Power Rankings: Philadelphia Union challenge Vancouver Whitecaps for top spot | OneFootball

By J. Sam Jones

What a week in MLS.

Orlando scored three goals in a game, El Tráfico got weird and Inter Miami struggled defensively. 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.

1. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

The ‘Caps couldn’t find a breakthrough against Austin in Saturday’s 0-0 draw. They’re still sitting on top of the Western Conference and have only lost twice in all competitions this year.

Previous: 0-0 draw at ATX | Next: 5/24 at RSL

2. Philadelphia Union · +2▲

The Union messed around with the Galaxy before storming back from a 2-0 deficit to earn a 3-2 win. They followed that up with a 1-0 win over Atlanta United despite a heavily rotated lineup.

Philly keep finding ways to win, and they’re sitting at the top of the Eastern Conference (and technically the Supporters’ Shield standings) because of it.

Previous: 1-0 win at ATL | Next: 5/24 vs. MIA

3. Columbus Crew · -1▼

The Crew are suddenly in the middle of a three-game winless streak. An understandable draw with FC Cincinnati and a slightly less understandable draw with CF Montréal kept them from earning a victory last week. They still have the fewest losses in the East this year.

Columbus Crew: Is star striker needed to take next step?

Previous: 1-1 draw vs. CIN | Next: 5/24 at CLT

4. FC Cincinnati · -1▼

They’ll be kicking themselves for not taking full advantage of an early goal in Hell is Real, but there are worse things than a four-point week. Cincy are tied on points (29) for the best record in the East.

Previous: 1-1 draw at CLB | Next: 5/25 at ATL

5. Minnesota United FC

Minnesota had a rare misstep against Houston midweek, but recovered nicely for a comfortable 3-0 win over St. Louis, which featured Julian Gressel’s first goal for the club.

The Loons sit second in the West after 14 games and there’s no reason to believe they’re going to fall off anytime soon.

Previous: 3-0 win vs. STL | Next: 5/24 vs. ATX

6. Los Angeles Football Club · +2▲

It’s been seven games since LAFC have lost in MLS. They didn't pull out a win in El Tráfico over the weekend thanks to Marco Reus, but they did find the time midweek to beat up on Seattle in a 4-0 win.

You can expect LAFC to keep climbing as the season rolls along. They’re in fifth right now, but the underlying numbers have them as one of the West’s very best.

Previous: 2-2 draw at LA | Next: 5/24 at MTL

7. Orlando City · +5▲

Orlando suddenly look like one of the scariest teams in the league after a week that saw them thump Charlotte, 3-1, and then whomp Miami, 3-0, on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire. The Lions haven’t lost since March 8 and have scored three goals in four of their last five matches. Columbus and Vancouver are the only teams with fewer losses.

It’s time to start paying close attention to this group. They’re one of MLS’s best.

Orlando City show class in Florida Derby rout

Previous: 3-0 win at MIA | Next: 5/24 vs. POR

8. Seattle Sounders FC · -1▼

After two big wins, Seattle entered Rivalry Week with big expectations. But they only managed one point from two matches. They kicked off the week with a loss to LAFC and ended it with a 1-1 draw against Portland that featured one shot on target and one goal for the Timbers.

All things considered, the Sounders are still firmly in the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs picture and have made strong strides in recent weeks.

Previous: 1-1 draw at POR | Next: 5/24 vs. DAL

9. San Diego FC · +2▲

They’ll probably be disappointed not to pick up all six points in a very winnable two-game week, but four points after a win over Colorado and a draw with Sporting KC is enough to keep them near the top of the West. They’ve taken 10 points from their last four games.

Previous: 0-0 draw vs. SKC | Next: 5/24 vs. LA

10. Nashville SC · -1▼

Nashville are on a five-game unbeaten run after a four-point week. They’re fourth in what’s turning out to be a stacked Eastern Conference.

The Coyotes are playing some of the league’s best ball, but what should really scare the rest of the East is that they’ve been playing at such a high level without Walker Zimmerman.

Previous: 0-0 draw vs. DC | Next: 5/24 at TOR

11. Inter Miami CF · -5▼

All of the warning sirens are sounding. Miami have allowed 15 goals in their last five MLS games. They’ve lost five of their last seven in all competitions. They aren’t catching the same breaks in attack as last season and their defense seems to be regressing quickly. They’ve slid to sixth in the East.

As of now, it’s getting hard to envision a second-straight Supporters’ Shield title.

Lionel Messi & Inter Miami left looking for more

Previous: 3-0 loss vs. ORL | Next: 5/24 at PHI

12. Portland Timbers · -2▼

No losses for the Timbers this week, but no wins either. That includes a 1-1 draw with Seattle on Saturday. That’s enough to keep them three points ahead of their rival in the standings, though. And enough to keep Seattle at just one win in the rivalry since August 2021.

Previous: 1-1 draw vs. SEA | Next: 5/24 at ORL

13. New England Revolution · +1▲

They played a chaotic midweek matchup with Orlando City that ended 3-3 and then got back to keeping clean sheets. The Revs’ 0-0 draw with San Jose on Saturday made it five shutouts in their last six games. They’ve picked up 14 points in that stretch.

Previous: 0-0 draw vs. SJ | Next: 5/24 at SKC

14. San Jose Earthquakes · +2▲

The Quakes gave us one of the wildest matches of the year in their 3-3 draw with Inter Miami on Wednesday. It’s only natural that they followed that up with a 0-0 draw on Saturday. That’s an excellent week, though. And it’s been a solid stretch for the Quakes, who've earned eight points from their last four games and even kept two clean sheets over that span.

