What a week in MLS.
The Philadelphia Union and Cavan Sullivan looked outstanding, FC Cincinnati allowed a lot of goals, and Antoine Griezmann tortured defenses. It was truly a week unlike any other.
As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by, give or take, 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com. The author doesn't decide the rankings, but he does get a little rush out of moving your team down a few spots when he can.
Even when Nashville falter, no one really makes a dent in their massive lead atop the Supporters’ Shield standings (now eight points).
They only picked up a point across two games last week, but a 2-2 draw at Inter Miami feels like a win at this point in the Shield race, especially when you steal a point with a stoppage-time equalizer.
Sam Surridge scored both goals in the road result. He’s up to 15 goals on the season.
Previous: 2-2 draw at MIA | Next: 9/19 vs. CHI
Concerns about the Whitecaps losing Sebastian Berhalter seem well-founded after the Caps went out and fell 2-1 to Austin at home. They’ve now lost three of their last six.
Since the World Cup break (and Berhalter’s departure), Vancouver have only earned 14 points over 10 matches. That’s not the end of the world, but it’s definitely a step backward.
The Whitecaps are in danger of falling out of the top spot in the West. That seemed unthinkable before the break.
Previous: 2-1 loss vs. ATX | Next: 9/19 at RSL
Inter Miami have three wins since the World Cup break. Two of those wins came against last-place CF Montréal.
In a vacuum, draws with Chicago and Nashville last week are totally fine results. But the Herons might have to start worrying about holding onto a home Audi MLS Cup Playoffs spot if one point doesn't start turning into three.
Previous: 2-2 draw vs. NSH | Next: 9/20 vs. SD
The hottest team in the West stayed hot with a four-point week, making it 15 games unbeaten.
St. Louis were minutes away from holding off Portland to earn all three points at Providence Park, too. New DP forward Rafael Navarro scored four times across both games and seems to be as good a fit as a bunch of really smart people thought he could be.
Even with some changing parts, St. Louis have outpaced everyone in the West as of late. They’re just five points behind first-place Vancouver, and there’s a genuine chance they catch up by the end of the season.
Previous: 4-2 win vs. MIN | Next: 9/19 vs. TOR
FOLKS.
The Philadelphia Union are the hottest team in the East. And 16-year-old Cavan Sullivan may be the league’s most in-form player.
The kid is just trying whatever he wants to, and an absurd amount of it is coming off.
On an extremely, extremely related note, the Union have averaged 2.6 points per game in their 10 matches since the World Cup. They’re up to seventh in the East, and it feels like they could beat anyone in the league on any given day.
They’re becoming a bona fide MLS Cup presented by Audi contender.
Previous: 5-0 win at SD | Next: 9/19 at SKC
The Revs just keep getting the job done. In a difficult two-game week with matchups at New York City FC and the Chicago Fire, New England did enough to earn a pair of 2-1 wins.
They were outcreated in both matches, but Matt Turner is putting together another Goalkeeper of the Year-caliber season. His shot-stopping numbers are the best in the league. He’s a major reason why the Revs are third in the East and just two points behind Inter Miami.
Previous: 2-1 win at CHI | Next: 9/19 vs. ORL
A couple of 2-1 wins over Minnesota and Portland have FC Dallas equal on points with second-place Houston in the West. Dallas have now won three straight, all by one goal.
No one in the West feels all that serious about finishing at the top of the conference right now. There’s plenty of reason to think Petar Musa and Dallas could end up on top of the standings when all is said and done.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. POR | Next: 9/19 vs. ATX
A critical week for Chicago’s home playoff hopes didn’t go to plan.
They went toe-to-toe against Miami in a respectable 1-1 draw and then came up short against New England in a 2-1 loss. Chicago outshot the Revs 21-4, but both of New England’s shots on target found the back of the net. Tough break aside, Chicago are struggling to find a groove.
They’ve gone 3W-3L-4D in the 10 league matches since Robert Lewandowski joined. They averaged 1.86 points per game before the break. They’re at 1.3 points per game since.
