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USL eCup: FIFA 20 Edition – Power Rankings, Week 2

By NICHOLAS MURRAY - nicholas.murray@uslsoccer.com, 05/18/20, 11:30AM EDT

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Red Bulls II move into top spot after shift to top of points standings on Friday night

With the opportunity for the outside help to get involved, we suggested last week that it might be the New York Red Bulls II’s time to shine in Week 2 and that proved the case as they not only claimed Division A, but saw enough fall right elsewhere to move into top spot in the overall points standings.

That’s taken some pressure off New York’s players this week, with relegation out of the question thanks to its bye into the division’s quarterfinals. But this week I’m looking at Saint Louis FC as the side that could potentially make a run, and with it take control of the overall standings with Kyle Morton having looked impressive up against whatever the opposition could throw at him last week.

For other teams, though, there’s the need to find redemption. After lopsided defeats last week, we’re looking at you, Real Monarchs SLC and Phoenix Rising FC, for something far better in this week’s action.

Things get back underway on Monday night the new division lineups get underway with Division C, with Divisions A and B getting into action on Tuesday night. Check out the schedule for all the action on Twitch here. 

Austin Bold FC Birmingham Legion FC Charleston Battery Charlotte Independence Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC El Paso Locomotive FC Greenville Triumph SC Hartford Athletic
Indy Eleven Las Vegas Lights FC LA Galaxy II Loudoun United FC Louisville City FC Memphis 901 FC The Miami FC New England Revolution II
New York Red Bulls II North Carolina FC OKC Energy FC Orange County SC Philadelphia Union II Phoenix Rising FC Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC Real Monarchs SLC
Rio Grande Valley FC Sacramento Republic FC Saint Louis FC Tacoma Defiance Tampa Bay Rowdies FC Tucson FC Tulsa Union Omaha

Biggest Movers

17 NE 8 NC
 

Rank

 

