COVID-19: Loudoun United forced to cancel rest of USL Championship schedule

• by Paul Kennedy  @pkedit, Sep 26, 2020

Loudoun United, D.C. United's USL Championship team, was forced to cancel the remainder of its 2020 season -- three games -- after multiple positive COVID-19 cases within the team.

Two USL Championship teams -- LA Galaxy II and Philadelphia Union II -- postponed three games because of COVID-19 outbreaks, but these are the first cancellations.

Loudoun United was supposed to play at the Charleston Battery on Saturday, host New York Red Bulls II on Wednesday and finish the regular season at North Carolina FC the following Sunday.

Loudoun United's record is 1-9-3, the second worst in the USL Championship behind Rio Grande Valley FC, which is winless (0-9-3). Loudoun United and New York Red Bulls II have been eliminated from playoff contention.

North Carolina FC is 12 points behind the Birmingham Legend and Charlotte Independence with four games to play. When play resumed in July, the USL Championship's Board of Governors took into account a situation like that which has taken place and agreed to apply the points per game model to determine the final standings if a team didn't play all of its games.

NCFC's situation is complicated because it has now had two games postponed this week because of an opponent's COVID-19 cases. Wednesday's match against Memphis 901 was also postponed.

NCFC's only chance of making the playoffs will depend on playing -- and winning -- four games since it can't overtake Birmingham or Charlotte with points per game even if it wins two or three games and one of its Group F finals loses its two remaining games.

NCFC plays at Birmingham on Saturday and hosts Charlotte on Wednesday.