2011 MLS Power Rankings: Week 27

This week in the MLS Power Rankings on Bleacher Report, the power trio of the Seattle Sounders, Los Angeles Galaxy and Real Salt Lake distance themselves from the pack as they continue their race for the Supporters' Shield.

Seattle remain on top for another week after a perfect outing which saw victories in CONCACAF and MLS action. In the East, a shakedown sees the Columbus Crew move down the ladder and the Philadelphia Union make their move, along with the New York Red Bulls.

Movers, shakers, top dogs and CONCACAF. Mix it all up, and you get this week's Power Rankings. Let's take a look.

18. Vancouver Whitecaps FC

Bottom of the pack, bottom of the Power Rankings.

It is safe to say that Tom Soehn's Vancouver Whitecaps can look forward to next season. There is nothing that will prevent the Caps from securing the second draft pick in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft.

On Saturday, they were humiliated in deserving fashion by the Los Angeles Galaxy to the tune of 3-0. Despite the result, goalkeeper Joe Cannon noted the positives to take away from the contest.

“Obviously, when you lose 3-0, it’s never a positive thing," Cannon told MLSSoccer.com's Martin MacMahon, "but you always have to try to take positives away and that’s a fact that we gave four shots on target and three of them went in. But to give four shots to a good team that creates a lot of chances, that has to be a positive.

“If we get a penalty in the first half and then we go 1-1 and it’s a different game, but unfortunately that didn’t happen tonight, so we live and die by that.”

Cannon made his 300th start as a goalkeeper in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

So, when does BC Place open up for you guys?

Vancouver says farewell to Empire Field on Saturday, Sept. 24 when they host the high-flying Seattle Sounders. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. PT and will be televised by TSN.

17. New England Revolution

You talk about a train wreck from the Northeast, you are talking about Steve Nicol's New England Revolution, who dropped yet another match, this time to the Portland Timbers to the tune of 3-0 on Friday at Jeld-Wen Field in Portland, Oregon.

There won't be any playoffs for the Revs, who can also make plans for next season with this defeat.

"I think it took us 40 minutes before we actually had a decent line," Nicol told reporters following the match. "You can't play away from home and give teams two goals to start and then try and chase the game. Our back four in the first half, that's why we lost the game tonight."

New England's next match is on Sunday, Sept. 25 against the Chicago Fire. Kickoff at Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois is scheduled for 4 p.m. ET and will be televised by Comcast SportsNet.

16. San Jose Earthquakes

Another team that can think about next year are Frank Yallop's San Jose Earthquakes, who were eliminated from the postseason with a 2-1 defeat to the Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium in Houston, Texas.

Khari Stephenson scored the only goal for San Jose in the 40th-minute of play.

San Jose have a couple of matches this week. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, San Jose travels to Jeld-Wen Field to take on the Portland Timbers. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast by KZSF 1370 AM and KDOW 1220 AM.

On Saturday, San Jose continue their road trip with a Sept. 24 contest against the Colorado Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colorado. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. PT/9 p.m. ET and will be broadcast by KZSF 1370 AM and KDOW 1220 AM.

15. Chivas USA

Robin Fraser's Chivas USA lost a wild 3-2 goal festival to the Chicago Fire at Toyota Park.

Juan Pablo Angel scored a goal on both ends: a goal in the 26th minute and his fifth of the season in the 61st minute. Nick LaBrocca scored an equalizer for his eighth of the season in the 63rd minute of play.

“To be fair, from the moment that I [got] here, we have the same strengths and the same weaknesses. Until now, the other teams couldn’t use those weaknesses, but I would say that they can [now],” Chivas's Laurent Courtois told MLSSoccer.com's Adam Serrano. “When we are not switched on, we give up the ball and there are chances for the other team, which can’t happen. You cannot give up a goal every time you lose the ball.”

Chivas have a couple of games this week. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, the Goats travel to RFK Stadium in Washington, D.C. to take on D.C. United. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by KWHY TV and Fox Sports Prime Ticket.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, Chivas USA host Toronto FC at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by KDOC TV and KWHY TV.

14. Chicago Fire

Frank Klopas's Chicago Fire squeaked out a 3-2 victory over Chivas USA on Saturday at Toyota Park. 

Cory Gibbs opened the scoring just two minutes into the contest. After Juan Pablo Angel scored a goal in the 26th minute, Dominic Oduro brought home the game-winner in the 85th minute.

The goal was Oduro's 10th of the season.

