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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 7

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 04/21/25, 5:00PM EDT

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The Charleston Battery have found their attacking footing, and their numbers are showing it

There aren’t a lot of teams you’d trust more to come out of early-season challenges based on the past two seasons than the Charleston Battery.

After losing two of their first three games of the season – both at home to Louisville City and Southern Derby rival North Carolian FC – the club’s form this month is showing exactly why.

The Battery have won four in a row across all competitions since the calendar turned to April and have done so in emphatic fashion when it comes to its attacking level. Charleston’s 5.7 Expected Goals across three league games is more than a full goal ahead of its closest rival in that statistic – the surprising El Paso Locomotive FC at 4.4xG.

Part of this is the talent the Battery have at their disposal. We’ve noted how Cal Jennings and MD Myers complement each other in the attacking third, but the depth of talent the side possesses in Juan David Torres (1 goal, 3 assists) and the stability of Aaron Molloy and Chris Allan in midfield is giving Charleston a similar platform that’s seen them in the hunt for silverware the past two years.

“We're getting in spots where we're breaking lines and having good, high percentage, penetrating passes,” said Battery Head Coach Ben Pirmann after Saturday’s 3-1 win at Indy Eleven. “When that happens, the more open that happens, the more we can create chances and get our counter-press going.”

For the Battery’s upcoming opponents, starting with FC Naples in the USL Jägermeister Cup this weekend, that’s going to be a serious challenge to withstand. 

Here are this week’s rankings.

