Week 25 saw August exit with a thrilling 3-3 draw between Richmond and Fuego before giving way to an even more exciting start to September. One Knox bested Tormenta in the battle between the playoff contenders, while Greenville and Madison failed to add insurance points, leaving Knoxville within striking distance of the final playoff spot. Meanwhile, NCFC took care of business against Fuego over the weekend, and Hailstorm showed us without any doubt that they’re fully back from the winless streak.
Here’s how we have the clubs stacked up going into week 26.
1) Union Omaha
Last week: 1
Record: 12-7-5 (3rd)
Matches since last ranking: WIN at Greenville
This week: vs. NCFC, vs. Richmond
The Owls were off last week, so the top spot remains theirs to defend. And they’ll dive right into that with a visit from top-of-the-table NCFC on Wednesday. While Omaha gets plenty of production and goals from across its roster, NCFC has also seen its secondary players step up lately. This should be one of the more exciting matches of the season and a possible championship preview.
With six possible points in play this week, Omaha can solidify its position somewhere in the top three of the table, potentially as high as number one. Luckily they seem to have the depth to manage the roster between the two matches.
2) North Carolina FC
Last week: 2
Record: 14-5-5 (1st)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Fuego
This week: at Omaha, at Greenville
NCFC recovered from the previous week’s loss to NOCO to handle a visiting Fuego squad. Conceding an early penalty did not deter, as Jaden Servania provided the equalizer on a set piece in the 36th minute. Despite the Fuego defense managing to limit shots from NCFC’s dangerous goal-scoring quartet of Oalex Anderson, Garrett McLaughlin, Rafa Mentzingen, and Louis Pérez, it was DJ Benton providing the match winner off the bench in the 89th minute.
With a comfortable four-point lead at the top of the table, they’ll take this energy to Omaha and Greenville this week, two clubs battling for playoff position.
3) Hailstorm FC
Last week: 3
Record: 12-7-5 (2nd)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Charlotte
This week: vs. Lexington
Last week we asked the question: Is Northern Colorado back? They answered with an emphatic yes, as they took down fellow playoff contenders Charlotte Independence at home on Sunday night. Trevor Amann got things started with a goal in the sixth minute, breaking the league’s single-season goals record at 19 on the year. And while the match would go back and forth in the second half, it was Noah Powder and Marky Hernández who sealed the win with two unanswered goals to close out the match. Powder finished the match with the goal plus an assist on each of the goals from Amann and Hernández.
They’ll host Lexington on Wednesday, a club loving its role in preventing playoff contenders from gaining points. They can’t take this one lightly if they want to overtake Omaha and catch NCFC, both of which have two matches this week.
4) Charlotte Independence
Last week: 4
Record: 11-7-8 (4th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS at Northern Colorado
This week: vs. Chattanooga
It seemed for a bit that the Jacks were going to keep up with Northern Colorado, answering each of their host’s first two goals with goals of their own. Gabriel Obertan equalized, followed by an unfortunate Austin Pack own-goal. Khori Bennett converted a penalty kick to equalize again, but two more goals followed, leaving Charlotte in the dust.
Charlotte remains three points and a win ahead of Greenville and Madison for the fourth playoff spot. They’ll host Chattanooga on Saturday, and better be prepared for their visitors’ propensity to score second-half goals and pull upsets.
5) Greenville Triumph
Last week: 5
Record (10-7-8, 5th)
Matches since last ranking: DRAW at Lexington
This week: vs. NCFC
It took nearly every second of stoppage time, but Greenville managed to escape Lexington with a point on a Jamie Smith header as time expired. Not the result they needed though, as a win would have moved them safely ahead of Knoxville. Instead, they sit fifth in the table, sharing a two-point lead with Forward Madison over One Knox.
They’ll host the always dangerous top-of-the-table NCFC on Saturday, with the advantage of being the more rested side.
6) One Knoxville SC
Last week: 8
Record: 9-8-9 (7th)
Matches since last ranking: WIN at Tormenta
This week: at Forward Madison
While they remain two points out, One Knox takes the momentum for that last playoff spot into September with a solid 3-1 win at Tormenta. Sean Lewis stood on his head, and even took one off of his head, saving four out of five shots on target against a dangerous Tormenta offense. Gio Calixtro, Jordan Skelton and Jake Keegan put the visitors up 3-0 before the hosts managed to respond in the 82nd minute.
