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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 22

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 08/07/23, 3:00PM EDT

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Orange County’s surge into the West’s top four sees it take top spot in this week’s rankings

Since Orange County SC took victory against Rio Grande Valley FC on June 3, no team has won more games in the USL Championship.

That, combined with the other results the league saw this weekend, vaults the 2021 USL Championship title winners to the top of the Power Rankings this weekend as the side’s run of form reaches dizzying heights.

We already knew the qualities Milan Iloski would bring this team going into the year, but the identity the club has built under current interim Head Coach Morten Karlsen has seemingly figured out the rest of the puzzle, putting together the talented pieces we thought OCSC had in its squad to impressive effect.

It’s almost a throwback to two years ago, in fact, and there are omens to respect in that regard.

OCSC’s four-game winning streak? It’s longest since a six-game winning streak late in the 2021 season.

It’s win against San Diego Loyal SC? A first for the club since the 2021 season, ending a four-game winless run in the series.

Winning on the road after trailing at halftime? The first time Orange County has done that since rallying against Las Vegas Lights FC in June 2021.

We’re not saying it’s happening again, but the more performances it puts in like Saturday’s, the more OCSC looks like it can be a challenger 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

9 COS 6 SD, RGV

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary
1 Orange County SC
(9-9-4)
Week 23: --		 3
Last Week:
4		 Orange County is currently in line to host a Conference Quarterfinal in the playoffs. You wouldn’t have imagined that two months ago.
2 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(12-4-8)
Week 23: v. HFD		 3
Last Week:
5		 The Hounds locked out a strong Tampa Bay attack after grabbing an early lead at Highmark. No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference is theirs to lose now.
3 San Antonio FC
(11-4-7)
Week 23: @ NM		 3
Last Week:
6		 It didn’t look like it was going to be San Antonio’s night in Phoenix until, suddenly, it was. That’s the power of their persistence.
4 Sacramento Republic FC
(12-4-8)
Week 23: @ BHM		 3
Last Week:
7		 Three consecutive wins and two shutouts included, that’s getting back to what made Sacramento so successful early in the season.
5 Oakland Roots SC
(10-6-7)
Week 23: --- 		3
Last Week:
8		 Six games without defeat after winning in Charleston, Roots SC is keeping touch with the frontrunners in the West.
6 Charleston Battery
(11-6-6)
Week 23: @ LOU 		5
Last Week:
1		 The Battery did enough to take something from its contest against Oakland, consider this a balance to the games they’ve managed to pull out of the fire.
7 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(11-6-5)
Week 23: v. MB		 4
Last Week:
3		 The Rowdies just couldn’t seem to figure out how to break down the Hounds effectively on Saturday night. That’s the learning curve Nicky Law is going to face as a young coach.
8 San Diego Loyal SC
(9-6-6)
Week 23: v. LDN, v. MEM		 6
Last Week:
2		 SD Loyal was rolling at halftime but just got outplayed in the second half by Orange County. First time they’ve lost this season after leading at the break.
9 Miami FC
(6-9-8)
Week 23: v. IND 		4
Last Week:
13		 Miami might have figured things out just in time to save their season. Three consecutive wins, and this one the most convincing of the lot against El Paso.
10 Louisville City FC
(10-7-5)
Week 23: v. CHS, V.RGV 		4
Last Week:
14		 That was a statement win on the road against a hot opponent, and Cameron Lancaster heating up is going to be a gamechanger if this keeps up.
11 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(10-11-2)
Week 23: v. TUL		 9
Last Week:
19		 On balance, the Switchbacks probably deserved their win against Birmingham. They’ll be looking for more of the same in the USL Summer Showcase on Wednesday night.
12 New Mexico United
(8-9-4)
Week 23: v. SA		 1
Last Week:
11		 New Mexico had its chances but couldn’t add to its lead in Hartford, and it ended up paying the price. Tough loss given the schedule that lies ahead.
13 Birmingham Legion FC
(9-10-2)
Week 23: @ IND, v. SAC		 3
Last Week:
10		 Legion FC only allowed one shot on target in the second half, but it ended up sinking them after what had been a better display after the break.
14 FC Tulsa
(7-9-7)
Week 23: @ COS 		2
Last Week:
12		 No cause for panic yet, but we may be about to find out what this Tulsa team is made of after consecutive three-goal defeats.
15 Rio Grande Valley FC
(6-7-9)
Week 23: @ LOU		 6
Last Week:
9		 Las Vegas was due, and deserved its win, but the Toros didn’t look quite themselves on Saturday night and need to avoid further slip-ups like this.
16 Memphis 901 FC
(9-7-6)
Week 23: @ SD		 4
Last Week:
20		 Everyone take a deep breath. The winless run is over, and 901 FC has a healthy margin between itself and the teams below it in the standings.
17 Detroit City FC
(6-11-6)
Week 23: v. CHS		 1
Last Week:
16		 Le Rouge won’t get caught looking ahead, but that early-September clash with Miami is looking awfully important right now.
18 Hartford Athletic
(4-14-4)
Week 23: @ PIT		 4
Last Week:
22		 That’s quite the way to score your first goal in the USL Championship, Beverly Makangila. Is Hartford – winners of two of its last three – turning a corner?
19 Phoenix Rising FC
(7-7-8)
Week 23: v. ELP		 4
Last Week:
15		 Rising FC did basically everything right after going down a player and then imploded in spectacular fashion with less than five minutes to go. At least the rest of the night’s results didn’t hurt them.
20 Las Vegas Lights FC
(2-12-8)
Week 23: v. LDN 		4
Last Week:
24		 Finally, a home win for Lights FC, and completely deserved as well. More of this, please.
21 Indy Eleven
(8-10-7)
Week 23: v. BHM, @ MIA		 4
Last Week:
17		 Indy is still right there in the standings, but after consecutive defeats its two games this week – especially Saturday’s trip to Miami – are going to be massive.
22 El Paso Locomotive FC
(9-10-5)
Week 23: @ PHX		 4
Last Week:
18		 It just isn’t happening for El Paso right now. Back to the drawing board ahead of a crucial game against Phoenix on Saturday night.
24 Monterey Bay F.C.
(7-12-6)
Week 23: @ TBR		 3
Last Week:
21		 Monterey Bay can’t quite get back on track right now, and visits to Tampa Bay and San Antonio in the next two weeks are a really tough assignment.
24 Loudoun United FC
(7-16-4)
Week 23: v. SAC
1
Last Week:
23		 Loudoun was fortunate to not fall again on Wednesday lunchtime against Memphis, and they’ve now not scored multiple goals in a game in more than a month.

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Tag(s): Power Rankings  San Antonio FC  CO Spring Switchbacks  Orange County SC  Phoenix Rising FC  Rio Grande Valley FC  Sacramento Republic FC  FC Tulsa  Charleston Battery  Louisville City FC  Pittsburgh Riverhounds  Tampa Bay Rowdies  Las Vegas Lights FC  Birmingham Legion FC  Indy Eleven  Memphis 901 FC  El Paso Locomotive FC  New Mexico United  Loudoun United FC  Hartford Athletic  San Diego Loyal SC  Miami FC  Oakland Roots SC  Detroit City FC  Monterey Bay F.C. 

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