MLS Power Rankings: Arango helps Salt Lake move up, Union disappoint

It’s Monday and another week of MLS action is in the books, which means it’s time for ESPN’s Power Rankings.

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Our Power Rankings are derived from a combination of key season statistics (points per game, goal differential, expected goal differential), recent performance, the Opta computer ratings and the observations of our writers.

Who’s climbing the table? Who’s in free fall? We’ve ranked all 29 clubs in the league after Matchday 11. Let’s dive in.

Previous ranking: 1

Watching Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez combine is reliable high-class entertainment every weekend. But Saturday in South Florida, it produced a 6-2 statement victory over one of the best teams in MLS (Red Bulls). Messi set a league record for goal involvements as he notched one goal and five assists in a single outing, and Suarez scored a hat trick to sit neck and neck with Messi at the top of the Golden Boot race.

Previous ranking: 6

After toppling the last undefeated team in the league last weekend, RSL followed up with a 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City with a late goal from Chicho Arango. With nine goals, only the Messi/Suarez duo has scored more than RSL’s Colombian star.

Previous ranking: 3

Lucho Acosta‘s lone goal 18 seconds into this match was enough to take three points in Orlando, as Pat Noonan’s squad played a 10-man Orlando City for most of the match. Gabonese striker Aaron Boupendza, who was allegedly injured in a bar fight, was sidelined with a broken jaw for the match as FCC gear up for next week’s Hell is Real Derby in Ohio.

Previous ranking: 2

Still one of the best teams in MLS, the Red Bulls took an early lead thanks to Dante Vanzeir but suffered the second-half vengeance of Messi and Suarez on fire. Six goals later, they’ll have to take this one on the chin and move on.

Previous ranking: 5

Columbus had the weekend off ahead of next week’s Hell is Real Derby in Columbus. They haven’t won a league game since March 16 and are running on five straight draws, but Wilfried Nancy’s squad are still among the best in the league, while they’ve focused on qualifying for the final of Concacaf Champions Cup.

Previous ranking: 7

The Whitecaps are fourth in the west but have among the best points per game in the league and a goal differential (+8) surpassed only by RSL and Miami. They took a point at home against Austin to mark two straight draws as they get ready to play LAFC in SoCal.

Previous ranking: 4

LAFC fell 3-1 to the team ranked 14th in the Western Conference as Steve Cherundolo’s star-studded squad remains winless on the road this season.

Previous ranking: 8

The Union took a second blow at home against Seattle Sounders last week, falling 3-2 in a rescheduled Tuesday test after breaking their unbeaten run against RSL a few days prior. Looking for redemption on the road in DC, the Union fell behind by two goals but clawed back to a draw thanks to veteran captain Alejandro Bedoya, and left-footed golazo of the week (year?) to equalize from 20-year-old Jack McGlynn.

JACK MCGLYNN! TOP BINS!

Philly equalize and we’ve got a game here in D.C. 😳 pic.twitter.com/lzlJBzJppS

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 5, 2024

Previous ranking: 11

The Loons are among the league leaders in points per game and goal differential under new manager Eric Ramsay, as they collected a 2-1 road victory in Atlanta on Saturday. Ramsay’s side scored first from a set piece, where they’re dangerous, followed by ascendant talent Tani Oluwaseyi‘s fifth goal of the year.

Previous ranking: 10

After crumbling early against Austin last week, the Galaxy battled the Seattle Sounders to a 0-0 draw. They fired off 12 shots but managed just three on target, though the Sounders did a bit of the same. Silver lining? That’s their second clean sheet. Nobody has scored more goals (21) than the Galaxy in the Western Conference, though they’ve also let in 17.

Previous ranking: 9

A loss to the Loons marks three home games in a row with just one point to show for it and two home losses in a row. They’ll host DC next weekend hoping to break the spell.

Previous ranking: 14

Colorado’s fifth win of the year sees them placed fifth in the west after 11 matches played. That’s an impressive start to the season for Chris Armas’ squad, who recovered on the road with their first-ever win against NYCFC. 22-year-old Cole Bassett set up the first goal before scoring the second, bringing his goal contributions to five this season.