Chicago's next match is on Sunday, Sept. 25 against the New England Revolution at Toyota Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET and will be televised by MY50.

13. Portland Timbers

See what happens when you don your Rose City Reds, guys? Good things happen.

John Spencer's Portland Timbers are on the tails of the New York Red Bulls after pulling away to a 3-0 victory over the New England Revolution.

Diego Chara opened the scoring in the second minute, Kenny Cooper made it 2-0 in the 32nd minute and Darlington Nagbe put the game out of reach in the 66th minute of play.

"I think we played ever so well in the first 45 (minutes)," Spencer told reporters after the match. "I thought it was some of the best football I've seen in Major League Soccer this year for 45 minutes. I don't think anyone could deny us. The way we were moving side-to-side, back and wide - I thought we were a very difficult team to play against in the first 45 (minutes)."

Up next for the Timbers are a couple of key encounters. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, Portland face the San Jose Earthquakes at Jeld-Wen Field. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by KPDX TC and estrellaTV 8.3.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, an important match with the Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, New Jersey will take place. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by FOX 12 and estrellaTV 8.3.

12. Colorado Rapids

Gary Smith's Colorado Rapids had a very tough week of matches to fall to 12th in this week's Power Rankings.

On Tuesday, the Rapids dropped an embarrassing 4-1 match to Santos Laguna in CONCACAF Champions League action. Brian Mullan scored in the 77th minute for the Rapids.

Toronto FC, also coming off defeat in the CONCACAF Champions League, added to Colorado's misery as the Rapids lost 2-1 at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario.

Sanna Nyassi scored in the 70th minute for Colorado.

"When things are not going your way, they are not going your way and for us at the moment they are not," Smith told reporters following the defeat to Toronto. "We have to keep plugging forward and try to turn the tide as it where and get a couple of points on the board to get us back into what we believe is a very capable playoff position."

More CONCACAF action is on tap for the Rapids who take on Real Espana on San Pedro Sula, Honduras. Kickoff at Dick's Sporting Goods Park is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 8 p.m. MT/10 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, Colorado host the San Jose Earthquakes in league play. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. MT/9 p.m. ET and will be televised by Altitude.

11. Columbus Crew

Robert Warzycha's Columbus Crew could only manager one out of a possible six points this past week. On Wednesday, the Crew only manages a 2-2 draw with the Houston Dynamo at Crew Stadium.

Andres Mendoza scored a penalty brace in the 64th and 76th minutes of play.

The Crew were not so fortunate on Saturday against the Philadelphia Union, dropping a 1-0 defeat at PPL Park in Chester, Pennsylvania.

Adding to the misery of America's Hardest Working Team was an injury to Chad Marshall, who suffered a hip flexor strain against Houston.

“You can’t really replace a Chad Marshall,” Columbus's Eric Gehrig told thecrew.com's Craig Merz. “You try to go out there and do your best. Overall I thought I did a pretty good job. We kept things tight. Too bad the game was decided on [sebastien Le Toux's 32nd minute goal for Philadelphia].”

Up next for Columbus is their toughest match of the season, a Sept. 24 date with the Los Angeles Galaxy at Crew Stadium. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by ONN-TV.

10. Toronto FC

League success and CONCACAF failure defined Toronto FC's efforts this past week.

Against Pumas UNAM in CONCACAF play, Toronto were harrowed in a 4-0 blowout defeat at the Estadio Olimpico Universitario in Mexico City, Mexico.

Frustrated by their futility, the Reds were determined to take their anger out on the Colorado Rapids and pulled out a surprise 2-1 victory at BMO Field.

Danny Koevermans paced Toronto with a brace in the 52nd and 60th minutes of play.

“Great goals, he’s a real striker,” Winter said of Koevermans to MLSSoccer.com's Larry Millson. “You can see at this moment, conditionally he is getting closer to 100 percent fit. He doesn’t have that many chances to score in the games he has played, but the number of goals he has made is good."

"He’s promised a lot more in the future.”

Up next for Toronto FC are some more CONCACAF and league action. On Tuesday, Sept. 20, Toronto host Tauro F.C. of Panama City, Panama at BMO Field in the CONCACAF Champions League. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET and will be televised by Setanta Sports Canada.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, the Reds travel to the Home Depot Center to take on Chivas USA. Kickoff is scheduled for 10:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by GOLTV Canada.

9. FC Dallas

Schellas Hyndman's FC Dallas did not have the best of weeks, managing a draw in regional action and a loss in league play.