They still lead the league in xG created. If they can start to figure things out defensively…

Previous: 0-0 draw at NE | Next: 5/24 vs. HOU

15. Chicago Fire FC · +5▲

Don’t look now, but Chicago have leapt into a playoff spot. They’re sitting ninth after wins over Atlanta and Charlotte over the last week. After giving up seven goals to Nashville, they’ve responded by earning seven points in three games.

Gutiérrez vs. De Bruyne: Who makes more sense for Chicago Fire?

Previous: 4-1 win at CLT | Next: 5/25 at NYC

16. New York City FC · +2▲

A four-point week and a Hudson River Derby win is a nearly perfect way to follow up a disappointing loss to Montréal last weekend. New York City FC have been as up and down as anyone this season, but they’re still sitting above the playoff line after 14 games. They can thank Alonso Martínez for a decent chunk of the points they’ve earned. He scored a goal and tacked on an assist in their 2-0 win over the Red Bulls.

Previous: 2-0 win vs. RBNY | Next: 5/25 vs. CHI

17. Charlotte FC · -4▼

All of Charlotte’s flaws were on display this week during multi-goal losses to Orlando and Chicago. The Crown have lost five straight and the underlying numbers saw it coming. Per American Soccer Analysis, Charlotte’s elite defending from last season has disappeared. They’re sitting 24th in the league in xGA.

Charlotte FC: Can they get back on track?

Previous: 4-1 loss vs. CHI | Next: 5/24 vs. CLB

18. New York Red Bulls · -3▼

It hasn’t been the encore to their MLS Cup appearance they were hoping for. This week wasn’t the encore to their 7-0 win over the Galaxy they were hoping for. The Red Bulls fell 2-1 to Nashville, then went scoreless in a 2-0 loss in the Hudson River Derby.

Previous: 2-0 loss at NYC | Next: 5/24 at DC

19. Houston Dynamo FC · +6▲

If Houston end the year in a playoff spot, there’s a good chance they’ll be looking back at this week as the moment they turned a corner. A 2-0 upset win over Minnesota United and a 2-0 win over Dallas doubled their win total for the season.

Previous: 2-0 win at DAL | Next: 5/24 at SJ

20. Colorado Rapids · +2▲

If you’re going to snap a five-game winless streak, you might as well do it against your archrivals. The Rapids followed up a 2-0 midweek defeat to San Diego with a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake.

Energy Moment of the Matchday 14: Djordje Mihailovic

Previous: 1-0 win vs. RSL | Next: 5/24 vs. STL

21. FC Dallas · -4▼

Dallas are one of the few teams that played just once this week. That one game could have gone better. Houston got the better of them in a 2-0 loss to their in-state rivals. Dallas have one win in their last seven.

Previous: 2-0 loss vs. HOU | Next: 5/24 at SEA

22. Sporting Kansas City · +1▲

Things could have been, and have been, much worse than two games and two draws. Erasing a two-goal deficit against St. Louis late in the game might be the highlight of the season thus far.

Previous: 0-0 draw at SD | Next: 5/24 vs. NE

23. Austin FC · -2▼

Only Montréal have scored less often than Austin this year. A free kick from Brandon Vazquez provided Austin’s lone goal in a double game week that featured draws with Atlanta and Vancouver.

Previous: 0-0 draw vs. VAN | Next: 5/24 at MIN

24. Toronto FC

Life could be better for Toronto FC, but they’re still riding high this week after pummeling CF Montréal 6-1 on Saturday.

WATCH: Toronto send SIX goals past Montréal in Canadian Classique

Previous: 6-1 win at MTL | Next: 5/24 vs. NSH

25. Real Salt Lake · -6▼

They earned a draw against Portland midweek, then couldn’t find a way to get the better of Colorado in Saturday’s 1-0 loss. RSL’s eight losses are the second-most in the West this year.

Previous: 1-0 loss at COL | Next: 5/24 vs. VAN

26. D.C. United

They didn’t score a goal this week, but they didn’t allow a goal either. Two clean sheets and two points is pretty good news for D.C.'s defense, which has struggled to get traction so far this season.

Previous: 0-0 draw at NSH | Next: 5/24 vs. RBNY

27. Atlanta United · +2▲

Atlanta United’s last win came on March 29. They’ve been outscored 13-4 in that eight-game span. They’re now sitting 14th in the East.

Previous: 1-0 loss vs. PHI | Next: 5/25 vs. CIN

28. St. Louis CITY SC · -1▼

St. Louis went up 2-0 on SKC in the first half, annnnddd that’s where things started to fall off. They lost that lead in the second half, leading to a 2-2 draw, and followed that up with a 3-0 loss to Minnesota. Things feel grim in Olof Mellberg’s first season.

Previous: 3-0 loss at MIN | Next: 5/24 at COL

29. CF Montréal · -1▼

Even if they managed to take a point off the Crew, it was another week to forget for Montréal. Toronto dominanted them in a 6-1 loss.

Previous: 6-1 loss vs. TOR | Next: 5/24 vs. LAFC

30. LA Galaxy

The Galaxy are still looking for that first win of the season, but at least Marco Reus salvaged a 2-2 draw in El Tráfico, and at least they don’t have to worry about who their head coach is for a while. Greg Vanney signed a multi-year contract extension keeping him with the Galaxy long-term.

Previous: 2-2 draw vs. LAFC | Next: 5/24 at SD