Power Rankings: Timo Werner sparks San Jose, Red Bulls rise | OneFootball

By J. Sam Jones

What a week in MLS.

Lionel Messi scored a stunning free kick as Inter Miami completed a comeback win, João Klauss scored early in the match for the LA Galaxy, Julian Hall scored via an assist from his fellow teenagers on Red Bull New York, and Seattle Sounders FC failed to win at Real Salt Lake. 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 not decide the rankings, but he does get a little rush out of moving your team in particular down a few spots when he can.

WATCH: Every goal from Matchday 2!

1. Los Angeles Football Club

Once Houston went down a man at the end of the first half, things already felt like a wrap. But Mark Delgado went ahead and hit the hell out of the ball anyway.

Once Houston went down another man in the middle of the second half, things really felt like a wrap. But Stephen Eustáquio went ahead and hit the hell out of the ball anyway.

LAFC: Good soccer team.

Previous: 2-0 win at HOU | Next: 3/7 vs. DAL

2. Inter Miami CF

Inter Miami started, um, pretty poorly in their Florida Derby matchup with Orlando. It seemed like there might be real questions to ask of this team after they went 2-0 down early.

But after scoring four unanswered second-half goals, only one question needed to be answered: Do you want Lionel Messi's autograph now or later?

Previous: 4-2 win at ORL | Next: 3/7 at DC

3. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

A first-half brace from Thomas Müller powered the Whitecaps to a straightforward 3-0 win over Toronto. 

There’s not much more to add. A week where they advanced to the next round of Concacaf Champions Cup midweek and followed with a big win over the weekend in MLS is just standard for Vancouver nowadays.  

Previous: 3-0 win vs. TOR | Next: 3/7 at POR

4. San Diego FC

Man, just look at this.

No one plays prettier ball than San Diego. Their center backs are better on the ball than other teams’ attackers. And that quality led to a straightforward 2-0 win over St. Louis on Sunday. 

By the way, that Dreyer goal made him the second fastest player in league history to reach 20 goals and 20 assists. The only player who did it quicker? Lionel Messi. 

Previous: 2-0 win vs. STL | Next: 3/7 at SKC

5. Red Bull New York · 3▲

In the lone goal of the RBNY’s relatively comfortable win over New England, 17-year-old Julian Hall finished off a chance created by 16-year-old Adri Mehmeti and 17-year-old Matthew Dos Santos. It was the first goal in MLS history that featured contributions from three players under 18. Just imagine how good this team will be when all their best players can legally vote!

Right now, what Michael Bradley is doing with this collection of young talent is the best story in the league.

Previous: 1-0 win vs. NE | Next: 3/8 vs. MTL

6. Nashville SC · 1▼

Nashville took care of business in Concacaf Champions Cup play midweek and then played to a 0-0 stalemate in Dallas over the weekend.

You could normally chalk their lackluster attacking performance up to CCC fatigue, but Nashville rotated heavily midweek. Without Sam Surridge (illness) in what was otherwise a first-choice lineup on Saturday, they put just one shot on target. 

Previous: 0-0 draw at DAL | Next: 3/7 vs. MIN

7. San Jose Earthquakes · 9▲

The Earthquakes were all over Atlanta from the jump in their 2-0 win.

They didn’t even really need Timo Werner in this one, but when the German star debuted in the second half…

Other than Werner, there’s not a lot of highly-paid talent out there for San Jose. There’s just one Designated Player on the team (Werner), one U22 Initiative player and three Targeted Allocation Money (TAM) guys. But less heralded contributors like Preston Judd and Ousseni Bouda are putting in work to start the year. 

Now, does beating Sporting KC and Atlanta mean they should be seventh in the Power Rankings? I have some thoughts, personally. But Earthquakes fans should enjoy this ride while they can.

Previous: 2-0 win vs. ATL | Next: 3/7 at PHI

8. New York City Football Club · 2▲

For a moment, it looked like NYCFC were going to take a disappointing point back home. After being in control for the majority of the match, they surrendered a late, equalizing penalty just before second-half stoppage time. Fortunately for them, Tayvon Gray came to the rescue.

NYCFC have four points from two road games to start the year.

Previous: 2-1 win at PHI | Next: 3/7 vs. ORL

9. Seattle Sounders FC · 2▼

In the regular season, Seattle last won away at RSL in May 2011. You can’t take too much away from a team just upholding tradition. As frustrating as their 2-1 defeat to RSL this weekend was, Seattle will be just fine. 

