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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 25

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 08/26/24, 4:30PM EDT

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The Rowdies’ attack isn’t firing on all cylinders right now, but that’s reason for optimism

Two things can be true.

The Tampa Bay Rowdies are one of the most prolific attacks in the USL Championship this season. They sit with 43 goals, and both Manuel Arteaga (14) and Cal Jennings (13) are in the top four in the league’s Golden Boot race this season.

The Rowdies are also the most profligate team in front of goal this season. The club leads the league with an Expected Goals mark of 53.91xG. Their -10.91 differential is the widest margin in the league, ahead of Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC (-8.96), Hartford Athletic (-7.32), and Monterey Bay F.C. (-6.54).

So, what do we make of this when it comes to the stretch run and the playoffs, which the Rowdies will assuredly be part of.

If anything, we’re going to look at this as a glass-half full situation. Coaches will tend to say they’re not concerned as much with goals as chance creation. If you’re not doing the latter, then you’re not giving yourself a chance at success with the former.

Louisville City FC and the Charleston Battery are going to be the favorites going into the playoffs in the Eastern Conference, and likely the whole league.

If the Rowdies can find their shooting boots over the final two months of the regular season and into the playoffs, though, there might not be a more dangerous side to encounter.

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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 Loudoun United FC Louisville City FC Memphis 901 FC The Miami FC Monterey Bay F.C. New Mexico United
North Carolina FC Oakland Roots SC Orange County SC Phoenix Rising FC Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Rio Grande Valley FC Sacramento Republic FC
San Antonio FC Tampa Bay Rowdies FC Tulsa

On The Move

3 LV, PIT, TUL 7 BHM

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary
1 New Mexico United
(15-6-3)
Week 26: @ OAK 		1
Last Week:
2		 Signing Eric Quill to a contract extension and getting Alex Tambakis his 50th shutout in a road victory at Colorado Springs was a great week for United, which is closing in on a playoff berth.
2 Charleston Battery
(15-4-7)
Week 26: @ SA 		1
Last Week:
3		 Nick Markanich’s hat trick continued his remarkable season, but MD Myers coming off the bench to bag another pair of goals was great as well, even if the opposition was overmatched.
3 Louisville City FC
(17-5-2)
Week 26: @ NC		 2
Last Week:
1		 *Stares into the camera like Krusty the Clown* “What the hell was that?”
4 Sacramento Republic FC
(11-5-8)
Week 26: ---
Last Week:
4		 Republic FC left it late but ultimately deserved its win against San Antonio to keep New Mexico within view at the top of the standings.
5 Las Vegas Lights FC
(9-8-8)
Week 26: @ OC 		3
Last Week:
8		 J.C. Ngando and Valentin Noël outdid each other with their finishes in a big home win against Indy. Those should be in every promo the Lights put out for the rest of the season.
6 Rhode Island FC
(7-5-13)
Week 26: v. BHM		 1
Last Week:
5		 Koke Vegas, Mr. Clutch. RIFC should have taken the lead in the first half at Loudoun but were turned around after the break in a fun game despite its lack of goals.
7 Loudoun United FC
(9-8-7)
Week 26: v. PHX 		1
Last Week:
6		 Zach Ryan would have become the first player in Loudoun’s history to record double-digit goals in consecutive seasons if he’d made his stoppage time penalty. Missed opportunity.
8 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(12-6-7)
Week 26: ---		 1
Last Week:
7		 The Rowdies posted a mark of 7.36xG across their two games in the past week, scored four times and split the two results. If at any point they start to take their chances, watch out.
9 Memphis 901 FC
(11-9-6)
Week 26: @ COS
Last Week:
9		 Brilliant way to introduce yourself to 901 FC’s fans, Panos Armenakas. It was a bit disappointing the visitors couldn’t hold on in Oakland, but a valuable point regardless.
10 Oakland Roots SC
(11-10-4)
Week 26: v. NM
Last Week:
10		 Roots would have loved to jump Memphis with a win, but a point keeps them within range of a top-three spot with a game in hand on 901 FC.
11 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(7-9-10)
Week 26: @ IND 		3
Last Week:
14		 All hail Bob Lilley for win No. 400 of his career. The Hounds must keep delivering like that to keep their playoff streak going, though.
12 North Carolina FC
(7-8-9)
Week 26: v. LOU
Last Week:
12		 All-in-all, that was a solid road performance by NCFC in Phoenix, but the road hardly gets easier from here with that four-point margin still to be made up.
13 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(9-10-5)
Week 26: v. MEM, @ TUL
Last Week:
13		 The Switchbacks gifted New Mexico its goal and couldn’t quite do enough to overcome it. That’s three games without a win.
14 Detroit City FC
(10-8-7)
Week 26: v. HFD		 1
Last Week:
15		 One up, one down for Le Rouge this week. That the win came on the road to Tampa Bay and the loss came at home to Tulsa would not have been the predicted outcome at the start of the week.
15 Hartford Athletic
(8-12-4)
Week 26: @ DET		 2
Last Week:
17		 Mamadou Dieng is starting to come into his own as Hartford’s center forward. Four goals in the last four games, the Athletic will only wish the big fella could have started the season faster.
16 FC Tulsa
(7-7-9)
Week 26: v. COS 		3
Last Week:
19		 Aaron Bibout’s first goal for Tulsa delivered exactly what the side needed in Detroit, but you can’t overlook Johan Peñaranda’s stoppage time save. The shot-stopper bounced back well from a tough Week 24.
17 Indy Eleven
(10-9-5)
Week 26: v. PIT		 1
Last Week:
16		 Jack Blake getting a pair of assists in his first start since June 22 was big for the Boys in Blue even if the result didn’t go their way in Las Vegas. He looked ready to go for SKC.
18 Birmingham Legion FC
(10-10-5)
Week 26: @ RI 		7
Last Week:
11		 At this point Legion’s going to have to inquire about acquiring Edward Kizza, just so he stops scoring against them in big moments.
19 Phoenix Rising FC
(6-8-9)
Week 26: @ LDN		 1
Last Week:
18		 Rising livened up a bit in the second half against North Carolina, but this again exemplified how hot-and-cold this side’s attack can run after being far better against Tampa Bay.
20 El Paso Locomotive FC
(5-15-5)
Week 26: ---
Last Week:
20		 Locomotive could have stolen the points at Monterey Bay after a good second half. They’re in must-win mode from here, though, with eight points to make up in nine games.
21 San Antonio FC
(6-13-6)
Week 26: v. CHS
Last Week:
21		 San Antonio’s injured list before its visit to Sacramento was as long as both of Pablo Sisniega’s arms. They almost held on, too, but Republic FC prevailed again.
22 Monterey Bay F.C.
(7-11-7)
Week 26: @ MIA		 1
Last Week:
23		 Six games undefeated for Monterey Bay as it slides out of the playoff positions. The next two games against Miami and San Antonio are opportunities that need to be taken.
23 Orange County SC
(8-13-4)
Week 26: v. LV		 1
Last Week:
22		 It’s hard enough to face the Charleston Battery’s attack at full strength. Trying to do it down to 10 players for 85 minutes after a silly red card is nigh-on impossible.
24 Miami FC
(2-21-2)
Week 26: v. MB
Last Week:
24		 The scoreline against Tampa Bay was respectable, but it can’t mask the gulf in quality between the two Florida clubs. This isn’t a rivalry at this point.

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

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