TAMPA, Fla. - The 2025 USL League Two Playoffs presented by VensureHR have delivered night after night. The four conference finals were nothing short of peak playoff drama, with stunning volleys, stellar saves, and late winners. Read about how all four conference champions were crowned and get a first look at Sunday’s National Semifinal matchups.  

SOUTHERN CONFERENCE

Dothan United 2, Fort Lauderdale United FC 1

Neither team wasted any time in this one, as both clubs had a shot on target within the first five minutes. Dothan sustained the pressure on Fort Lauderdale and Santiago Hoyos scored a brace with a penalty and quick volley to put the Dragons up 2-0 at the 20-minute mark. Fort Lauderdale fought hard to get back in the game and had its share of chances as Michael Appiah headed one home in the 65th minute to finish off a perfectly executed counterattack. But Dothan was able to hang on, winning the Southern Conference Championship in its first run through the League Two postseason.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Vermont Green FC 3, Lionsbridge FC 1 - A.E.T

We marked this one as a potential finalist for Match of the Season in our Conference Finals Preview and it lived up to the hype. Both clubs came out swinging in the first half. Lionsbridge stuck to its guns and struck first thanks to an Evan Howard header, putting Vermont behind for the fourth game in a row. But the Green wasted no time finding the equalizer, as Ian Abbey rushed in to smash a volley into the top of the net. It was an energetic second half, where both teams came nail-bitingly close to winning it, but the match went into extra time. Arnaud Tattevin buried his second game-winning goal of the playoffs before Owen O’Malley blew the lid off Virtue Field, delivering the first Eastern Conference Championship in Vermont Green history.

CENTRAL CONFERENCE

Flint City Bucks 2, Minneapolis City SC 1

This was another game that started quickly, with Minneapolis pushing the pace in the early going. Morgan Olson was in the right spot when the ball bounced to him in the box as he sent it into the left corner of the net, putting the Crows on top. Flint grew into the game and slowly began dominating the flow of the match. Donavan Phillip continued his torrent scoring pace in 2025, notching his fourth of the postseason to tie the game. Daniel Sessler reignited his penalty saving heroics, to stop Phillip from giving Flint the lead just before halftime. But Phillip got the last laugh, snagging a brace with a cool finish in the 84th minute to secure Flint’s third Central Conference Championship in four years.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Ballard FC 2, Ventura County Fusion 1

In a rematch of the 2022 and 2023 Western Conference Finals, where the winner went on to win the national championship both times, the stakes were sky high in this one. Ballard was on the front foot for most of the game, but Ventura took plenty of opportunities to make the hosts nervous. Joe Dale did what he has done countless times before in the 30th minute, opening the scoring for Ballard and rushed to the corner to celebrate in front of the home fans. Ballard kept pressing through the end of the first half and took a 2-0 lead less than two minutes into the second half. Ventura pressed to get back in the game but did not ask enough questions of the Ballard defense. The Fusion did pull one back in the 95th minute, but it was too little, too late, and Ballard won its second Western Conference Championship in three years.

Vermont Green FC vs. Dothan United - Sun 7/27 6:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. CT - Virtue Field, Burlington, VT

Vermont will have the full force of their Green Mountain faithful behind them, but the Dragons are on a magical run with no plans of stopping now. Both clubs like to control the tempo of the match, so it will be a battle throughout to see who can impose its will. Dothan has gotten five goals from just two goal scorers in these playoffs, so will their heroes rise again or will someone else step up? Dothan is no stronger to loud environments; the Dragons are just used to it being their own fans. How they handle the away environment will be key. Vermont has relied on semi-miraculous comebacks game after game; will they have the gas to do it again if they find themselves behind for the fifth game in a row?

Ballard FC vs. Flint City Bucks - Sun 7/27 8:30 p.m. ET/5:30 p.m. PT - Interbay Stadium, Seattle, WA

It’s another rematch, as both these teams continue to see familiar foes along their path to the League Two Final. In 2023, Ballard won 1-0 in Flint, and the Bucks will see a prime opportunity in front of them to get revenge. For Ballard, the key will be stopping, or at least limiting, Donavan Phillip, Flint’s talisman who has been on a rampage all season long. For Flint, surviving Ballard’s pressure will determine how the game goes; Ballard succeed when controlling the game and hemming the opponent in.