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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 7

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 04/24/23, 4:30PM EDT

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El Paso moves into Top 10 after notable turnaround from slow start

In its first three home games of the season, El Paso Locomotive seemingly couldn’t get out of its own way.

There were defensive errors, and own goals, and nothing quite seemed to be going right for new Head Coach Brian Clarhaut as the side headed to face Louisville City FC.

And then, remarkably, the team delivered one of the best performances of the season in a 3-0 victory at Lynn Family Stadium and has barely looked back.

At one end of the field, Luis Solignac has found his range with four goals in the past three league games. His finish against the Hounds, as fortuitous as it might have been, made him the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.

The back line has tightened up, allowing only two goals and posting three shutouts over a four-game undefeated streak in league play that has vaulted Locomotive FC right back into the playoff positions. El Paso bent but didn’t break against the Hounds as it secured a 2-0 victory in which the good fortune went the way of the hosts at Southwest University Park.

“It wasn’t pretty but good teams win games like this,” said Clarhaut. “Our group is grinding and it’s not a coincidence that we are getting clean sheets now. The team is united and there is strong belief in how we defend. I give big credit to our group.”

Next weekend will come the biggest test yet of how far El Paso has come as it visits San Diego Loyal SC, which has been perfect on home turf at Torero Stadium this season. It feels, though, that Locomotive FC is going to be up for the challenge.

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 Sacramento Republic FC
(5-0-2)
Week 8: @ TUL

Last Week:
1
Republic FC is putting teams in the same sort of choke-hold that San Antonio was a season ago. One goal, and it’s probably night-night for your chances.
2 Charleston Battery
(4-0-3)
Week 8: v. COS

Last Week:
2
On balance, the Battery will be disappointed they didn’t find goal against Louisville City FC, and Augustine Williams’ red card means they’ll have to shuffle the deck against Colorado Springs.
3 Louisville City FC
(4-2-1)
Week 8: @ MEM

Last Week:
3
LouCity has four consecutive shutouts in all competitions after its trip to Charleston. If you don’t concede, you can’t lose.
4 San Diego Loyal SC
(4-1-2)
Week 8: v. ELP
1
Last Week:
5
SD Loyal is a perfect four wins from four at Torero Stadium after defeating the Rowdies on Sunday afternoon. That’s an impressive early-season run.
5 San Antonio FC
(3-1-3)
Week 8: @ LV
1
Last Week:
4
You could easily argue that San Antonio FC shouldn’t drop a spot after how well it played on Saturday night, but we’re in the results business around here. Needed to find a winner.
6 Monterey Bay F.C.
(3-2-2)
Week 8: v. RGV
1
Last Week:
7
Nevello Yoseke’s story is one we can all root for, and great for him to bag a game-winner for his first goal for the club. Christian Volesky’s heating up as well.
7 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(4-2-1)
Week 8: @ CHS
1
Last Week:
8
The Switchbacks turned things around against New Mexico and are into the top three in the West. The finishing could be sharper, but that should come in time.
8 Loudoun United FC
(3-2-1)
Week 8: @ PHX
1
Last Week:
9
Congratulations to Loudoun United FC and Ryan Martin on dodging the jinx of having a big complimentary feature story written about your Head Coach before a tough game.
9 El Paso Locomotive FC
(3-3-1)
Week 8: @ SD
3
Last Week:
12
Locomotive FC is undefeated in four games, and has won three of them in the league after Saturday’s victory against Pittsburgh. That’s much more like the Locos the fans want to see.
10 Birmingham Legion FC
(4-2-1)
Week 8: v. HFD
1
Last Week:
11
Hats off to Trevor Spangenberg for a lock entry to Save of the Week and a game-saving denial in Orange County. Great result on the road after last week’s defeat.
11 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(2-2-3)
Week 8: @ IND
5
Last Week:
6
The Hounds couldn’t quite find a way through El Paso’s defense, and Jahmali Waite’s gaffe ended up ensuring there wouldn’t be a way back. Still, some positives to take away.
12 Phoenix Rising FC
(1-1-4)
Week 8: v. LDN
1
Last Week:
13
Everyone on Rising FC’s squad should be buying Rocco Rios Novos’ beverages of choice at training this week. Another stellar display from the young Argentine in San Antonio.
13 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(1-4-2)
Week 8: @ DET
3
Last Week:
10
The Rowdies just aren’t finding enough chemistry in the final third. Only 7.04 Expected Goals in seven games, Leo Fernandes’ absence is really coming to the fore.
14 Memphis 901 FC
(1-2-2)
Week 8: v. LOU
8
Last Week:
22
That was about as vintage as Memphis performance as you could have hoped for at RGVFC. Good timing, too, considering this week’s Open Cup opportunity.
15 Orange County SC
(1-3-3)
Week 8: @ NM
1
Last Week:
14
Orange County pushed hard for an equalizer late and were denied by one of the best saves of the week. Bright stuff from Korede Osundina after he came on, too.
16 Hartford Athletic
(1-3-2)
Week 8: @ BHM

Last Week:
16
A weekend off to prepare for the New England Revolution in the Open Cup this week, and then a big test on the road on Sunday evening at Birmingham Legion FC.
17 Miami FC
(1-2-4)
Week 8: @ OAK
6
Last Week:
23
Miami scored more goals against Las Vegas on Sunday afternoon than it had in its prior six games of the regular season. Needs to be more where that came from.
18 Oakland Roots SC
(2-3-1)
Week 8: v. MIA
1
Last Week:
17
On one hand, Oakland has lost two in a row. On the other, there has been a lot to like about the way Roots SC has played despite that. Going to need to get back in the win column soon, though.
19 Las Vegas Lights FC
(0-1-4)
Week 8: @ SA
4
Last Week:
15
This is the moment where a four-game undefeated run becomes a five-game winless run, which doesn’t sound nearly as good. Big test this week for Lights FC to respond.
20 Indy Eleven
(1-3-2)
Week 8: v. PIT
1
Last Week:
19
Indy has suffered three consecutive defeats and conceded seven goals in that span, and the games don’t get any easier with Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC up next in the league.
21 New Mexico United
(1-3-1)
Week 8: v. OC
3
Last Week:
18
United got gifted a lead against Colorado Springs but couldn’t hold onto it. It’s going to have to take advantage of its upcoming run of home contests to get some attacking momentum.
22 Rio Grande Valley FC
(1-2-3)
Week 8: @ MB
2
Last Week:
20
The Toros ran into a buzzsaw against Memphis 901 FC and now they have to head West for another challenging opponent in Monterey Bay.
23 FC Tulsa
(1-3-3)
Week 7: v. SAC
2
Last Week:
21
Tulsa is still in the top eight but facing Sacramento this weekend is going to be a big test for the side as it tries to break a four-game winless streak.
24 Detroit City FC
(1-5-1)
Week 8: v. TBR

Last Week:
24
A league-fewest three goals in seven games and another game without a shot on target in Sacramento. Someone’s got to find a way to break through and lift this team.

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