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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 2

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 03/20/23, 4:30PM EDT

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Louisville, San Diego take top two positions after consecutive wins to start campaign

It’s early, but let’s be honest – Louisville City FC looks like the team we expected.

Two road games, two victories, and what’s more the club’s attack hasn’t really clicked into gear yet.

There’s a reason why LouCity has the record it does, both from a continuity standpoint and a culture standpoint. It keeps its core players, it develops from within, and it expects success.

And as much rightful hype as there is around Josh Wynder right now, keep an eye on Carlos Moguel Jr. The 19-year-old midfielder was one of the players Head Coach Danny Cruz called on to ensure the lead stuck after Brian Ownby’s red card, a sign of the level of trust Cruz has in his homegrown player.

There are other good stories around the league right now, but LouCity’s combination of youth and experience has them exactly where they expect to be, and on top of our Power Rankings again.

Here’s how this week’s rankings look.

Birmingham Legion FC Charleston Battery Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC Detroit City FC El Paso Locomotive FC Hartford Athletic Indy Eleven Las Vegas Lights FC
Loudoun United FC Louisville City FC Memphis 901 FC The Miami FC Monterey Bay F.C. New Mexico United 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 Louisville City FC
(2-0-0)
Week 3: v. ELP
1
Last Week:
2
The manner in which LouCity closed out its victory in Monterey Bay on Saturday was – as defender Sean Totsch might say – tucked in, locked in.
2 San Diego Loyal SC
(2-0-0)
Week 3: @ SAC
2
Last Week:
4
SD Loyal has put 11 of its 17 un-blocked shots on target, and has a 23.5 percent shot conversion rate early. That’s a very good rate if they can sustain it.
3 San Antonio FC
(1-0-1)
Week 3: v. COS
2
Last Week:
1
San Antonio hammered away at Loudoun United’s defense on Sunday afternoon but couldn’t find a winner in the second half. Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way.
4 Sacramento Republic FC
(1-0-1)
Week 3: v. SD
1
Last Week:
3
Sacramento’s resilience was on display against a Charleston Battery side that looks solid. Russell Cicerone hitting the ground running in his production is a very good sign.
5 Birmingham Legion FC
(1-0-1)
Week 3: @ HFD
2
Last Week:
5
Birmingham probably won’t be able to rely on a Tyler Pasher highlight-reel every game, but how fun is it to see him back and thriving?
6 New Mexico United
(1-0-0)
Week 3: ---
4
Last Week:
10
New Mexico didn’t offer Miami much in the attacking third, and earned victory when Justin Portillo was clinical from the spot. Good start.
7 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(1-0-1)
Week 3: v. MIA
5
Last Week:
12
The Hounds getting four points from two difficult places to visit to start the season is a very good sign. They’ll be amped for Friday night’s home opener with Miami.
8 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(0-0-2)
Week 3: @ CHS
3
Last Week:
5
The Rowdies just managed to salvage a point on the road in Orange County thanks in part to a massive game by Aaron Guillen, who continues to show his quality on the back line.
9 Indy Eleven
(0-0-1)
Week 3: @ DET
1
Last Week:
8
Douglas Martinez Jr. figures to be the third prong in Indy’s attack after his arrival from Sacramento. It’s a very good pickup given his ability to stretch the field with his speed.
10 Charleston Battery
(0-0-2)
Week 3: v. TBR
1
Last Week:
9
The Battery still look glass-half-full, but they’re going to need to start learning to either put games away with additional goals or close them out with a shutout to take the next step.
11 Loudoun United FC
(1-0-1)
Week 3: @ TUL
2
Last Week:
13
Before kickoff, Loudoun would have snatched your hand off if you’d offered them a draw at home to San Antonio. After that first half, though, that lead could have been a bit more secure.
12 Monterey Bay F.C.
(1-1-0)
Week 3: @ RGV
6
Last Week:
6
A step back from opening night’s attacking brilliance, and maybe understandably given the opposition. Friday night in South Texas should give us a good barometer of where this team’s level is.
13 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(1-0-1)
Week 3: @ SA
6
Last Week:
19
The Switchbacks might not want to rely on late goals too heavily, but four points from the first two games of the season is a solid return.
14 Rio Grande Valley FC
(0-0-2)
Week 3: v. MB
2
Last Week:
16
The Toros had their good moments again, but it wouldn’t have been harsh if Oakland had grabbed all three points in the closing stages.
15 Miami FC
(0-1-1)
Week 3: @ PIT
4
Last Week:
11
Two home games, no wins for Miami in a theme that’s reminiscent of last year when the road was much kinder to Head Coach Anthony Pulis’ side. Maybe Friday’s trip to visit Pittsburgh will help?
16 Orange County SC
(0-1-1)
Week 3: v. LV
1
Last Week:
17
OCSC definitely deserved their first point of the season against Tampa Bay, and arguably deserved more. Head Coach Richard Chaplow’s side is going to have to start closing out games better.
17 Detroit City FC
(1-1-0)
Week 3: v. IND
4
Last Week:
21
The way Detroit pinched in to win possession just inside El Paso’s half was key to coming away with three points. Excellent second-half display, albeit against a struggling opponent.
18 Oakland Roots SC
(0-1-1)
Week 3: v. MEM
2
Last Week:
20
Roots SC was so close to its first win of the season, instead of just its first point. Still, keep playing like that and good things should happen.
19 FC Tulsa
(0-1-1)
Week 3: v. LDN
4
Last Week:
15
It was all looking really good for FC Tulsa in Birmingham after Marcus Epps’ highlight-reel strike. Then Tyler Pasher and Neco Brett showed up and ruined it.
20 Phoenix Rising FC
(0-1-1)
Week 3: ---
6
Last Week:
14
No question, this was a better performance by Phoenix – Carlos Harvey’s energy was very welcome – but they need to find their shooting boots and hit the target more consistently.
21 Las Vegas Lights FC
(0-0-1)
Week 3: @ OC
2
Last Week:
23
Lights FC and Cubo Torres get to head to Orange County next weekend for their second game of the season. Should be interesting.
22 Hartford Athletic FC
(0-1-1)
Week 3: v. BHM
2
Last Week:
24
Hartford’s goal against Colorado Springs was a great example of why the club went and got Elvis Amoh. We’re all hoping that Andre Lewis is OK after his late-game injury, too.
23 Memphis 901 FC
(0-2-0)
Week 3: @ OAK
5
Last Week:
18
Memphis hadn’t conceded at least three goals in consecutive regular games since the end of the 2020 season. New goalkeeper Bill Hamid’s got his work cut out.
24 El Paso Locomotive FC
(0-3-0)
Week 3: @ LOU
2
Last Week:
22
Three games, three losses. There’s signs of a good team here, but El Paso’s got to cut out the mistakes.

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