When we last checked in on Columbus United, the new Georgia-based NPSL club less than three weeks ago, they has just beaten Tallahassee SC at home to move on in the NPSL Gulf Coast Sunshine Conference playoffs.
Since then, though Columbus has gone on a tear. It started after that win at home versus Tallahassee, as Columbus hit the road winning in Pensacola and Jacksonville to claim the Conference title.
In the national tournament Columbus has gone to extra time twice and won both matches - vs Hickory FC and then a LONG trip west to the Midland/Odessa area of Texas to defeat West Texas FC.
These victories mean that the first-year club has won two trophies already in July having captured the South Region of NPSL along with the conference title.
The club now heads to the National Semifinal to take on FC Motown in New Jersey on Saturday.
Columbus’ run is remarkable given the hyper-competitive nature of the upper-echelons of NPSL and the fact they are a first-year club that has come out of arguably the weakest conference in the league nationally. But their journey coming after a season of robust support shows us anything is possible in US lower division soccer.
I've been following them throughout the season after seeing them in a friendly against the new GCPL team from Montgomery (who is alao about to play in that championship game). They've obviously gotten everything dialed in at just the right time. The win at West Texas also locked them in for the Open Cup next year.