What a week in MLS.
Lionel Messi had multiple goal contributions, the races for the Wild Card spots stayed tight as teams dropped critical points, and Philadelphia didn’t lose. 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.
The presumptive Supporters' Shield winners did what they expected to do against Sporting KC before drawing 1-1 in San Jose. Nashville SC are now unbeaten in six and need eight points in their final four matches to set the points record. Philadelphia is the only team they’ll face that's above the Wild Card spots.
Previous: 1-1 draw at SJ | Next: 10/24 at MTL
Three straight wins have all but secured the Herons a top-four spot in the East. They cruised past New York City FC and Atlanta United to more or less lock up, at worst, a third-place finish.
Now it's a matter of holding off third-place New England and determining whether they're getting hot at the right time for the playoffs.
Oh, by the way, Messi is up to 40 goal contributions now.
Previous: 3-1 win at ATL | Next: 10/24 at RBNY
The Vancouver Whitecaps went into a prize fight in St. Louis and came out with a critical road point. They followed it up with a more straightforward 2-1 win over Austin FC, pushing their lead at the top of the conference to four points.
They’re very likely to enter the playoffs atop the West after finishing last year tied on points with first-place San Diego. It’s easy to forget just how remarkable a run Vancouver have been on since Jesper Sørensen arrived.
Previous: 2-1 win at ATX | Next: 10/24 at COL
The winning streak stopped at eight with their 2-2 draw against Charlotte FC. Their unbeaten run remains alive and well at 15, though. Thanks to their improbable run, they’re now within touching distance of a top-four spot.
The Union are just two points behind fourth-place Chicago Fire with four matches to go. A pair of potential playoff preview matchups against New England and Nashville are up next.
Previous: 2-2 draw vs. CLT | Next: 10/24 vs. NE
Somehow, it’s over.
It felt like St. Louis would never drop another game, especially after a 0-0 midweek draw with Vancouver. But after 19 MLS matches and 21 across competitions, Minnesota United ended St. Louis’ record-setting unbeaten run with a 3-2 win.
Meanwhile, St. Louis have a shot at their first trophy this week. They’ll battle the Columbus Crew for the US Open Cup title on Wednesday night (8 pm ET | CBS Sports Network).
Previous: 3-2 loss at MIN | Next: 10/24 at RSL
No one had a better week. The Revs strengthened their case for a top-four spot with critical wins over FC Cincinnati and Chicago. They needed that kind of bounceback after consecutive 3-0 losses. Now they’re sitting comfortably in third place. New England have won five of their last seven.
Previous: 1-0 win vs. CHI | Next: 10/24 at PHI
FC Dallas slowed down a suddenly hot Seattle Sounders side and then drew 2-2 with Houston to earn a four-point week. That draw with Texas rivals Houston kept a four-point buffer between third-place Dallas and the fifth-place Dynamo. With four matches left, Dallas, who have taken 17 points from their last eight matches, seem like a lock for a home playoff spot.
Previous: 2-2 draw at HOU | Next: 10/24 vs. SJ
They haven’t been outstanding, but we can say the Quakes have steadied the ship after a frightening midseason drop in form. Draws last week against Real Salt Lake and Nashville pushed their unbeaten run to nine games. They’ve only won three of those, but still, they deserve credit for successfully pulling out of their midseason nosedive.
That said, they will probably need a win or two over their last four matches to stay ahead of fifth-place Houston. Just one point separates the two.
Previous: 1-1 draw vs. NSH | Next: 10/24 at DAL
Charlotte didn’t build any momentum off their comeback win over Chicago. The Crown struggled mightily in a 3-1 loss to Columbus midweek. Per FotMob, Charlotte allowed 3.82 xG on 33 shots while creating just 0.71 xG. They followed that up with a more palatable 2-2 draw against red-hot Philadelphia.
A one-point week at a critical moment in the season has them one point behind fourth-place Chicago with four matches left.
Previous: 2-2 draw at PHI | Next: 10/24 at POR
Chicago had a chance to further prove themselves against playoff-caliber competition and essentially seal a spot in the East’s top four this week, anndddddd they lost both matches.
