8. ROUGH NIGHT: Energy FC will arrive at Toyota Field next weekend on a four-game winless streak after Tulsa Roughnecks FC rallied to take a 2-1 victory at Taft Stadium for its first win in the Black Gold Derby since the 2015 season on Saturday night. The win propelled Tulsa back into the top eight in the Western Conference. Energy FC held the halftime lead as Roughnecks goalkeeper Fabian Cerda made an ill-advised clearing attempt that he saw fly straight back over his head into the net from Daniel Gonzalez, but overall the Roughnecks were decent value for their win as they held more possession and produced more shots on goal than the hosts over the 90 minutes. Thanks to Juan Pablo Caffa’s sweet Panenka penalty kick, and beautiful low finish by Joey Calistri, the Roughnecks made the sort of statement that will add to their fans’ sense that things are very different from a year ago as the push for a first playoff berth under new Head Coach David Vaudreuil continues.

9. MEN OF THE MOMENT: Phoenix Rising FC was in danger of seeing its four-game undefeated streak come to an end in its visit to Orange County SC on Saturday evening, but then a perfect moment from former Ivory Coast international Didier Drogba provided the moment many in the crowd at Orange County Great Park had come to see. Drogba’s free kick in the fourth minute of stoppage time to earn his side a 1-1 draw wasn’t the only crucial set piece of the weekend, with Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC’s Kevaughn Frater also producing a fine finish as the host rallied back from a two-goal halftime deficit to draw against Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2 at Weidner Field. In the long run, though, while for Phoenix and Colorado Springs a point was good enough on Saturday, getting on a winning track again promptly is going to be imperative for the playoff hopes of both.

10. FORGING ON: Bethlehem Steel FC didn’t score a goal, let alone claim a point, from its three meetings with the New York Red Bulls II in the 2016 season, but a year on the boot is firmly on the other foot after Sunday’s 2-0 win for the host at Goodman Stadium. Despite being without two key attackers – with Cory Burke on duty with Jamaica and Seku Conneh nursing an injury – Bethlehem continued its push toward the top of the Eastern Conference thanks in part of the work of Chris Nanco, with the Canadian striker playing a pivotal role in the win. Now undefeated in seven games, Steel FC is looking a solid proposition for the USL Cup Playoffs, and on Sunday showed off the sort of depth that will make it dangerous when that time comes.

11. RIGHTING THE SHIP: Sunday also brought a much-needed victory for FC Cincinnati, which bolstered its position in the top eight in the Eastern Conference with the first victory for either side in its series with the Richmond Kickers after a 2-0 win in front of 21,769 at Nippert Stadium. Djiby Fall’s early goal got the side off to just the start it needed, but the longer the game went with only a one-goal edge for the host, the bigger the risk the Kickers would earn a fourth consecutive 1-1 draw against the Ohio side. There did prove a late twist, but it went against the visitors as Fred Owusu Sekyere’s red card dimmed their hopes of finding an equalizer, and Aodhan Quinn’s stoppage-time penalty kick gave FCC a boost ahead of its Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Quarterfinal on Wednesday night.