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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 13

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 06/05/23, 4:30PM EDT

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Memphis’ fast start shook off any rust concern, and continued to vault side up Eastern standings

According to Memphis 901 FC Head Coach Stephen Glass, there was a slight concern as to how sharp his side would be coming off a bye week as it hosted Miami FC.

Safe to say, scoring the fastest goal in the USL Championship this season put some of those concerns to rest, but the manner of Memphis’ goal showed how in-sync this side feels right now.

It’s become a set play employed by clubs at all levels, but the crispness with which Aaron Molloy delivered a corner kick for Jeremy Kelly to strike home on the volley at the top of the penalty area was beautifully done and set the tone for a 5-1 win against Miami and a fourth consecutive victory overall for the side.

“The last time we played them we went down and that makes it so much harder for us,” said Kelly. “To get off to a fast start and go up a goal, we can focus on what we can control and get our rhythm.”

After an early wobble this season caused primarily by conceding goals early in games, Memphis is feeling close to a return to the peak it achieved last season when it set club records for goals, wins and points in finishing second in the Eastern Conference.

 

Since its four-game winning streak, the side has averaged 379 completed passes per game, recorded 12 Big Chances – second only to the Tampa Bay Rowdies, who’ve played more game in that span – and scored 11 goals. While we’ll still have to wait and see the full impact of Rodrigo da Costa’s arrival from Memphis 901 FC, there’s a lot to like here from Glass’ side.

Next up, a trip to Louisville City FC, where Memphis took victory in memorable fashion late last regular season. Another win would provide another major statement for a club continuing to rise.

Here’s how the rest of 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 El Paso Locomotive FC
(8-3-1)
Week 14: @ SA

Last Week:
1
Seven wins in a row and a victory against your biggest rival is exactly the momentum you need going into San Antonio for the first Copa Tejas clash of the season
2 Sacramento Republic FC
(8-1-4)
Week 14: @ SD

Last Week:
2
Republic FC escaped its first half against Tampa Bay on level terms and then put in a far better display in the second half. Probably also thrilled by San Diego’s comeback.
3 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(6-4-3)
Week 14: v. NM

Last Week:
3
The Rowdies couldn’t quite turn their first-half superiority into a proper advantage against Sacramento and it ended up coming back to bite them. Fascinating game overall.
4 Memphis 901 FC
(5-2-3)
Week 14: @ LOU
2
Last Week:
6
If that’s what we’re to expect from Memphis with its new lineup, count us in. Miami’s struggling, but that was excellent regardless.
5 San Antonio FC
(6-2-5)
Week 14: v. ELP
1
Last Week:
4
Even down a player, you’d not expect San Antonio to let a three-goal lead slip away like that. The home undefeated record lives, but Saturday’s game with El Paso should be a great one.
6 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(6-2-5)
Week 14: v. CHS
2
Last Week:
8
The Hounds weren’t at their best but still found a way to win thanks to Arturo Ordonez’s third consecutive game with a goal. Hopefully they were saving the good stuff for Tuesday and the Open Cup.
7 Oakland Roots SC
(6-4-2)
Week 14: @ PHX
2
Last Week:
9
Truth be told, Oakland might have won on Friday night by a wider margin. That’s still four wins in the last five games, though, and a rising place of prominence in the standings.
8 Louisville City FC
(6-3-3)
Week 14: v. MEM
3
Last Week:
5
Losing Brian Ownby early didn’t help, but we’re still a bit concerned about Louisville’s attack. Twelve goals in 12 games and a shooting accuracy rate of 38.4 percent isn’t what we were expecting.
9 San Diego Loyal SC
(6-4-3)
Week 14: @ SAC
1
Last Week:
10
Nice rally, but SD Loyal has conceded 12 goals in the first half now, most of any club in the league. They’ve got to cut that out to get where they want to go.
10 Indy Eleven
(4-5-3)
Week 14: v. HFD
4
Last Week:
14
Between Aodhan Quinn’s first and second penalty kicks, Charleston outshot Indy and had the best open-play chance even while down a man. A win’s a step forward, but more is going to be needed
11 Charleston Battery
(7-3-3)
Week 14: v. DET, @ PIT
4
Last Week:
7
Leland Archer’s red card could have blown the Battery’s plan to pieces early, but they still could have been on level terms before Indy pulled away late. Expect a solid bounce-back against Detroit.
12 Detroit City FC
(3-7-2)
Week 14: @ CHS
1
Last Week:
13
Le Rouge would move into the playoff places with a win on Wednesday night at Charleston. That’s how quickly things can turn around in the lower half of the Eastern Conference right now.
13 Phoenix Rising FC
(4-4-4)
Week 14: v. OAK
2
Last Week:
11
Two consecutive games in which Phoenix had a healthy advantage in shots, but no goals and a 1-0 defeat to show for it. A visit from Oakland isn’t going to be a simple task, either
14 New Mexico United
(4-5-2)
Week 14: @ TBR
2
Last Week:
12
Zach Prince’s departure was pre-ordained regardless of the result against El Paso, but it certainly wasn’t the performance he would have hoped to leave on.
15 Monterey Bay F.C.
(4-4-5)
Week 14: @ LV
3
Last Week:
18
What a difference a full-strength MBFC attacking unit can make. Monterey Bay was unlucky not to beat Tulsa in midweek and then found its shooting boots on Saturday night. Good progress.
16 FC Tulsa
(2-4-7)
Week 14: @ LDN
1
Last Week:
17
Tulsa got a stellar display from goalkeeper Michael Nelson to earn a point in Monterey Bay and it sounds like the club’s leaders aren’t done making deals to try and change the look of the squad.
17 Birmingham Legion FC
(5-7-1)
Week 14: --
2
Last Week:
15
Legion FC’s players got treated to a winning performance by the USFL’s Stallions on Saturday at Protective Stadium. They’ll look to do the same on Wednesday night in the Open Cup.
18 Orange County SC
(3-7-4)
Week 14: @ COS
4
Last Week:
22
Milan Iloski getting on the scoresheet was good, but Korede Osundina also finding the net is going to be a great boost of confidence for the youngster in an important win.
19 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(5-7-1)
Week 14: v. OC
3
Last Week:
16
Five consecutive defeats, all by one goal. This has got to be very frustrating for the Switchbacks at present.
20 Hartford Athletic
(2-7-3)
Week 14: @ IND
1
Last Week:
21
Hartford had a solid plan in the first half but couldn’t find a way past Oliver Semmle in Louisville’s net. Still, that’s the first point the Athletic have ever earned against LouCity, so silver linings.
21 Las Vegas Lights FC
(1-4-6)
Week 14: v. MB
1
Last Week:
20
Las Vegas’ one home game this month is against Monterey Bay on Saturday. They’re going to have to make that could given the schedule that comes after it.
22 Rio Grande Valley FC
(2-5-5)
Week 14: v. MIA
3
Last Week:
19
The Toros conceded twice in the first 20 minutes and never really seemed to be a threat to come back in the game. Not what you want to see.
23 Miami FC
(2-5-6)
Week 14: @ RGV

Last Week:
23
Look, I know the Miami Heat are an inspiring story, but this isn’t the time to emulate their ball-handling skills in your own penalty area.
24 Loudoun United FC
(3-9-1)
Week 14: v. TUL

Last Week:
24
No team has allowed more goals in the second half than Loudoun United with 14 concessions. That’s slipping into the same pattern as last season.

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