The Football Forge Power Rankings: Week 16Goals galore this week
It was a big week in the USL Championship, with fully seven teams having double-game weeks. On top of that there was a ton of scoring and at least one major upset. And a certain local team is looking just a bit better…
| Rank | Team | Previous | Change | Record | Forge Factor | Note |
| 1 | Tampa Bay Rowdies | 3 | 2 | 8-3-4 | 17.91 | Tampa pummeled 10-man Hartford with 26 shots but needed a very late PK to get the 1-0 win. To the top of the rankings on results elsewhere. Loudoun away Saturday. |
| 2 | Birmingham Legion | 8 | 6 | 6-5-3 | 17.15 | The Legion were brutal to a weakened San Antonio team for the much-needed 3-0 win. That and recent good results against good teams see the Three Sparks up in the ratings. At Detroit Wednesday and Louisville at home Saturday. |
| 3 | Rhode Island FC | 17 | 14 | 2-4-9 | 16.67 | Rhode Island shocked everyone, probably including themselves, with a huge 5-2 win in Louisville despite being heavily outshot. Quite a way to get your second-ever win. El Paso visits Wednesday. |
| 4 | Indy Eleven | 1 | -3 | 9-5-2 | 16.20 | Indy put up 17 shots and 8 on target, but none were especially threatening. The long win streak ends 0-1 against Orange County and it could have been worse. Off this week to lick their wounds. |
| 5 | Oakland Roots | 4 | -1 | 7-8-2 | 14.87 | Oakland Roots came from behind to beat El Paso 2-1 in a close game but then lost by the same score in Monterey Bay.That ended a 3-game win streak despite a late comeback attempt and both sides ending with 10 men. They go to Orange County Saturday. |
| 6 | Detroit City | 9 | 3 | 7-3-2 | 14.85 | Detroit City were on a bye. They host the Legion Wednesday and visit Miami Saturday. |
| 7 | Loudoun United | 5 | -2 | 5-6-4 | 14.78 | Loudoun came from 2 goals down yo draw 2-2 with Miami, but blew a PK and were foiled on numerous other shots. The 3-game 8-0 win streak 2 games back is receding now. A tough assignment against Tampa Bay Saturday. |
| 8 | North Carolina FC | 2 | -6 | 4-5-6 | 14.65 | North Carolina’s 0-0 draw with Pittsburgh was a rather drab affair but they hold on to the final playoff spot in the East. They visit Charleston Friday. |
| 9 | Phoenix Rising | 14 | 5 | 5-5-6 | 11.91 | Phoenix got to host the Battery in a rematch of last year’s title game. It ended a rather tedious 0-0. They head to Memphis Friday. |
| 10 | Colorado Springs Switchbacks | 6 | -4 | 6-6-3 | 11.66 | The Switchbacks scored early and late for a high-scoring but tight 3-3 draw in Las Vegas and then outplayed New Mexico but blew it with a late PK to go down 0-1. Still very much in the tight West race. Monterey Bay Saturday. |
| 11 | New Mexico United | 16 | 5 | 9-4-1 | 11.23 | New Mexico were outshot at home16-8 and 6-4 on target by Colorado Springs but got the 1-0 win on a PK to stay 3 points clear at the top of the West with a game in hand. To San Antonio Saturday. |
| 12 | Sacramento Republic | 13 | 1 | 6-2-7 | 11.18 | Sacramento’s 0-0 draw with Tulsa was a close-fought game that was ultimately decided by a bad offside call that kept SacRep on even terms. They are 1-2-2 in the last 5 and looking a little shaky. Hartford on Saturday. |
| 13 | Memphis 901 | 12 | -1 | 6-6-4 | 10.80 | Bruno Lapa scored a first-half Goal of the Year candidate from 60+ yards only to see his effort wasted by Akeem Ward giving up a PK for the 1-1 draw with Las Vegas. Slipping down the table a bit now. Phoenix Friday. |
| 14 | Las Vegas Lights | 11 | -3 | 4-7-6 | 10.64 | The Lights had two close draws this week, a wild 3-3 affair with Colorado Springs and a more sedate 1-1 with Memphis. 5 games unbeaten and they are beginning to look a bit more like the strong team of early this season. They get Pittsburgh Saturday. |
| 15 | FC Tulsa | 23 | 8 | 4-5-5 | 10.19 | FC Tulsa came from behind to beat Miami 2-1 with both teams making several late scoring attempts. They then drew Sacramento 0-0 but Phillip Goodrum was denied a goal on a very dubious offside call. Rough. 4 points below the playoff line. Off this week. |
| 16 | El Paso Locomotive | 10 | -6 | 3-10-3 | 10.08 | El Paso got an early lead on a poor defensive error by Okalnd but ended up 1-2 losers in a well-fought contest. 5 points adrift at the bottom of the West. They visit Rhode Island Wednesday. |
| 17 | Hartford Athletic | 15 | -2 | 5-8-1 | 10.05 | Hartford lost Beverly Makangila to a 43rd-minute red card but hung with the Rowdies until giving up a PK in the 87th minute. A heartbreaking loss. Off to Sacramento this Saturday. |
| 18 | Orange County | 19 | 1 | 6-6-3 | 9.28 | Orange County officially had 1 shot on target against Indy, although they had the better chances overall. But that was enough for the 1-0 win. Brian Iloski got hurt, though. Oakland Saturday. |
| 19 | Louisville City | 7 | -12 | 11-3-2 | 8.86 | Lou City beat Pittsburgh Wednesday just 1-0 and then were embarrassed 2-5 at home by Rhode Island. They had only lost at home by 3 once ever and allowed 5 goals once ever (both last year). This is one for the history books. Is revenge on the cards in the Magic City this week? |
| 20 | Monterey Bay Union | 18 | -2 | 6-7-4 | 7.96 | The Union were heavily outshot by Oakland but generaly had the better play and surived a late comeback for the 2-1 win. They remain erratic but hold on the last home playoff spot in the West by their fingernails. They go to Colorado Springs Saturday. |
| 21 | Pittsburgh Riverhounds | 21 | 0 | 3-7-6 | 5.37 | The Riverhounds lost a close one 0-1 to Lou City before drawing 0-0 with North Carolina FC 0-0. 11 goals in 16 games and 0 in the last 4 is not getting it done. To Las Vegas Saturday. |
| 22 | Charleston Battery | 20 | -2 | 8-2-6 | 4.75 | The Battery were unable to avenge the title loss, drawing 0-0 in Phoenix. Both teams were unimpressive. Charleston is winless in its last 5 and scoreless in its last 4. North Carolina at home Friday. |
| 23 | The Miami FC | 24 | 1 | 2-12-2 | 0.25 | Miami took leads twice this week and managed to waste them both, losing 1-2 in Tulsa in a wild game and drawing 2-2 at home with Loudoun thanks to goalkeeping heroics by Felipe Rodriguez. The 7-game losing streak is over though. Detroit Saturday. |
| 24 | San Antonio | 22 | -2 | 4-7-5 | -1.44 | San Antonio were pretty much on crutches at the end of this one with their squad thinned by injury and international duty. The 0-3 loss could have been much worse if not for Kendall McIntoch’s goalkeeping. No easier this week with New Mexico calling. |