On Wednesday, the Hoops drew 1-1 with Tauro FC at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, Texas. Daniel Cruz scored 27-seconds into the contest for FC Dallas, a new record for fastest goal in CONCACAF Champions League history.

Saturday saw FC Dallas drop a 1-0 defeat to the New York Red Bulls, effectively putting them out of the race for the MLS Supporters' Shield.

It will not get any easier for Dallas, who have a tough set of matches this week. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, the Hoops take on Pumas UNAM at Pizza Hut Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT/8 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, the battle for El Capitan continues when Dallas take on the Houston Dynamo. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET and will be televised by Galavision.

8. D.C. United

Ben Olsen's D.C. United were humiliated in embarrassing fashion by the Seattle Sounders 3-0 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle, Washington on Saturday.

"When you're in a playoff race like this you can't sit on these too much. You're going to have a game where a team takes advantage of some situations," Olsen told reporters following the match. "Sigi [Schmid] has done a good job with them and especially in the last month where he's had to manage a lot of minutes in games, so give him credit."

Up next for D.C. United are a couple of key league encounters, starting with Chivas USA on Wednesday, Sept. 21. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by Comcast SportsNet.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, D.C. host Real Salt Lake. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET.

7. Philadelphia Union

Peter Nowak's Philadelphia Union defeated the Columbus Crew 1-0 thanks to the heroics of Sebastien Le Toux in the 32nd minute of play.

The match marked the debut of 16-year old Zach Pfeffer, the Union's first-ever Home Grown Player. Pfeffer played 61 minutes in the midfield and nearly scored in the 42nd minute off a Le Toux delivery.

“I was a little nervous and excited at the same time," Pfeffer told philadelphiaunion.com's Judah Levine. "It was cool to be in the starting lineup. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of since I was really young. Once I got a few minutes under me, I felt better and a little more relaxed.”

In the words of Deniece Williams, "Let's hear it for the boy."

Up next for the Union is a match with Sporting Kansas City at Livestrong Sporting Park. Kickoff is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 23 at 8;30 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.

6. Sporting Kansas City

Peter Vermes's Sporting Kansas City lost a tough 1-0 match to Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah.

Despite the result, Vermes was quick to find a silver lining.

“We dominated the game,” Vermes told MLSSoccer.com's Andrew Wiebe. “Other than the end when we were throwing everything forward, we shut down their attack. They did not break us down in the first half at all. Outside of the set piece, I thought we played a fantastic game.”

However, with the defeat, Sporting remain in second behind the Columbus Crew in the MLS Eastern Conference race.

Up next for Sporting is some more home cooking. On Friday, Sept. 23, Sporting take on the Philadelphia Union at Livestrong Sporting Park in Kansas City, Kansas. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. CT/8:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.

5. Red Bull New York

After weeks and weeks of futility, Hans Backe's New York Red Bulls got themselves a break.

Luke Rodgers scored in the 36th minute to give the Red Bulls a 1-0 victory over FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park.

The goal was Rodgers's seventh of the season.

“It’s just the best performance I’ve seen in a long, long time. The defending was just unbelievable. We played as a team tonight, we just looked solid,” Rodgers told MLSSoccer.com's Kristian Dyer. “It was a massive, massive, win.”

Up next for New York are a couple of contests. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, the Red Bulls take on Real Salt Lake at Red Bull Arena. Kickoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. ET and will be televised by MSG+.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, the Red Bulls host the Portland Timbers. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by MSG.

4. Houston Dynamo

Dominic Kinnear's Houston Dynamo had a solid week, earning four out of a possible six points.

On Wednesday, Houston drew 2-2 with the Columbus Crew at Crew Stadium. Je-Vaughn Watson opened his scoring account in the 34th minute of play, while Calen Carr recorded the equalizer for his first goal of the year in the 86th minute.

The Dynamo cruised to a 2-1 victory over the San Jose Earthquakes at Robertson Stadium on Saturday.

Brad Davis scored on a penalty kick in the 48th minute of play for his fourth of the season. Will Bruin delivered the game-winner in the 80th minute for his fifth goal of the season.

“It was definitely a confidence-booster, getting back on the scoresheet,” Bruin told MLSSoccer.com's Darrell Lovell. “It’s been a while, since April, so it was a confidence-booster and a great time to do it with the late [playoff] push.”

