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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 17

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 08/18/21, 1:30PM EDT

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Fuchs, Independence undefeated in four, looking for more as postseason race beckons

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of the Championship’s Power Rankings.

If you thought new Charlotte Independence signing Christian Fuchs was here to bide his time and get sharp for next season – when he’ll be one of the marquee names rolling out for Charlotte FC’s inaugural season in Major League Soccer – then you should probably reconsider.

After all, the competitiveness that helps you reach the top of the sport and become the captain of your country’s national team isn’t really a switch you can turn on and off.

“I don’t see it just as being here and trying to get myself fit,” Fuchs told the Charlotte Post’s Ashley Mahoney recently. “I have a very competitive nature. I saw the table before I came here, which was obviously not the very best for the Independence, but now we have 10 points in the last four games. There is a big chance to reach the playoffs, which is our goal.”

Fuchs isn’t the only one in that position. The Independence added veteran midfielder Brandt Bronico on loan from Charlotte FC before the season began, and then U.S. youth international Adam Armour joined the side in similar fashion last month. That’s given Head Coach Mike Jeffries additional talent beyond the likes of top Championship players Dane Kelly, Enzo Martinez, Hugh Roberts and Brandon Miller to call on.

There’s still work ahead for the Independence – who move up to No. 5 in this week’s Power Rankings after back-to-back wins against the New York Red Bulls II and Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC last week – to achieve that goal of reaching the USL Championship Playoffs given the competitiveness of the Atlantic Division. If this team is still in the picture in November, though, it could be a very sharp pick to make a postseason run.

Here’s how the big picture looks today. As always, feel free to come and yell at me on Twitter (@NJEMurray).

Atlanta United 2 Austin Bold FC Birmingham Legion FC Charleston Battery Charlotte Independence Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC El Paso Locomotive FC
Hartford Athletic Indy Eleven LA Galaxy II Las Vegas Lights FC Loudoun United FC Louisville City FC Memphis 901 FC
The Miami FC New Mexico United New York Red Bulls II Oakland Roots SC OKC Energy FC Orange County SC Phoenix Rising FC
Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Real Monarchs SLC Rio Grande Valley FC Sacramento Republic FC San Antonio FC San Diego Loyal SC Sporting KC II
Tacoma Defiance Tampa Bay Rowdies FC Tulsa

Biggest Movers

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary

1 Louisville City FC
(12-3-3)
Week 18: @ OKC
2
Last Week:
3
LouCity now sits with the most wins, most points and is tied for the league-lead in goals scored after taking its fourth consecutive victory, defeating FC Tulsa on Saturday. All that’s left is to cut out that habit of conceding late.
2 El Paso Locomotive FC
(11-1-5)
Week 18: v. RGV
1
Last Week:
1
Locomotive FC’s undefeated streak is now at nine games after Saturday’s late dramatics in New Mexico, and it could have a double-digit advantage in points on the rest of the Mountain Division if it defeats RGVFC on Saturday.
3 Phoenix Rising FC
(11-2-4)
Week 18: v. SAC
1
Last Week:
4
Phoenix’s ability to drive through the end of games might be its best trait. It wasn’t just that Rising FC equalized in stoppage time, it could easily have added another goal and won the thing if not for OCSC goalkeeper Patrick Rakovsky.
4 The Miami FC
(9-6-4)
Week 18: v. HFD
1
Last Week:
5
Miami’s comeback victory against Pittsburgh last Wednesday night marked the first time the Hounds had lost after holding a two-goal lead with Bob Lilley as their Head Coach. That’s remarkable work.
5 Charlotte Independence
(8-7-2)
Week 18: v. COS
7
Last Week:
12
The Independence went two-for-two last week and are undefeated in four overall. It’s understandable with the pieces they’ve got in the squad, but this side is a clear dark horse should its progression continue into the postseason.
6 Birmingham Legion FC
(10-5-3)
Week 18: v. TUL
4
Last Week:
10
The before and after for Junior Flemmings since he got back from Gold Cup duty with Jamaica is glaring. Before: Eight games, one assist. After: Five games, four goals, one assist. That’s a very good sign for Birmingham’s big-picture chances.
7 Tacoma Defiance
(6-4-6)
Week 18: @ OC
4
Last Week:
11
The Defiance are undefeated in seven games after beating San Diego on Saturday night for their first road win of the season, and have pivoted to above 50 percent chance to make the playoffs in the process.
8 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(10-6-3)
Week 18: v. TBR, v. ATL
6
Last Week:
2
That was a tough week for the Hounds, and it gets no easier with the Tampa Bay Rowdies coming to Highmark Stadium on Wednesday night for what is a must-see clash
9 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(8-6-4)
Week 18: @ CLT
4
Last Week:
13
It’s not just that the Switchbacks can light up the scoreboard given the faintest opportunity, it’s also that some of the goals they score are just exceptional in quality. Just watch the highlights against RGVFC again to see what I mean.
10 San Antonio FC
(6-5-6)
Week 18: v. SLC
3
Last Week:
7
Here’s hoping everyone’s safe and well in San Antonio and ready for action next week when they’re set to play host to El Paso.
11 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(11-6-0)
Week 18: @ PIT
3
Last Week:
14
The Rowdies had to work hard to get the breakthrough, but with some notable names returning to the attacking corps in the past week, that win against Hartford could be the start of something good.
12 Atlanta United 2
(6-7-7)
Week 18: @ PIT
7
Last Week:
19
Atlanta’s up to third in the Central Division after seven points from the past three games, but with 20 games down, it could sure use some other teams to get stuck in neutral in their games in hand.
13 Hartford Athletic
(8-6-3)
Week 18: v. CHS(W), @ MIA
2
Last Week:
15
Tuesday night’s win against Charleston was much more like it from the Athletic, and new arrivals Darwin Lom and Justin Haak looked like they’re going fit right in for Hartford’s playoff drive.
14 OKC Energy FC
(5-7-7)
Week 18: v. LOU
8
Last Week:
6
Letting a late lead slip again to Atlanta before Saturday’s defeat in Indy made for a disappointing week for OKC, and with Louisville coming to town on Sunday, it’s going to be a big test to try and bounce back.
15 San Diego Loyal SC
(7-8-3)
Week 18: v. LV, v. OC
7
Last Week:
8
SD Loyal had been able to at least rely on its home form to keep its playoff bid afloat. Now it’s lost three in a row at Torero Stadium going into Wednesday night’s game against Las Vegas, which is feeling like a must-win.
16 Memphis 901 FC
(5-5-6)
Week 18: --
2
Last Week:
18
Memphis would have loved to take victory in one of its two home games last week but considering the quality of the opposition, a couple of points against Colorado Springs and Birmingham will do to stay in the middle of the playoff race.
17 Rio Grande Valley FC
(8-6-5)
Week 18: @ ATX(T), @ ELP
8
Last Week:
9
The Toros got run off the park by the Switchbacks on Saturday before settling the ship with a draw in Austin on Tuesday night. Can they find the same magic that handed El Paso its only defeat in 2021 this weekend?
18 Sacramento Republic FC
(5-6-6)
Week 18: @ PHX
2
Last Week:
20
We got to see the two sides of Sacramento in the past week, the one that can’t create chances consistently and the one that produces and finishes. If we get more of the latter moving forward, this six-game undefeated streak is going to have a few more victories.
19 Charleston Battery
(7-7-3)
Week 18: @ HFD(L), @ NY
3
Last Week:
16
The Battery have given away penalty kicks in three consecutive games, moving to a league-high this season with eight penalties conceded. As tight as the Atlantic playoff race is going to be, they’ve got to break that habit.
20 FC Tulsa
(7-9-1)
Week 18: @ BHM
3
Last Week:
17
After Saturday’s loss in Louisville, the next five games for Tulsa – which include four against teams above it in the Central Division – are going to be crucial to the club’s playoff chances.
21 Austin Bold FC
(6-5-7)
Week 18: v. RGV(T)