They’ll face the next boss in the chain this weekend, with a trip to Forward Madison. The Mingos currently hold the sixth and final seed, but a Knoxville win would see the clubs switch places.
7) Forward Madison
Last week: 6
Record: 10-7-8 (6th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS at Chattanooga
This week: vs. Knoxville
For the fourth week in a row, The Mingos failed to capitalize on points against a lower-ranked club. This is not how they saw the homestretch of the season going after such a hot streak over the Summer. Derek Gebhard provided the opening goal in the 8th minute, but they’d give up the equalizer late in the first half, followed by two more in the second. Worse, they were held to just one more shot on target the entire match.
The next match is a pivotal one, hosting seventh-ranked One Knoxville. They’ll need to find that offensive and defensive magic from earlier in the summer if they want to remain in the playoff race.
8) Tormenta FC
Last week: 7
Record: 9-5-12 (8th)
Matches since last ranking: LOSS vs. Knoxville
This week: off
The much-anticipated matchup with fellow playoff contender One Knox turned into a bit of a disaster, and Tormenta fell five points behind the playoff bubble with the 3-1 loss. Knoxville’s stronger defense and goalkeeping ended up as the difference, as four of five Tormenta shots on target were saved. A beautiful Mukwelle Akale goal in the 82nd minute was not enough, with the squad already down 3-0. Worse, Nick Akoto took a red card, and will be unavailable next match.
They’ll have this week off to try and get things straight, but time is running out for the defending champions. They’re in Northern Colorado on September 10th.
9) Lexington SC
Last week: 9
Record: 7-7-11 (9th)
Matches since last ranking: DRAW vs. Greenville
This week: at Northern Colorado
Lexington nearly held on to a 1-0 lead after a 49th-minute goal-of-the-week shot from Tate Robertson. However, Greenville managed to sneak one in as time expired on a corner-kick header. The lone point managed to keep Lexington just ahead of Richmond, but it wasn’t quite enough to make a significant playoff push. They remain nine points back in the race with seven matches to go.
They’ll have a quick turnaround this week, traveling to Northern Colorado on Wednesday.
10) Red Wolves SC
Last week: 11
Record: 6-6-14 (11th)
Matches since last ranking: WIN vs. Madison
This week: at Charlotte
Chattanooga continues to play spoiler, this time with a solid 3-1 win over a struggling Madison side. Nico Cardona had the equalizer late in the first half, and the second half was all Red Wolves. Mekeil Williams and Marios Lomis each scored their first for the club to steal the three points from a Madison side that desperately needed them. With six matches remaining, and 13 points out of the race, the hole is probably too deep, but we’re enjoying the late-season chaos anyway.
They’ll visit Charlotte this weekend.
11) Richmond Kickers
Last week: 10
Record: 6-10-10 (10th)
Matches since last ranking: DRAW vs. Fuego
This week: at Omaha
We mentioned a couple of weeks ago that failure to capitalize on matches against Lexington and Fuego would be the end of the line for this Richmond squad. And fail they surely did, with a loss to Lexington and then a disappointing home draw against Fuego. The draw was particularly nasty, as Richmond blew a 2-0 lead and had to come from behind to take the single point. The only bright notes in this match were the first league goals from Chandler O’Dwyer and Nick Simmonds. The latter is a 16-year-old academy signing, and was the youngest goal-scorer in modern club history.
Things don’t get any easier as the struggling squad heads to red-hot Omaha on Saturday.
12) Fuego FC
Last week: 12
Record: 5-4-16 (12th)
Matches since last ranking: DRAW at Richmond; LOSS at NCFC
This week: off
Fuego hasn’t managed to get a win out of it, but the previously anemic offense seems to have awakened a bit as the season heads into the homestretch. Eight goals in the last three matches did get them two points though. However, with seven matches to go and 18 points out of the race, there is virtually no chance at a run. They’ll have to enjoy any chance they have to have fun and play spoiler.
They’re off this week, and will host Lexington on September 10th.