Previous: 2-1 loss at RSL | Next: 3/7 at STL

10. FC Cincinnati · 4▼

Cincy ran into a Minnesota side that can go toe-to-toe with them physically and came up short in a game that lacked consistent chances. The Loons got a lucky bounce and a set piece to go up 1-0 in the second half.

With Evander out due to injury, Cincy struggled to find an answer. Sometimes, Cincy look more cohesive without their star No. 10. But his match-winning ability is sorely missed in tight battles like this.

Previous: 1-0 loss at MIN | Next: 3/8 vs. TOR

11. LA Galaxy · 2▲

The Galaxy scored an early opener for the second straight week. This time, though, they didn’t let their opponent back into the game. In fact, they suffocated the game entirely in just 13 minutes.

Lucas Sanabria opened with an eighth-minute goal, João Klauss scored three minutes later, and then Klauss went ahead and scored again two minutes after that.

Klauss has three goals in two games now for his new team. And the Galaxy have four points in their first two games. It took them 14 games to get to four points last season. And it took them 17 games to earn a win.

Previous: 3-0 win vs. CLT | Next: 3/7 at COL

12. Chicago Fire FC

Chicago were blessed with a visit from CF Montréal. Even after the Fire went down a man in the 56th minute, they were still able to pile up chances and goals. Chicago cruised to a 3-0 win in a get-right game.

Previous: 3-0 win vs. MTL | Next: 3/7 at CLB

13. Minnesota United FC · 1▲

The Loons looked more than comfortable mud wrestling with Cincinnati on Saturday. There weren’t many chances for the majority of a physical match, but Minnesota found the one chance that mattered. A fruitful bounce off the post came right back to DP striker Kelvin Yeboah, who headed it home for his second goal of the season and the only goal of the match. So far, so good in Cameron Knowles’ first year in charge. 

Previous: 1-0 win vs. CIN | Next: 3/7 at NSH

14. FC Dallas · 1▲

There’s little to report from a 0-0 draw with Nashville that featured a combined 1.5 xG between both teams. There were three shots on target the whole match.

Previous: 0-0 draw vs. NSH | Next: 3/7 at LAFC

15. Real Salt Lake · 9▲

One of the few constants in MLS regular-season play is RSL beating Seattle in Utah. That trend continued with this week’s 2-1 win over the Sounders. RSL haven’t lost to Seattle in Sandy since May 2011 and have only drawn three times in that span.

So, yeah, hard to know what to take away from a thing that happens every year. Maybe it’s that Zavier Gozo is a rising star who can create plays like this.

Previous: 2-1 win vs. Seattle | Next: 3/7 at ATL

16. Austin FC · 1▲

It took a while, but new Austin FC forward Christian Ramírez put the Verde & Black ahead late against D.C. United. Austin were the better side for nearly the entirety of the cross-conference matchup.

Ramírez, who arrived after being waived by the Galaxy a day before the start of the season, probably isn’t done scoring key goals off the bench this year.

Previous: 1-0 win vs. DC | Next: 3/7 at CLT

17. Houston Dynamo FC · 8▼

LAFC are tough enough to beat with 11 players. Playing with 10 players is probably a bad idea. Playing with nine players is probably a really, really bad idea. It predictably didn’t end well for Houston in a 2-0 loss. 

Previous: 2-0 loss vs. LAFC | Next: 3/14 vs. POR

18. Columbus Crew · 3▲

The good news: Columbus have scored four goals in two games to start the Henrik Rydström era, with two apiece from Wessam Abou Ali and Diego Rossi.

The bad news: Columbus have allowed five goals in two games to start the Henrik Rydström era.

Figure out things at the back, and they'll look more like the Crew we all expect them to be.

Previous: 2-2 draw at SKC | Next: 3/7 vs. CHI

19. Colorado Rapids · 9▲

Matt Wells and the Rapids got their first win of the year in an impressive performance against Portland.

New midfield arrival Hamzat Ojediran got a generous bounce on a shot from distance to flip the game state in Colorado’s favor early, and 18-year-old center back Lucas Herrington sealed the result. They piled up 25 shots against the Timbers as they rolled to a 2-0 win.

Early reviews of Wells’ game model have been very positive.

Previous: 2-0 win vs. POR | Next: 3/7 vs. LA

20. Charlotte FC · 9▼

Cross-country road trips are never easy. So you probably don’t want to start by giving up three goals inside the first 13 minutes. You definitely don’t want one of those three goals to look like this.

