USL Championship Power Rankings: Week 11
A Louisville stumble, another loss for El Paso, and Tampa Bay dominance round out another enthralling week.
It’s fair to say moving forward that we should expect nothing but craziness each match weekend moving forward. Every week we seem to dive further into debauchery with blow-outs, upsets, and the occasional hope that this or that win will finally be the kickstart for #LOUDOUNFORTHECUP. Either way you put it, the goals and the spectacles are not slowing down, which gets us to our #1 team in the power rankings.
#1) Charleston Battery
Previous Ranking: #1
Result: 1-0 Win Vs Birmingham Legion (A)
No matter the elements, no matter the task, you should have no doubt that this Charleston Battery team can get the job done. Despite Birmingham’s pressure, Charleston was unfazed for large portions of the night, and found their winner through some brilliant link up play that allowed Emilio Ycaza to slot home with relative ease. This win puts Charleston on 8 wins and 3 losses through their first 11 matches and sets them up beautifully for a possible midweek upset in the Open Cup against MLS opposition.
#2) Louisville City SC
Previous Ranking: #2
Result: 2-2 Vs Las Vegas Lights (A)
Call me a cheater, but I’m also taking into account their 3-0 drubbing of Orange County into their current position. The ease in which they were able to slice open the Orange County backline, a top tier Western Conference backline, was absolutely not a blip on the radar. Taylor Davila and Elijah Wynder pulling the strings whilst Jake Morris and Jansen Wilson blazed in behind was just way too much for Orange County on the night, and solidifies, for me at least, that Louisville are warranted dual favorites to win it all this year. Taking into account their 2-2 draw against Las Vegas, while it was concerning how exposed they seemed at times, they did what they could and managed to snag a 2-2 draw cross country, which is always valuable. However, if they don’t respond with a win against Rhode Island, then maybe a spot drop is warranted.
#3) New Mexico United
Previous Ranking: #8
Result: No Game
While New Mexico United did not play this past weekend, they did grab another victory in match week 10 when they got the best of Oakland Roots at The Lab with Mukwelle Akale and Greg Hurst grabbing the goals on the night. Dayonn Harris also deserves praise for a masterful performance lying deep in the midfield, whilst Marco Micaletto looks every bit the maestro that has finally unlocked this New Mexico United offence, and man oh man, are they a fun team to watch. It’s not going to get easier though, as an Open Cup bout on the east coast awaits, which just so happens to be the region in which they have taken their only two losses in brutal fashion.
#4) Sacramento Republic
Previous Ranking: #3
Result: No Game
Since we haven’t had power rankings since week 9, Sacramento purely fall because of their week 10 result against Rhode Island. They were utterly dominated for most of the night, but Rhode Island failed to close up shop in the closing stages and allowed Sacramento to pop in and equalize twice, with the second coming in the 3rd minute of second half stoppage time. If there’s one thing you can learn from Sacramento, it’s never too late in a game to find that all important equalizer or winner. Sacramento themselves have also failed at closing out games in which they had a lead, and even a man advantage like against Tulsa, contributing to their 5 draws on the year, though leaving them still undefeated.
#5) Indy Eleven
Previous Ranking: #14
Result: 4-1 Win Vs Hartford Athletic (H)
Indy’s resurgence just goes to show how quickly the pecking order can shake up, and how disheartening news can inspire a whole club and its fans to a remarkable run of form. Indy had started off the season relatively hot and cold, not necessarily producing the most efficient soccer, but also not playing down to the opposition. This run generally led me to believe they would safely sneak into the playoffs but following a four-game winning streak they have scrapped those aspirations and now dream of a return to the upper tier of the Eastern Conference.
Notably, Jack Blake is looking like a superstar for Indy. Not only from his play in midfield, but also his conviction from the spot. Contributions from off-season acquisition Augustine Williams have also picked up in this fine patch of form, leading them now to a cushy 4th place.
#6) Detroit City FC
Previous Ranking: #5
Result: No Game
Detroit took a much-needed weekend off from USL Championship, as they look to recuperate following a slow taper from their storming early season form. Looking back to Week 10 against Phoenix, their lone goal came off some absolute magic from Ben Morris as he lobbed Rios Novo from roughly 30 yards out off the volley. While it was a sight to behold, Detroit can’t afford to fall back on their old style of hoping that these wonder goals can carry them to the playoffs. Otherwise, they were relatively composed defensively against Phoenix, which is a massive testament to the work Danny Dichio has done and how good players such as Stephen Carroll and Brett Levis have been.
