MLS Power Rankings: Montreal Impact Capitalize on Portland Timbers' Slip-Up
Upsets are to be expected in a wild league like Major League Soccer, especially in the early stages of the 2016 season. Therefore, the power rankings have undergone a drastic swing this week.
Every team has played two matches thus far in 2016, so the criteria used to grade each club will be as follows:
- Last season's final standing
- Offseason player acquisitions
- Injuries
- Quality of a team's most recent performance
Here is how every team stands after Week 2.
20. Chicago Fire (Previous: 20)
1 of 20
The Chicago Fire managed to salvage a 1-1 draw with Orlando City SC on Friday despite Michael Harrington's red card.
David Accam capitalized on Seb Hines' sluggishness in chasing down the ball to secure a point for the Fire. The Ghanaian has scored in each of Chicago's matches this season.
The Fire's resilience was admirable, but the manner in which they conceded was curious.
Head coach Veljko Paunovic fielded a three-man defense, yet it was center back Joao Meira who was easily beaten Kevin Molino. The Trinidadian provided the assist for Cyle Larin's goal in the fourth minute.
Chicago is rebuilding after finishing with the worst record in MLS last season. There are some positive signs, but the new defensive additions need time to settle before this team can be properly assessed.
19. Philadelphia Union (Previous: 19)
2 of 20
The Philadelphia Union recorded their first-ever win at MAPFRE Stadium with a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday.
Newcomer Chris Pontius completed a brace in win. Both strikes were one-touch finishes, but Pontius made excellent runs prior to the goals. The first came off a long throw-in, and the second was a powerful finish after some sloppy Crew defending.
Saturday's performance was the polar opposite of the season opener, when FC Dallas cruised to a win and the Union attack was toothless and barely registered any chances. This was not the case in Columbus.
Philadelphia was still outshot by the Crew, who were quite wasteful in the final third. If the Union can replicate this form, they will surely improve on last season's finish.
18. D.C. United (Previous: 17)
3 of 20
D.C. United have qualified for the playoffs in two consecutive seasons, but it may be a struggle for the club to return in 2016.
D.C. held on for a 0-0 road draw with the New England Revolution on Saturday. The hosts heavily outshot the visitors, although the Revolution generated just three shots on target.
Both Bill Hamid and Andrew Dykstra are injured, so No. 3 goalkeeper Travis Worra started the match. Neither backup is anywhere near close to matching Hamid's quality during his absence.
Head coach Ben Olsen has guided D.C. to first and fourth-placed finishes in the Eastern Conference in 2014 and 2015, respectively. This may be his toughest challenge yet.
17. Colorado Rapids (Previous: 18)
4 of 20
The Colorado Rapids' 1-0 victory over the LA Galaxy was won in the final seconds through Marco Pappa, and the Rapids deserved all three points.
Colorado was playing at home, which is daunting for the opposition due to the elevation. Nonetheless, the performance in the second half was magnificent.
Shkelzen Gashi could have opened the scoring on two occasions if not for a pair of great saves from Galaxy goalkeeper Brian Rowe.
There were a couple of worrying moments in the defensive third, though. Robbie Keane missed a great chance in the ninth minute and Jelle Van Damme smacked the bar.
Credit Colorado for hanging on and pushing for the win, though. Once Gashi is fully acclimated to his new team and Jermaine Jones returns from his suspension, the Rapids will be a formidable side in the Western Conference.
16. Orlando City SC (Previous: 12)
5 of 20
Orlando City SC drew 1-1 with the Chicago Fire at home on Friday night. It was a disappointing result since Chicago was playing with 10 men for almost an hour.
Cyle Larin scored again, Kevin Molino was dangerous out wide and Orlando was creating chances. However, the defending needs a lot of work.
Seb Hines was burned far too easily on David Accam's goal, which was preventable. Since Hines has 19-year-old Tommy Redding beside him, there will be tough patches, but clearing the ball out of harm's way is Defending 101.
If the Lions can overcome their defensive woes, they can feasibly qualify for the playoffs, especially once Kaka is fully fit.
15. New York City FC (Previous: 14)
6 of 20
New York City FC were on a roll for the first 44 minutes of their game against Toronto FC on Sunday, but the final 46 were not ideal for the home side.
NYCFC led 2-0 through two David Villa goals and appeared to be on their way to a big win. However, TFC fought back to earn a 2-2 draw.
New York City was decent on the day. The likes of Federico Bravo, Andrea Pirlo, Thomas McNamara and Ronald Matarrita all had great games. However, lackadaisical defending on a free kick and questionable goalkeeping led to both of TFC's goals.
Head coach Patrick Vieira was also willing to experiment tactically. He deployed his starting XI in a 3-4-3 formation, and it almost paid off. NYCFC should improve this year if they close out games.
14. New England Revolution (Previous: 13)
7 of 20
The New England Revolution drew 0-0 with D.C. United on Saturday at home, but the Revs should have secured a comfortable victory.
Third-choice goalkeeper Travis Worra started for D.C. New England registered 18 shots, but just three hit the target. That is inexcusable given the Revs' offensive firepower.
