USL Super League Power Rankings Week 5

Carolina stays in the top spot, Brooklyn, FTL make big jumps 

Carolina Ascent FC remains in the top spot for this week’s Power Rankings after stringing together the first two back-to-back wins of the season. While Spokane had the edge in possession, the Ascent recorded eight shots on target, four times more than the Zephyr. Through five weeks, Carolina looks like the team to beat right now with three wins in four matches.  

Breakout performance of the week goes to Dallas Trinity FC, who netted six goals against Lexington SC at the Cotton Bowl. Arlington, Texas native Allie Thornton recorded the league’s first hat trick and teammate Chioma Ubogagu bagged a brace in the league’s highest scoring match of the season.  

The upset of the weekend goes to Brooklyn FC, which made the trip to Florida and defeated a strong Tampa Bay Sun FC side at home. While the Sun controlled 60% of possession and had more than double Brooklyn’s shots, the hosts couldn’t find the back of the net, meaning Isabel Cox’s 23^rd minute goal was the difference.  

Lastly, Fort Lauderdale United FC recorded the team’s first win of the season at Audi Field to put a damper on DC Power FC’s home opener. Addie McCain and Jasmine Hamid both scored their second goals of the season. 

Here’s how the full rankings look after Week 5: 

Rank		Team	Change	Summary
1		Carolina Ascent FC (3-0-1) Week 6: —	Last Week: 1	Carolina is the clear frontrunner, earning 10 out of 12 points thus far. The team is disciplined on defense and has so many offensive threats it’s proving hard for opponents to match up.
2		Dallas Trinity FC (1-0-2) Week 6: —	1 Last Week: 3	Last weekend’s match against Lexington showed once Dallas finds its opponent’s weakness, it will exploit it. The Trinity pounced on every loose ball, took all the space they were allowed and did not let up until the final whistle.
3		Brooklyn FC (1-0-1) Week 6: —	3 Last Week: 6	In Brooklyn’s first two matches, it has proven a team that doesn’t need possession to earn results. Its midfielders can win tackles, maneuver through pressure and quickly get the ball to forwards who are technical and creative in the final third.
4		Fort Lauderdale United FC (1-1-1) Week 6: @ LEX	3 Last Week: 7	Fort Lauderdale bounced back from its loss against Carolina with a strong win over DC last week. It was the first time the team had a lead in any of its matches, and the group looked more confident compared to when they were playing from behind.
5		Tampa Bay Sun FC (1-1-2) Week 6: —	3 Last Week: 2	Just when Tampa Bay seemed to be finding its groove, it reverted to Week 1 form and lost its first match of the season. Out of 14 shots, only three were on frame and none seriously tested the goalkeeper. Pretty disappointing, overall.
6		DC Power FC (0-2-2) Week 6: @ SPK	1 Last Week: 5	It seems like the same story every week for DC Power: good in maintaining possession and building from the back but struggling to connect in the final third. Even playing in its home opener couldn’t give the team the push it needed to come away with a win.
7		Spokane Zephyr FC (0-1-2) Week 6: vs. DC	3 Last Week: 4	Spokane has a lot of individual talent, but it has yet to form a cohesive unit. That was even clearer when facing a two-goal deficit against Carolina as the Zephyr began forcing shots, rushing passes and struggled to regain their footing.
8		Lexington SC (0-2-1) Week 6: vs. FTL	Last Week: 8	Another tough loss for Lexington keeps it at the bottom of the rankings. Its offense has never been the problem; four of its six shots were on target and two went in. However, the defense continues to underperform and hold the team back from earning any results.