Among a big slate of games this weekend in the USL, the spotlight is going to be shining brightest on Toyota Field on Saturday night as San Antonio FC takes on Real Monarchs SLC in a game that will likely provide a crucial moment for both clubs this season.

With plenty at stake for both sides, it’s exactly the sort of game Monarchs forward Chandler Hoffman relishes the most.

“I know for me personally, these are the types of games I always love to play in,” Hoffman said. “Like last year when we played at Cincinnati with Louisville, that was a game I had circled on the calendar, and one that I tried to really be the difference-maker in. That’s what I have in mind for Saturday night, same type of thing, be the player who can step up in big moments and get the win for the team.”

Last year’s first game between Louisville City FC as they visited FC Cincinnati in front of a raucous crowd at Nippert Stadium saw Hoffman come to the fore, as a first-half hat trick set Louisville on its way to a 3-2 victory. The rivalry undercurrents aren’t as strong for Saturday’s game between the Monarchs and San Antonio FC, but with the records both teams have posted so far in the USL Western Conference this season, the intensity is likely to at a similar level.

Hoffman’s performance has been at the forefront for Real, with his 11 goals and five assists making him the only player in the USL to sit in the top five in both categories going into this weekend’s action. It also earned him the Fans’ Choice USL Midseason MVP, with his combination of attacking prowess and team success a hard one to top.