Today is the big day, USL Championship Friday. The last day of arguably the most successful season in USL history.

While some are still not sure about what the partnership with MLS will bring in the future, it’s safe to say that it made for an exciting and unpredictable season this year. The influx of talent, both from MLS 2 teams and the so-called independents has been great and the play on the field has been awesome. With such a great 2015, we can’t wait to see what 2016 brings.

On this version of Question Of The Week, we ask our USL experts who they think will win tonight, and why.

Josh Beeman, @josh_beeman

Rochester Rhinos will be the 2015 USL Champions by Friday’s end. They have simply been too good this season. Their defensive numbers have been absolutely tremendous, unlike anything Los Dos or any Western Conference team came into contact with.

That being said, this is not going to be an easy win for the Rhinos. Los Dos are still a dangerous team, stacked with talent all over the field. They are also the best road team in the West this year. That talent and strength on the road could make for some vicious counter-attacks that could cause Rochester problems.

The Rhinos will still take it though, getting revenge on the team that knocked them out of the playoffs last season.

Kyle Kepner, @kylejkepner

LA has two chances to win this game: slim and none. Rochester can’t lose at home, and visitors have rarely even gotten a glimpse of the goal. The Rhinos gave up 5 goals at home all season and the last one was on September 19th, a week before the playoffs began.

All that being said, LA has scored some goals this year, so here’s what they need to do: Attack. Attack. Attack. Crash the box with all the firepower they can muster and bet on not getting beat in a foot race the other direction. If the Rhinos have one weakness, it’s getting down the field in a fluid offensive motion. If LA can avoid the counter, they could pull ahead.

Rochester will win, however, because defense wins championships, and LA hasn’t seen a defense like this one.

Brendan Doherty, @DohertySoccer

The USL Final will be an intense and competitive game. With Steevan “Duba” dos Santos, the team’s leading scorer, suspended for the game, Rochester’s midfield will need to add offensive production while being mindful of LA’s dangerous attackers. Players like Jack McBean, Ariel Lassiter, and Nacho Maganto have more than enough talent to make even the best defense in USL history break a sweat.

Even though Los Dos have been fantastic on the road, including on their playoff run, I can’t look past Rochester’s undefeated campaign at home in 2015. In front of a cheering crowd at Sahlen’s Stadium, and broadcast on both YouTube and ESPN3, the Rochester Rhinos will win 2-1 in extra time on Friday night.

Chad Hollingsworth, @ChadHoll

Predicting the winner of this match is difficult. This is not the same Rhinos team that was eliminated from the playoffs by Los Dos in 2014. The hallmark of Bob Lilley’s Rochester legend has always been solid defensive play. The Rhinos, however, have been able to score goals whenever needed throughout the season. The problem though, is that the home team will be without Steevan Dos Santos, whose athleticism and creativity have been a driving force in Rochester’s attack.

For the visiting LA Galaxy II, Ariel Lassiter has been on tear, especially in the playoffs. Lassiter is one reason that one member of the Rhinos cognoscenti fears the Los Dos attack more than that of the prolific Louisville City.

I think the outcome of this match will be similar to most of those played by Rochester this season. The defense will keep the Rhinos in the match, and someone will find that necessary goal. The Rhinos, led by captain Tony Walls, will complete their quest for a championship, but Los Dos will make it exciting.

Alicia Rodriguez, @soccermusings

I believe the LA Galaxy II will pull off the upset and win the USL Championship. The Rochester Rhinos may be deserved favorites, but without Duba and having not faced the potent attacks out west all season, I think LA’s strategy of feeding their strikers will pay dividends once more to land them the title.

Ben Cole, @_bencole

LA Galaxy 2 have been the team that has had a ton of pressure on it entering their first USL season last year. For them, they were the benchmark for what would be a boom in MLS 2 teams entering this season. The success they had this year as well has shown, with players like Ariel Lassiter leading the charge.

On the other side of the country, Rochester has been leading the crash and busting through the Eastern Conference all season. Losing once in the regular season and having the stingiest defense and goalkeepers has led the Rhinos to one of their best seasons of this storied franchise. There isn’t one real goalscoring stud on the Rhinos, but you can look to Brandon Miller between the pipes to have a strong championship game.

If the Rhinos can handle Lassiter and the rest of Los Dos, you can expect Rochester to hoist another trophy.
Rochester over Los Angeles 2-1

Zach Hall, @Crowntownsoccer

I think Rochester’s record speaks for itself, especially its home record. Los Dos has the benefit of a lot of exciting, young talent and congrats to that organization being able to get so far in its first two years as a franchise in the USL.

For me though, I find Los Dos winning the USL Championship way more compelling. A MLS2 side winning the 3rd Division playoffs would bring a long of conversations to the league, its fans and the USSF in general. What does it say about the quality of a league that a MLS team’s reserve side with six teenagers can go up against the best teams in the league and win the whole thing? Does that bring weight and validity to the MLS/USL relationship or does it cheapen the experience for fans of the independent USL teams?

I don’t know who will win on Friday in Rochester. Rochester’s regular season record is incredible, running the table in the Eastern Conference for the most part, and would be deserved victors if it ends up going their way. But as a neutral for this game, I find a LA2 win more exciting to talk about.

Now it’s your turn. Leave your answer in the comment section. Do it. Don’t be shy.