Up next for the Dancing Bear and his ilk is a renewal of the battle for the howitzer known as El Capitan against FC Dallas at Pizza Hut Park. Kickoff is scheduled for 3 p.m. CT/4 p.m. ET and will be televised by TeleFutura.

3. Real Salt Lake

Jason Kreis's Real Salt Lake scored a 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City at Rio Tinto Stadium on Saturday. Nat Borchers delivered the game-winning header off a Kyle Beckerman deliver in the 54th minute of play.

Borchers noted that Ricardo Salazar and crew were dictating the flow of the match for numerous intervals.

"The refs were calling it tight tonight because they knew it was going to be a physical game," Borchers inferred to reporters.  "They didn’t want things to get out of hand."

"You want to see more flow in the games. I think it’s more fun to watch and it’s more fun to play.”

Next up for Real Salt Lake are a couple of contests. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, RSL travel to Red Bull Arena to take on the New York Red Bulls. Kickoff is scheduled for 6 p.m. MT/8 p.m. ET and will be televised by KMYU 2.2, Comcast SportsNet and Dish Network 12.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, Real Salt Lake travel to RFK Stadium to face D.C. United. Kickoff is scheduled for 5:30 p.m. MT/7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by KMYU 2.2, Comcast SportsNet and Dish Network 12. 

2. Los Angeles Galaxy

Bruce Arena's Los Angeles Galaxy had a hit-and-miss week.

On Tuesday, Los Angeles wasted a 52nd minute goal from Robbie Keane to fall 2-1 late to Monarcas Morelia in the CONCACAF Champions League.

But on Saturday, it was the Mike Magee show with Keane playing the role of guest star, as the Galaxy conserved their energy and melted the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0.

Magee scored a brace in the 40th and 75th minutes, while Keane made it 2-0 in the 64th minute of play.

Arena was pleased by the performance of Bryan Jordan, who delivered a couple of solid crosses for goals.

"It is difficult to defend when you’re aggressive so [Jordan] did a good job of getting into the attack and then his final pass and decision were great," Arena told reporters. "Two great headers for the goals.”

The Galaxy manager was also pleased with Josh Saunders redeeming himself for a disastrous 15 minutes of shame against Monarcas late in the second half.

"I was really happy for him because he has been great this year," Arena said of Saunders. "I know that he felt really bad about the other day. I thought that he was really sharp and did a good job coming off his line and he was just very solid.”

One of the biggest weeks of truth will be on the way for the Galaxy. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, Los Angeles take on Liga Deportiva Alajuelense in Alajuela, Costa Rica. Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, LA travel to Crew Stadium to take on the Columbus Crew. A result next weekend will push the Galaxy closer to the Supporters' Shield. Kickoff is scheduled for 4:30 p.m. PT/7:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Sports West.

1. Seattle Sounders FC

Sigi Schmid's Seattle Sounders remains first in our MLS Power Rankings after a perfect week.

On Wednesday, Seattle defeated C.S. Herediano 2-1 at the Estadio Eladio Rosabal Cordero in Heredia, Costa Rica. Fredy Montero scored a brace in the third and 54th minutes of play to pace the Sounders.

That set the stage for a physical match with D.C. United, which saw Seattle destroy D.C. 3-0. Alvaro Fernandez recorded a brace of his own in the second minute of first half stoppage time and the 60th minute. Mike Fucito opened up the scoring in the 35th minute of play.

With the result, Seattle set a new single-season MLS attendance record with 553.987 through the turnstiles with two home matches remaining.

But the victory did not come without a price. Mauro Rosales sprained his right MCL in a collision with D.C.'s Daniel Woolard late in second-half stoppage time.

The injury left Schmid seething.

"The league’s got to start protecting him.  The last two games, teams have gone out there and kicked him and I don’t think the referees have done a good job protecting him," Schmid argued.  "Today was a case in point.  

"We are up on top of the game 3-0 and he’s got the ball at his feet and I think it’s a tackle that’s just meant to get a little kick in and who knows how long he’s out now.”

Sounders will be sweating on how long Rosales will be out, as their quest for the treble continues.

On Tuesday, Sept. 20, Seattle host Herediano in CONCACAF Champions League action. Kickoff at CenturyLink Field is scheduled for 7 p.m. PT/10 p.m. ET and will be televised by Fox Soccer Channel.

On Saturday, Sept. 24, the Sounders travel to Empire Field in Vancouver, British Columbia to take on the Vancouver Whitecaps FC. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. PT/10:30 p.m. ET and will be televised by KONG 6/16.