#7) Memphis 901 FC
Previous Ranking: #11
Result: 2-1 Win Vs El Paso Locomotive (A)
I’ll have to say, it has been an absolute delight to see Memphis hit top form again after their only season struggles. If we head back to even last season, it feels like the same formula under Stephen Glass of starting out relatively poor before absolutely storming into the summer months, which seems to be the case here yet again, and while Memphis may not have been at 100% against El Paso, they still found a way to get the job done.
Marlon ultimately stood out on the night, providing a goal and an assist that would ultimately condemn El Paso to yet another loss. Abdoulaye Cissoko has also been a key contributor at the back since his acquisition.
#8) Phoenix Rising FC
Previous Ranking: #9
Result: 2-0 Win Vs The Miami FC
Unsurprisingly, Phoenix dispatched of Miami with relative ease, controlling the ball all night and not letting Miami have a single sniff of goal. Beating the teams towards the bottom of the table is a necessity, and Phoenix did so in calm and composed fashion. Phoenix have also done well to recover from arguably their worst performance of the season against Pittsburgh, which will add to the idea that while they are still getting up to speed, Phoenix certainly has the juice to make it back to the final this year
#9) Orange County SC
Previous Ranking: #4
Result: 2-1 Loss Vs Oakland Roots
Oh, how Orange County have fallen in the last two weeks. They started off with a disastrous showing at Lynn Family Stadium where Louisville tore them apart all game. They then followed that up with an away trip to the Oakland Roots, who have proven to be an astute yet sometimes passive team, but Orange County were still no match for them on the night as they were able to hold Orange County to just one goal.
If Orange County truly want to be in contention for the Western Conference title come the end of the season, games like Louisville may happen, it’s just part of the USL Championship landscape that even the best teams will be caught out. But losses to Oakland away are just games you cannot lose, and Orange County have severely fallen off the pace if they wish to catch up to New Mexico United and Sacramento Republic.
#10) Pittsburgh Riverhounds
Previous Ranking: #10
Result: 1-1 Vs North Carolina FC (H)
Pittsburgh have looked MASSIVELY improved in their last five league games, with Kazaiah Sterling looking like one of the smartest transfers a team could have made this season. Against North Carolina, while Pittsburgh may not have controlled the game, they were efficient with the ball and were able to exploit the sometimes weak defending that North Carolina FC still displays from time to time. Ultimately though, it’s still the defensive side that needs to improve before Pittsburgh can think of returning to the top, as they have conceded plenty of goals uncharacteristic of the Pittsburgh team we saw last season.
And just something to throw out there, Langston Blackstock was phenomenal against North Carolina, and Kizza’s goal may have been one of the best well-worked goals I’ve seen this season.
#11) Monterey Bay FC
Previous Ranking: #7
Result: 3-0 Loss Vs Loudoun United (A)
This was an absolutely disastrous showing from a Monterey Bay team that could not afford to lose this game, and ultimately, they only have themselves to blame. Anthony Orendain was sent off midway through the first half which set the tone for the rest of the game, as the Monterey Bay players just could not keep up with the explosiveness of Loudoun on the night. It’s important to note though that Monterey were missing a host of key players on the night such as Tristan Trager, who has been arguably one of their most important players this year with his five goals in 10 games so far.
I had said that I wasn’t too worried about their roadblocks a few weeks backs, and while I’m now slightly concerned, we should expect better play once key players return from their knocks.
#12) Colorado Springs Switchbacks
Previous Ranking: #16
Result: 3-1 Win Vs Rhode Island FC
This Switchbacks team is on an absolute mission, and of all the early season turnarounds we have seen in this young season, this may just be the most impressive one. Colorado Springs seemed dead and buried after five games, and even at the point some were aligning with the El Paso sentiment that this season may already be over, but James Chambers and Ronaldo Damus have singlehandedly proven us wrong. On the night, the Switchbacks forced Rhode Island into uncomfortable positions at the back which ultimately led to a Ronaldo Damus penalty and a Karifa Yao own goal.
The goals are flowing thanks to key contributors like the aforementioned Ronaldo Damus, but it’s key to point out Zach Zandi and Yosuke Hanya, who have been immense as creative forces supplying Damus, and Matt Real continues to impress in his new home for 2024.