Last week, the Revs' defense was leaky in the 3-3 draw with the Houston Dynamo. The Revolution improved defensively in this game, but the attack was disappointing.
If New England finds consistency on both sides of the ball, it will be a playoff team again.
13. Real Salt Lake (Previous: 15)
8 of 20
Real Salt Lake came from behind to defeat the Seattle Sounders 2-1 on Saturday, just one week after coughing up a 2-0 lead to Orlando City SC.
RSL conceded two goals in second-half stoppage time against Orlando but made amends at home. Sunny equalized just fifteen minutes after Osvaldo Alonso's opener, and Jamison Olave secured the victory in the 86th minute by outjumping goalkeeper Tyler Miller.
The Claret and Cobalt left it late, but this was a solid win for them. Joao Plata has been involved in every RSL goal this season, and Juan Manuel Martinez was equally impressive on the opposite flank.
Sunny was just as impeccable in midfield. He led RSL in tackles and interceptions, per WhoScored.com, and he was also second in passes behind Kyle Beckerman.
RSL have shown signs of improvement from last year. If they continue this form, they will surge into the top 10 very soon.
12. Houston Dynamo (Previous: 16)
9 of 20
The Houston Dynamo had struggled in the Texas Derby against FC Dallas before heading into Saturday's clash—Dallas had won the last five matches prior to the weekend.
Houston emphatically snapped that losing streak with an incredible 5-0 win at home.
The Dynamo showed new attacking prowess in their 3-3 draw with the New England Revolution. However, it was unthinkable to foresee a five-goal victory over last year's No. 1 seed in the Western Conference.
Andrew Wenger recorded one goal and two assists in the victory and has already eclipsed his scoring output from 2015.
The injury to Giles Barnes is a worry, but this Houston attack still looks like a serious threat for any team in MLS.
11. Seattle Sounders (Previous: 10)
10 of 20
The Seattle Sounders suffered a second consecutive loss, as they were defeated 2-1 to Real Salt Lake on Saturday.
Seattle led 1-0 after 28 minutes but surrendered a goal right before halftime and late in the second half. Backup goalkeeper Tyler Miller was beaten in the air by Jamison Olave as he scored the winner for RSL.
Stefan Frei was being rested as a precaution, but even if he started, the Sounders attack could not muster any momentum. Nelson Valdez's bicycle kick aside, Seattle was poor up front.
The Sounders may not click up front for a few more games, especially without Obafemi Martins. That may haunt Seattle later in the season as teams battle for playoff spots.
10. Vancouver Whitecaps (Previous: 9)
11 of 20
The Vancouver Whitecaps were appallingly poor in their 2-1 loss to Sporting Kansas City.
The scoreline flattered the Whitecaps, who were reduced to 10 men right before halftime. Jordan Smith was sent off, although he wasn't missed because he was constantly roaming from his position. Smith was named over Fraser Aird at right-back, so both replacements underwhelmed in their season debuts.
Deybi Flores replaced Kianz Froese and turned over the ball that led to Dom Dwyer's fantastic opening goal.
Pedro Morales' penalty gave Vancouver some life in the second half. When Froese entered the game, the visitors' decisiveness improved in the final third, but it was too late to muster a comeback.
The Whitecaps have faced two strong teams to open the season. Flying across the continent to face Sporting KC is not an easy task, either.
The new additions will also need time to settle into the squad, so unless this form continues over the next few games, Vancouver is still a contender in the Western Conference.
9. LA Galaxy (Previous: 6)
12 of 20
The LA Galaxy's 1-0 loss to the Colorado Rapids was a game that was decided by the thinnest of margins.
In the first half, both Robbie Keane and Jelle Van Damme missed two fabulous chances to open the scoring. Van Damme's effort was the strongest of the two as he rattled his shot off the crossbar.
However, the Rapids took control in the second half and should have scored before Marco Pappa struck in stoppage time.
Elevation may have played a factor in the momentum swing, especially with a few new players in the starting XI. A draw would have been fair, but Daniel Steres' careless clearance before Pappa's goal cannot be excused.
8. San Jose Earthquakes (Previous: 11)
13 of 20
The San Jose Earthquakes' massive 2-1 victory over the Portland Timbers was a terrific result for one of MLS' dark horses.
The Earthquakes conceded far too many opportunities to the Colorado Rapids in their opening game. However, with Fatai Alashe starting beside Anibal Godoy, the duo helped limit the defending champions to just two shots on target.
Portland still finished with 16 shots. Lucas Melano and Diego Valeri nearly opened the scoring in the first 11 minutes, but otherwise, the rest of the attempts were lame.
The Quakes are one of just three teams to start the 2016 campaign with two wins. That is significant for a side that narrowly missed the playoffs last year.
7. Columbus Crew (Previous: 4)
14 of 20
The Columbus Crew have lost their first two games of the 2016 season after suffering a 2-1 defeat to the Philadelphia Union at home on Saturday.
