By ADAM TROXTELL
The 2015 USL Pro season is set to open in style with some potentially promising rivalries kicking off for the first time.
The league announced home openers for the upcoming season in a pair of tweets on Saturday. Seattle Sounders FC 2 face Portland Timbers 2 when league play starts on March 21.
Another pair of clubs with direct MLS links lock horns north of the border on March 28 when FC Montreal hosts Toronto FC II. On the same day, expansion teams Louisville City hosts Saint Louis FC while the first battle for Oklahoma begins when the Tulsa Roughnecks open against Oklahoma City Energy FC.
Champion Sacramento Republic begins its title defense at home against LA Galaxy II.
A full schedule is expected to be released on Monday. Here is a rundown of the home openers for all of the league’s teams:
2015 USL Pro home openers
March 21 – Charleston Battery vs. Toronto FC II
March 21 – Seattle Sounders FC 2 vs. Portland Timbers 2
March 22 – LA Galaxy II vs. Real Monarchs SLC
March 27 – Charlotte Independence vs. Charleston Battery
March 28 – FC Montreal vs. Toronto FC II
March 28 – Louisville City vs. Saint Louis FC
March 28 – New York Red Bulls vs. Rochester Rhinos
March 28 – Pittsburgh Riverhounds vs. Harrisburg City Islanders
March 28 – Wilmington Hammerheads vs. Richmond Kickers
March 28 – Austin Aztex vs. Colorado Springs Switchbacks
March 28 – Orange County Blues vs. Arizona United SC
March 28 – Sacramento Republic FC vs. LA Galaxy II
March 28 – Tulsa Roughnecks FC vs. Oklahoma City Energy FC
March 29 – Portland Timbers 2 vs. Real Monarchs SLC
April 4 – Richmond Kickers vs. Louisville City
April 4 – Colorado Springs Switchbacks vs. Oklahoma City Energy FC
April 8 – Real Monarchs SLC vs. Portland Timbers 2
April 11 – St. Louis FC vs. Pittsburgh Riverhounds
April 18 – Oklahoma City Energy FC vs. Seattle Sounders FC 2
April 19 – Harrisburg City Islanders vs. FC Montreal
April 19 – Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 vs. Toronto FC II
April 25 – Arizona United SC vs. Portland Timbers 2
April 26 – Rochester Rhinos vs. New York Red Bulls
May 23 – Toronto FC II vs. Rochester Rhinos
TFC2 plays in 3 home openers before their own!
last season Sacramento plays for the USL. May hit MLS in 2016/17 and SSS in 2018
They may deserve it, but don’t be so sure. MLS typically announces expansion teams 2-3 years before they starting playing. Even though Sac could jump right in in 2016, I wouldn’t expect it.