A Jack Elliott red card at the end of the first half gave the Union an open window to turn Chicago's 1-0 lead into a 3-1 loss.
Then the Revs somehow managed to beat Chicago 1-0 despite generating just five shots and 0.23 xG (per FotMob). They didn’t get many breaks this week, but they still held on to fourth place and clinched a playoff spot.
Previous: 1-0 loss at NE | Next: 10/24 at ATL
After a four-point week, seventh-place Orlando City are stuck in a liminal space heading into the final four matches. They’re five points above the Wild Card teams and five points below sixth-place Philadelphia. It would take a lot to move in either direction.
The Lions will close the season with what’s basically a playoff warm-up against NYCFC, Chicago, Charlotte and New England, a tough final stretch for any te–OHMYGOD WHAT IS THAT.
Previous: 4-1 win vs. DC | Next: 10/24 vs. NYC
The Dynamo have drawn three straight, but they’re winless in their last six. They’ve won once in their last 10. They’ll be in the playoffs, but they aren’t exactly flying down the homestretch.
Previous: 2-2 draw vs. DAL | Next: 10/24 vs. MIN
LAFC picked up four points last week. That included a 3-1 win over Austin, just their second win in their last 13 matches.
That’s enough to put them within two points of fourth-place San Jose, but LAFC have played one more game than everyone they're chasing. A top four finish is still a long shot.
Previous: 1-1 draw at NYC | Next: 10/25 vs. LA
We can very likely go ahead and say the Sounders have found their way back into the playoffs. Yeah, taking one point from a week where you play CF Montréal isn’t ideal. They’re still six points ahead of 10th place, though.
There’s still work to do with a tough four-match stretch on the way. Seattle close the year with San Diego, Houston, Vancouver and LAFC. If you’re an optimist, Houston and LAFC are still catchable in the two spots above Seattle. If you’re a bit of a doomer, the ninth-place Colorado Rapids are only three points behind.
Previous: 1-1 draw vs. MTL | Next: 10/24 at SD
Sometimes you play incredibly well and win. Sometimes you don’t play well at all, and you win anyway. Both count the same in the standings. (One is way funnier than the other, but still.)
The Crew pulled off both last week. Per FotMob, they piled on 3.82 xG on 33 shots in a dominant 3-1 midweek win over Charlotte. They then put up four shots against FC Cincinnati and won 2-0.
It was a massive six-point week for the Crew, who are now just one point below the playoff line. A key match against 10th-place Toronto FC is up next this Saturday. But first, the US Open Cup final on Wednesday night against St. Louis.
Previous: 2-0 win at CIN | Next: 10/24 vs. TOR
The Rapids have drawn three straight and five of their last seven games. The points are coming slowly but surely and, so far, that’s been enough to keep the Rapids above the playoff line. With four games left, Colorado leads 10th-place RSL by three points.
Previous: 0-0 draw at POR | Next: 10/24 vs. VAN
It wasn’t perfect, but it was close. The Galaxy took four points last week from two six-pointers in the Western Conference playoff race. A 2-0 win over Portland and a 2-2 draw with San Diego have LA in eighth place with just three games to go.
Previous: 2-2 draw vs. SD | Next: 10/25 at LAFC
Toronto won’t die. They’ve bounced back from a three-match losing streak, taking seven points in their last three matches. That includes a critical win over eighth-place Red Bull New York on Saturday. That win has them equal on points with both Wild Card holders, New York and Cincinnati.
The wins tiebreaker is all that’s keeping them from a playoff spot. The good news is, their next three matches are very winnable. Columbus, D.C. and Atlanta are up next. A couple of wins there could be enough to get them over the line.
Previous: 2-0 win at RBNY | Next: 10/24 at CLB
RSL pulled out of their downward spiral last week. At least for a moment.
A 1-1 draw with San Jose and a get-right win over Sporting KC pushed RSL within three points of ninth-place Colorado. They’re only four points and a game in hand behind eighth-place LA Galaxy. It’s all still on the table despite their nightmarish second half of the season. A Decision Day matchup against the Galaxy could be decisive.