Biggest Movers

9 OAK 6 OC

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary
1 Louisville City FC
(4-0-2)
Week 8: vs. RIC
Last Week:
1		 Louisville City doesn’t quite have the air of last year’s unstoppable force yet, but taking the club’s first win on the road in Tampa Bay since 2018 is a good achievement even with the Rowdies struggling for form.
2 Charleston Battery
(4-2-0)
Week 8: @ NAP
Last Week:
2		 Have a week, MD Myers. Five goals in two games across the Open Cup and league play is tremendous, and the pieces are fitting together beautifully in the Battery’s attack overall.
3 Loudoun United FC
(6-1-0)
Week 8: @ LEX 		1
Last Week:
4		 Abdellatif Aboukoura cannot stop grabbing the spotlight. His game-winner against Pittsburgh was his fifth from outside the penalty area in 15 career goals in the Championship.
4 Monterey Bay FC
(4-1-2)
Week 8: @ NM 		1
Last Week:
3		 Monterey Bay picked up another solid road point against Lexington SC despite the hosts having the better of the game. That’s a six-game undefeated streak in league play now.
5 New Mexico United
(4-1-0)
Week 8: vs. MB; vs. OMA
Last Week:
5		 New Mexico was idle over the weekend but gets a chance to move into first place in the West on Wednesday night when it hosts current leader Monterey Bay. Be ready for that one.
6 Detroit City FC
(4-1-2)
Week 8: vs. PIT
Last Week:
6		 After serving as super-sub in Phoenix, Darren Smith continued his strong start to the season with a second consecutive two-goal performance against Rhode Island. He’s now tied for the Golden Boot lead.
7 FC Tulsa
(4-2-0)
Week 8: @ KNX 		3
Last Week:
10		 There was so much to like about that victory in Las Vegas for Tulsa, from the way the side set up and executed in the first half to the sharp finishing led by Taylor Calheira.
8 San Antonio FC
(4-2-0)
Week 8: vs. COS; @ PHX		 1
Last Week:
7		 San Antonio’s lost three in a row across all competitions after its elimination from the Open Cup by Union Omaha last week. Time to fix that at home to Colorado Springs on CBS Sports Network this Wednesday.
9 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(1-2-3)
Week 8: @ SA
Last Week:
9		 It’s been curious to see Abraham Romero getting the majority of starts over Christian Herrera so far this season, but Romero’s eight-save display against El Paso was stellar.
10 Sacramento Republic FC
(1-2-3)
Week 8: vs. AV		 2
Last Week:
12		 Another week of coulda, shoulda, woulda for Republic FC. They’ve conceded five goals in the 76th minute or later so far this season, and it’s holding them back from victories.
11 North Carolina FC
(2-3-2)
Week 8: vs. CLT 		3
Last Week:
8		 NCFC will be wondering how it didn’t find an equalizer in Miami during a lopsided second half. Sometimes things just don’t end up going right, but there are positives to hold onto.
12 Lexington SC
(1-2-4)
Week 8: vs. LDN 		6
Last Week:
18		 It felt like Lexington SC had the upper hand at home to Western leader Monterey Bay but when Michael Adedokun’s finish was ruled out for offside it showed what sort of night it was going to be.
13 Oakland Roots SC
(2-4-1)
Week 8: @ SPK		 9
Last Week:
22		 That’s about as complete as performance as we’ve seen in a while from Roots as they shut out Orange County SC in a 2-0 win at home. Positive signs at the Coliseum.
14 El Paso Locomotive FC
(2-2-3)
Week 8: @ TXO		 3
Last Week:
17		 Locomotive will be disappointed they couldn’t make their man-advantage in the second half pay off in Colorado Springs. Bit of an opportunity missed.
15 Miami FC
(2-4-0)
Week 8: @ TBR		 4
Last Week:
19		 Miami’s earned consecutive wins for the first time in 18 months, and Bill Hamid’s a big reason why. Eight saves, -1.12 Goals Prevented over the past two games for the former USMNT man.
16 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(2-3-1)
Week 8: @ DET		 3
Last Week:
13		 We’re starting to get a little concerned about the Hounds’ lack of chance creation. They’ve dropped to last in the league in Expected Goals at 3.82xG over six games.
17 Orange County SC
(2-3-1)
Week 8: vs. LV 		6
Last Week:
11		 Down week for OCSC, knocked out of the Open Cup and handled comfortably by Oakland. We need to see more consistency from this squad.
18 Indy Eleven
(1-2-2)
Week 8: @ MAD		 4
Last Week:
14		 If giving up two goals in the opening 10 minutes is a cardinal sin for any team, allowing another goal inside five minutes when the second half begins is close behind. Not a good outing.
19 Rhode Island FC
(1-3-1)
Week 8: @ WES		 4
Last Week:
15		 That wasn’t the return to Keyworth that Maxi Rodriguez would have been hoping for. RIFC hasn’t scored in the second half in the league yet this season.
20 Hartford Athletic
(1-4-0)
Week 8: vs. POR		 4
Last Week:
24		 It might have taken an almighty blunder, but Hartford’s finally on the board with a win. What’s more, they did so with a more measured approach that seemed to work.
21 Birmingham Legion FC
(1-3-2)
Week 8: vs. CHA		 5
Last Week:
16		 After a step forward against El Paso, a step back in Hartford. One shot on target, only 12 touches in the opposition penalty area, and a goal Matt VanOekel will want to forget.
22 Phoenix Rising FC
(1-3-3)
Week 8: vs. SA		 1
Last Week:
23		 Say this for Rising, you’ll get entertainment at their games. They’re tied for the league lead in goals scored (13) and goals conceded (16), but that’s not always conducive to results.
23 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(1-5-0)
Week 8: vs. MIA		 2
Last Week:
21		 Another tough week for the Rowdies. At least they managed to get through in the Open Cup, but Saturday’s game at home to Miami is looking really important to start their Jägermeister Cup campaign.
24 Las Vegas Lights FC
(2-2-2)
Week 8: @ OC; vs. AV 		4
Last Week:
20		 The Lights are the only team that has yet to score in the first half of a game this season. The record is alright, but the underlying numbers don’t make pretty reading right now.

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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  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 FC  Rhode Island FC  Lexington SC 

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