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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 10

By USLChampionship.com Staff, 05/16/22, 4:00PM EDT

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Orange County’s five-goal outburst was cathartic, but a needed boost for title holders

Hello, and welcome back to the USL Championship Power Rankings, where we’ve got a new No. 1 after Louisville City FC became the last side to fall from the ranks of the undefeated.

A short way away from Dignity Health Sports Park on Friday night, however, Orange County SC was pulling off somewhat of a rarity.

Its five-goal outburst in the first half of its clash with FC Tulsa at Championship Soccer Stadium – including a hat trick for offseason arrival Milan Iloski – marked just the 10th time in the Championship’s history that a team had scored at least five goals in the opening stanza of a regular season game.

For the defending Championship title holders, it was a display that you might argue was overdue. Now, we’ll have to see what happens next as the side continues to try and rise the Western Conference standings in the coming weeks.

“It's good, it was fun,” said Iloski, who became the fourth player in OCSC history to bag three goals in a game. “That's the reason I came to OC, to score goals, get back on the field, and win games. It was a great opportunity for me tonight and a great performance from the team. It was it was a pleasure and hopefully not the last one.”

Orange County raised its goal total by 50 percent in one night, moving to 15 goals overall for the season thanks to its best attacking display since the 2018 season. That year, the side finished top of the Western Conference.

The chase is now on to get among those leading contenders again.

Atlanta United 2 Birmingham Legion FC Charleston Battery Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Detroit City 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 Monterey Bay F.C. New Mexico United
New York Red Bulls II Oakland Roots SC Orange County SC Phoenix Rising FC Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Rio Grande Valley FC Sacramento Republic FC San Antonio FC
San Diego Loyal SC Tampa Bay Rowdies FC Tulsa

Biggest Movers

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary

1 San Antonio FC
(8-2-0)
Week 11: v. COS
3
Last Week:
4
Coming off Open Cup elimination, San Antonio arrived in Miami and thoroughly dominated their hosts. Saturday’s showdown for first place with Colorado Springs is going to be must-see.
2 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(8-1-0)
Week 11: @ SA

Last Week:
2
The Switchbacks have made notable progress in Year 2 under Head Coach Brendan Burke. We’ll find out just how much in San Antonio, where they suffered two 3-0 defeats last season.
3 Louisville City FC
(7-1-3)
Week 11: v. MB
2
Last Week:
1
On two days rest after 120 minutes and penalties, LouCity’s undefeated start came to an end in LA. You and I might be forgiving of that, but they certainly weren’t postgame, which sums up why the club is where it is each year.
4 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(7-2-1)
Week 11: @ TBR
4
Last Week:
8
The Hounds have racked up 2.00+ Expected Goals each of the past two weeks but scored only once each time. They won both games, which matters most, but might not be so fortunate against Tampa Bay.
5 Detroit City FC
(6-2-2)
Week 11: @ MIA, v. ATL
4
Last Week:
9
Le Rouge put their setback in Tulsa behind it, although Loudoun gave as good as it got at times on Saturday night. Antoine Hoppenot’s form is reason for major optimism moving forward.
6 Sacramento Republic FC
(4-2-2)
Week 11: @ ELP

Last Week:
6
Republic FC got the weekend off after its Open Cup win against Phoenix and will be looking to make a move on Wednesday night as it heads to face El Paso.
7 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(4-3-4)
Week 11: v. PIT
7
Last Week:
14
The Rowdies were one of the teams underperforming its Expected Goals mark this season going into the weekend. Not anymore. Sunday night’s result in Phoenix will live long in the memory.
8 San Diego Loyal SC
(6-2-2)
Week 11: @ RGV
1
Last Week:
7
After Saturday’s postponement, SD Loyal takes its show on the road to face Rio Grande Valley FC this weekend looking to turn around a defeat the last time they headed to H-E-B Park at the start of last season.
9 New Mexico United
(3-2-4)
Week 11: v. PHX
1
Last Week:
10
You can imagine the relief during New Mexico’s trip home from Charleston to see Chris Wehan’s name on the scoresheet finally this campaign. That’s a terrific boost before Phoenix’s visit on Saturday.
10 Memphis 901 FC
(6-2-1)
Week 11: v. LA, @ LDN
1
Last Week:
11
901 FC has won four out of five after its victory against Indy Eleven on Saturday and continues to build a case for itself as one of the best teams in the Eastern Conference.
11 Phoenix Rising FC
(6-4-0)
Week 11: @ NM
8
Last Week:
3
There are injury problems for Rising FC currently, including the absence of Aodhan Quinn, James Musa and Kevon Lambert on Sunday, but Sunday’s game was one the side will have to learn from, fast.
12 Orange County SC
(3-3-3)
Week 11: v. ELP
4
Last Week:
16
Orange County delivered the second five-goal first half in the Championship this season against an FC Tulsa side that looked like it had regained its bearings last week. Impressive stuff from Milan Iloski and company.
13 The Miami FC
(4-4-2)
Week 11: v. DET, @ CHS
8
Last Week:
5
Miami had more than a week to prepare for Saturday’s game with San Antonio and just couldn’t find an answer for the visitors. Got to be better with Detroit on deck on Wednesday.
14 El Paso Locomotive FC
(4-6-1)
Week 11: v. SAC, @ OC
1
Last Week:
13
El Paso had a lifeline to grab a point on the road in Pittsburgh after being largely outplayed and couldn’t take advantage as Luis Solignac’s penalty kick was saved. That makes for a miserable trip back across the country.
15 Las Vegas Lights FC
(4-4-3)
Week 11: @ BHM

