In the past weekend in the USL Championship, the top two teams in the Eastern Conference produced remarkable second-half performances, a new contender continued its club-record undefeated streak with a marquee victory, and the curtain came down for the third time so far this season for one of the league’s coaches.

Here are the three big storylines we took away from the action, our picks for who’s up and who’s down coming out of the weekend, and thoughts on everything else we saw around the league.

TOP THREE STORYLINES

1. LOUDOUN UNITED ISN’T GOING AWAY

Last season, Loudoun United FC made a reasonable start to the campaign. It took 10 points from its first six games, picked up a couple of wins in the U.S. Open Cup, and was asserting its new-found independence.

Then it all came crashing down as a seven-game losing streak in the league effectively derailed the side’s playoff hopes before the midpoint of the season.

So, when Loudoun made an up-and-down start to the current campaign, we were hesitant to rate the side as a serious playoff contender.

This past month – capped by an emphatic 2-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies on Saturday night at Segra Field – has changed that conversation.

• PIECES FIT: United now looks like a team that’s on its way to full realization with the experienced heads and younger faces meshing into a cohesive unit. Its 2.57 Expected Goals mark against Tampa Bay was its highest of a season, surpassing last week’s 2.38 mark against Miami FC.  

• ON A RUN: Loudoun is now undefeated in its last six games overall (4-0-2), the longest such streak in club history, while downing the Rowdies for the first time since 2019 gave the side a marquee name in its win list. It has scored 13 goals in that span.

As middling as the teams currently below seventh-placed Loudoun in the standings look, this is an opportunity the side needs to seize. There’s a breakthrough at hand.

2. LOUCITY WILL NEVER STOP GOING IN

At halftime on Saturday night, Birmingham Legion FC probably felt in a reasonable position against Louisville City FC. The game was scoreless, and Legion had limited the league’s most prolific attack to less than a handful of chances at Protective Stadium.

And then, as it has shown previously this season, LouCity’s attack exploded into life.

The visitors were relentless in the second half as four different players found the net including Wilson Harris, who also notched an assist in their 4-1 victory.

• MOVING IN WAVES: Here’s our friend John Morrissey’s breakdown of how it happened, with Sam Gleadle’s speed on the counterattack starting things off. From there, LouCity just kept sweeping forward as Legion struggled to stem the tide.

• EVERYONE EATS: While Harris now has 11 goals this season to sit second in the Golden Boot race, LouCity has now had 12 players record at least two goals this season. That’s just too many weapons for most teams to counter.

• HE SAID IT: “Coming in at halftime we had a really good discussion — obviously went through a few things tactically, and I thought the players were absolutely brilliant in the second half.” – LouCity Head Coach Danny Cruz

Every time LouCity has suffered a defeat this season, it’s responded with a win in its next outing. That’s why at the halfway point of the season it’s the clear team to beat.

3. NEW MEXICO IS THE NEW SAN ANTONIO

There’s are elements to what New Mexico United is doing this season that defy expectation.

Saturday night’s 3-2 victory at San Antonio FC – which came after being down a goal and reduced to 10 players in the first half – is right up there. Just ask Head Coach Eric Quill.

“Coming from behind playing a man down in that environment, these guys have the hearts of lions, man,” Quill told the Albuquerque Journal’s Ken Sickenger. “I can’t believe what they just did.”

• DIGGING DEEP: After Juan Agudelo had put San Antonio ahead with two goals in four minutes, New Mexico was reduced to 10 players when Mukwelle Akale was sent off for a questionable second yellow card for simulation in the SAFC penalty area.

• TURNING AROUND: That didn’t seem to matter to the visitors, who used set pieces to get back in front. A free header for Abdi Mohamed off a great delivery by Zico Bailey leveled the game before the break, and a designed play off a throw-in resulted in a penalty kick that Greg Hurst put away.

• FEELS FAMILIAR: From there New Mexico held San Antonio in check with a great defensive rearguard that felt like the sort the hosts put in regularly two years ago. Now it’s New Mexico on top of the West with its resilience central to that position.

On a historic night for Alex Tambakis as he became the Championship’s all-time leader in regular season saves, New Mexico continued to push its claim as a serious challenger.

Three Up

1. The M&M Boys: MD Myers had a hat trick and Nick Markanich bagged his 13th goal of the season as the Charleston Battery broke their scoring drought in remarkable fashion, taking a 5-2 win againt North Carolina FC with five second-half goals.

• READ MORE: How a historic half broke the Charleston Battery’s drought and reset the club’s course

2. Khori Bennett: Las Vegas Lights FC’s leading scorer capped a superb month with a brace against Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC as the Lights maintained their current undefeated streak to move into playoff contention.

3. Memphis 901 FC: The Beale Street Boys put up their best attacking performance in more than a year as five different players found the net in a 5-1 victory against defending title-holder Phoenix Rising FC.

Three Down

1. Danny Stone – The former Phoenix Rising FC assistant became the third Head Coach to be relieved of his duties this season after just 17 games in charge after Friday night’s showing against Memphis 901 FC.

2. Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC – At a certain point, you’re just a team that doesn’t have finishers no matter what your Expected Goals mark says. We’ve seen it before.

3. San Antonio FC – Two years ago, it’s almost impossible San Antonio loses that game against New Mexico United. That’s three times now SAFC has lost from winning positions this season.

THE REST OF THE ACTION

- Danny Vitiello continues to be a marvel for Sacramento Republic FC. He’s in prime position to be the first back-to-back winner of Goalkeeper of the Year in league history.

- That’s comfortably the most clinical we’ve seen Detroit City FC’s finishing be this season. Great response to its midweek setback down in South Florida.  

- A big question for young goalkeepers is how they respond to a mistake. We might find out about Birmingham Legion loanee Jayden Hibbert on Friday night in Charleston after a tough outing.

- Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC calmly got back to work after its setback in New Mexico and could have won by more than 1-0 against Monterey Bay F.C. at a packed Weidner Field. Don’t sleep on this squad.

- Speaking of which, if you had to pick one right now to make the playoffs, would you take Monterey Bay or Las Vegas Lights FC? The Lights feel like they’re in better shape.

- Oakland Roots SC has a few club icons in its ranks, but when Johnny Rodriguez finds the net, it somehow seems to feel better than most. Solid result in Orange County to stay in the top three out West.