It will come as no surprise that the two teams with perfect records to start the 2018 season, Louisville City FC and Real Monarchs SLC, remain as the top two sides in the USLSoccer.com Power Rankings this week, with Louisville still unanimously sitting at No. 1 after its comeback victory against the Richmond Kickers and the Monarchs now unanimously No. 2 after its midweek win against Seattle Sounders FC 2.
The other side to post a four-game winning streak early in the season, Orange County SC, also makes a solid jump up to take the No. 3 position after its road win in San Antonio. OCSC is now one victory from a new club record and finding different ways to win in the process under Head Coach Braeden Cloutier.
The biggest mover of the week, however, is the New York Red Bulls II, whose 5-0 victory against the Tampa Bay Rowdies shifted the 2016 USL Cup champion into the fourth spot in the rankings. With the next two sides in the list, No. 5 Swope Park Rangers and No. 6 Phoenix Rising FC, set to square off this Saturday, we’re set for another compelling week of action.
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 | Louisville City FC 64 pts | (4-0-0) Week 5: W, 2-1 RIC Week 6: @ATL |
Last Week: 1 |
Louisville overcame its first deficit of the season in its victory against the Kickers and has now won six consecutive regular season contests, three off the league’s modern-era record. | |
2 | Real Monarchs SLC 60 pts | (4-0-0) Week 5: W, 3-1 @SEA Week 6: @TBR |
Last Week: 2 |
The Monarchs are off to their best start to a season, thanks to Masta Kacher’s brace against Seattle Sounders FC 2, and make the trip to face the Tampa Bay Rowdies this weekend a must-see interconference matchup. | |
3 | Orange County SC 52 pts | (4-1-1) Week 5: W, 3-0 @SA Week 6: -- |
4 Last Week: 7 |
Orange County had to work hard for its win against San Antonio, but it now gets a short break before returning to action on April 25 against Rio Grande Valley FC. | |
4 | New York Red Bulls II 45 pts | (3-1-1) Week 5: W, 5-0 TBR Week 6: @LA |
8 Last Week: 12 |
There are still some familiar faces around from a season ago, but the Red Bulls II’s new recruits are also thriving in an action-packed attacking force. | |
5 | Swope Park Rangers 44 pts | (3-1-1) Week 5: -- Week 6: @PHX |
Last Week: 5 |
A postponement meant the Rangers will be coming off added rest when they head to Arizona for what shapes up to be a great game against Phoenix Rising FC. | |
6 | Phoenix Rising FC 42 pts | (3-1-1) Week 5: W, 1-0 @LA Week 6: SPR |
2 Last Week: 8 |
A solid midweek win on the road gave Phoenix the bounce-back performance it needed after falling to the Monarchs. Saturday’s game with Swope Park offers another great opportunity. | |
7 | Sacramento Republic FC 39 pts | (3-0-2) Week 5: T, 1-1 @LV Week 6: COS |
3 Last Week: 4 |
Republic FC probably shaded the contest in its first visit to Las Vegas Lights FC but remains undefeated ahead of Wednesday night’s game against Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC on ESPN3. | |
8 | Tampa Bay Rowdies 36 pts | (3-2-0) Week 5: L, 0-5 @NY Week 6: SLC |
5 Last Week: 3 |
The Rowdies fell for the third time in four all-time meetings with the Red Bulls II and now face another major test with Real Monarchs SLC visiting Al Lang Stadium on Saturday. | |
9 | Indy Eleven 32 pts | (3-1-0) Week 5: W, 2-1 NSH Week 6: -- |
2 Last Week: 11 |
Three wins out of four to start the season with an almost-entirely new squad is an excellent return, and what’s more, the side seems to keep getting better on a weekly basis as well. | |
10 | FC Cincinnati 29 pts | (2-1-1) Week 5: T, 1-1 @BST Week 6: PGH |
4 Last Week: 6 |
Cincinnati easily could have found itself in a bigger hole that it ended up having to dig out of against Bethlehem to earn a point, but it also missed out on chances to take all three points as well. | 11 | Las Vegas Lights FC 24 pts | (2-0-2) Week 5: T, 1-1 SAC Week 6: -- |
2 Last Week: T-9 |
Four games undefeated to start the season will definitely suffice for Lights FC, which had to work hard to pick up its point against a solid Sacramento Republic FC side. |
12 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC 19 pts | (2-0-2) Week 5: W, 1-0 OTT Week 6: @CIN |
Last Week: NR |
Riverhounds SC is the lone side yet to concede this season after its 1-0 win against Ottawa Fury FC, a victory that saw it figure out a way through in just the nick of time. | |
13 | Fresno FC 17 pts | (2-1-2) Week 5: -- Week 6: TUL, SA |
Last Week: T-13 |
A bye week saw the Foxes stand pat, but they’ve got a busy week ahead of them with visits from both Tulsa Roughnecks FC and San Antonio FC on the docket. | |
14 | Atlanta United 2 16 pts | (1-0-2) Week 5: -- Week 6: LOU |
1 Last Week: T-13 |
No game this week either for ATL UTD 2, which could come in useful with Louisville City FC the next visitor to Coolray Field on Saturday night. | |
T-15 | Nashville SC 7 pts | (2-2-1) Week 5: L, 1-2 @IND Week 6: -- |
1 Last Week: 16 |
Nashville had its run of form halted in Indianapolis, but still showed off the qualities that will make for a playoff contender moving forward. | |
T-15 | Saint Louis FC 7 pts | (2-1-2) Week 5: W, 1-0 LA Week 6: @OKC |
Last Week: NR |
It was hard-fought, but a second win in the last three games against the LA Galaxy II kept things moving for STLFC and will come in very useful down the line. |
Also receiving votes: San Antonio FC 6, Charlotte Independence 3, Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC 2
Dropped from rankings: Charlotte Independence, San Antonio FC
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