The 2019 USL Championship Power Rankings are compiled each week by staff writers John Arlia and Nicholas Murray. Check back every Monday during the regular season to see who’s hot, and who’s not, as the biggest season in the league’s history progresses.
Rank |
Team |
Change |
Summary |
|
1 | Phoenix Rising FC (11-2-5) Week 19: W, 1-0 @RGV Week 20: AUS |
Last Week: 1 |
Rising FC is one win shy of matching the league record for consecutive victories (10) and added to its already deep roster on Monday by bringing in former Liverpool defender Corey Whelan. | |
2 | Tampa Bay Rowdies (11-1-7) Week 19: T, 1-1 @PIT Week 20: STL |
1 Last Week: 3 |
Lucky Mkosana’s late goal extended the Rowdies’ unbeaten run to five games with a point in Pittsburgh and got the forward off the mark in his second stint in Tampa Bay. | |
3 | Fresno FC (9-2-7) Week 19: W, 2-1 NM Week 20: POR |
2 Last Week: 5 |
The Foxes have won three games in a row against current Western Conference playoff sides and will try to make it 4-for-4 against the Portland Timbers 2 next weekend. | |
4 | Reno 1868 FC (9-4-5) Week 19: -- Week 20: @OKC, @LA |
2 Last Week: 6 |
1868 FC’s bye week came at a good time as it now faces the prospect of three games in eight days, starting with Wednesday night’s trip to Energy FC. | |
5 | New York Red Bulls II (11-4-4) Week 19: W, 4-3 @BST, W, 8-1 ATL Week 20: @MEM |
5 Last Week: 10 |
The Red Bulls II battled back from two goals down to beat Bethlehem before laying EIGHT goals on ATL UTD 2 on Saturday. With 12 goals over two games, it’s safe to say New York’s attack is back. | |
6 | Indy Eleven (10-3-4) Week 19: L, 1-2 @HFD Week 20: LDN |
4 Last Week: 2 |
The Eleven saw their 10-game unbeaten run snapped on Saturday in Hartford and are probably still expecting more firepower from their big guns up front. | |
7 | Louisville City FC (8-5-6) Week 19: T, 1-1 @OTT Week 20: BST |
Last Week: 7 |
Louisville continues to concede the opening goal and got a lucky break to escape Ottawa with a point, but Head Coach John Hackworth’s side is showing a champion’s fighting spirit. | |
8 | North Carolina FC (8-3-7) Week 19: L, 0-1 @BHM Week 20: LDN, @PIT |
4 Last Week: 4 |
North Carolina saw its eight-game unbeaten run snapped in Birmingham and the scoreline probably could’ve been worse. Hosting Loudoun on Wednesday will offer a chance to rebound. | |
9 | Nashville SC (8-5-5) Week 19: -- Week 20: @MEM |
1 Last Week: 8 |
Nashville had the week off to rest some ailing starters and prepare for its inaugural trip to Memphis, where it will hope to replicate April’s 2-0 victory over its in-state rival. | |
10 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (6-3-8) Week 19: T, 1-1 TBR Week 20: NC |
1 Last Week: 9 |
The Hounds have the joint-highest percentage of games drawn of any team in the league after allowing the Rowdies to snatch a point late on Saturday night. | |
11 | El Paso Locomotive FC (7-4-7) Week 19: -- Week 20: SA, SLC |
Last Week: 11 |
After a week of training, Sebastian Velasquez could be in line to make his Locomotive FC debut when El Paso hosts Copa Tejas rival San Antonio on Wednesday night. | |
12 | Real Monarchs SLC (8-6-3) Week 19: W, 5-0 TAC Week 20: @ELP |
1 Last Week: 13 |
The Monarchs’ five-game winning streak looks nice, but four of the five came against non-playoff sides. A trip to El Paso on Saturday should tell us more. | |
13 | Charlotte Independence (5-7-8) Week 19: W, 2-1 STL Week 20: -- |
3 Last Week: 16 |
Enzo Martinez says the return of interim Head Coach Mike Jeffries brought the team’s identity back. After going six games unbeaten and returning to the playoff places, it’s hard to disagree. | |
14 | Ottawa Fury FC (7-3-8) Week 19: T, 1-1 LOU Week 20: SPR |
1 Last Week: 15 |
Fury FC was unlucky not to hold onto all three points on Sunday against Louisville but has now won just once in its last seven games. That’s slightly concerning. | |
15 | Sacramento Republic FC (8-7-2) Week 19: W, 1-0 POR Week 20: @RGV |
3 Last Week: 18 |
Win a few, lose a few. That seems to be the trend for Republic FC this season as it sits tied with a league-low two draws. Saturday’s victory over T2 should be a shot in the arm after a tough stretch. | |
16 | Portland Timbers 2 (7-5-7) Week 19: L, 0-1 @SAC Week 20: @FRS |
4 Last Week: 12 |
Portland has lost three of its last four games but is still sitting comfortably in the middle of the pack in the Western Conference standings. | |
17 | New Mexico United (6-5-8) Week 19: L, 1-2 @FRS Week 20: -- |
3 Last Week: 14 |
New Mexico’s fairytale run in the Open Cup came to an end on Wednesday and its dip in league form continued on Saturday. Kevaughn Frater’s return from suspension should help. | |
18 | Charleston Battery (5-4-8) Week 19: PP MEM Week 20: @HFD |
1 Last Week: 17 |
Mother Nature cancelled Charleston’s match for the second straight week, which will mean a backloaded second-half schedule for the Battery. | |
