This week not a single team stayed put in the rankings despite the fact that of 11 games 5 were draws. And both idle teams (the Legion and Miami) got a boost from the performances around them. Given what’s been happening so far, teams in this crazy league are beginning to even out such that overall this is a very balanced league. Except maybe for Lexington SC, that is. Consider this: there are only three teams left with more than 2 points per game. All are in the East: Loudoun, Louisville and Charleston. If this trend continues, we will see weird rankings moves all season long.
| Rank | Team | Previous | Change | Record | Forge Factor | Note | Next |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Charleston Battery | 2 | +1 | 6-2-0 | 21.762 | The Battery scored 3 goals in the opening 27 minutes and cruised to the 3-1 win over hapless Tampa Bay. M.D. Myers got a brace and very nearly added a third. 5 straight wins; the league’s best current streak by 3. | v. San Antonio |
| 2 | The Miami FC | 3 | +1 | 2-4-1 | 16.781 | The Miami FC were on a bye this week. | v. Loudoun |
| 3 | Oakland Roots | 7 | +4 | 3-5-1 | 16.593 | Maybe the Roots aren’t as bad as expected. The 2-1 win in San Antonio was impressive and they are in a 4-way points tie for 7th in the West now. They struggled early in the season but seem to have found their stride. | @ North Carolina |
| 4 | Loudoun United | 6 | +2 | 7-2-0 | 15.462 | Loudoun actually trailed early before hammering Lexington 5-1. They got a lot of help from th4e ref though in the form of a questionable PK and red card. However, they are clearly the best team in the league right now. | @ Miami |
| 5 | Louisville City | 1 | -4 | 5-0-3 | 14.917 | Lou City and Pittsburgh played to a 0-0 stalemate in a very evenly played contest. They stay ahead of Charleston on tiebreakers and are still within reach of Loudoun at the top of the East. | @ Hartford |
| 6 | Phoenix Rising | 14 | +8 | 2-3-4 | 13.931 | Phoenix beat New Mexico 2-1 with 2 pretty ugly goals, but there are no style points in soccer. The Rising hung on for the win but nearly gave it up late. They are in that tight pack in the middle section of the West table. | v. Monterey Bay |
| 7 | El Paso Locomotive | 9 | +2 | 3-2-4 | 13.117 | Andy Cabrera scored his 7th goal of the season (tied for the league lead) in a titanic battle in Tulsa. The 1-1 result was probably slightly generous to El Paso, but this Locomotive squad is rapidly looking better and better. | v. Indy |
| 8 | FC Tulsa | 10 | +2 | 4-3-1 | 12.729 | Tulsa had to come from behind late in the 1-1 draw with El Paso but really should have scored much earlier in the battle between 4th and 5th in the West. This team is much improved from previous incarnations. | @ Lexington |
| 9 | Detroit City | 4 | -5 | 4-1-4 | 12.410 | Detroit were totally stymied by Hartford’s defense in the 0-0 draw. They also needed a goal-line headed block by Michael Bryant to preserve the point. 3 draws in the last five games and Detroit is slipping off the pace a little. | @ Birmingham |
| 10 | North Carolina FC | 12 | +2 | 4-3-2 | 12.080 | North Carolina played a game of survival against Orange County. Rodrigo da Costa scored late in the first half and the team survived a barrage of shots for the 1-0 win. | v. Oakland |
| 11 | Sacramento Republic | 13 | +2 | 2-2-4 | 10.913 | SacRep gave up the lead against Indy and was largely ineffective in its own attack with few shots on target. The hosts got the 1-1 draw thanks to a last-gasp PK. | v. Las Vegas |
| 12 | Rhode Island FC | 8 | -4 | 1-3-3 | 10.294 | Rhode Island is doing its thing again: 3 draws in 7 games. This time they had to come from behind in the 76th minute to get the 1-1 result with Monterey Bay. And that was their only shot on target in the game. | @ Birmingham, @ Tampa Bay |
| 13 | Las Vegas Lights | 11 | -2 | 3-2-3 | 10.052 | The Lights failed to produce any truly threatening attack in a largely tedious 0-0 draw with Colorado Springs. They are not quite producing the entertaining play of last year but are in the thick of the Western chase. | @ Sacramento |
| 14 | Hartford Athletic | 24 | +10 | 1-5-1 | 8.790 | For the 4th time in 7 games the Athletic failed to score despite some good chances. At least they did not allow a goal by Detroit for the draw. They have Anthony Siaha’s goalkeeping to thank for that. Fewest shots and fewest goals in the league. | v. Louisville |
| 15 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 22 | +7 | 2-4-2 | 8.788 | The Riverhounds’ Augie Williams had the 2 best chances of the game in the 0-0 draw with Louisville but failed to convert. Not points they could really afford to drop and the top 5 in the East are getting further out of reach. | @ Colorado Springs |
| 16 | Indy Eleven | 19 | +3 | 1-2-4 | 8.361 | Elvis Amoh scored yet again for the lead in Sacramento and then the Eleven parked the bus. As often, that tactic failed at the last minute with a critical error. | @ El Paso |
| 17 | New Mexico United | 5 | -12 | 5-3-0 | 7.985 | Despite losing keeper Alex Tambakis to a red card New Mexico came close to a draw with Phoenix. They scored a short-handed goal and nearly had a second as time expired. Always dangerous but 2 straight losses now. | @Orange County |
| 18 | Orange County | 15 | -3 | 3-4-1 | 7.080 | Orange County outshot North Carolina 23-7 overall and 5-2 on target but ended up 0-1 losers. A titanic defensive effort held them at bay in what was a frustrating game. | v. New Mexico |
| 19 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 18 | -1 | 1-3-5 | 6.900 | The Switchbacks had the only real scoring chance in the 0-0 draw in Las Vegas. They have just 1 win on the season so far and the title defense is looking weak to say the least. Are they missing Damus? Most definitely. | v. Pittsburgh |
| 20 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 16 | -4 | 1-6-1 | 6.630 | The Rowdies are in unfamiliar territory, avoiding bottom of the East only on tiebreakers. The 1-3 home loss to Charleston only added to their misery. 1 point in the last 5 games and they need a fix soon. | v. Rhode Island |
| 21 | Birmingham Legion | 23 | +2 | 1-3-3 | 5.856 | Birmingham Legion were on a bye this week. | v. Rhode Island, V. Detroit |
| 22 | San Antonio | 21 | -1 | 5-3-1 | 5.782 | Richard Sanchez spoiled a great keeper performance with a huge error late to give Oakland the 2-1 win. The result could have been worse without him though. They remain top of the East but the 1-3-1 record over the last 5 is concerning. | @ Charleston |
| 23 | Monterey Bay FC | 17 | -6 | 4-2-4 | 5.621 | Monterey took the first half lead and then were dominated in possession by Rhode Island, giving up the tying goal late. Tied on points for the Western Conference lead still and looking like a constant threat. | @ Phoenix |
| 24 | Lexington SC | 20 | -4 | 1-4-4 | 3.065 | Lexington are bad, no question. However, they are not really 1-5 bad even against Loudoun and did have a few good moments in the game. Bottom of the West but they have more points than the bottom 4 in the East. | v. Tulsa |
