What a week in MLS.
The Columbus Crew scored a late equalizer, an Eastern Conference team scored seven goals and Diego Luna scored a banger. 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 does get a little rush out of moving your team down a few spots, though.
Was anyone really worried?
Even after going down 2-0 to LAFC, it just felt like the ‘Caps would find a way. It’s a strange new world where we’re all expecting Vancouver to get the job done, but we’re doing our best to adapt to it quickly. Still missing Ryan Gauld to injury, they found a way to earn a 2-2 draw against LAFC (one of their biggest challengers in the Western Conference) thanks to Brian White's brace.
Vancouver have some of the best underlying numbers we’ve ever seen in MLS. They're incredible.
Previous: 2-2 draw vs. LAFC | Next: 5/17 at ATX
As soon as the Crew went down 2-1 to Philadelphia, anyone who’s watched this team under Wilfried Nancy knew to lock in for the inevitable equalizer. They got it from Sean Zawadzki in the 93rd minute. They still have just one loss on the season and it came against Inter Miami in a game where they were the better side by a notable margin.
Previous: 2-2 draw at PHI | Next: 5/14 at MTL
The underlying numbers still aren’t big fans, but who cares when you have Evander? He picked up a goal and an assist in a 2-1 win over Austin to make it 7g/2a on the season.
Cincy have won six of their last seven, all by one goal. I don’t know for sure, but I’d be willing to bet a lot of GAM that no team has won more one-goal games since the start of 2022.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. ATX | Next: 5/14 at TOR
The Union were solid against the Crew, but couldn’t hold onto a 2-1 lead. They aren’t the first or last team to lose a lead against Columbus in stoppage time.
Previous: 2-2 draw vs. CLB | Next: 5/14 vs. LA
I’ll say it again: If you aren’t throwing the ball into the box every single time, you’re actively making your team worse.
The Loons love to create marginal advantages via throw-ins and set pieces. That alone would make them a nightmare to play against, but then they quadruple down on putting you into your own personal hell by sitting deep, defending like their lives depend on it and generating extremely high-leverage chances on the counter-attack. There’s no one else like them in MLS right now and it’s becoming must-watch soccer for sickos.
On a related note, they won the above matchup with Inter Miami 4-1 and then went studs up on social media. They’ve lost just twice this year, once to Vancouver and once to LAFC. This group is for real.
Previous: 4-1 win vs. MIA | Next: 5/14 at HOU
Are warning signs flashing for Inter Miami?
They were bulldozed by Minnesota in a 4-1 loss, making it four defeats in their last five games across all competitions. They’ve arguably been the better team just once in their last seven games. The same issues the underlying numbers (and eye test) were screaming about last year are showing up again and, this time, they aren’t overperforming those numbers by a historic amount.
The Herons are fourth in the Eastern Conference in points per game (1.91) and don’t look much like a team set to challenge last year’s record-setting haul.
Previous: 4-1 loss at MIN | Next: 5/14 at SJ
Previous: 3-1 win at HOU | Next: 5/14 at LAFC
LAFC went up 2-0 on Vancouver… and then things got a little too “LAFC.” When Vancouver tied things up at 2-2, it didn’t come as a surprise. Their struggles to kill off games against good teams are lingering.
Previous: 2-2 draw at VAN | Next: 5/14 vs. SEA
Nashville have picked up 10 points from their last five games and keep playing some of the best ball in MLS. The underlying numbers tend to have them as either their favorite or close to their favorite team in MLS, depending on where you’re looking. It’s not too early to start thinking about them as a contender.
Hany Mukhtar is up to five goals and four assists now, by the way. He found the opener for Nashville in their 2-1 win over Charlotte.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. CLT | Next: 5/14 vs. RBNY
Take a bow, Santiago Moreno.
The Timbers took care of business in a 1-0 win over Sporting KC. It’s the calmest game they’ve played in a while. Regardless of how they earned them, those three points have them sitting third in the West.
Previous: 1-0 win vs. SKC | Next: 5/14 at RSL
San Diego didn’t falter against St. Louis CITY's “oops, all center backs!” setup and pulled out a 2-1 win. It’s been an up-and-down stretch for the league’s newest team, but they’re still winning more than they’re losing.
Previous: 2-1 win at STL | Next: 5/14 vs. COL
Orlando spent the last few weeks fighting against their instinct to score and allow as many goals as possible. They kept five clean sheets and played to four 0-0 draws over the last five games. Then they relapsed last weekend in a 3-3 draw against New England, featuring a Martín Ojeda hat trick. That’s five draws in their last six games.
Previous: 3-3 draw vs. NE | Next: 5/14 vs. CLT
Charlotte have slid into a three-game losing streak after falling 2-1 to Nashville over the weekend. A road trip to Orlando isn’t exactly a get-right game either. The Crown have some things to sort out.