Charlotte have been below expectations in their opening two matches at St. Louis and LA. Fortunately, a five-game homestand is up next. 

Previous: 3-0 loss at LA | Next: 3/7 vs. ATX

21. Portland Timbers · 2▼

You could be a bummer and focus on the performance in Portland's 2-0 loss to Colorado. Or you could be cool and recognize that we saw history on Saturday.

Diego Chara picked up a yellow card – the 123rd of his career – and tied Kyle Beckerman’s MLS record. He’ll almost definitely have the record to himself by the end of the month. A true legend. 

Previous: 2-0 loss at COL | Next: 3/7 vs. VAN

22. D.C. United · 2▼

D.C. United held on for as long as they could, but Austin FC finally broke through in the 82nd minute of a 1-0 road defeat. 

The Black-and-Red never looked in control during their first loss of the year. Still, for a team that conceded 66 goals last season, allowing just one goal in their first two games is a step in the right direction.

Previous: 1-0 loss at ATX | Next: 3/7 vs. MIA

23. Orlando City

Orlando forgot to make sure the monster couldn’t come back to life.

After going up 2-0 early on Inter Miami, the Lions surrendered four goals in the second half. It’s horror movie rules with Inter Miami. You’ve got to be absolutely certain they’re gone for good.

Orlando didn’t, and now they’re pointless through two games. 

Previous: 4-2 loss vs. MIA | Next: 3/7 at NYC

24. Philadelphia Union · 6▼

So, hey, it’s pretty difficult to replace a bunch of critical players all at once and pick up where you left off. 

After falling at D.C. United to open the season, the Philadelphia Union put in a second-straight frustrating performance in their 2-1 loss to NYCFC. For a moment, it seemed like they might get away with a point after Indiana Vassilev's late penalty evened things up at 1-1. But they couldn’t keep control through the final whistle. A 99th-minute NYCFC goal handed Philly their second loss in as many games.

What’s perhaps most concerning is that the start of the season is typically the time of year when high-pressing, high-intensity teams have an advantage over teams still getting comfortable in possession.

Case in point: The Union lost three games through their first 19 matches last year. 

Previous: 2-1 loss vs. NYC | Next: 3/7 vs. SJ

25. St. Louis CITY SC · 3▼

St. Louis aren’t the first or last team to travel to San Diego this year and give up a handful of big chances. Unfortunately, there isn’t much time to lick their wounds and regroup. They’ll face Seattle and LAFC in their next two matches. 

Previous: 2-0 loss at SD | Next: 3/7 vs. SEA

26. Sporting Kansas City · 4▲

Sporting KC were up for the challenge in a 2-2 draw with Columbus. Regardless of whatever depth issues might plague them this year, striker Dejan Joveljić will make good things happen.

Previous: 2-2 draw vs. CLB | Next: 3/7 vs. SD

27. Toronto FC · 2▼

Toronto gave away a first-half penalty, Thomas Müller converted it, and that just about wrapped things up in a 3-0 loss at Vancouver. The Reds have now given up three goals in each of their first two matches.

That’s not what’s really important from this week, though. Toronto finally completed a reported $22 million move for Norwich City and USMNT striker Josh Sargent. At the very least, the roster continues to trend in the right direction.

Previous: 3-0 loss at VAN | Next: 3/8 at CIN

28. New England Revolution · 1▼

The Revs visited Michael Bradley’s Baby Bulls and came up short. 

RBNY stayed in control for the majority of the game, and the Revs created just 0.5 xG worth of chances while keeping just 38.6% possession. They had just one shot in the first half and seven shots in the game. They’ve attempted 11 shots through their first two matches. There’s work to do. 

(Side note: This only counted as one shot even though two Revs players kicked the ball at the same time.)

Previous: 1-0 loss at RBNY | Next: 3/15 vs. CIN

29. Atlanta United · 3▼

It is difficult to find positives from Atlanta's first two matches this season. But at least they looked improved in the second half of Saturday's 2-0 loss to San Jose when they made a few needed changes – i.e., Miguel Almirón on the left, Pedro Amador in midfield, things like that. Maybe there’s a way forward there? 

Previous: 2-0 loss at SJ | Next: 3/7 vs. RSL

30. CF Montréal · 1▼

CF Montréal went up a man at Chicago early in the second half. In that same second half, they were outscored 2-0 and allowed 1.76 xG worth of chances while creating 0.09 xG worth of chances, per FotMob.

Not great. 

Previous: 3-0 loss at CHI | Next: 3/8 at RBNY