USL Second Division
The United Soccer Leagues Second Division (commonly referred to as USL-2) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, part of the United Soccer Leagues (USL) league pyramid. It was at the third tier of soccer in the United States, behind Major League Soccer (top division) and the USL First Division (second division), and one step up from the USL Premier Development League and the other leagues at Level 4.
History
In 1995 the United States Interregional Soccer League (USISL), the de facto second tier of American soccer at the time, changed its name to the United States International Soccer League, and split into two leagues, one professional and one amateur. The professional league, initially called the USISL Pro League, was a FIFA-sanctioned Division 3 league, while the amateur league, (the 'Premier League'), was given Division 4 status and would later go on to become the USL Premier Development League. The first champions of the new USISL Pro League were the Long Island Rough Riders, who beat Minnesota Thunder 2-1 in the championship game.
2007 United Soccer Leagues
The 2007 Season is the 21st edition of the United Soccer Leagues season.
The season kicked off on Friday, April 13 when the 2006 league runners-up Rochester Raging Rhinos traveled to the Juan Ramon Loubriel Stadium in Bayamon to take on the Puerto Rico Islanders.
General
Honors
Standings
First Division
The schedule was not a balanced home and away affair; to make up the four extra games to total 28, each team played their four geographically closest competitors. The playoff format was changed to qualify eight instead of six teams; therefore the first and second league champions obtained seeding to determine home field advantage instead of a first round bye as in previous seasons. The previous bidding to host between the two playoff finalists for the one game cup final was discontinued for this season.
USL First Division
The United Soccer Leagues First Division (usually referred to as USL-1) was a professional men's soccer league in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico.
During its existence, it formed the second tier of soccer in the United States and Canada league pyramid behind Major League Soccer. It was operated by the United Soccer Leagues (USL) and was the successor of the old A-League, which existed from 1997 until 2004.
Several teams left the league in 2009 to form the new North American Soccer League, with the intent of running their own second tier league. Following a brief legal dispute, the two leagues operated in tandem under United States Soccer Federation (USSF) mediation as the USSF Division 2 Professional League in 2010 before the split became final. The teams that remained in the First Division were merged with the USL Second Division in 2011 to form USL Pro, which in 2015 was renamed the United Soccer League.
History
When the A-League became the USL First Division in 2005, the league comprised 12 teams: Atlanta Silverbacks, Charleston Battery, Minnesota Thunder, Montreal Impact, Portland Timbers, Puerto Rico Islanders, Richmond Kickers, Rochester Raging Rhinos, Seattle Sounders, Toronto Lynx, Vancouver Whitecaps and Virginia Beach Mariners. The Calgary Mustangs, Edmonton Aviators and Syracuse Salty Dogs, all of whom competed in the final A-League season in 2004, folded during the offseason, and did not take up their places in the new league.
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