Previous: 2-1 loss vs. NE | Next: 9/19 at NSH
The Dynamo are still second in the West, but they may not be for much longer. Their form has taken a dip, and they’ve earned just five points over their last five matches. They’ve only scored three goals in that span and have been shut out three times.
If Houston's attack can’t get going in the next two matches – they face FC Cincinnati and Sporting Kansas City, the two worst defensive sides in the league – it might be time to worry.
Previous: 1-0 loss at SJ | Next: 9/19 vs. CIN
Charlotte took care of business against CF Montréal midweek before a wild 3-3 draw with Cincinnati on Saturday. It could have been six points if not for a stoppage-time equalizer from Cincy, but four points still pushed them into fourth place.
Their attack might keep them in a home playoff spot. Since the World Cup break, Charlotte have averaged 2.1 goals per game. In the 15 games prior, they averaged 1.6.
Previous: 3-3 draw at CIN | Next: 9/19 at DC
After a 3-1 loss to Sporting KC, it’s probably time to worry about LAFC. They were fine in a 2-0 win over Red Bull New York midweek, but then dropped the ball on the road.
LAFC have averaged a middling 1.5 points per game since the break and are sliding down the standings. They’re sitting in sixth place with eight games left on their schedule.
Previous: 3-1 loss at SKC | Next: 9/19 at SJ
These guys are for real. They played Atlanta off the field on Wednesday and then did the same to Toronto on Saturday. They’ve won four of their last five and look like a totally revitalized team.
Antoine Griezmann has, of course, led the way. He scored three times last week, including both game-winners, to bring his totals up to eight goals and three assists in 10 MLS matches.
Everything in attack flows through Griezmann, and opponents are panicking as they try to figure out how to contain him. That’s opening up space for his teammates to thrive.
Previous: 3-0 win vs. TOR | Next: 9/19 at NE
A four-point week is good enough, although double gameweeks don’t get much easier than an Austin-Montréal bill. Still, those four points have Colorado sitting seventh in the West.
The Rapids have sputtered in attack, only scoring more than a single goal in one of their 10 games since the break, but have hopefully addressed the issue through club-record signing Morgan Whittaker. To be fair, they’ve also kept six consecutive clean sheets at home in that span.
Previous: 1-0 win vs. MTL | Next: 9/19 vs. SEA
Well, that’s a lot more like it.
San Jose looked a lot more like they did in the first half of the season last week. They handled San Diego in a 3-2 win before keeping Houston quiet in a 1-0 victory. Before this week, they were winless over their last eight matches.
Everything may not be fixed for good, but this is a critical momentum swing. It helps that they’re looking a little healthier these days as well. No. 10 Niko Tsakiris had his best game since returning from injury when he added a goal and two assists at San Diego.
Previous: 1-0 win vs. HOU | Next: 9/19 vs. LAFC
NYCFC bounced back from a midweek loss to New England by taking care of business against a flailing RSL side. The 2-0 win is their first since July 25. They really needed that one. The Pigeons have fallen all the way back to eighth in the East since their poor run of form began.
That means a huge Hudson River Derby is on the way this Friday. They’re just two points ahead of the 10th-place Red Bulls.
Previous: 2-0 win at RSL | Next: 9/18 vs. RBNY
Cincy’s defensive problems are becoming too much to overcome. They were boatraced by Philly in a 5-0 loss midweek and had to rescue a point in a 3-3 draw with Charlotte.
They’ve allowed 12 goals over the last three matches and 59 goals on the season. Only SKC have allowed as many. On a very related note, Cincy are in ninth place now.
Previous: 3-3 draw vs. CLT | Next: 9/19 at HOU
Tough stretch.
San Jose outplayed San Diego midweek, and then Philadelphia rolled to a 5-0 rout on Saturday. They’ve faced stiff competition in the last three games and lost all three.
