Spokane Velocity host Northern Colorado Tuesday, as Jagermeister Cup nears end of group play

Despite slim odds of advancing, the Spokane Velocity will look to finish strong in the Jagermeister Cup as the newly implemented in-season tournament winds down.

The Velocity will host the Northern Colorado Hailstorm, the only undefeated team in Cup play, at ONE Spokane Stadium on Tuesday.

After only winning one of six Cup matches and losing its last three, Spokane is on the outside looking in of the knockout round and has already been statistically eliminated from winning its group. Tuesday’s match is one of two final Cup games left on Spokane’s schedule.

Despite sitting even with Northern Colorado in the regular -season standings, Spokane has marginally underperformed within the in-season tournament, which has been played sporadically throughout the season.

The Hailstorm are 4-0-1 in group stage play. The Velocity are 1-3-2.

Clubs have been split up into three groups for the tournament and the winner from each group will move on to a knockout round. A fourth team will advance based on goals scored.

But Spokane, with one less Cup match played than most other teams, has scored the fewest goals scored – six in six games – among all clubs.

Spokane would have to surpass Union Omaha – the leader among nongroup winners with 13 goals in seven games – in order to qualify for the knockout round.

Spokane narrowly took down Northern Colorado back in March with a 1-0 victory thanks to a Luis Gil penalty kick. The Hailstorm got revenge at home with a 3-1 Jagermeister Cup win in June.

After a tough stretch of three losses and five draws in nine games, Spokane knocked off the Chattanooga Red Wolves on Wednesday in a 1-0 nailbiter to collect its first road win in nearly two months.

Northern Colorado is coming off a 3-1 takedown of the Richmond Kickers.

Tuesday’s kickoff is at 7 p.m. The game will be available to watch on KSKN22 and ESPN+.