You can read last week’s rankings here, and an explanation of our methodology here.

Below are the rankings as of July 29th, 2017 (last week’s rankings is in parentheses).

East Rankings

1 (Last Week- 1). Charlotte Independence (1155)

Last Week: Drew 0-0 vs Richmond on Wednesday, Won 4-0 @ Bethlehem on Saturday.

2 (1). Louisville City (1149)

Last Week: Won 2-1 vs New York Red Bulls II on Saturday.

3 (3). Charleston Battery (1141)

Last Week: Drew 2-2 @ Pittsburgh on Wednesday, Drew 0-0 vs Orlando City B on Saturday.

4 (4). Tampa Bay Rowdies (1130)

Last Week: Won 2-0 vs Pittsburgh on Saturday.

5 (5). Rochester Rhinos (1125)

Last Week: Won 2-0 vs Toronto FC II on Wednesday, Won 3-2 @ FC Cincinnati on Saturday.

6 (6). FC Cincinnati (1106)

Last Week: Lost 3-2 vs Rochester on Saturday.

7 (8). Ottawa Fury FC (1104)

Last Week: Won 2-0 vs Toronto FC II on Saturday.

8 (7). Bethlehem Steel FC (1098)

Last Week: Lost 4-0 vs Charlotte on Saturday.

9 (9). Orlando City B (1096)

Last Week: Drew 0-0 @ Charleston on Saturday.

T10 (10). Pittsburgh Riverhounds (1080)

Last Week: Drew 2-2 vs Charleston on Wednesday, Lost 2-0 @ Tampa on Saturday.

T10 (11). Harrisburg City Islanders (1080)

Last Week: Bye Week

T10 (12). Saint Louis FC (1080)

Last Week: Won 1-0 vs Richmond on Saturday.

13 (13). New York Red Bulls II (1066)

Last Week: Lost 2-1 @ Louisville on Saturday.

14 (14). Richmond Kickers (1052)

Last Week: Drew 0-0 @ Charlotte on Wednesday, Lost 1-0 vs Saint Louis on Saturday.

15 (15). Toronto FC II (1039)

Last Week: Lost 2-0 @ Rochester on Wednesday, Lost 2-0 @ Ottawa on Saturday.

Week Twenty Matches

Wednesday, August 2nd

#9 Orlando City B (1096) v #10 Harrisburg City Islanders (1080)

Saturday, August 5th

#13 New York Red Bulls II (1066) v #5 Rochester Rhinos (1125)

#15 Toronto FC II (1039) v #3 Charleston Battery (1141)

#1 Charlotte Independence (1155) v #2 Louisville City (1149)

#6 FC Cincinnati (1106) v #9 Orlando City B (1096)

#7 Ottawa Fury FC (1104) v #8 Bethlehem Steel FC (1098)

#10 Pittsburgh Riverhounds (1080) v #14 Richmond Kickers (1052)

#4 Tampa Bay Rowdies (1130) v #10 Harrisburg City Islanders (1080)

Thoughts

After a massive 4-0 win over Bethlehem this weekend, Charlotte takes sole possession of the top spot in our power rankings. The Independence have been on a fast climb in recent weeks, having gone unbeaten in their last ten matches. Not too far behind them, Louisville City. The Kentucky club recorded their fifth home win of the year on Saturday, and end July with three wins on the month. These two sides meet in North Carolina this weekend, in a clash of the conference’s premier sides.

The rest of the top six remains unchanged from last week. These consistent clubs are starting to mold the playoff picture for the East, as many have settled into the same positions for the past few weeks.

Further out of the playoff picture is a tight race in the middle of the pack. Ottawa have just recently moved above 1100, at the expense of Bethlehem, for a spot in the top half of the rankings. A three-way tie exists in tenth place between Pittsburgh, Harrisburg and Saint Louis. All the way at the end of the rankings, Richmond and Toronto FC II continue to slip further behind the rest of the East.

What are your thoughts on this week’s power rankings? With no new teams in the top six, are we starting to see the core clubs set for the playoffs? Is there a team currently outside the top eight that you think has the best chance at making the postseason? Let us know in the comments below!