19 | Austin Bold FC (8-6-5) Week 19 W, 3-2 OC Week 20: @PHX |
2 Last Week: 21 |
The ability to bring Kris Tyrpak off the bench is paying big dividends for Head Coach Marcelo Serrano as the forward netted another dramatic game-winner for Bold FC. | |
20 | OKC Energy FC (6-5-8) Week 19: -- Week 20: RNO, @COS |
1 Last Week: 19 |
Energy FC held onto its spot above the playoff line during its week off and could make a serious statement in Wednesday night’s clash against Reno. | |
21 | Loudoun United FC (4-6-4) Week 19: -- Week 20: @NC, @IND |
1 Last Week: 20 |
Loudoun has played the fewest games in the league (14), which means it has plenty of opportunities to gain ground in the playoff race – starting with two road games this week. | |
22 | Saint Louis FC (5-5-6) Week 19: L, 1-2 @CLT Week 20: @TBR |
Last Week: 22 |
Saint Louis slipped below the playoff line with its latest loss in Charlotte but holds four games in hand over the Independence to regain that ground. | |
23 | Las Vegas Lights FC (6-7-5) Week 19: -- Week 20: -- |
Last Week: 23 |
Head Coach Eric Wynalda has another week to address any issues he’s seen over the first half of the campaign as Lights FC’s lengthy layoff continues. | |
24 | San Antonio FC (5-8-5) Week 19: -- Week 20: @ELP@OC |
Last Week: 24 |
San Antonio hosted EFL Championship side Cardiff City FC on Saturday and should take confidence from the performance into Wednesday’s trip to El Paso. | |
25 | LA Galaxy II (5-6-8) Week 19: -- Week 20: RNO |
Last Week: 25 |
With Frank Lopez joining Bradford Jamieson IV on loan in San Antonio, Los Dos will need someone else to step up and lead the attack. | |
26 | Orange County SC (5-7-7) Week 19: L, 2-3 @AUS Week 20: SA |
Last Week: 26 |
Just when you thought Orange County may have turned a corner with its road form, it concedes a late winner. That said, a three-game home stand provides reason for optimism. | |
27 | Hartford Athletic (3-12-4) Week 19: W, 2-1 IND Week 20: @SPR, CHS |
3 Last Week: 30 |
The Athletic made a winning start at its permanent home of Dillon Stadium and will hope to carry that momentum into a busy week. | |
28 | Rio Grande Valley FC (5-9-5) Week 19: L, 0-1 PHX Week 20: SAC |
1 Last Week: 27 |
The Toros were inches away from ending Rising FC’s eight-game winning streak and should take some confidence from their performance despite the result. | |
29 | Memphis 901 FC (3-8-5) Week 19: PP @CHS Week 20: NSH, NY |
1 Last Week: 28 |
Elliot Collier will hope the goals continue to flow against in-state rival Nashville on Wednesday night after netting a hat trick in his last outing. | |
30 | Birmingham Legion FC (4-10-4) Week 19: W, 1-0 NC Week 20: ATL |
3 Last Week: 33 |
Legion FC earned its first win since April 27 against North Carolina FC but lost forward Chandler Hoffman for the season with a ruptured PCL. | |
31 | Bethlehem Steel FC (5-10-4) Week 19: L, 3-4 NY Week 20: @LOU |
2 Last Week: 29 |
Steel FC showed little of its namesake as it coughed up a two-goal lead in the final 15 minutes of a gut-wrenching home loss to the Red Bulls II. | |
32 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC (5-12-2) Week 19: W, 1-0 TUL Week 20: OKC |
2 Last Week: 34 |
The Switchbacks kept a clean sheet for the first time in over a month to give interim Head Coach Wolde Harris his first win in charge of the club. | |
33 | Swope Park Rangers (2-9-6) Week 19: -- Week 20: HFD, @OTT |
2 Last Week: 31 |
The Rangers sank back to the bottom of the Eastern Conference but have a chance to change that when Hartford visits Children’s Mercy Park on Wednesday. | |
34 | Tacoma Defiance (2-12-5) Week 19: L, 0-5 @SLC Week 20: -- |
2 Last Week: 32 |
The Defiance’s defensive woes reared their ugly head again against the Monarchs as the side has now conceded a league-high 49 goals this season. | |
35 | Tulsa Roughnecks FC (4-9-6) Week 19: W, 1-0 @COS Week 20: -- |
1 Last Week: 36 |
The Roughnecks’ early-season form seems a long way in the rearview mirror after another disappointing loss to the Switchbacks. | |
36 | Atlanta United 2 (3-10-4) Week 19: L, 1-8 @NY Week 20: @BHM |
1 Last Week: 35 |
ATL UTD 2 conceded a season-high eight goals to the Red Bulls II and have now been responsible for the league’s last two single-game four-goal scorers in Chris Lema and Donovan Ewolo. |
Tag(s): News Nashville SC Power Rankings San Antonio FC CO Spring Switchbacks LA Galaxy II OKC Energy FC Orange County SC Phoenix Rising FC Portland Timbers 2 Real Monarchs SLC Reno 1868 FC Rio Grande Valley FC Sacramento Republic FC Swope Park Rangers FC Tulsa Philadelphia Union II Charleston Battery Charlotte Independence Louisville City FC New York Red Bulls II Ottawa Fury FC Pittsburgh Riverhounds Saint Louis FC Tampa Bay Rowdies Fresno FC Las Vegas Lights FC Birmingham Legion FC Austin Bold FC Atlanta United 2 North Carolina FC Indy Eleven Memphis 901 FC El Paso Locomotive FC New Mexico United Loudoun United FC Hartford Athletic Tacoma Defiance