2009 United Soccer Leagues
The 2009 season is the 23rd season played by the United Soccer Leagues. Season titles will be contested by 20 professional men's clubs in the USL First Division and USL Second Division, as well as 37 professional and amateur women's clubs in the W-League and 68 professional and amateur men's teams in the USL Premier Development League.
The First Division season kicked off on April 11 with the US Open Cup finalist Charleston Battery and host defending champions Vancouver Whitecaps FC playing to a scoreless tie, while the Carolina RailHawks defeating the visiting Minnesota Thunder 2-1. The season ended on September 20 with the Charleston Battery defeating hosts Minnesota Thunder 3-2. As a change for this season, the Finals will follow the rest of the playoffs in being two legs. The playoffs started on September 24, and ended on October 17 with the Montreal Impact defeating Vancouver Whitecaps FC on a 6-3 aggregate score.
The Second Division season started on April 17 with the Pittsburgh Riverhounds and host Crystal Palace Baltimore playing to a scoreless tie. The regular season ended on August 15 with three games. The Richmond Kickers captured the title in the playoffs with a 3-1 win over the Charlotte Eagles on August 29.
Vancouver Montreal Rochester Austin Carolina Charleston Miami Cleveland Minnesota Harrisburg Wilmington Baltimore Maryland Richmond Pittsburgh Charlotte Western Mass. 2009 USL-1 (red) and USL-2 (green) franchises. Not shown: Puerto Rico Islanders, Bermuda Hogges.Read more about 2009 United Soccer Leagues: General, Honors, First Division, Second Division
Famous quotes containing the words united, soccer and/or leagues:
“We begin with friendships, and all our youth is a reconnoitering and recruiting of the holy fraternity they shall combine for the salvation of men. But so the remoter stars seem a nebula of united light, yet there is no group which a telescope will not resolve; and the dearest friends are separated by impassable gulfs.”
—Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803–1882)
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—British soccer fan. quoted in Independent (London, Dec. 23, 1988)
“Good news about someone never gets past the door, but bad news will travel a thousand leagues away.”
—Chinese proverb.