FC Cincinnati continued its undefeated streak with a good 3-0 victory against the Charleston Battery on Saturday night to remain the unanimous No. 1 in the USLSoccer.com Power Rankings this week, and with the side’s run now having reached 13 games with 10 games to go in the regular season there soon might be talk as to whether it can set a league record before the USL Cup Playoffs arrive.
Real Monarchs SLC, meanwhile, had to work a lot harder for its 3-2 victory against Tulsa Roughnecks FC, but that and some scoreless draws elsewhere was enough to push the Western Conference’s leader back into a tie for second in the poll alongside rival Orange County SC.
And as well as Cincinnati is progressing right now, it might be Orange County that is deserving of a little more time in the spotlight. Its undefeated streak of seven games isn’t as lengthy as FCC’s, certainly, but the way the side is going about things should be turning heads as the club boasts not just experience but a three-headed attacking monster of current USL Golden Boot leader Thomas Enevoldsen, Jamaican international Michael Seaton and perennial USL standout Aodhan Quinn which has turned on the style of late.
Orange County has never had the buzz of other teams, but it’s a club that soccer fans in the Los Angeles area could easily find a lot to like about away from the glamor of the LA Galaxy and LAFC. With its intimate venue at Champions Soccer Stadium in Irvine, the club is on course for the best season in its history and should be worth watching as it pursues a top-two finish and looks to overturn the Monarchs at the top of the standings.
The four-person USLSoccer.com voting panel tabulates 16 points for first-place team votes, 15 points to the second-place team and so forth to one point for 16th place. The accrued points among the group determines the final ranking.
Rank |
Team/Record |
Change |
Summary |
|
1 | FC Cincinnati 64 pts | (15-3-6) Week 23: W, 3-0 CHS Week 24: @ATL, @TBR |
Last Week: 1 |
Goals in back-to-back games for Emmanuel Ledesma kept his pursuit of individual glory at the end of the season on track in another big home victory for the Eastern Conference leaders. | |
T-2 | Real Monarchs SLC 55 pts | (16-6-2) Week 23: W, 3-2 TUL Week 24: LA |
4 Last Week: 6 |
The Monarchs needed a late winner to defeat Tulsa Roughnecks FC, but Justin Portillo’s goal made him the 14th different player to find the net for Real this season. | |
T-2 | Orange County SC 55 pts | (14-6-5) Week 23: W, 3-1 LV Week 24: @POR, RGV |
2 Last Week: 4 |
Three consecutive victories have Orange County on a strong upswing, as is the MVP candidacy for Thomas Enevoldsen with 14 goals and eight assists. | |
4 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 53 pts | (12-3-8) Week 23: T, 0-0 CLT Week 24: TBR |
1 Last Week: 5 |
The Hounds did almost everything but score against the Charlotte Independence but fell further behind FCC in the standings after their scoreless draw. | |
5 | Louisville City FC 52 pts | (11-4-7) Week 23: T, 0-0 NSH Week 24: @CLT, @RIC |
2 Last Week: 3 |
Louisville was unable to produce the victory that would have made John Hackworth’s first game as Head Coach all-the-more memorable but should feel confident of success on the road this week. | |
6 | Charleston Battery 43 pts | (11-4-10) Week 23: L, 0-3 @CIN Week 24: NY |
4 Last Week: 2 |
The Battery can’t afford to linger on wondering what if Atualla Guerra’s shot had found the net for long with the New York Red Bulls II headed to MUSC Health Stadium on Saturday. | |
7 | Phoenix Rising FC 42 pts | (13-6-5) Week 23: W, 2-0 @LV Week 24: SA, COS |
Last Week: 7 |
Rising FC has alternated wins and losses for seven consecutive games after Saturday’s 2-0 win against Las Vegas Lights FC, a streak it hopes to end on Wednesday as San Antonio FC visits the desert. | |
T-8 | Indy Eleven 28 pts | (10-7-6) Week 23: W, 3-2 NC, T, 0-0 @OTT Week 24: TOR, @ATL |
5 Last Week: T-13 |
A good home victory and away draw against two fellow playoff contenders was a solid return for Head Coach Martin Rennie’s squad in the past seven days, but the schedule doesn’t slow down with another busy week ahead. | |
T-8 | Portland Timbers 2 28 pts | (13-10-3) Week 23: W, 2-1 SA, W, 4-1 SEA Week 24: OC |
8 Last Week: 16 |
Three consecutive victories, including a big midweek win against San Antonio FC, have T2 pointed squarely toward the postseason ahead of a big test against Orange County on Wednesday night. | |
10 | Sacramento Republic FC 25 pts | (12-7-7) Week 23: L, 1-2 @STL, L, 1-4 LA Week 24: @RNO |
2 Last Week: 8 |
Consecutive defeats, including a 4-1 thumping by the LA Galaxy II, was not what Sacramento had planned, and now a trip to Reno awaits as the side tries to defend its top-four position. | |
T-11 | New York Red Bulls II 20 pts | (9-7-8) Week 23: -- Week 24: NC, CHS |
1 Last Week: 12 |
The Red Bulls II still sit in the playoff positions after the weekend off, and now face one of their biggest games of the season as North Carolina visits on Tuesday night. | |
T-11 | Saint Louis FC 20 pts | (9-7-8) Week 23: W, 2-1 SAC, L, 0-1 @FRS Week 24: TUL |
2 Last Week: T-13 |
STLFC couldn’t find another fast start against Fresno on Saturday night, but its midweek victory against Sacramento made it a satisfactory week overall in the pursuit of a playoff place. | |
13 | Nashville SC 19 pts | (9-6-8) Week 23: T, 0-0 @LOU Week 24: BST |
2 Last Week: 11 |
A road draw in Louisville is certainly nothing to sneeze at, and with seven of the club’s final 11 games this season on home turf the opportunity is there for a major move up the congested Eastern Conference. | |
14 | Bethlehem Steel FC 12 pts | (10-10-6) Week 23: W, 2-0 TOR Week 24: OTT, @NSH |
Last Week: NR |
Four wins out of the past five games combined with draws elsewhere have Steel FC in good position again, but a big week awaits with a visit from Ottawa Fury FC and a trip to Nashville on tap. | |
15 | OKC Energy FC 10 pts | (9-12-5) Week 23: W, 4-2 RGV Week 24: SEA |
Last Week: NR |
There’s a glimmer of hope for Energy FC’s playoff chances after three consecutive victories, but the side has to keep racking up wins in order for them to come to fruition. | |
16 | Reno 1868 FC 8 pts | (10-5-8) Week 23: T, 3-3 @SPR Week 24: SAC |
7 Last Week: 9 |
Reno had battled back to earn all three points and let it slip away in stoppage time against the Swope Park Rangers on Sunday but can still move into position for a top-four finish with a win against Sacramento this weekend. |
Dropped from rankings: San Antonio FC (10), North Carolina FC (15)
Also receiving votes: North Carolina FC 5, Ottawa Fury FC 3, San Antonio FC 2
Tag(s): News Nashville SC Power Rankings San Antonio FC OKC Energy FC Orange County SC Phoenix Rising FC Portland Timbers 2 Real Monarchs SLC Reno 1868 FC Sacramento Republic FC Philadelphia Union II Charleston Battery FC Cincinnati Louisville City FC New York Red Bulls II Ottawa Fury FC Pittsburgh Riverhounds Saint Louis FC North Carolina FC Indy Eleven