Last Week:
15
Las Vegas continues to show resilience, coming back from an early deficit to earn a draw with Oakland Roots SC on Saturday. The side is winless in four games now, though, and the pack is closing in.
16 Indy Eleven
(4-3-2)
Week 11: v. NY
4
Last Week:
12
Indy’s trip to Memphis was a good test of how far the Boys in Blue are from the top sides in the Eastern Conference. The answer we got on Saturday night was not quite there yet.
17 Birmingham Legion FC
(3-4-3)
Week 11: v. LV
1
Last Week:
18
A Wednesday night game with Las Vegas Lights FC has Birmingham in with a chance to get into the playoff positions again. It really could do with taking that opportunity.
18 Rio Grande Valley FC
(4-6-0)
Week 11: v. SD
2
Last Week:
20
The Toros continued their run of one-goal results with a win against Monterey Bay on the road. The question now is whether they can string a run of results together with three of their next four at home.
19 LA Galaxy II
(4-4-2)
Week 11: @ MEM, @ OAK
3
Last Week:
22
The home version of Los Dos showed up and spoiled Louisville City FC’s undefeated start to the season. Now we get to see what the road version can do against another strong side in Memphis on Wednesday.
20 Oakland Roots SC
(1-4-6)
Week 11: v. LA
1
Last Week:
19
Roots SC keeps feeling like it’s doing enough to win games but can’t quite get over the line. Draws are as much death to playoff hopes as defeats, and Oakland’s now got six in 11 games.
21 Hartford Athletic
(2-6-1)
Week 11: @ TUL
2
Last Week:
23
The Athletic grabbed a must-win before a sellout crowd thanks to Corey Hertzog’s stoppage-time winner on Saturday night. The competition’s going to get tougher from here, though.
22 FC Tulsa
(4-7-0)
Week 11: v. HFD
5
Last Week:
17
Tulsa has conceded the second-most goals in the league (24) and has the highest Expected Goals Against mark (20.74xGA) of any team in the league. That’s just not playoff material.
23 Monterey Bay F.C.
(2-7-0)
Week 11: @ LOU
2
Last Week:
21
Monterey Bay got Cardinale Stadium jumping early on Saturday but let the lead slip away against Rio Grande Valley FC. There are still positives to build on, but MBFC needs a run of results soon.
24 Loudoun United FC
(2-7-1)
Week 11: v. MEM

Last Week:
24
The chances were there for Loudoun to get the lead in Detroit, but when that didn’t happen the game slipped away and the late rally was never likely to result in joy for the visitors.
25 New York Red Bulls II
(1-8-1)
Week 11: @ IND

Last Week:
25
The Red Bulls II have conceded seven goals after the 76th minute so far this season, more than any other 15-minute segment of the game. It cost them again on Saturday.
26 Charleston Battery
(1-7-1)
Week 11: v. PHX

Last Week:
26
The Battery keep trying to find answers in the attacking third after being held at bay by New Mexico on Saturday. Time is starting to run out to find a solution, even at this stage of the season.
27 Atlanta United 2
(2-7-0)
Week 11: v. @ DET

Last Week:
27
Atlanta suffered a 4-0 defeat at home when it first visited Detroit City FC this season. On Saturday it heads for the rematch at Keyworth Stadium.

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