Previous: 5-0 loss vs. PHI | Next: 9/20 at MIA
One point for the Timbers after a double gameweek against two of the West’s best. They drew with St. Louis before falling to FC Dallas.
At least DP forward Kristoffer Velde continues to seem like a great find. He scored twice against St. Louis to bring his season totals up to 8g/9a.
Previous: 2-1 loss at DAL | Next: 9/19 vs. ATL
No points for the Loons last week. They’ve only earned seven points in the last 10 games. Only four teams have been worse. Nothing is clicking, except striker Kelvin Yeboah producing 5g/2a in his last five matches.
Previous: 4-2 loss at STL | Next: 9/19 vs. LA
A big comeback win over Nashville midweek got canceled out by a rough 3-0 loss to Orlando on Saturday.
Unfortunately for Toronto, their difficult schedule as of late won’t ease up for a couple of weeks. They’ve got St. Louis this weekend and then Nashville after that. They’re only three points off the playoff line, but they’ve got an uphill climb to make.
Previous: 3-0 loss at ORL | Next: 9/19 at STL
Just a point from a tough week against Vancouver and Seattle. The Galaxy have two wins in the 11 games since the World Cup. The playoffs are still within reach, but they haven’t shown any signs of becoming a true contender.
Previous: 1-1 draw vs. SEA | Next: 9/19 at MIN
They’re not dead yet.
A two-game week against Colorado and Vancouver could have put a nail or two in Austin’s coffin, but they went ahead and drew with the Rapids and beat the first-place Caps. Christian Ramírez’s brace led the way in a 2-1 win where both of Austin’s shots on target went in. The four-point week has them one point behind ninth-place San Diego.
Previous: 2-1 win at VAN | Next: 9/19 at DAL
The Red Bulls are doing enough to hang around in the playoff race. Their 1-0 win over Columbus — their second win in 10 games — set up a critical Hudson River Derby meeting on Friday night. New York are two points behind eighth-place NYCFC.
Previous: 1-0 win at CLB | Next: 9/18 at NYC
No one has had a rougher go since the World Cup break. They have three points in their last 10 games. It’s hard to chalk it all up to Zavier Gozo’s departure, but it definitely didn’t help things.
Regardless, they need to find their footing in a hurry. RSL are a point below the playoff line.
Previous: 2-0 loss vs. NYC | Next: 9/19 vs. VAN
The Seattle Sounders last won an MLS match on May 13. There’s not a ton else to say right now.
Previous: 1-1 draw at LA | Next: 9/19 at COL
D.C. averaged 35% possession against Columbus and Atlanta United, but they still found a way to put together a four-point week. Despite playing against the ball more than any other team this year — they average 38.5% possession — they’re still firmly in the playoff hunt. D.C. trail ninth place by three points.
Previous: 0-0 draw vs. ATL | Next: 9/19 vs. CLT
The Crew stopped the bleeding for a second in their 3-0 win over Colorado a couple of weeks ago, but the spiral continued this week. Losses to D.C. and New York put them nine points below the playoff line with nine matches to go.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. RBNY | Next: 9/19 at MTL
Atlanta were very much not the better team in a 3-2 loss to Orlando and then were the better team in a 0-0 draw with D.C. United. That’s just kind of how it goes for Atlanta these days.
They look fine against decent teams and wholly overmatched against good ones (non-Inter Miami category). Regardless of whether that’s a sign of improvement, the one-point week all but ended their slim playoff hopes.
Previous: 0-0 draw at DC | Next: 9/19 at POR
Make it four straight losses. They’ve been outscored 12-2 over those four games.
Previous: 1-0 loss at COL | Next: 9/19 vs. CLB
Finally, something positive to build on!
SKC handled LAFC in a 3-1 win over the weekend, and club-record signing André Luiz scored an absolute golazo. It’s by far their best performance of the year.
To their credit, they’ve seemingly found some juice in attack as of late. They’ve scored three goals in each of their last two matches.
Previous: 3-1 win vs. LAFC | Next: 9/19 vs. PHI
