MLS Power Rankings: FC Dallas and Vancouver Whitecaps Rise
Several MLS teams picked up significant wins this past weekend which have drastically altered the power rankings.
FC Dallas recorded a lopsided 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers to stay on top of the Western Conference.
One of the biggest surprises was the Houston Dynamo, who dominated the defending champion LA Galaxy at home.
Another wild affair involved Toronto FC as it overcame a three-goal deficit to tie the Columbus Crew on Saturday.
New York City FC and Orlando City SC combined to score eight goals in the highest-scoring match of the round.
With all of this in mind, here are the latest MLS power rankings.
20. Philadelphia Union (Previous: 18)
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The Philadelphia Union nearly pulled off a massive upset against the Eastern Conference's top seed. However, it was D.C. United who won 3-2 on Sunday.
The Union had a 2-0 lead until debutant Alvaro Saborio scored in the 37th minute. A missed penalty by Fabian Espindola made it appear as if Philadelphia was going to grab all three points. However, Espindola and Nick DeLeon struck in the second half to clinch the win.
C.J. Sapong nearly gave Philadelphia a 3-2 advantage in the 77th minute, but he struck the bar with his effort and couldn't complete the brace.
If the Union finished with a point, they might have escaped unscathed, but because of the loss, they fall to No. 20.
19. Chicago Fire (Previous: 20)
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The Chicago Fire looked impressive against the New England Revolution, but Chicago only earned a draw despite outplaying the 2014 MLS Cup finalists on Saturday.
The Fire conceded the first goal to Lee Nguyen, but drew level after David Accam utilized his speed to win a penalty in the 44th minute. Shaun Maloney converted from the spot before Razvan Cocis made it 2-1.
However, the Revolution struck through Kelyn Rowe just moments later. Center backs Eric Gehrig and Adailton stopped running when Chris Tierney crossed the ball, which allowed Rowe to score from a few yards out.
It was a disappointing end to the game, but it was still a big point for Chicago, which moves it up to No. 19.
18. San Jose Earthquakes (Previous: 13)
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The San Jose Earthquakes were thoroughly dominated by the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday night, losing 3-1 at BC Place.
The Earthquakes attack didn't register a shot until Cordell Cato's attempt in the 76th minute. Striker Chris Wondolowski started after he played for the U.S. men's national team at the Gold Cup on Saturday. He was clearly tired and had to be taken off after 70 minutes.
On the other side of the pitch, Vancouver exposed a slow San Jose back line several times and it paid off with two goals in the first half.
Octavio Rivero converted a penalty to make it 3-0 after Paulo Renato stumbled over the Uruguayan forward in an attempt to slow him down.
The Earthquakes picked up their fourth straight loss and it's clear that the team needs to start scoring goals. San Jose has scored just three goals in their last four games.
Due to the scoring woes and the current form, the Earthquakes slip to No. 18.
17. Orlando City SC (Previous: 12)
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Orlando City SC had no problems scoring against New York City FC on Sunday, but the Lions couldn't keep the ball out of their own net as they lost 5-3 to their expansion cousins.
Cyle Larin scored a hat trick, but the switch to a 3-4-3 formation did not work for Orlando at the back. Eric Avila was a liability on the right because he was constantly out of position, which allowed NYCFC to create several scoring chances.
Orlando has now lost four straight games and five of its last six overall. Wins by Real Salt Lake, the Montreal Impact and the Houston Dynamo demote the Lions to No. 17.
16. Colorado Rapids (Previous: 16)
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The Colorado Rapids had a bye this past weekend, so they stay at No. 16.
Colorado's next match is on Saturday against the LA Galaxy. The Rapids are on a three-game winning streak at the moment and a win versus the defending champions will certainly raise their confidence.
15. New York City FC (Previous: 19)
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New York City FC returned to winning ways with a massive 5-3 victory over Orlando City SC on Sunday afternoon. Andrea Pirlo also made his MLS debut and helped set up a goal.
Kwadwo Poku also excelled in just his third start of the season. The Ghanaian recorded three assists and was a menace on the ball. Orlando's defenders couldn't stop him as soon as he started sprinting towards goal.
There are still some defensive issues, but once Angelino and Andoni Iraola settle into the team, chemistry will improve. New signing Jefferson Mena was also forced into an early debut after Chris Wingert had to exit with a hamstring strain.
Everything considered, this was a solid performance by NYCFC, which moves them up to No. 15.
14. Houston Dynamo (Previous: 17)
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The Houston Dynamo made a statement by crushing the LA Galaxy 3-0 on Saturday night.
