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USL Championship Power Rankings – Week 33

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 10/21/24, 4:30PM EDT

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Led by Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC, the Eastern Conference is coming into form ahead of the postseason

In case there was any question, this is Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC’s time of year.

Last year, the Hounds went on an eight-game undefeated streak to claim the USL Championship Players’ Shield.

Right now, the Hounds have taken 17 points from their past eight games to sit in control of their pathway to the USL Championship Playoffs with a game to go. It has all come together at the right time to set Pittsburgh up for a club-record seventh consecutive postseason berth.

“I'm proud of the guys,” said Hounds Head Coach Bob Lilley. “They kept their wits about them. Find the goals at the right moments, and I think that's who we want to be. We could've played better in possession, and we could have executed better when we had the ball.

“But we want to be difficult to score against, we want to make it hard on other teams, and as well as I thought Loudoun played tonight, we were equally as committed and stubborn, and we did everything that was required to give us a chance.”

The Hounds sit on top of the form chart in the Championship, tied with Louisville City FC, which has also gained 17 points from its last eight games. That’s a trend across the Eastern Conference, which boasts six of the eight teams that have earned at least 15 points from their past eight games. That trend could make for some upset potential when the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals arrive two weeks from now.

Out West, though, things are looking different. Orange County SC’s seven-game undefeated run has it into the postseason, but others like Sacramento Republic FC (8 points from 8 games) and New Mexico United (11 points from 8 games) aren’t in rhythm. For equal reasons, that could be a reason to keep an eye on where things pan out over the next week as clubs look to take momentum into their postseason bids.

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Here’s how the rest of this week’s rankings look.

