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USL Power Rankings – Week 5

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 04/24/17, 6:16PM EDT

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Western Conference leader San Antonio moves into top spot

With the Swope Park Rangers knocked, just, from the ranks of the undefeated on Sunday night, one of the two remaining teams yet to suffer a defeat moves to the top of the USLSoccer.com Power Rankings in their place.

San Antonio FC, winner of four of its first game games this season, is the new pacesetter for the panel after a solid 2-1 road victory in Vancouver to begin its weeklong trip through the Pacific Northwest. SAFC has been strong all-around to start the season, but the play of Billy Forbes – who sits in the top three in both goals and assists – has been the biggest catalyst. With visits to Seattle and Portland this week, though, SAFC’s depth will likely be tested.

Louisville City FC slots in at No. 2 after it remained undefeated after its visit to FC Cincinnati this past weekend. City Head Coach James O’Connor was not completely satisfied after the game, disappointed with his team’s slack passing, but it’s arguable that the standards O’Connor has set are the reason why they’re in this position once again.

Further down the list, the panel has been more forgiving than O’Connor might have been. Sacramento Republic FC and Saint Louis FC fell again, both at home, but both remain in the Top 10 by apparent virtue of their overall resumes. There is a new club receiving votes on ballots, though, that could be just starting an ascent that would mirror the name of its club.

The five-person USLSoccer.com voting panel tabulates 10 points for first-place team votes, nine points to the second-place team and so forth to one point for 10th place. The accrued points among the group determines the final ranking.

Here’s your new Top 10.

1. San Antonio FC (50pts)
Last Week: W 2-1 at Vancouver Whitecaps FC 2
Any road win is a good one, but San Antonio’s against a WFC2 side that was a playoff contender last season and had taken two wins in a row coming in was a very impressive feat. With Billy Forbes driving the team going forward, goalkeeper Matt Cardone has been solid behind a good back four, and his sure handling will continue to be important as the club visits Seattle and Portland.

2. Louisville City FC (44pts)
Last Week: D 1-1 at FC Cincinnati
Still undefeated after its trip to Cincinnati, Louisville came out of its games against Tampa Bay and FCC with four points, and a solid place in the Eastern Conference standings. Brian Ownby’s goal against Cincinnati was not only a thing of beauty; it could also be the stepping stone the attacking midfielder needed to start taking more chances. With the number of weapons he has around him, Louisville will remain a danger to any side it encounters.

3. Swope Park Rangers (39pts)
Last Week: L 4-3 at Phoenix Rising FC
The Rangers almost pulled off their version of the great escape against Phoenix on Sunday, but the manner of their comeback bid was remarkably impressive and sees them only drop two places in the rankings. Another intriguing trip arrives this weekend with a visit to Real Monarchs SLC on Saturday night, which brings together two of the more interesting attacks in the league.

4. Charleston Battery (38pts)
Last Week: W 3-2 at Tampa Bay Rowdies
The Battery continued to roll in attack with an impressive road win against the Rowdies that moved them to the top of the Eastern Conference standings with their fourth win of the season. Charleston is now tied for the league lead with 13 goals alongside Real Monarchs SLC, and has bagged eight goals in the past two weeks since its late loss to Pittsburgh. On Saturday, it was Brian Tah Anunga’s tally that provided the heroics as the historic club continued to march forward.


Photo courtesy Matt May / Tampa Bay Rowdies

5. Real Monarchs SLC (33pts)
Last Week: W 3-1 at Seattle Sounders FC 2
The Monarchs rebounded strongly on the road in Seattle to earn their fourth win of the season and slide into second place behind San Antonio in the West. An upgraded attack has paid major dividends this season so far with 13 goals in five games. That group will need to keep firing as a Swope Park Rangers side coming off its first loss of the season visits Rio Tinto Stadium this Saturday.

6. Tampa Bay Rowdies (26pts)
Last Week: D 1-1 at FC Cincinnati, L 3-2 vs. Charleston Battery
The Rowdies managed to get out of Cincinnati with a point thanks to Marcel Schäfer’s outstanding finish, but will have been disappointed not to take something from their game with the Battery. The fact that Tampa Bay was prepared to suffer defeat to pursue victory speaks volumes about the way the side wants to approach its home games, though, and the Rowdies are likely to emerge stronger for it moving forward.

7. FC Cincinnati (15pts)
Last Week: D 1-1 vs. Tampa Bay Rowdies, D 1-1 vs. Louisville City FC
FCC had no victories, but also no defeats, against two of the tougher opponents that will visit Nippert Stadium this season over the past week as Cincinnati rebounded to earn a point in both contests. FCC saw two spectacular goals from its opposition this past week, but now will try to get some revenge for one of its two losses so far this season when it visits Bethlehem Steel FC on Saturday. 


Photo courtesy FC Cincinnati

T-8. Sacramento Republic FC (10pts)
Last Week: L 2-0 vs. Portland Timbers 2
Republic FC is being philosophical about a three-game losing streak that has seen the club’s attack go scoreless over the past two weeks. After all, the same thing happened last season and that turned out OK as the side finished at the top of the Western Conference. With a visit to Vancouver this week, though, Sacramento will want to avoid letting this slide continue any further.

T-8. Saint Louis FC (10pts)
Last Week: L 2-1 vs. Charlotte Independence
Saint Louis FC continues to get out to fast starts, but on Saturday was unable to maintain it as Charlotte took its first win of the season and handed Saint Louis its second consecutive loss. STLFC is still sitting fine in the standings, just two points behind Charleston, but it will want to arrest this dip in form quickly as it visits Orlando on Thursday night.

10. New York Red Bulls II (7pts)
Last Week: D 2-2 at Rochester Rhinos
New York came this close to earning its first regular-season victory against Rochester on Saturday, with a late defensive lapse costing the side two points at Capelli Sport Stadium. For the most-part, though, the defending USL Cup champion has stabilized its position in the Eastern Conference, and will get set to return to action on May 6 against Harrisburg with a chance to extend its undefeated streak to three.

Also receiving votes – Tulsa Roughnecks FC 4, Phoenix Rising FC 4, Orange County SC 1

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