This was Columbus' first-ever defeat at MAPFRE Stadium against the Union. The Crew had not lost a home opener since 2004, either.
Philadelphia was clinical, but the Crew were constantly thwarted by goalkeeper Andre Blake. The Jamaican made six saves and was en route to a clean sheet before Kei Kamara's 87th-minute header.
Columbus has not played poorly in either of its matches. The defending, especially on set pieces, is still an issue. On the other hand, the Crew lost two of their first three games and conceded a total of 58 goals in 2015.
Considering the Crew, New York Red Bulls, Vancouver Whitecaps and Seattle Sounders have each suffered two defeats, it is still too early for Columbus fans to panic.
6. New York Red Bulls (Previous: 5)
15 of 20
The 2015 Supporters' Shield winners have lost their two opening games of the 2016 season. Their most recent defeat was at the hands of the Montreal Impact.
The Red Bulls lost 3-0 at the Olympic Stadium on Saturday afternoon. New York has now scored zero goals while conceding five.
New York's defeat to Toronto FC was somewhat encouraging because the Red Bulls controlled the match, but they just could not convert on countless opportunities.
Saturday's game was much worse, and the Red Bulls midfield was outperformed by the Impact. Dax McCarty, Felipe and Sacha Kljestan barely had any time on the ball. As a result, Lloyd Sam, Mike Grella and Bradley Wright-Phillips were isolated.
This performance was more worrying, but with only 180 minutes of competitive action under their belts, the Red Bulls can easily turn this around.
5. FC Dallas (Previous: 2)
16 of 20
FC Dallas' 5-0 loss to the Houston Dynamo was easily the most shocking result of the young 2016 season.
Only two matches have been played, but considering Dallas' dominance in this fixture in recent years, this was a massive surprise. The Hoops had won the last five Texas Derby matches.
It is easy to pick apart Dallas' back line after conceding five goals. However, as the Dynamo's lead kept increasing, the visitors' defending became worse.
Matt Hedges' calamitous own goal was not the lowest of lows. Defenders were running into each other, they were caught watching the ball and failed to communicate with goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez.
Dallas will face the high-flying Montreal Impact on Saturday. If the Texan side recovers well against Montreal, this 5-0 loss will be nothing more than a freak result.
4. Toronto FC (Previous: 3)
17 of 20
Sebastian Giovinco salvaged a 2-2 draw for Toronto FC with New York City FC on Sunday. The league MVP recorded a goal and an assist as TFC recovered from a 2-0 deficit on the road.
The match was a tale of two halves. Toronto's defending was suspect for most of the first interval. David Villa may have handled the ball prior to his second goal, but TFC could not deal with a simple cross before the incident occurred.
A silly foul conceded by Marco Delgado led to the opener for NYCFC. However, credit must be given to the team for the comeback, especially Giovinco.
Resiliency has been TFC's calling card to begin 2016. The defending was not up to standard, but at least the team has the ability to overcome those issues.
3. Sporting Kansas City (Previous: 8)
18 of 20
Sporting Kansas City defeated the 10-man Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 at home on Saturday night. The scoreline indicates that it was not a comfortable victory. It was, in fact, an easy win for Sporting.
Dom Dwyer's thunderous strike from distance opened the scoring as he capitalized on a Deybi Flores turnover. Dwyer doubled Sporting KC's lead shortly before halftime, then Jordan Smith was sent off. SKC's work was done for the night.
Those goals were huge for Dwyer after Sporting announced the acquisition of Chile international Diego Rubio. The England-born striker was inactive against the Seattle Sounders the previous week, so seeing this recovery is a positive sign.
Defeating the Sounders and Whitecaps in back-to-back weeks is an impressive feat for SKC. Whether or not they can maintain this form in the latter stages of the campaign remains to be seen, though.
2. Portland Timbers (Previous: 1)
19 of 20
The Portland Timbers tried to rally late but could not avoid a 2-1 defeat versus the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday.
The Timbers managed to outshoot the Earthquakes 16-8. However, just two of those attempts hit the target. Lucas Melano's strike off the bar was Portland's best opportunity of the game. Diego Valeri's effort a few minutes later was equally close, too.
Liam Ridgewell's absence in the back line may have altered the outcome as well. Jermaine Taylor failed to track Chris Wondolowski's run on the opening goal, and Ridgewell's absence was keenly felt.
The Timbers' wastefulness in front of goal ultimately cost them. They're still the champions and played well, but this loss moves Portland down one spot.
1. Montreal Impact (Previous: 7)
20 of 20
The Montreal Impact crushed the New York Red Bulls 3-0 on Saturday. Montreal has now won its opening two matches and has outscored its opponents 6-2.
The Impact are also accomplishing these feats without Didier Drogba. Ignacio Piatti has recorded three goals and two assists. Dominic Oduro, Drogba's replacement, has two goals in two appearances.
Montreal's next match is at FC Dallas, who are reeling after a 5-0 loss. The Impact have beaten two of MLS' best teams in the Red Bulls and Vancouver Whitecaps. A victory over Dallas would turn even more heads.