Last Week:
21
Austin is playing things very tight right now, and that might not be enough to hold onto a playoff place in the end. Monday night’s game with New Mexico is going to be pivotal.
22 Indy Eleven
(6-7-4)
Week 18: @ LDN, @ SKC
5
Last Week:
27
Finally, a second win at home this season that brought some hope that this thing can be turned around. Indy’s got to get another win on Wednesday night away to Loudoun to keep its momentum going.
23 New Mexico United
(6-6-5)
Week 18: v. OAK
2
Last Week:
25
There might be no more devastating way to give up a victory than the manner New Mexico did on Saturday night, but the return of Chris Wehan is a big move that could pay off handsomely as this side looks for more attacking consistency.
24 Orange County SC
(7-6-5)
Week 18: v. TAC, @ SD
2
Last Week:
26
Orange County came so close to pulling a massive victory in Phoenix, but that’s still one win in seven games overall ahead of what’s now a really key game at home to Tacoma.
25 Real Monarchs SLC
(4-10-4)
Week 18: @ SA
1
Last Week:
24
The Monarchs will sit this weekend out as well after their scheduled bye last weekend and prepare for a first meeting with Indy Eleven a week from Saturday.
26 Oakland Roots SC
(2-8-4)
Week 18: @ NM, @ LV
5
Last Week:
31
Roots SC picked up four points in two games and looked like the better team in both contests. That’s a solid platform to build on as it heads to New Mexico on Wednesday night.
27 Las Vegas Lights FC
(5-10-2)
Week 18: @ SD, v. OAK
5
Last Week:
22
Lights FC could be right there in the playoff race in the Pacific Division, but after Saturday’s defeat to Sacramento the side has now dropped 14 points from winning positions this season, tied for the most in the league.
28 LA Galaxy II
(5-9-4)
Week 18: --
5
Last Week:
23
The team Las Vegas is tied with? That’s right, Los Dos, after Owen Lambe’s early red card proved costly against Oakland. The Galaxy II head to face Lights FC on Saturday in a game where neither side might want to score the opening goal.
29 New York Red Bulls II
(3-10-4)
Week 18: v. CHS

Last Week:
29
The Red Bulls II’s playoff chances got even slimmer after last week’s defeat to the Independence, but Omar Sowe continues to come on impressively in the club’s attacking line.
30 Loudoun United FC
(2-14-1)
Week 18: v. IND

Last Week:
30
Loudoun is now 1 of 4 from the penalty spot this season after another key miss against the Battery cost them a chance at a lead and a result last Friday. Nothing seems to be going right for United this season.
31 Sporting Kansas City II
(3-12-5)
Week 18: v. IND
3
Last Week:
28
SKC II has now lost five in a row after Saturday’s drubbing by Atlanta. It is getting close to the tipping point where the gap in points to the playoffs becomes larger than the number of games it has remaining.

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