As a team, the Colorado Springs Switchbacks are starting to look like their usual selves. As a player, midfielder Zach Zandi is too.
The 27-year-old from Pennsylvania has regained his position as a mainstay in Colorado Springs’ starting 11 after an Achilles injury ended his season in March of last year. Zandi has started four USL Championship games with the club this season, including the last three, all of which have been victories for the Switchbacks.
“It’s great to be back. It was a long, long process. I would say the process is still ongoing but each game I feel better, day by day I feel more like myself,” Zandi said. “I knew it was going to be a long process but I’m happy to be in the position that I’m at, happy to be helping the team again.”
Zandi is part of a starting lineup that has been successful for Colorado Springs in recent weeks. Following an 0-5 start to the year, the club is unbeaten in its last four league games. Friday, the Switchbacks (3-5-1) host Rhode Island FC, who is in its inaugural season. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. at Weidner Field.
The Switchbacks enter Friday’s contest having won their last three games by a score of 2-0. Zandi nearly made it 3-0 last weekend at Hartford Athletic but his one-on-one opportunity was thwarted by Athletic keeper Renan Ribeiro.
While scoring isn’t what he is solely focused on, Zandi relishes the opportunity to put a shot in the back of the net. His last score in USL Championship play was an equalizer against Hartford March 18, 2023, at Weidner Field.
“It’s the not the first thing on my mind, the first thing is helping the team win but on a personal side, yeah it would good to get a goal, get back on the score sheet,” he said. “I think it’s coming. I think it’s, again, part of the process. It’s taken me a little bit to get back to myself and I think that’s kind of expected after such a long time out.”
Zandi will get another chance at getting back on the score sheet Friday but it won’t be easy despite Rhode Island (1-2-6) being an expansion team. The visitors tied 2-2 against Sacramento Republic FC at home last weekend. Republic FC is the top team in the USL Championship’s Western Conference. Last week should have been a win for Rhode Island, which conceded the equalizing goal in stoppage time.
The club’s six draws are the most in the USL Championship and a testament to Rhode Island’s competitiveness.
“Really good team. They were very unfortunate (this past) weekend to concede so late in the game. They were by far the superior team in the game,” Switchbacks coach James Chambers said. “I think for them they’ll want to come in here and almost prove to themselves, I think, that they’re able to turn it around because they’ve been very, very close in a lot of games.”
Rhode Island forward Albert Dikwa leads the club in goals with four. Forward Noah Fuson leads with the same number of assists. Dikwa is the USL Championship’s reigning Player of the Year (MVP) and Golden Boot winner after scoring 20 goals with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC a season ago.
Colorado Springs forward Ronaldo Damus leads the team with four goals and forward Maalique Foster leads in assists, also with four.
