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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 8

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 04/28/25, 5:00PM EDT

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Loudoun United keeps finding ways to win, building a virtuous cycle of success it hasn’t previously experienced

There’s something to be said for extending a virtuous cycle.

The best example of this in the USL Championship is Louisville City, where winning has become part of the culture, and in turn has begat more winning year on year than any club since it arrived in the league in 2015.

It also feels like what’s starting to happen at Loudoun United FC, which pulled out a 1-0 victory against Lexington SC on Saturday evening in Kentucky on Joshua Erlandson’s first professional goal.

Did Loudoun deserve to claim victory? Based on the way the game played out, you can make an argument either way. United had more shots than their hosts and forced more saves from Lexington goalkeeper Logan Ketterer. Lexington produced the best chances of the game but couldn’t take advantage of them.

But in the end, there seems to currently be a belief in Loudoun’s camp that things are going to go right for them, and Erlandson’s clever headed finish off Abdellatif Aboukoura’s free kick delivered.

“This was a great moment for team morale, and it shows our togetherness as a unit and a group,” said midfielder Tommy McCabe. “To get a win the way we did on the road, it feels great. Now we keep it rolling.”

Last year, New Mexico United broke through as it found ways to string results together. Some of the best seasons in league history have been achieved in similar fashion, pulling key results out of the fire late.

Loudoun’s starting to develop the same habit, and it could be very good for the club’s long-term prospects.

Here are this week’s rankings.

Biggest Movers

8 BHM 8 OAK

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary
1 Louisville City FC
(4-0-2)
Week 9: vs. LEX
Last Week:
1		 It doesn’t matter what the competition, if there’s a trophy to be had, Louisville City’s going to take it seriously. We’re really looking forward to Thursday’s clash with Lexington.
2 New Mexico United
(5-1-0)
Week 9: @ ELP		 3
Last Week:
5		 Big week for New Mexico as it took a fifth consecutive win in league play and then delivered a victory against Union Omaha that would have come by a wider margin if not for Rashid Nuhu.
3 Loudoun United FC
(6-1-0)
Week 9: @ LV
Last Week:
3		 Heck of a moment for Joshua Erlandson’s first goal in the pro ranks. United will need to try and get over its LouCity hex in the next round of group play, but they’re in with a chance.
4 Detroit City FC
(4-1-2)
Week 9: @ IND		 2
Last Week:
6		 Darren Smith is on a tear for Le Rouge. Five goals in the last three games, including an important game-winner against Pittsburgh on Saturday evening.
5 San Antonio FC
(5-2-0)
Week 9: @ RI		 3
Last Week:
8		 Pretty big week for San Antonio to come back against the Switchbacks at home and then earn victory – and a little revenge – in Phoenix. Much needed for the side overall.
6 Charleston Battery
(4-2-0)
Week 9: vs. HFD		 4
Last Week:
2		 The Battery were sluggish in the first half against Naples and paid the price. Not the sort of performance we were expecting, honestly.
7 Monterey Bay FC
(4-2-2)
Week 9: vs. MIA 		3
Last Week:
4		 MBFC can’t really have many complaints about its loss in New Mexico. The cutting edge has gone missing from the attack, held scoreless in three of the last four games.
8 Sacramento Republic FC
(1-2-3)
Week 9: @ OAK		 2
Last Week:
10		 At some point, Republic FC is going to have to start making life a little bit easier for itself and put its chances away. Managed to secure a win against AV ALTA, though.
9 FC Tulsa
(4-2-0)
Week 9: @ OC 		2
Last Week:
7		 The trip to Knoxville was a 180 from the visit to Las Vegas. No USL Championship side gave up a higher Expected Goals mark to League One opposition this past weekend.
10 Miami FC
(2-4-0)
Week 9: @ MB		 5
Last Week:
15		 The sort of resolve Miami showed against Tampa Bay is something we barely saw last year. Huge comeback for a side that’s growing in belief it can compete.
11 Indy Eleven
(1-2-2)
Week 9: vs. DET		 7
Last Week:
18		 The Boys in Blue took a while to get into gear but ended up running away from Forward Madison on the road. They need that sort of performance to translate to the league.
12 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(1-3-3)
Week 9: vs. PHX		 3
Last Week:
9		 The Switchbacks simply cannot find a way past San Antonio FC. That’s 10 consecutive meetings without a win for Colorado Springs.
13 Birmingham Legion FC
(1-3-2)
Week 9: @ TBR		 8
Last Week:
21		 Getting Danny Trejo on track should be big for Legion. Now they need to carry this attacking display forward into league play.
14 Lexington SC
(1-2-4)
Week 9: @ LOU		 2
Last Week:
12		 We’re wondering how things might have gone if Nick Firmino’s early chance had hit the target against Loudoun. The ideas remain present, but the execution is lacking.
15 Rhode Island FC
(1-3-1)
Week 9: vs. SA		 4
Last Week:
19		 That was about as good as Rhode Island has looked this season in Westchester. Just in time for the official opening of Centreville Bank Stadium and a big game with San Antonio.
16 North Carolina FC
(2-3-2)
Week 9: @ PIT 		5
Last Week:
11		 After coming back the first time they played the Independence this season, it wasn’t a good idea to fall into a deficit again second time around. NCFC got stymied in the second half.
17 El Paso Locomotive FC
(2-2-3)
Week 9: vs. NM		 3
Last Week:
14		 It’s probably for the best Locomotive was playing Texoma FC on Saturday night, or it might not have been pretty. Lucky to get away with a shootout win.
18 Hartford Athletic
(1-4-0)
Week 9: @ CHS		 2
Last Week:
20		 Nice piece of revenge for Hartford to defeat Portland Hearts of Pine, and Jack Panayotou looks like the sort of player that can take a big role for this side moving forward.
19 Las Vegas Lights FC
(2-2-2)
Week 9: vs. LDN 		5
Last Week:
24		 The Lights got three goals on three shots inside the penalty area in Orange County, but when they get a lead it’s hard to come back on them.
20 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(2-3-1)
Week 9: vs. NC		 4
Last Week:
16		 That will sting a bit for the Hounds, who held their own against Detroit at Keyworth despite a lack of a proper forward to lead the line.
21 Oakland Roots SC
(2-4-1)
Week 9: vs. SAC		 8
Last Week:
13		 Roots will be happy they don’t have any more trips to Washington state scheduled this year. It’s not gone well for them on either occasion after losing in Spokane.
22 Orange County SC
(2-3-1)
Week 9: vs. TUL		 5
Last Week:
17		 There were enough chances for OCSC to get a result – and a penalty shootout – against Las Vegas but they left themselves too deep a hole to dig out of.
23 Phoenix Rising FC
(1-3-3)
Week 9: @ COS		 1
Last Week:
22		 The good news? Rising gave very little away defensively to San Antonio. The bad news? SAFC still found a way to score, and Rising didn’t record a shot on target.
24 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(1-5-0)
Week 9: vs. BHM		 1
Last Week:
23		 For 45 minutes, the Rowdies looked capable of taking on anyone in the league. Then they let it all slip away against in-state rival Miami in a heartbreaking setback.

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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  Miami FC  Oakland Roots SC  Detroit City FC  Monterey Bay FC  Rhode Island FC  Lexington SC 

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