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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 14

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 06/13/22, 4:00PM EDT

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The Rowdies’ numbers are up, and so are the defending Eastern Conference title holders

Welcome back to the USL Championship Power Rankings, where we’re seeing a familiar name rise up the rankings and the Eastern Conference standings after a strong five-game run.

If you’ll recall, we might have mentioned at the end of April that while things weren’t great for the Tampa Bay Rowdies, there was reason for optimism. They then promptly went and lost at home in dramatic fashion to San Diego Loyal SC the following weekend.

However, the premise then is now looking solid, and so are the Rowdies once again.

Now up to third place in the Eastern Conference standings, and No. 2 in this week’s Power Rankings, Head Coach Neill Collins’ side is now living up to the potential its underlying numbers showed during its downturn in results. Since the start of May, the Rowdies have scored 12 goals in five games while sporting an Expected Goals mark of 10.5xG according to Opta, while having conceded four goals at an Expected Goals Against mark of 4.6xGA.

Everything is once again going to plan, with Leo Fernandes taking over the penalty kick duties and going 2-for-2 in the past two weeks, and CJ Cochran continuing to deliver solid performances in goal after returning following the Raiko Arozarena experiment.  

The Rowdies get an interesting test this weekend as a resurgent Charleston Battery visit Al Lang Stadium, but the game to circle now is July 2’s showdown against Memphis 901 FC in downtown St. Petersburg. That could be for first place in the standings and will be a must-see.

Now, here’s how the rest of the picture looks across the league.

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 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(10-2-0)
Week 15: vs.IND
1
Last Week:
2
The Switchbacks earned their 10th win of the season on Saturday night and are sharing the load collectively. Twenty-three of the side’s 27 goals in 12 games have been assisted, only Memphis has registered more (24).
2 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(7-3-5)
Week 15: v. CHS
1
Last Week:
3
The Rowdies are looking like the defending Eastern Conference title-holders, and they’re now narrowly the favorite to claim a third consecutive piece of silverware in the East according to fivethirtyeight.com.
3 San Antonio FC
(10-3-0)
Week 15: vs. OAK
2
Last Week:
5
Santiago Patino’s first goal of the season was a welcome boost for SAFC in Monterey Bay, allowing the visitors to keep pace with Colorado Springs at the top of the West.
4 New Mexico United
(6-2-4)
Week 15: @ OAK

Last Week:
4
New Mexico takes its four-game winning streak on the road to Oakland on Wednesday after a bye week, where it will have to be diligent late if it takes an early lead.
5 Memphis 901 FC
(9-3-1)
Week 15: @ HFD
4
Last Week:
1
The Coach of the Month award curse struck 901 FC hours after Ben Pirmann’s award was announced last Wednesday. The upcoming visit to Hartford offers a chance to rebound.
6 Sacramento Republic FC
(6-3-4)
Week 15: vs. LA
2
Last Week:
8
Republic FC showed all the characteristics you’d expect from a title contender in its victory against Detroit City FC. A few more chances wouldn’t go amiss, though.
7 Louisville City FC
(8-3-3)
Week 15: vs. OC

Last Week:
7
A week off to reset could help LouCity as it gets to host Orange County SC this Saturday, the first of three home games out of four coming up on the schedule.
8 El Paso Locomotive FC
(7-6-3)
Week 15: @ DET
2
Last Week:
10
For the original members of Locomotive FC’s squad, Saturday’s win in Phoenix has been a long time coming. That’s five games undefeated now ahead of this weekend’s ESPN spot in Detroit.
9 Birmingham Legion FC
(6-4-4)
Week 15:---
4
Last Week:
13
Anderson Asiedu was the man of the moment on Wednesday night. There’s no-one else the Magic City Brigade would have rather seen deliver victory against their biggest rival.
10 Detroit City FC
(7-3-4)
Week 15: vs. ELP
4
Last Week:
6
Two of Le Rouge’s three losses this season have come in their two games so far against Western Conference foes. They’ll be aiming to avoid a third as Locomotive FC comes to down on Saturday.
11 San Diego Loyal SC
(7-3-4)
Week 15: vs. LV
3
Last Week:
14
Very solid performance by SD Loyal as it got back on home turf against Hartford, and it could kick off a strong run through the end of the month at Torero Stadium with three winnable games ahead.
12 Oakland Roots SC
(4-4-8)
Week 15: vs. NM, @ SA
1
Last Week:
11
Oakland’s ability to rally is impressive, but it’s only great while it’s going in your favor. Head Coach Juan Guerra is looking for more, and rightly so
13 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(7-4-3)
Week 15: @ RGV
4
Last Week:
9
The Hounds are winless in four games after Saturday’s defeat in Charleston, and it might be time to start ringing some quiet alarm bells.
14 The Miami FC
(5-5-6)
Week 15:---
2
Last Week:
12
Not a great week for Miami, giving up a lead at home and then losing to your biggest rival. That leaves plenty of food for thought in the upcoming bye.
15 Phoenix Rising FC
(7-7-0)
Week 15: @LDN

