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League One Power Rankings - Week 9

By ETHAN TRIEBSCH - ethan.triebsch@uslsoccer.com, 05/31/22, 11:00AM EDT

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NCFC, Triumph SC on the rise

Despite its week off, the Charlotte Independence remain at the top of the League One Power Rankings following a wild Week 9.

Now in second in the Power Rankings, Central Valley Fuego FC played Forward Madison FC to a 1-1 draw in Fresno. The first goal came directly off a Jeremiah Streng free kick before Fuego FC's Villyan Bijev went on to head in a Diego Casillas free kick in stoppage time to salvage the draw.

North Carolina FC, on the other hand, continued its steady rise up the League One table with a 2-1 victory at home over the Richmond Kickers. With the victory, North Carolina extended its unbeaten streak against Richmond to eight. After Emiliano Terzaghi's early score, it was all Garrett McLaughlin. The 24-year-old jumped to the top of the Golden Boot and claimed Player of the Week honors with a six-minute brace that featured a goal scored with the back of his head and a match-winning penalty conversion.

Outside of the top three, Greenville Triumph SC are the biggest risers after going unbeaten in four of its last five, while the Richmond Kickers experience the steepest drop with just one win in its last five matches.

Biggest Movers

Rank

 

Team

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Summary

1 Charlotte Independence
(4-2-2)
Week 9: ---

Last Week: 1
Highest Ranking: 1
On Charlotte’s bye week, three clubs had the opportunity but failed to leapfrog the Independence at the top of the table. Next, the table-toppers head to Greenville for an intriguing first-time matchup.
2 Central Valley Fuego FC
(3-1-4)
Week 9: T v. MAD
1
Last Week: 3
Highest Ranking: 2
The highest scoring team in the league got another stoppage-time score from Villyan Bijev to salvage a draw against Madison. Bijev and his supporting cast of Fresno natives have combined to form quite the team.
3 North Carolina FC
(4-3-1)
Week 9: W v. RIC
2
Last Week: 5
Highest Ranking: 3
Following a relatively slow start to the season, John Bradford and NCFC have turned it on as of late, winning three of their last four and challenging the in-state Independence at the top of the table.
4 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
(3-3-2)
Week 9: L v. GVL
2
Last Week: 2
Highest Ranking: 1
After a strong start to the 2022 campaign, it’s been largely up and down for the Red Wolves. They’ve scored the second most but also conceded the third most in the league.
5 Greenville Triumph SC
(3-3-2)
Week 9: W @ CHA
3
Last Week: 8
Highest Ranking: 5
Unbeaten in four of its last five, Triumph SC are hitting its stride at the right time. Goalkeeper Paul Christensen and the Greenville defense have looked strong early in the season.
6 South Georgia Tormenta FC
(3-3-2)
Week 9: L v. TUC

Last Week: 6
Highest Ranking: 1
Tormenta FC continues its tumble down the table and the Power Rankings following its second consecutive loss in which it’s failed to score. South Georgia’s imposing defense has looked increasingly susceptible to offensive infiltration in recent weeks.
7 Richmond Kickers
(2-3-2)
Week 9: L @ NC
3
Last Week: 4
Highest Ranking: 1
As with Tormenta FC, the Kickers are trying to right the ship following a rough stretch of just one win in its last five matches. The good news is that the ship shouldn’t be too hard to right with Akira Fitzgerald and Emiliano Terzaghi on board.
8 Union Omaha
(1-1-4)
Week 9: T v. NCO
1
Last Week: 7
Highest Ranking: 2
If this was the “MLS vs. League One Power Rankings,” Omaha would be at the top. However, Omaha’s small sample size and three-match league winless streak rightfully positions them here.
9 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC
(2-2-2)
Week 9: T @ OMA

Last Week: 9
Highest Ranking: 6
Like Omaha, the U.S. Open Cup success hasn’t translated to league play just yet. However, a 2-2-2 record with only six matches played is certainly not the end of the world.
10 FC Tucson
(2-4-1)
Week 9: W @ TRM
1
Last Week: 11
Highest Ranking: 7
Tucson snapped its three-match losing streak and claimed its first clean sheet of the season on the road against a strong Tormenta FC side. The key to FC Tucson’s success is figuring out how to continually stifle the opposing attack as they did in Statesboro.
11 Forward Madison FC
(1-3-4)
Week 9: T @ CV
1
Last Week: 10
Highest Ranking: 3
Madison has been so close on so many occasions with all but one result being decided by one goal or less. Statistically, Madison has conceded more goals than expected and scored fewer goals than expected.

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