Previous: 2-1 loss at NSH | Next: 5/14 at ORL
After keeping a clean sheet for four straight games, the Revs dove headlong into chaos against Orlando in what ended up as a 3-3 draw. They’ve had better overall performances over the last few weeks, but it’s by far their best attacking showing this season. With the draw, New England have earned 13 points over their last five games and climbed into an Audi MLS Cup Playoffs spot.
Previous: 3-3 draw at ORL | Next: 5/17 vs. SJ
If you love hearing the first 30 seconds of “Bulls On Parade” by Rage Against the Machine, you’ve never had a better night than Saturday night at Red Bull Arena. New York piled on seven goals in a 7-0 demolition of a hapless Galaxy side. We’ll see if that gets this group back on track after a lackluster set of performances.
Previous: 7-0 win vs. LA | Next: 5/14 at NSH
The Quakes played their way to a surprisingly quiet 2-0 win over Colorado last weekend. It’s their first clean sheet since Matchday 1 against RSL.
A narrative-laden matchup with New England is waiting for them on Saturday, but first, they get to host Inter Miami. It’s a big week for the Quakes.
Previous: 2-0 win at COL | Next: 5/14 vs. MIA
Dallas rescued a 1-1 draw at home thanks to Anderson Julio. They’ll get a boost going forward from Petar Musa returning to the starting lineup, but they’ve also only won once in their last six.
Previous: 1-1 draw vs. RSL | Next: 5/17 vs. HOU
Nothing is reassuring about becoming the first team this year to lose to CF Montréal. Maybe a double game week featuring a trip to D.C. and a Hudson River Derby can get them back on track.
Previous: 1-0 loss vs. MTL | Next: 5/14 at DC
Diego Luna.
If you need more than that, we’ll tell you Luna has scored in three straight games and RSL couldn’t quite hold onto the lead in a 1-1 draw with Dallas. Still, what’s important here is Luna is a bonafide star. If the rest of RSL can start to grow into the season a little more, Luna can carry them a little further up the standings in the crowded West.
Previous: 1-1 draw at DAL | Next: 5/14 vs. POR
Chicago took full advantage of whatever is going on in Atlanta and earned a 2-1 win that snapped a six-game winless streak and gave them their first home win of the Gregg Berhalter era. A win over the Five Stripes isn’t anything to write home about right now, but this is still a different kind of Fire team than we’ve seen the last few seasons. They have a clear understanding of how they want to play in a way Chicago teams haven’t had in a long time.
Previous: 2-1 win vs. ATL | Next: 5/17 at CLT
Make it three straight losses for Austin after they got a front-row seat to the Evander Show over the weekend. They’ve scored just eight goals on the season and have a -7 goal differential. The underlying numbers suggest there’s reason to hold out some hope for this $30 million attack, though. No one in MLS has a worse disparity in goals scored minus expected goals created. Odds are they’ll start living up to their price tag a little more often at some point in the future.
Previous: 2-1 loss at CIN | Next: 5/14 vs. ATL
The Rapids are winless in four after their 2-0 loss to San Jose. Something's gotta give soon, right?
Previous: 2-0 loss vs. SJ | Next: 5/14 at SD
Sporting KC have flip-flopped with wins and losses since Kerry Zavagnin took over as interim coach. After losing against Portland last weekend, that bodes extremely well for their Rivalry Week meeting with St. Louis.
Previous: 1-0 loss at POR | Next: 5/14 at STL
Toronto have two wins on the season after a 2-0 win over D.C. United. They’re up to 13th in the East with 10 points.
Previous: 2-0 win vs. DC | Next: 5/14 vs. CIN
A Femi Awodesu red card shortly after scoring his first MLS goal derailed Houston’s effort to take down Seattle. The Dynamo have just one win in their last five.
Previous: 3-1 loss vs. SEA | Next: 5/14 vs. MIN
The Black-and-Red are last in the East in goal differential (-12). Not great.
Previous: 2-0 loss at TOR | Next: 5/14 vs. NYC
St. Louis are now winless in eight. Tough times, tough times.
Previous: 2-1 loss vs. SD | Next: 5/14 vs. SKC
Finally.
Prince Owusu scored a banger and Montréal held onto a 1-0 lead to earn their first win of the season. Let that be a lesson: No one keeps Montréal from a win in 12 straight games. Who do you think they are? The Galaxy?
Previous: 1-0 win at NYC | Next: 5/14 vs. CLB
Atlanta are now a “get-right team” for get-right teams. Chicago snapped a six-game winless streak against the Five Stripes.
Previous: 2-1 loss at CHI | Next: 5/14 at ATX
Twelve and seven. It’s up to you to choose which number from the weekend is more stunning.
Personally, I’d lean towards “12 games without a win to start the season.” No one has ever done that in MLS. But if “seven goals allowed in a 7-0 loss to a middling Red Bulls side” is your choice, that’s understandable as well.
Previous: 7-0 loss at RBNY | Next: 5/14 at PHI