On The Move

5 OC, OAK 5 LDN

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary
1 Louisville City FC
(23-6-4)
Week 34: vs. PHX
Last Week:
1		 LouCity can equal the single-season wins record at home against Phoenix before it begins its bid for a third league title. You’d expect the hosts to put their best foot forward in that pursuit.
2 Detroit City FC
(14-8-11)
Week 34: @ SA		 2
Last Week:
4		 Le Rouge are undefeated in eight straight and have clinched a home playoff game for the first time since joining the USL Championship. Keyworth’s going to be rocking for that one.
3 Charleston Battery
(17-6-10)
Week 34: vs. LDN
Last Week:
3		 The Battery played to a draw at home to Rhode Island, but Aaron Molloy playing a second consecutive full 90 minutes was a positive as the side prepares for the playoffs.
4 Indy Eleven
(14-10-9)
Week 34: @ TBR		 1
Last Week:
5		 The Boys in Blue have put together a five-game undefeated run to move into the playoffs and are in great shape to open the postseason at home going into the final week of the season.
5 Las Vegas Lights FC
(13-9-11)
Week 34: @ NC 		3
Last Week:
2		 The Lights’ 11-game home undefeated streak is over, but it’s still in position to host a playoff game in the first week of November regardless of its result this weekend. Go check out Race to the Playoffs to find out how.
6 Orange County SC
(12-14-7)
Week 34: vs. HFD 		5
Last Week:
11		 Orange County’s four-point week put it back in the playoffs and ran its undefeated streak to seven games. With six shutouts in its last seven games, this might not be a team you want to face in the Western Conference Quarterfinals.
7 Rhode Island FC
(11-7-15)
Week 34: vs. MIA		 1
Last Week:
6		 It’s a matter of when, not if, Rhode Island gets into the playoffs this week. They’re going to be ruing Noah Fuson’s missed penalty, though, which ruled out the chance of a home playoff game.
8 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
(11-10-12)
Week 34: vs. ELP		 1
Last Week:
9		 The Hounds have come good at the right time. Edward Kizza’s four-game scoring streak provided the winner against Loudoun and pushed Pittsburgh to the verge of a postseason spot for a seventh consecutive campaign.
9 New Mexico United
(18-10-5)
Week 34: vs. MEM		 2
Last Week:
7		 United is winless in four and has only scored twice in that span after its draw in Orange County. They just weren’t consistently effective enough in the final third on the weekend.
10 Hartford Athletic
(12-13-7)
Week 34: @ TBR; @ OC		 2
Last Week:
12		 Hartford is in control of its path to the postseason thanks to its win against FC Tulsa. If it wins against both Tampa Bay and Orange County on the road this week, they’re in, and in good form as well.
11 Sacramento Republic FC
(13-10-10)
Week 34: vs. COS		 3
Last Week:
8		 Republic FC’s loss to El Paso couldn’t really be termed unfortunate. This four-game winless run has the side stumbling toward a key showdown with Colorado Springs on Saturday night.
12 Memphis 901 FC
(13-11-9)
Week 34: @ NM 		2
Last Week:
14		 Memphis had to withstand a late flurry of chances in Phoenix but came through well to take victory. If it can pick up all three points in New Mexico to close the season, it’ll get a home playoff game.
13 North Carolina FC
(12-12-9)
Week 34: vs. LV		 2
Last Week:
15		 NCFC was second-best to Tampa Bay in the first half but then took advantage of a remarkably high defensive line to earn all three points. They’re alive going to the final day.
14 El Paso Locomotive FC
(8-17-8)
Week 34: @ PIT		 2
Last Week:
16		 Locomotive’s midweek loss to Orange County was a step back, but it took another step forward with its win against Sacramento Republic FC on Saturday. There’s positive strides being made toward 2025.
15 Loudoun United FC
(11-13-9)
Week 34: @ CHS 		5
Last Week:
10		 Loudoun’s defeat to Pittsburgh was a lesson in execution. The Hounds took their chances well, and United couldn’t break out of its scoreless slump. The playoff chances aren’t gone, but it’s going to take a lot to go right.
16 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
(14-12-7)
Week 34: @ SAC		 2
Last Week:
18		 The Switchbacks got their fourth road win this season in Tulsa, and it kept their bid for a home game to start the playoffs alive.
17 Phoenix Rising FC
(11-13-9)
Week 34: vs. HFD		 4
Last Week:
13		 We needed to see the urgency Rising showed in trying to get on the scoreboard late in the first half. Disappointing performance after its road successes.
18 Oakland Roots SC
(13-15-5)
Week 34: vs. BHM		 5
Last Week:
23		 Just when we were wondering if Roots was going to topple out, they produce that performance. Johnny Rodriguez continues to be a club legend.
19 San Antonio FC
(10-14-9)
Week 34: vs. DET		 2
Last Week:
17		 There was some urgency from San Antonio late, but it didn’t feel like there the side was exactly banging down LouCity’s door as it pursued a winner. Now the playoffs are out of reach.
20 Tampa Bay Rowdies
(13-12-7)
Week 34: vs. HFD; vs. IND		 1
Last Week:
19		 The Rowdies played so well in the first half against North Carolina, but it got too aggressive with its defensive line as well. Oalex Anderson is the last player you want to have breaking forward against you when your entire back line is in the attacking half.
21 Birmingham Legion FC
(12-15-6)
Week 34: @ OAK 		1
Last Week:
20		 Legion tried to battle back, but when you’re down by a pair of goals inside 15 minutes on the road, it’s almost certainly not going to end well.
22 Monterey Bay F.C.
(8-15-10)
Week 34: @ TUL 		1
Last Week:
21		 Monterey Bay F.C. couldn’t give its fans a last hurrah this season in its home finale. Time to play out the string in Tulsa.
23 FC Tulsa
(8-14-11)
Week 34: vs. MB 		1
Last Week:
22		 The basic fact of it is Tulsa hasn’t scored enough goals this season to be competitive. It tried against Hartford, but saw its season come to an end in defeat.
24 Miami FC
(3-28-2)
Week 34: @ RI
Last Week:
24		 One shot, none on target in Detroit. The offseason can’t arrive soon enough.

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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  Memphis 901 FC  El Paso Locomotive FC  New Mexico United  Loudoun United FC  Hartford Athletic  San Diego Loyal SC  Miami FC  Oakland Roots SC  Detroit City FC  Monterey Bay F.C.  Rhode Island FC 

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