Last Week:
15
Joey Calistri probably spoke for everyone at Wild Horse Pass with his exasperated complaint after being denied at close range on Saturday. It’s just not going Phoenix’s way right now.
16 Indy Eleven
(6-4-3)
Week 15: @ COS

Last Week:
16
Indy’s in solid position after picking up a point in Miami, but the next two weeks are going to be a serious challenge away at Colorado Springs and San Diego.
17 Las Vegas Lights FC
(5-6-4)
Week 15: @ SD
6
Last Week:
23
Welcome back, Danny Trejo. We’ve missed you, and so have Lights FC’s fans. Strong win against Orange County to get back in the win column, and not a moment too soon.
18 Rio Grande Valley FC
(6-8-1)
Week 15: vs. PIT
1
Last Week:
17
The Toros had the result seemingly in hand and then became the latest victim of Oakland’s late-game magic. That’s a first draw of the season, and a major missed opportunity for the Toros.
19 Monterey Bay F.C.
(4-9-0)
Week 15: @ LA
1
Last Week:
18
The difference between the first and second meetings between Monterey Bay F.C. and San Antonio FC showed the strides MBFC has made, but it still wasn’t quite enough to get a result.
20 LA Galaxy II
(5-7-3)
Week 15: vs. MB
@ SAC
1
Last Week:
19
Los Dos’ loss to Colorado Springs was the first time they’d suffered defeat after scoring first this season. They’ve still got the chance to jump back into the playoff positions this week, though.
21 FC Tulsa
(4-8-2)
Week 15: @NY
1
Last Week:
22
With a seven-point gap to make up to the playoff places, Tulsa could really use three points on the road against the New York Red Bulls II on Wednesday night.
22 Charleston Battery
(2-9-2)
Week 15: @TBR
5
Last Week:
27
Saturday’s win against Pittsburgh was the sort of jumpstart the Battery have needed for a while. If they can continue it this weekend against Tampa Bay, they might just have life after all.
23 Orange County SC
(3-6-5)
Week 15: @ LOU
3
Last Week:
20
Three consecutive defeats, and the latest without recording a shot on goal. Things have to turn around quickly for the defending title holders.
24 Atlanta United 2
(3-10-1)
Week 15: vs. HFD
2
Last Week:
26
Raimar’s brace got Atlanta out of its downward spiral. The playoff places are still a long way off, but this is at least a start to trying to bridge that gap.
25 Loudoun United FC
(3-9-2)
Week 15: vs. PHX
1
Last Week:
24
One step forward with victory against the Red Bulls II, one step back on the road at Atlanta. The consistency just isn’t quite there for United.
26 Hartford Athletic
(2-8-2)
Week 15: vs. MEM
@ATL
5
Last Week:
21
Saturday’s loss at San Diego Loyal SC saw Hartford record its second-lowest Expected Goals mark of the season. That’s just not going to get it done.
27 New York Red Bulls II
(1-11-2)
Week 15: vs. TUL
2
Last Week:
25
The Red Bulls II are now all alone at the bottom of the standings after Wednesday’s loss to Loudoun, while sporting a -16 goal differential, last in the league.

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