USL Championship Week 9 Recap: Louisville and San Antonio Stay Strong as El Paso and Sacramento Rise

Week 9 of the USL Championship offered a blend of consistency at the top and new contenders surging from below. In the Eastern Conference, Loudoun United retained the lead despite a narrow loss to Las Vegas, while Louisville City extended its unbeaten streak with a solid 2-0 win over Lexington SC. Charleston Battery bounced back with an emphatic 4-2 victory over Hartford Athletic, climbing to third place.

According to USLChampionship.com, the Western Conference saw more volatility. San Antonio FC drew 0-0 at Rhode Island but stayed top on goal differential. New Mexico United, also with 15 points, suffered a stunning 3-0 defeat to El Paso Locomotive, who made the biggest leap in the Power Rankings, climbing 11 spots after the club’s first-ever hat trick.

Sacramento Republic also found momentum, beating Oakland Roots 1-0 to rise to eighth place. While still lacking in finishing, Sacramento leads the league in Expected Goals (11.84xG) and has now posted three shutouts in its last four matches. North Carolina FC also surged upward, winning 2-0 at Pittsburgh to claim fifth place in the East.

At the bottom, Tampa Bay Rowdies and Hartford Athletic continue to struggle, while Colorado Springs and Lexington are slipping further with no wins in Week 9.

With eight matches remaining until the June break, the playoff race is tightening. This week highlighted El Paso’s offensive firepower, Charleston’s resilience, and Sacramento’s defensive emergence, while Louisville and San Antonio solidified their status as top-tier contenders.