Tucson enters the game with a 10-match unbeaten streak; Project 51O — its named derived from the first two numbers in the area code serving Oakland, and the “O” for the city — has a seven-match win streak though it took extra time to dispatch United PDX (Portland, Oregon) 5-4 in the Western semifinal.
Project 51O is an affiliate of Oakland Roots SC of the USL Championship league. The Project won its two playoff matches in the Seattle pod to reach the title match.
FC Tucson is 1-2 neutral playoff matches, most recently losing 2-0 to Calgary Foothills FC (Canada) in the conference finals in 2018 at North Whittier, California. FCT beat the Los Angeles Misioneros 2-1 in Nevada in 2014 but lost 2-1 to Seattle Sounders FC U23 in Ventura, California in 2012.
Photos: FC Tucson drops Ventura County 1-0 to reach USL 2 Western Conference final
Ventura County's Callen Lewis (2) pops the ball into the face of FC Tucson Jonah Kawamara (24) in the fight for possession in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024. FCT rode a first half score to 1-0 win and a spot in the conference finals.
Ventura County's Cason Goodman (9) makes flying stab at the ball but only gets FC Tucson defender Ellis Jones (4) and a yellow card in the first half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
Ventura County's Mathias Winum (4) gets to the corner kick ahead of FC Tucson defender Thomas Gray (5) in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
FC Tucson midfielder Lars Walczyk (6) loses the race to the ball to Ventura County's Mikkel Goeling (15) at the top of the Fusion box late in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
Ventura County's Cason Goodman (9) grabs a lot of jersey trying to keep FC Tucson defender Thomas Gray (5) the header in the first half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
Ventura County's Mathias Winum (4) makes the sweeping slide tackle to keep FC Tucson forward James Jennings (11) from getting upfield in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
Ventura County's Nicholas Releford (21) leaps in and makes contact with FC Tucson forward Joao Belmudes (10) in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024. The foul was enough for Releford’s first yellow of the night, he eventually picked up his second in stoppage time for a red card.
Ventura County's Siddiq Lezzar (12) flies in with a last gasp block on a shot from FC Tucson forward Joao Belmudes (10) in the first half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
FC Tucson midfielder Lars Walczyk (6) gets squeezed out against Ventura County's Erick Serrano (5) in pursuit of the ball in the first half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
FC Tucson defender Duvan Canchila (14), top, and Ventura County's Cason Goodman (9) collide trying to win the header near midfield in the first half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
Ventura County’s Mikkel Goeling (15) gets the initial block on a shot by FC Tucson midfielder Lars Walczyk (6), but Walczyk would gather the rebound and fire home the would-be game winner in the first half of the teams’ USL League Two Western Conference semifinal playoff match Sunday in Tucson
Ventura County's Palmer Bank (19), left, gets a stud to the ball ahead of FC Tucson forward Imsael Ruiz (20) in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
Ventura County's Nicholas Releford (21) drags down FC Tucson forward Paul Caliri (9) trying to keep him from possession in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
FC Tucson defender Elliot Forestier (3) comes over the top of Ventura County's Buba Fofanah (10) to keep him from gathering in the ball near the FCT box in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
FC Tucson defender Thomas Gray (5) crashes the box but can’t redirect the corner on goal against Ventura County in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
Ventura County's Mikkel Goeling (15) gets sent to the turf by FC Tucson midfielder William Arnesen (7) in the first half of their USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
FC Tucson defender Ellis Jones (4), top, jumps into the arms of defender Thomas Gray (5) as the two celebrate the final whistle and 1-0 win against Ventura County in the USL League 2 western conference semifinal playoff game,Tucson, Ariz., July 21, 2024.
Photos: FC Tucson over Flatirons FC 3-2, Ventura County squeaks past Albion SC 2-1 in AET, in the first round of the western conference playoffs
Flatirons' Samuel Scarth (22) sends FC Tucson's forward Paul Caliri (9) sprawling on an unsuccessful tackle in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024. FC Tucson advanced to Sunday’s conference semifinal with a 3-2 win.
FC Tucson's midfielder William Arnesen (7) gets a lot of Flatirons' Shunnusuke Nakajima (3) trying to win the ball in the first half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
Flatirons' Jackson Vander Ven (19) takes the ball off the foot of FC Tucson's forward James Jennings (11) stopping his run ups the touchline in the first half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
Flatirons' Dalio Pekovic (8) hops in front of FC Tucson's midfielder Lars Walczyk (6) to win a loose ball in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
FC Tucson's forward Paul Caliri (9) fends off the lunge from Flatirons' Shunnusuke Nakajima (3) in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
Flatirons' Ethan Boyle (10) sends FC Tucson's goalkeeper Nils Roth (1) the wrong way on his penalty kick to cut the FCT lead to 2-1 in stoppage time of the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
FC Tucson's forward Paul Caliri (9) cuts into the box against Flatirons' Jackson Vander Ven (19) in the first half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
FC Tucson's defender Thomas Gray (5) and his teammates get a splash during a hydration break late in the second half against Flatirons in their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
FC Tucson's forward Joao Neves (17) tries to offers some condolence to Flatirons' Shunnusuke Nakajima (3) at the end of FCT’s 3-2 win to advance to the USL League 2 western conference semifinal game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
FC Tucson's goalkeeper Nils Roth (1) gets above the crowd to redirect a cross into the box from Flatirons in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
Flatirons' goalkeeper Amir Habibi (1) punchesthe ball clear of danger over FC Tucson's defender Ellis Jones (4) in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
FC Tucson's forward James Jennings (11) redirects a low cross into the net past Flatirons' goalkeeper Amir Habibi (1) to double the FCT lead to 2-0 in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
FC Tucson's forward Paul Caliri (9) traps an inlet pass while holding back Flatirons' Jonah Elstad (15) in the first half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
FC Tucson's midfielder Jonah Kawamara (24) celebrates a little after slotting home what turned out to be the game winner in 3-2 victory against Flatirons in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
Albion’s Brendan Schoemehi (15) takes the ball from Ventura County’s Michael Acquah (17) in the weather-delayed second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024. Ventura slipped past Albion SC 2-1 with the winner in added extra time.
Ventura County’s Marley Edwards takes a stab at knocking down a pass near midfield against Albion SC in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
Ventura County’s Callen Lewis (2) slices down Albion’s Elias Taubo (16) during the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024. Ventura advanced and will face FC Tucson in Sunday’s conference semifinal.
Albion’s Brendan Schoemehi (15) toes the ball past Ventura County’s Fletcher Bank (18) during the second half of the USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
Albion’s Ronan Wynnne (23), left, and Ventura County’s Michael Acquah (17) arrive at the cross at the same time late in the second half of their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
FC Tucson's forward Joao Belmudes (10) heads to the sidelines to get the bench involved after opening the scoring in the second half against Flatirons in their USL League 2 western conference playoff game, Tucson, Ariz., July 19, 2024.
