• Colorado Springs Switchbacks (9 wins, 4 draws, 13 losses) currently sit in 12^th position on 31 points in the USL Western Conference, 9 places and 16 points behind Rising in 3^rd, despite playing a game more.
• The two sides have yet to meet this season. Last year, Rising won both league matches 2-1.
• Switchbacks have won as many home games (7) as Rising this season, but their away form has been dismal. So far, they’ve lost 9, won 2 (at Reno and Timbers 2) and drawn 1 road game (at OKC). Their last 3 road games at San Antonio, RGV, and Tulsa have all ended in losses.

• A comparison of Rising’s home form with Colorado Springs’ away form suggests that both concede a similar number of goals, but Rising are much more prolific in attack.
• Despite their poor form on the road, Colorado Springs has conceded the 4^th fewest goals in USL. In fact, they’ve only conceded more than 2 goals once this season. That was a 4-1 defeat in Vegas on June 2.
• Colorado Springs appear to lack quality in their forward line – their top 3 goal scorers are all midfielders or defenders!
• Jordan Burt is the current top scorer for Switchbacks with 6 goals this season.  That’s an impressive haul for a full back, although 4 of these came from the penalty spot. Burt joined the side in 2015 from Carolina RailHawks.  He is one of 4 players to appear in every Switchbacks game this season.  The others are defender Josh Suggs (who alone has clocked up every minute), fellow defender Jamal Jack, and defensive midfielder Jordan Schweitzer.
• Shane Malcolm has notched up a respectable 5 goal tally this season, plus 4 assists. That goal return is on a par with the attacking midfielder’s first season at Switchbacks in 2017.  Malcolm has been capped 20 times at senior level for Guam, despite being born in Jamaica.
• Luke Vercollone is third highest scorer for Switchbacks this season with 4 goals, including a penalty at home to Saint Louis in May.  The 36 year-old midfielder is currently in his fourth season at Weidner Field.  He previously played for New England Revolution, Charleston Battery, and the Richmond Kickers.
• Forwards AJ Ajeakwa and Martin Maybin have scored 3 goals apiece.  Ajeakwa is a former San Antonio player who joined Switchbacks as a free agent in September 2017.  Maybin is currently in his second spell at the club, after returning to Northern Ireland in 2017 to play for NIFL Premiership side Carrick Rangers.  Interestingly, Maybin has averaged less than 45 minutes a game in his 17 appearances this season.
• The third and final forward to score this season is Tobenna Uzo. The brother of former Arizona United and Rising player Uchenna, Uzo has scored just once this year in 19 appearances, 18 of which came off the bench.

• Exactly one half of Switchbacks’ goals this season have been scored in the last 30 minutes of games.  They are still to score in the first 15 minutes of a game.
• Although goals have been hard to come by, Switchbacks nevertheless boast the 3^rd best chance creator in the Western Conference in defender Josh Suggs.  He has contributed an impressive 65 chances this season, primarily crosses, placing him only behind Rising’s Solomon Asante and OC’s Aodhan Quinn in the USL.  Suggs first broke into the professional game with the then-Los Angeles Blues in 2011, followed by a short stint without playing time at San Jose Earthquakes. He moved to Weidner Field in 2016.
• Goalkeeping duties have been shared this season between two players – Moise Pouaty and Steward Ceus.
• Moise Pouaty joined the side in March 2017, having previously played for Union Douala in his native Cameroon. Last year, he made the most saves of any goalkeeper in the Western Conference. This season, he’s kept 4 clean sheets in 11 appearances. Pouaty has also started the last 3 Switchbacks games.
• Steward Ceus joined Switchbacks in 2018 when his previous club, San Francisco Deltas of NASL, folded. Initially favored in the starting line-up, he has also kept 4 clean sheets in 15 games, but has a lower save success rate (68.1% compared to Pouaty’s 75%).
• Six of the total 24 goals conceded by Switchbacks this season have been scored in the last 15 minutes of games.

• Colorado Springs has accumulated 36 yellows and 3 reds to date this season.  Jordan Schweitzer is the player most likely to find his way into the referee’s book. With 6 yellow cards to date, he will be suspended if he picks up another against Rising this evening. Schweitzer has been capped up to U23 level for Canada.
• Vercollone, Maybin, and Ajeakwa have all received red cards this season.  Vercollone received a second caution for handball 13 minutes after receiving his first yellow in a goal-less draw at home to Sounders 2 in April.  Maybin received a straight red for violent conduct in the 4-1 loss away to Vegas on June 2.  Ajeakwa received a stoppage time straight red for serious foul play in the 1-0 defeat at San Antonio on July 25.

From the Ashes Prediction:  Rising to complete a productive 8 days with another victory.