Team

Change

Summary
1 New York Red Bulls II
Chile
Charity: Wings For Life		 6
Last Week: 7		 Each opponent make the Red Bulls II earn it from the Quarterfinals on, but Mike Labelle’s experience showed in his victory in Division A to lift New York to the top of the points for now.
2 Saint Louis FC
France
Charity: STL Area Food Bank		 4
Last Week: 6		 STLFC goalkeeper Kyle Morton was sharp on the sticks last week, and with one of the more powerful teams at his disposal in France could be the favorite to take Division A’s bracket this week.
3 Rio Grande Valley FC
Brazil
Charity: Amigos Del Valle		 2
Last Week: 1		 The Toros’ Kembo Kibato couldn’t quite get past the Red Bulls II last week, but RGVFC is still well-placed in the overall points standings as we enter a players-only week in Week 3.
4 OKC Energy FC
Portugal
Charity: Energy Assist Foundation
Last Week: 4		 Playing as Portugal obviously has its advantages in the attacking end, and it figures that at some point Energy FC is going to find a way through to claim the Division A bracket. Will that be this week?
5 Hartford Athletic
Scotland
Charity: Foodshare		 3
Last Week: 2		 Hartford narrowly missed out on sitting on top of the points standings after a fourth-place finish in Division A last week. The key question for Week 3 is whether Tyreke Johnson is back to play again.
6 Austin Bold FC
Italy
Charity: Central Texas Food Bank		 3
Last Week: 3		 Bold FC is still solidly placed in the points standings despite its Quarterfinal knockout last week but gets a potentially challenging game to open Week 3 against Division A newcomer the Charleston Battery.
7 Union Omaha
Norway
Charity: Omaha Foundation 		2
Last Week: 5		 The breakthrough Los Buhos were hoping to make in Week 2 didn’t arrive and now they have the challenge of facing Sacramento Republic FC, which saw its players impress last week.
8 New England Revolution II
Russia
Charity: Revolution Charitable Foundation		 17
Last Week: 25		 The Revolution II were boosted by eMLS loanee John Oliveira last week to win Division B. Now they’ll need similarly sharp performances to consolidate their place in the top flight from one of their players.
9 Sacramento Republic FC
Mexico
Charity: Raley's Food for Families		 6
Last Week: 15		 Defender Juan Barahona was one of the revelations on the sticks in Week 2. If he’s available this week, it could give Republic FC’s chances at a strong finish a serious boost.
10 Greenville Triumph SC
Poland
Charity: United Way of Greenville County		 2
Last Week: 8		 Triumph SC did enough to maintain its place in Division A, and they get a chance to maintain that spot with a winnable contest against the Revolution II on Tuesday night.
11 The Miami FC
England
Charity: Communities in Schools - Miami
Last Week: 11		 A narrow defeat to eventual Division A finalist Saint Louis FC sent Miami down into Division B for this week, but this side is certainly capable of a bounce back performance with one win needed to regain a spot in the top flight.
12 Charleston Battery
Greece
Charity: MUSC Foundation		 11
Last Week: 23		 The Battery’s Rennico Clarke took a low-seeded team in Greece and made them look like world-beaters in Division B last week. We’re intrigued to see how he fares against top-level competition.
13 El Paso Locomotive FC
Argentina
Charity: El Pasoans Fighting Hunger		 7
Last Week: 20		 The good news for Locomotive FC is their strong week resulted in points and promotion to Division A. The bad news is they have to beat Rio Grande Valley FC to avoid going straight back down on Tuesday night.
14 Las Vegas Lights FC
Uruguay
Charity: Mayor's Fund of Las Vegas		 2
Last Week: 12		 Las Vegas is going to have to tighten up defensively if its to reclaim a place in Division A this week, but at least they’ve got a bye to the Quarterfinals, ensuring they can’t slide any further for the time being.
15 Charlotte Independence
Germany
Charity: Hemby Children's Hospital		 6
Last Week: 9		 The Independence got the No. 1 seed in Germany to play with but haven’t made the most of that opportunity yet. Is this the week it turns around for them?
16 Pittsburgh Riverhounds SC
Belgium
Charity: Pittsburgh Food Bank		 2
Last Week: 14		 The Hounds are in a similar boat to Charlotte with a strong squad – Belgium – that has slipped into Division B. It’s time to start banging in the goals and earn a return to the top flight.
17 Phoenix Rising FC
Netherlands
Charity: Local First Arizona		 7
Last Week: 10		 Giving up seven goals in one game against the Battery was one of the stunning results of Week 2. Now Rising FC is up against it to rebound, or be sent down to Division C.
18 Tampa Bay Rowdies
Colombia
Charity: Feeding Tampa Bay		 3
Last Week: 21		 The Rowdies had a shot at promotion last week but missed out. Now they have to pick up a victory against newly promoted Birmingham Legion FC right off the bat to make sure they at least stay in Division B.
19 Indy Eleven
Côte D’Ivoire
Charity: Community Health Network Foundation		 11
Last Week: 30		 The Eleven looked great in claiming Division C last week, now the question is which player can build on the momentum the club picked up as it lands in Division B?
20 Philadelphia Union II
Spain
Charity: City Team - Chester		 7
Last Week: 13		 It feels like the Union II have underachieved with Spain as their side over the opening two weeks of the tournament. Now must be the time to start a turnaround, or else Division C awaits.
21 LA Galaxy II
Sweden
Charity: Los Angeles Regional Food Bank		 3
Last Week: 24		 Los Dos got a solid week from Bruce Martin to earn promotion and point in Division C but facing a highly motivated Phoenix side to open Week 3 is going to be a very big challenge.
22 Real Monarchs SLC
Switzerland
Charity: RSL Foundation		 6
Last Week: 16		 The Monarchs have to be looking for redemption after the hammering they took at the hands of El Paso Locomotive FC last week, but Indy Eleven isn’t an easy matchup at all.
23 Orange County SC
Cameroon
Charity: OCSC Community Foundation		 6
Last Week: 17		 Only two goals in the tournament so far has been a disappointment from Orange County, which has slipped into Division C as a result. Time to get things shifted into gear.
24 Birmingham Legion FC
Ireland
Charity: Birmingham Strong Fund		 6
Last Week: 18		 Legion FC earned its place in Division B, but then gave up nine goals in two games to only finish fourth in the lowest tier. A quick return back is on the cards if that defense can’t tighten up.
25 Colorado Springs Switchbacks FC
Paraguay
Charity: Care and Share Food Bank of Southern Colorado		 3
Last Week: 22		 The Switchbacks dropped down to Division C after their loss to the Tampa Bay Rowdies to open Week 2, and it feels like their matchup with Louisville to kick off this week won’t be an easy one either.
26 FC Tucson
Czech Republic
Charity: United Way - Tucson		 1
Last Week: 27		 Tucson did well enough to earn promotion from Division C last week but it’s going to have to find another gear if it’s going to get past the Philadelphia Union II and Spain to start this week.
27 North Carolina FC
Turkey
Charity: NCFC Youth Financial Aid Fund		 8
Last Week: 19		 Two games have brought two narrow defeats for North Carolina FC and a place in Division C as a result. Is this the week the side finds a way into the win column and starts to move up the standings?
28 FC Tulsa
United States
Charity: Tulsa Area United Way		 2
Last Week: 26		 Tulsa has been pretty toothless so far with the United States and conceding nine goals over two defeats hasn’t helped. The choice of player for this week’s action is crucial.
29 Tacoma Defiance
Slovenia
Charity: Big Brothers, Big Sisters - Puget Sound		 1
Last Week: 28		 The Defiance’s success at Rocket League has made their struggles in this edition of the USL eCup all the more perplexing. Is Josh Atencio available to get things on track?
30 Louisville City FC
Wales
Charity: One Louisville COVID-19 Emergency Response Fund		 1
Last Week: 29		 Wales is the lowest-seeded side in the tournament, but there seemed to be some signs of life last week despite the defeat to Birmingham. Can Magnus Rasmussen – or anyone else – put all the pieces together?
31 Memphis 901 FC
Austria
Charity: Mid South Food Bank
Last Week: 31		 As last week’s ranking indicated, we weren’t confidence of 901 FC’s potential to succeed in Division B, now the side gets to build from the bottom up in Division C.
32 Loudoun United FC
Denmark
Charity: Tourism & Hospitality Relief Fund
Last Week: 32		 Last week’s game ended up looking winnable as Loudoun went to extra time with Tucson. A second consecutive defeat, however, keeps United at the bottom here.

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