The Football Forge Power Rankings: Week 7Some big movers this week
Week 7 finally allows us to bring the Forge Factor into play, with all 24 teams now having played at least five games. No changes in the top three, though, but a few significant shifts elsewhere after some meaningful results. It’s also worth noting that currently there are 10 teams in the league with a points per game average of 1 or less, including 2 teams above the playoff line (Phoenix Rising and Oakland Roots). Crazy world.
Rank | Team | Previous | Change | Record | Forge Factor | Note |
1 | Charleston Battery | 1 | 0 | 5-0-3 | 25.81 | The Battery scored early, often and late to whip Tulsa 4-1. That includes a half-way line golazo strike by Juan Torres. They stay top of the entire league and welcome Las Vegas next. |
2 | Louisville City | 2 | 0 | 5-1-0 | 19.63 | For the first time this season Lou City failed to score. But they won anyway thanks to a Loudoun United own goal. Outplayed in 2 straight games; some cracks appearing? They host Hartford this weekend. |
3 | Detroit City | 3 | 0 | 5-0-0 | 18.59 | Detroit scored 3 unanswered goals before Oakland got one back, then went up a man and cruised to their 5th win and stay the league’s only perfect team. A big game in Pittsburgh this week. |
4 | Sacramento Republic | 8 | 4 | 4-0-3 | 18.08 | SacRep took just 16 seconds to get the game-winner over Orange County, cruising to a 2-0 victory in the matchup of the West’s unbeaten. They host Loudoun next. |
5 | Monterey Bay Union | 6 | 1 | 4-1-2 | 17.70 | A poorly played clearance by Morey Doner bounced off Alex Lara’s back just 55 seconds in, but Lara made up for it with the winner just 114 seconds after Tristan Trager’s equalizing PK. 2-1 over hapless Memphis. Orange County next. |
6 | San Antonio | 10 | 4 | 3-1-3 | 15.66 | San Antonio have two huge Hartford mistakes to thank for the 3-1 win, their first in 3 games. Holding on to 4th in the West, but just barely. Down the East Coast again this week to Miami. |
7 | New Mexico United | 12 | 5 | 4-1-1 | 14.93 | New Mexico split 4 first half goals over 14 minutes with North Carolina before getting the 3-2 winner in second half stoppage time. 3 straight wins gives them a big boost in the rankings. Off to Tampa for a harder game. |
8 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 5 | -3 | 2-0-4 | 13.95 | Tampa was probably expecting an easy game but had to come from behind to draw with El Paso 1-1. 9 of 21 shots on target but couldn’t get into the net. New Mexico coming up. |
9 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 19 | 10 | 1-3-2 | 13.86 | The Riverhounds finally found their scoring boots, winning 3-1 in Phoenix. The score could have been higher but for some strange refereeing (including waving off a goal for a PK that was missed). Out of the cellar but Detroit is next. |
10 | Orange County | 4 | -6 | 3-1-3 | 13.47 | Orange County were completely out of sorts in the 0-2 loss to Sacramento. Just 1 shot on goal and generally poor play all around. An interesting game against Monterey coming up. |
11 | Rhode Island FC | 20 | 9 | 1-1-4 | 12.74 | Rhode Island finally get their first win, 2-1 over Las Vegas. However, they dodged a few bullets to get there. A jump in the rankings indicates how tough the schedule has been. Phoenix at home this week. |
12 | Birmingham Legion | 13 | 1 | 3-2-1 | 11.82 | A long night Wednesday, short rest, travel and a heavily rotated lineup didn’t prevent the Legion from completely dominating Miami. Just a 1-0 scoreline though and limited motion in the rankings. Memphis at home next. |
13 | Las Vegas Lights | 7 | -6 | 3-4-0 | 11.06 | The Lights lost their second straight, 1-2 to Rhode Island FC, but were very unlucky on a ton of good chances and could easily have won. The Battery are waiting though. |
14 | North Carolina FC | 14 | 0 | 1-3-3 | 10.18 | North Carolina will be regretting some wasted chances and a poor defending late as they went down 2-3 at home to New Mexico. They drop below the playoff line as Indy is up on the schedule. |
15 | FC Tulsa | 9 | -6 | 1-2-2 | 8.89 | Tulsa had no real response to Charleston and went down 1-4. Just 2 points in the last 4 games and they are struggling even with the gentle schedule to date. Back on track in El Paso? |
16 | Loudoun United | 17 | 1 | 2-3-1 | 8.29 | Loudoun were the better team in the home match with Louisville but doomed themselves to a 0-1 loss with a Florian Valot own goal. Still, they climb a spot in the rankings. A tough job in Sacramento next. |
17 | Hartford Athletic | 11 | -6 | 3-2-0 | 7.13 | The Athletic played San Antonio more or less even for 77 minutes before giving up an own goal and a PK. Is the fast start to the season slowing? They face Lou City next – without coach Brendan Burke who was red carded. |
18 | Oakland Roots | 18 | 0 | 2-4-1 | 6.89 | Oakland got a goal back in the 1-3 loss in Detroit but ruined any chance of a comeback with a red card 3 minutes later. The only win in the last 5 was against El Paso. Colorado Springs this week. |
19 | Indy Eleven | 15 | -4 | 1-4-2 | 5.89 | Indy demonstrated some very poor defending and probably have a Switchbacks red card to thank for the 1-1 result. Just 2 points in the last 4 games and a trip to Cary, NC on the slate. |
20 | El Paso Locomotive | 23 | 3 | 0-5-2 | 4.82 | El Paso get a much needed and probably unexpected point in Tampa thanks to a Franciso Nevarez goal that was probably 70 yards in the air and heroic goalkeeping by Jahmali Waite. Still winless; can that change against Tulsa? |
21 | Phoenix Rising | 16 | -5 | 2-4-1 | 4.75 | Phoenix lost 1-3 to Pittsburgh, but the game was rather closer than the scoreline. They couldn’t convert chances and so went down. They cross the country to Rhode Island this weekend. |
22 | The Miami FC | 22 | 0 | 1-5-1 | 2.65 | Miami needed 35 minutes just to get a shot off in the 0-1 loss to Birmingham. A 17-year-old keeper playing behind a 15-year-old defender prevented the late equalizer. That’s embarrassing. San Antonio up this week. |
23 | Memphis 901 | 21 | -2 | 1-5-0 | 1.96 | Memphis’ only score in the 1-2 home loss to Monterey was an own goal in the first minute. Area Code FC now has the league-worst 5-game losing streak with just 2 earned goals going into the Southern Harm derby game. |
24 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 24 | 0 | 0-5-1 | 0.85 | Colorado Springs get their second goal and first point of the 2024 season but likely should have taken all 3 in the 1-1 draw with Indy. A red card in the second half didn’t help matters. A chance to continue the improvement in Oakland ahead. |