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USL League One Power Rankings - Week 26

By ETHAN TRIEBSCH - ethan.triebsch@uslsoccer.com, 09/12/23, 5:30PM EDT

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No movement as regular season nears conclusion

The race for the Players’ Shield is in full swing as North Carolina, Northern Colorado, Omaha and Charlotte duke it out at the top.

Who will be first to clinch this weekend? Whose quest for the playoffs ends on Saturday? Tell us why your club should rank higher and keep the conversation going on Twitter at @USLLeagueOne.

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary
1 Union Omaha
(14-5-7)
Week 27: @ CHA
Last Week: 1		 Eight wins in a row and that’s with Rashid Nuhu and Noe Meza missing a combined seven matches through that stretch. Omaha are close to locking up a top-two finish.
2 Northern Colorado Hailstorm FC
(14-5-7)
Week 27: @ CV
Last Week: 2		 After hot start and slow summer, the Hailstorm are right back where they want to be as they challenge for the Players’ Shield in just their second season of existence.
3 North Carolina FC
(14-6-5)
Week 27: v. TRM
Last Week: 3		 The only reason NCFC finds itself in third and not first is simply because of the form of Omaha and Northern Colorado. Still, North Carolina controls its own destiny when it comes to claiming the Players’ Shield in its final season in League One.
4 Charlotte Independence
(12-8-7)
Week 27: @ LEX
Last Week: 4		 The Jacks did what they needed to do against Chattanooga on Saturday. While a top-three finish seems to be just out of reach, a finish in fourth place or higher would be the best finish in club history in relation to a full-league table.
5 One Knoxville SC
(9-9-9)
Week 27: v. GVL
Last Week: 5		 Knoxville weathered the ‘Mingo storm in Madison, playing FMFC to a scoreless draw. Unbeaten in five consecutive matches, Knoxville has moved up two positions in the table and is now a win away from a playoff position.
6 Greenville Triumph SC
(10-9-7)
Week 27: @ KNX
Last Week: 6		 Even with a difficult schedule lately, Greenville have only won once in its last six matches. The good news, though, is that Triumph SC now has the easiest remaining schedule in the league.
7 Forward Madison FC
(10-8-8)
Week 27: v. RIC
Last Week: 7		 A worrying trend is materializing in Madison. Through the final 10 matches of each of Madison’s seasons, the ‘Mingos have won 60% (2019), 43% (2020), 40% (2021) and 20% (2022) of its possible 30 points. The team is on track to win just 17% of its final 30 this season as they ride a five-match winless run.
8 South Georgia Tormenta FC
(9-13-5)
Week 27: @ NC
Last Week: 8		 As it stands now, the defending champs are six goals away from recording the highest-scoring season in league history but also five goals conceded away from recording the most goals allowed in a single season in league history.
9 Lexington SC
(7-12-8)
Week 27: v. CLT
Last Week: 9		 Lexington really needed a win in Fresno. A game of frustratingly slim margins, 10 of Lexington’s last 12 matches have been decided by one or fewer goals yet the first-year side have just a 4-5-3 record through that span.
10 Chattanooga Red Wolves SC
(6-15-6)
Week 27: v. OMA
Last Week: 10		 Aside from Saturday’s shutout performance, Chattanooga have been one of the most exciting teams to watch as of late. Just one win in five, though, makes returning to the playoffs nearly impossible for the 2022 finalists.
11 Richmond Kickers
(6-11-10)
Week 27: @ MAD
Last Week: 11		 11 consecutive matches without a victory. It’s the most for the Kickers since 2017.
12 Central Valley Fuego FC
(5-16-5)
Week 27: v. MAD
Last Week: 12		 Just about completely out of the race, a positive result from Madison and Greenville should wrap up Fuego FC’s postseason hopes.

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Tag(s): News  Power Rankings 

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