The Galaxy dominated possession, but the Dynamo recorded more quality chances than LA. Will Bruin struck early after a wonderful Brad Davis assist, then Davis got a goal of his own to double Houston's lead.
Admittedly, LA was depleted without goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, defender Omar Gonzalez, full-back Robbie Rogers and forward Gyasi Zardes. However, Houston was also missing DaMarcus Beasley and Giles Barnes due to Gold Cup duty.
The Dynamo are now just five points away from a playoff spot with a game in hand. Defeating the champions moves Houston into 14th in the power rankings.
13. Montreal Impact (Previous: 15)
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The Montreal Impact defeated the slumping Seattle Sounders 1-0 on Saturday thanks to Laurent Ciman's late goal.
Montreal waited until the 88th minute to find the winner, but they played fantastically well at the back and deserved the victory. Ignacio Piatti, Dilly Duka and Dominic Oduro all had terrific opportunities to score as well.
The Impact controlled the majority of possession and limited the Sounders to just three shots, per the official MLS website. Montreal now occupies a playoff spot, which is why it moves up to No. 13 this week.
12. Real Salt Lake (Previous: 14)
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Real Salt Lake went toe-to-toe with Sporting Kansas City on Friday and walked out of Rio Tinto Stadium as 2-1 winners.
Javier Morales made it 1-0 after some fantastic footwork, but then Benny Feilhaber equalized with this scintillating strike. Joao Plata eventually secured the win against SKC after Olmes Garcia won a penalty in the second half.
The match was tight with both teams recording an even amount of chances. However, it was an impressive win for an RSL team without goalkeeper Nick Rimando, defender Demar Phillips and midfielder Kyle Beckerman.
RSL is now just three points out a playoff spot after recording back-to-back wins. As a result, the Claret and Cobalt move up to No. 12.
11. New England Revolution (Previous: 11)
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The New England Revolution should have beaten the Chicago Fire on Saturday, but ended up splitting the points in a 2-2 draw.
The penalty conceded by Jose Goncalves that led to Chicago's first goal was very unlucky. It occurred moments before halftime, plus David Accam's speed and momentum made it tough for the referee to not call a foul.
New England's road form has been abysmal this season. The Revs have won just twice away from Gillette Stadium all year. The immediate response after going down 2-1 was admirable, but the Revolution should be able to defeat the worst team in the Eastern Conference.
Because the Revs still managed to pick up a point to stay in a playoff spot, they remain at No. 11. However, they need to start hitting form soon or else they'll start slipping down the rankings again.
10. Columbus Crew (Previous: 10)
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The Columbus Crew were well on their way to a comfortable win over Toronto FC on Saturday. Columbus was leading 3-0 until TFC erased the deficit to claim a point in a 3-3 draw.
Kei Kamara got on the scoresheet for the third straight game and Ethan Finlay had a goal and an assist. TFC's defenders couldn't stop either player and didn't even bother to mark them on some occasions.
However, the defending was a huge letdown for the Crew. They could have separated themselves from the rest of the Eastern Conference, but the back line conceded three unanswered goals.
Columbus is still in second place in the Eastern Conference and the attack is clicking, but due to the poor defending, the Crew stay at No. 10.
9. Seattle Sounders (Previous: 9)
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The Seattle Sounders were thwarted by a late Montreal Impact goal as they lost 1-0 on Saturday. It was the Sounders' seventh defeat in their last nine games.
The team has scored just twice in their previous seven matches. It's obvious how much the Sounders need Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins back in the lineup based on that stat.
Now that Dempsey is set to return, results should start improving. Martins should be back soon as well, but he was left off the roster for Saturday's match by head coach Sigi Schmid, per SB Nation's Jeremiah Oshan. Schmid wants Martins to be fully fit before he plays.
The Sounders remain at No. 9 because they're still just six points behind the Western Conference leader FC Dallas. Plus, the likes of the Columbus Crew and New England Revolution wasted opportunities to pass Seattle.
8. Portland Timbers (Previous: 5)
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The Portland Timbers are now winless in their last three games after a humbling 4-1 defeat at the hands of FC Dallas on Saturday night.
Michael Barrios' first-half brace gave Dallas a 2-0 lead, but the Timbers had a couple of chances to recover. Liam Ridgewell hit a shot from point-blank range over the bar before Alvas Powell wasted this magnificent opportunity just a minute later. The Hoops eventually made it a 4-0 lead through Kellyn Acosta and Mauro Diaz.