#13) Tampa Bay Rowdies
Previous Ranking: #12
Result: 5-0 Win Vs FC Tulsa (H)
Do Tampa deserve to move up for this win? You could certainly argue it. Are they still a mystery box as to what they can truly achieve? I would certainly say yes. Tampa looked unsurprisingly lively on the night, as FC Tulsa let the Tampa Bay midfield dictate the tempo of the game all night, which led to this 5-0 battering. Manuel Arteaga finally got to show off his goal-scoring prowess in a massive win, and Forrest Lasso looked right at home tucking away two goals on the night, which was a stark contrast to when they lost 1-0 at home to the Birmingham Legion, which ultimately keeps them at #13.
Tampa is still a top team, I have no doubts, but if they need consistent wins if they want this season to reach their ultimate standards, and the back and forth wins and losses are not going to get them there.
#14) San Antonio FC
Previous Ranking: #8
Result: No Game
Maybe I’m just realizing this now, but it feels like quite a few teams, more than usual, had an off week this week, and I think that will benefit San Antonio who ultimately slip 6 spots due to their uninspired play and the results that happened around them. Defensively they need work getting back into the rhythm that Alen Marcina desires, though he has not been shy to experiment this year. Offensively I think San Antonio is fine, but the midfield also needs to be better connecting the field and shuttling the ball forward, especially to breakout forward Machop Chol who has looked bright since joining the Texas club.
Moving forward, it’s tough to define what I might expect from them. The winning DNA is there, and they have the talent, they just haven’t been able to put it together quite yet.
#15) Birmingham Legion
Previous Ranking: #13
Result: 1-0 Loss Vs Charleston Battery (H)
This one feels unnecessarily harsh, seeing as Birmingham picked up a fantastic win away to the Tampa Bay Rowdies just last weekend, and followed it up with a really solid outing against the Charleston Battery. Unfortunately, they fall due to the circumstances surrounding other teams moving above them, and while they did look good against Charleston, they undid themselves at the back allowing Ycaza to slot home the only goal of the game and couldn’t create much on the night. Overall, they feel like a lock for a 5th or 6th place finish, though I’d love to be proven otherwise with a solid run of form.
#16) Loudoun United
Previous Ranking: #15
Result: 3-0 Win Vs Monterey Bay FC
Again, call me harsh, but I’m still taking that win over Monterey Bay with a massive pinch of salt. They looked fantastic and Riley Bidois looks to be growing into his role with the club, but Monterey Bay was shorthanded on the night and Loudoun took full control of that. Alternatively, Loudoun looked absolutely disheveled as they handed El Paso their first win on the season just one weekend before, pretty much handing the Loco’s the game on a silver platter as they allowed only one of El Paso’s focal points in Tumi Moshobane to dictate the game from up front.
Also, let me be clear, since there were no power rankings for Week 10, I can say that Loudoun would have fallen massively with that El Paso loss and you can call this an actual rise up the rankings, seeing as I likely would have slotted them in around 20th last week.
#17) Oakland Roots
Previous Ranking: #20
Result: 2-1 Win Vs Orange County (H)
One thing I’ve been looking for from Oakland is an increasing response after they go down, and they finally showed some nerve as they collected themselves following the opening goal from Thomas Amang and shutdown what could have been a solid bounce back win for Orange County. Trayvone Reid has continued to look lively, and Margelashvili’s winner was well worked to allow Oakland to grab all three points on the night. Gavin Glinton has come in and provided the new manager bounce that Oakland have needed, now it’s all about keeping it going.
#18) Las Vegas Lights
Previous Ranking: #20
Result: 2-2 Vs Louisville City FC (H)
Las Vegas are slowly progressing from the “just vibe it out” team into an actually well drilled machine with Dennis Sanchez at the helm. I was particularly impressed with how they were able to adjust to the Louisville press and break them down, something that can’t be said of many teams this season. Gennaro Nigro has looked an apt replacement for Lucas Stauffer, Nicholas Ammeter has looked impressive on goal, and Valentin Noel looks like he could run this league for years to come with the right pieces around him.
Don’t be surprised should Las Vegas find themselves an opportunity to snag a playoff spot come the end of the season in a somewhat stacked but still wide-open Western Conference.