Previous: 3-1 win at SKC | Next: 10/24 vs. STL
The double gameweek went about as poorly as possible for RBNY. They went 0-for-2 in six-pointers against D.C. and Toronto. They’re still holding onto a Wild Card spot, but that’s essentially as high as they can go right now.
With four games left, New York will need to hold off four of the five teams who are within three points of them in the standings.
Previous: 2-0 loss vs. TOR | Next: 10/24 vs. MIA
The only upside right now is that they’re still technically in a playoff spot. Ninth-place Cincy fell 3-2 to the Revs midweek and then played an all-time “sometimes ball go in” Hell Is Real. The Crew won 2-0 despite Cincinnati putting up 24 shots to the Crew’s four. Yeah, 24-4. Both of the Crew’s shots on target went in. Cincy had 64.5% possession. Sports are mean.
Anyway, those two losses kept basically everyone but Montréal in play to jump Cincy in the standings. Thirteenth-place D.C. are within three points.
Previous: 2-0 loss vs. CLB | Next: 10/21 vs. DC
San Diego haven’t won since August. And they just might be out of time to get back into form after a two-point week.
They're five points back of the playoff line with four matches left. Seattle, Vancouver and St. Louis looming. Getting into the playoffs will take something remarkable.
Previous: 2-2 draw at LA | Next: 10/24 vs. SEA
In their biggest week of the season, the Timbers came up short. Portland entered last week with a huge opportunity to gain ground in the playoff race. Instead of stepping into a Wild Card spot, they fell short on two key six-pointers.
A loss to the eighth-place Galaxy and a draw with ninth-place Colorado pushed the gap between the Timbers and the playoff line to five points with four games left. Last week put at least one nail in their coffin.
Previous: 0-0 draw vs. COL | Next: 10/24 vs. CLT
A double-game week against Inter Miami and LAFC isn’t kind for any team, especially one that can’t find the gas pedal anymore. After a one-point week, NYCFC have won just once in their last 13 matches. They’ll need to regain some form and catch a couple of breaks to make the Wild Card round.
Previous: 1-1 draw vs. LAFC | Next: 10/24 at ORL
The Loons, of all teams, ended St. Louis’ record-tying unbeaten streak. They hadn’t won a match since Aug. 22, but they managed to beat MLS's hottest team. That’s worth something. However, the playoffs are still a long way away. They’re five points behind ninth-place Colorado.
Previous: 3-2 win vs. STL | Next: 10/24 at HOU
A mixed double gameweek that featured a 2-1 win over Red Bulls and a 4-1 loss at Orlando City is probably fine in a vacuum. But it’s getting late for D.C. Four teams and three points separate them from the playoff line now.
The good news here, though, is that the schedule couldn’t have been set up any better. They have a game in hand AND they play all four teams ahead of them in their final five matches. They’ll face Cincy twice, then close the year with Toronto, Columbus and NYCFC. “Controls their own destiny” stocks are rising fast in D.C.
Previous: 4-1 loss at ORL | Next: 10/21 at CIN
Having to face Nashville, LAFC and Vancouver back-to-back-to-back at this point in the year just feels kind of mean. Losses to all three over the last couple of weeks have virtually ended Austin’s playoff hopes.
Previous: 2-1 loss vs. VAN | Next: 10/24 at SKC
They got the job done against CF Montréal and then got Inter Miami’d by Inter Miami. A difficult season is winding down, and the focus is increasingly shifting to what comes next.
Previous: 3-1 loss vs. MIA | Next: 10/24 vs. CHI
A loss to Atlanta and a draw with Seattle somehow didn’t officially end their playoff hopes. But Montréal are 11 points back of the playoff line with four matches left.
Previous: 1-1 draw at SEA | Next: 10/24 vs. NSH
Two losses last week reminded us that André Luiz can’t fix everything. SKC are three points ahead (behind?) of Montréal in the Wooden Spoon race.
Previous: 3-1 loss vs. RSL | Next: 10/24 vs. ATX
