North Texas SC is off to a flawless, flying start in USL League One, coming off a win on the road to make four wins through four, and returns home for the first rematch of the season. This weekend, following FC Dallas's game against the New York Red Bulls, North Texas hosts Orlando City B for the second time this season. Here's everything you need to know.

Background

North Texas SC is comfortably in first place in USL League One with 12 points. They've scored six goals (although three came in the season opener against Chattanooga), and conceded just twice, both to Chattanooga. 270 minutes of clean-sheet soccer is definitely something to celebrate.

Orlando City B, meanwhile, have two points after six games, sit very much so at the bottom of the League One standings, and haven't scored from open play in over 300 minutes of action. Their most recent goal was a 36' minute penalty kick against Madison on April 19, and they've managed just six shots on target combined for their last two games. Things are bad, plain and simple.

The Opponent

I've spoken before about OCB's issues, both in the preview from two weeks ago and again just above in this piece, but that doesn't actually tell the full story. OCB's biggest problem isn't in creating chances or getting the ball forward, far from it. It's almost entirely down to finishing. OCB actually lead the league with 84 shots, fifteen more than Greenville in second, and have managed to put 22 of them on frame. Those are pretty great numbers. Yet, from those 22 shots on target, only 2 have led to goals, with their third goal coming from a penalty kick.

Serginho is generating a lot of important offensive movement, but he's yet to score on any of his 13 shots. Nathan Simeon has done well to help the team play out of the back, leading the team in passes with impressive accuracy, but it's all being squandered at the moment. Last week, playing in a single-pivot 4-3-3 with Serginho dropping back and Christopher Osei-Wusu pushing forward, their midfield actually looked rather organized, right up until the final third, where Chattanooga's defense choked them.

On defense, they've allowed slightly more shots than average, but Juliano Chade has done pretty well in net, and for the most part, their center backs along with Serginho have taken care of things well enough. They concede a lot of fouls in the process, sitting at 90 so far, but it's been close enough to effective to keep them in games.

Expect Orlando to continue using their 4-3-3, and don't discount them just because of their results. This team could be very, very dangerous with only a few adjustments.

Available Players

Many familiar faces from both the first team and the academy are once again listed as available for North Texas this weekend, with ten of the same players from last week's road game in Greenville making the list. Callum Montgomery, John Nelson, Bryan Reynolds, Thomas Roberts, and Brandon Servania are all available once again from the first team, with Kyle Zobeck being listed for the first time since April 12. Although Servania has been called up for the U20 World Cup, he isn't scheduled to depart until Monday, and there's a very good chance he'll start for North Texas this weekend.

From the academy, Imanol Almaguer, Kevin Bonilla, Johan Gomez, Zach Schawl, and Tanner Tessmann are once again available, joined by Gibran Rayo. Zach Schawl has twice been named to the bench as a backup goalkeeper, though has yet to make his first professional appearance.

Predicted Lineup

This week will be interesting, with Ricardo Pepi still with the U17 national team for the Concacaf U17 Championship, meaning we'll likely see some combination of the lineups from the previous two games.

Eric Quill has dabbled in a 4-2-3-1 that functions very similarly to the Luchi 4-3-3, though last week in Greenville, it ended up highly skewed to the left. Arturo Rodriguez dropped back to play as a 10, Tessmann looked more like an 8, Romero was playing on the opposite wing, and Roberts ended up as a right-winger at moments.

In goal, Avilez will likely continue to start, with either Zobeck or Schawl on the bench as backup. I'm leaning towards seeing Schawl on the bench unless Zobeck ends up getting the start, as we'll then see Avilez as the backup.

In the back line, I expect to see Brecc Evans - if his groin has recovered from his injury last week at Greenville - and either Alfusainey Jatta or Callum Montgomery at center back, with Jorge Almaguer on the left and either John Nelson or Bryan Reynolds on the right. Jatta had a very good debut at center back on the road last week, but he's even better in midfield, and Montgomery plays much more comfortably back there.

In midfield, Brandon Servania and either Roberts or Tessmann will likely join Jatta, with Servania as the true 6, Jatta as an 8, and either Roberts as a free-8 or Tessmann as a true 10.

With no Pepi again this week, Tessmann and Johan Gomez both have a solid claim to the center forward spot, with both having solid, if goal-less, debuts in the position in the past two weeks. Gomez is more experienced as a forward, but Tessmann's ability to read defenses and drop back when needed could be very valuable once again against Orlando. Honestly a toss-up between the two for now.

On the wings, there are even more options. I have a feeling we'll see Oscar Romero on the right wing and either Dante Sealy or Ronaldo Damus starting on the left.

Here's my best current guess at what we'll see come Saturday.

Predicted North Texas SC week 7 lineup

Around the League

Rather than just a direct look at the table every week, instead, let's sort by points-per-game, to compensate for teams having played different numbers of games. North Texas of course leads the PPG standings, followed by 2nd place Tormenta FC on 1.833, just ahead of Toronto FC II at 1.75. Madison and Tucson sit tied on PPG for the final playoff spot at 1.4. Richmond is in pretty good shape just behind both of them, at 1.333 through 6, before getting to a 3-way tie between Chattanooga, Greenville, and Lansing at 1.167. Orlando brings up the rear with .333.