#19) North Carolina FC
Previous Ranking: #23
Result: 1-1 Vs Pittsburgh Riverhounds
North Carolina knew they needed results heading into a packed week of league action, and they took full control as they dispatched of Loudoun 2-0 on Tuesday night before turning around and claiming a solid point in Pittsburgh off of a well worked goal finished by Evan Conway. The 5-3-2 that John Bradford laid out was able to subdue that Pittsburgh front line that has awakened in recent weeks, and Louis Perez was crucial in supplying from the midfield. North Carolina is, again, still adjusting to life back in the Championship, and they've got another opportunity at three points when they head south to face The Miami FC, an already important game so early on the season for both teams’ playoff aspirations.
#20) FC Tulsa
Previous Ranking: #17
Result: 5-0 Loss Vs Tampa Bay Rowdies (A)
If you want a gameplan to take on the Rowdies, it is certainly not to allow Jennings and Arteaga to run in behind and to allow Charlie Dennis the ability to pick out easy passes, which was ultimately the case as Tulsa sunk to yet another loss. A lot of the hope this season came down to Blair Gavin staying, which did not happen, and a lot of their newly acquired players in return left the club after only joining this past off-season. It’s been a perfect sequence of events that has led to Tulsa struggling early on, and that may stay the same seeing as Tulsa have often looked to be second best on the field in most of their games this year.
#21) The Miami FC
Previous Ranking: #19
Result: 2-0 Loss Vs Phoenix Rising FC
Yea, they were absolutely played off the pitch against Phoenix, which is again, aligning with the nature of the full rebuild the club underwent this past off-season. Nocerino has looked an apt head-coach in this league, and the play on the field has matched that at times. But, with rebuilds come adversity, and in no real instance did it seem that Miami was going to be able to take anything from this game, which is something Miami can learn from going forward. Unsurprisingly too, Miami now finds themselves bottom of the Eastern Conference, which under any circumstances is not somewhere you want to be.
#22) Hartford Athletic
Previous Ranking: #18
Result: 4-1 Loss Vs Indy Eleven (A)
Once again it was a Hartford disaster class at the back as Indy hung another 4 goals on Hartford, pushing them now to having the second worst defensive record in the league with 20 goals conceded in 9 games. Hartford also has the unwanted honor of having the worst offensive record in the league, with only 8 goals scored in those 9 games as well. This is, again, aligning with the nature of a full scale rebuild, though I’m sure many fans and spectators alike were not expecting this sort of capitulation following the appointment of Brendan Burke, the newly acquired players that are head and shoulders above the 2023 roster, and the 3 wins that Hartford had tasted earlier this year. But. all good things no matter how short and how sweet they were must come to an end, and Hartford needs a win soon or they risk the same fate they received just last season.
#23) Rhode Island FC
Previous Ranking: #23
Result: 3-1 Loss Vs Colorado Springs Switchbacks
My oh my how the tides changed in this game as opposed to their 2-2 draw against Sacramento. Albert Dikwa was left stranded up top yet again, whilst Gabriel Alves and Karifa Yao contributed to a defensively poor game that saw the Switchbacks on the front foot all night, even after going down a goal early on. Rhode Island seems to find themselves often reverting to simplicity, or just whipping hopeful crosses into the box, and while that can work, it’s not going to work all the time and they’ll need different outlet of attack should they wish to cross the 7–8-win threshold this season. Or maybe the real goal for Rhode Island is to break the all-time draw record, which is definitely something they are on track for whether they want it or not.
#24) El Paso Locomotive
Previous Ranking: #24
Result: 2-1 Loss Vs Memphis 901 FC (H)
El Paso had a fantastic opportunity following their win over Loudoun United to build some momentum and get the season going. An Akeem Ward own goal would give El Paso the lead, before they inevitably fell apart with a stoppage time Bruno Lapa winner not only condemning El Paso to another loss, but also sealed the fate of Brian Clarhaut who was removed as head-coach and subsequently replace by former RGVFC head-coach Wilmer Cabrera.
El Paso are now treading in interesting waters with Cabrera at the helm, his win percentage is average, he’s not going to blow you away with his tactical ability nor will he play in a particularly savvy or progressive way, he’ll get El Paso back to the basics, and by every fiber in my being do I believe that he has a real chance of brute-forcing El Paso into a playoff position one way or another.