It was a flat performance all around from the Timbers, which has dropped them to No. 8 this week.
7. Toronto FC (Previous: 8)
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Toronto FC may have salvaged a 3-3 draw against the Columbus Crew on Saturday, but the same defensive issues continue to plague the team.
No one tracked Kei Kamara's run before his first goal and Ethan Finlay was given too much space to cross.
On the other hand, TFC is still fourth place in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand. Surely head coach Greg Vanney is not pleased with the overall defensive performances and will want to fix these problems before the playoffs start.
Defending aside, the Reds still deserve credit for their resilience on Saturday. They seldom showed this grit in previous years and thanks to Sebastian Giovinco, TFC has dropped fewer points this season. This is why Toronto deservedly moves up one spot to No. 7 this week.
6. New York Red Bulls (Previous: 6)
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The New York Red Bulls had the week off from MLS action, so they remain at No. 6 for this week.
The Red Bulls' next MLS match is against the Philadelphia Union on Saturday. If New York can win that game, it could take over second place in the Eastern Conference.
5. D.C. United (Previous: 7)
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D.C. United needed to erase a two-goal deficit to defeat the Philadelphia Union on Sunday. D.C. failed to win their previous three games before the weekend, so it was a much-needed victory for the Eastern Conference leaders.
The defending in the early stages of the game was awful. C.J. Sapong bagged the opening goal without much resistance, then Sebastien Le Toux was able to score from an impossible angle without being challenged.
D.C. shaped up following Le Toux's strike and cut the deficit in half thanks to newly acquired striker Alvaro Saborio. Nick DeLeon and Fabian Espindola, who missed a penalty earlier in the game, clinched the victory in the end.
Not only is United on top of the East, it is also tied with FC Dallas on top of the Supporters' Shield standings after the win. For that reason. D.C. moves back into the top five.
4. LA Galaxy (Previous: 2)
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The LA Galaxy was confidently beaten 3-0 by the Houston Dynamo on Saturday night. However, the defending champions can be forgiven for the loss.
LA was still missing goalkeeper Jaime Penedo, defender Omar Gonzalez and forward Gyasi Zardes due to the Gold Cup. Full-back Robbie Rogers was also suspended, so head coach Bruce Arena had to start the inexperienced Brian Romney in Rogers' position.
The defensive performance was not convincing, but the attack looked lifeless. Arena admitted that Steven Gerrard's fitness levels didn't help, per Adam Serrano on the official Galaxy website. Once Giovani dos Santos and the other international absentees return, the scoring will improve.
LA falls to No. 4 after a dismal effort in Houston, but the Galaxy is still third place in the Western Conference, which is why they deserve to stay in the top five.
3. Sporting Kansas City (Previous: 1)
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Sporting Kansas City played well enough to earn a point on the road against Real Salt Lake on Friday. However, the visitors conceded a second-half penalty which ultimately secured a 2-1 win for RSL.
If Sporting KC earned a draw, it might have held onto the No. 1 spot this week. However, apart from Jacob Peterson and Benny Feilhaber, SKC struggled to create any noteworthy scoring chances.
Thankfully for SKC, it still has games in hand over several other Western Conference teams, which is why it is still third in the power rankings.
2. Vancouver Whitecaps (Previous: 4)
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The Vancouver Whitecaps earned an emphatic 3-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday night. With the win, Vancouver is now second place in a tough Western Conference.
The Whitecaps proved difficult to contain on the counter for a slow Earthquakes back line. In truth, 3-1 flattered San Jose, because Vancouver deserved to win by at least three goals.
With Pedro Morales returning after a five-game absence, the Whitecaps are equipped to fight for the top spot in the West for the rest of the year.
Thanks to the Whitecaps' convincing victory, they move up to No. 2, but stay out of the top spot thanks to FC Dallas' incredible form.
1. FC Dallas (Previous: 3)
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FC Dallas has taken over the top spot in the power rankings for the first time this season. Dallas' 4-1 victory over the Portland Timbers was the team's fifth straight win and it also extended the Hoops' unbeaten streak to six games.
The likes of Fabian Castillo, Mauro Diaz and Michael Barrios could not be stopped by Portland's back line on Saturday evening. The defense was also resolute and made goalkeeper Dan Kennedy's job a lot easier.
Now that Dallas will be welcoming back Gold Cup call-ups such as Blas Perez, their form should continue to improve. Until the Texan side loses a match, it will stay on top of the power rankings for the foreseeable future.
Peter Galindo covers MLS and U.S. soccer for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @GalindoPW.