Previous ranking: 12

NYCFC broke their three-game win streak with a 2-0 loss to Colorado, marking the team’s first loss since March 23. That’s no reason to worry yet for Nick Cushing’s young squad, who’ve had a massive turnaround from the start of their year.

Previous ranking: 13

D.C. will rue letting this one go, as the home side took a 2-0 lead over visitors Philly Union, before relinquishing two goals to the visitors to settle for a draw.

Previous ranking: 19

Federico Bernardeschi scored not just one but two goals against FC Dallas, reminding fans of his flair as he notched his first goal since last August. And were it not for Maarten Paes or VAR, it could have been three or four.

Previous ranking: 17

Still finagling with his midfield, Dean Smith’s squad took all three points at home thanks to Nikola Petkovic‘s 54th-minute goal and a stoppage-time contribution from Enzo Copetti to seal it. That’s their fourth win of the season and their first since April 13.

Previous ranking: 22

After a shaky start to the year amid a torrent of injury woes, Seattle absconded with their second win of the year on the road against Philly Union in a midweek reschedule. A few days later they took a 0-0 draw against an offensively firepowered LA Galaxy at home. That’s four points in two games (nearly 50% of their season total) and no red cards to boot. Progress!

Previous ranking: 15

Houston are now winless since April 13 after drawing St. Louis City SC this weekend, following two straight interstate losses to FC Dallas and Austin FC the weeks before. A draw is progress, but they’ll need more from beatable teams to remain in the playoff positions. The team’s now eighth heading to SKC.

Previous ranking: 16

Another draw for St. Louis. This time 0-0 against the Dynamo brings their total to seven this season, the most in the league. 2023 Goalkeeper of the Year Roman Bürki unfurled seven saves to keep Houston at bay. After allowing 22 shots and seven on target, STL will need more to keep accruing draws let alone a few wins.

Previous ranking: 20

Orlando put up a valiant effort in a 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati, considering they allowed a goal from Lucho Acosta within 18 seconds and played most of the match with 10 men.

Previous ranking: 24

SKC picked up a 1-0 loss to western conference leaders RSL this weekend, with Chicho Arango’s ninth goal of the year making the difference. John Pulskamp‘s four saves did well to limit RSL’s goal tally, but SKC’s one shot on target isn’t enough at the other end. Peter Vermes’ squad are now winless since March 30 and sit just shy of the playoff spots.

Previous ranking: 26

The return of Walker Zimmerman to Nashville’s starting XI sent a jolt of rejuvenation (a vibe not far off from his hype video at the Preds game) to Gary Smith’s squad, as they picked up their first win since March 16 against Montreal. Zimmerman knocked in a goal with the back of his head and Sam Surridge ran away with a hat trick to make it 4-1.

Previous ranking: 21

A 0-0 draw in Vancouver is a respectable result, though Brad Stuver‘s six saves were necessary to halt Vancouver’s 24 shots and six on target. In contrast, Austin conjured just one shot on target (and four shots total) at the other end.

Previous ranking: 18

Montreal’s second game on the road didn’t go as smoothly as the first, as they followed a draw against reigning champions Columbus with a 4-1 drubbing in Nashville. Next up? Miami.

Previous ranking: 28

San Jose has put up stronger performances than their points total has shown for it in recent weeks, and made a statement this weekend as they collected their second win of the season with a 3-1 victory over LAFC (who admittedly have yet to win on the road yet in ’24). Oh, and Diego Maradona’s great nephew Hernán López made his debut.

Previous ranking: 23

Portland has made a seven-week pattern of allowing at least two goals in every match home or away. So it was in Charlotte, as they fell 2-0 to the hosts. With 23 goals against, only San Jose (26) has conceded more.

Previous ranking: 25

Dallas fell 3-1 to John Herdman’s reinvigorated Toronto FC, following their second win of the year with their sixth loss. Next up? Texas Derby in Frisco as they host Austin FC.

Previous ranking: 27

The Fire took a loss at home against the last-ranked team in MLS, firing off 15 shots but all but three off target.

Previous ranking: 29

The Revs took all three points from Chicago in Chicago, bringing their season total to seven. Thomas Chancalay’s goal provided the difference in the 1-0 win, marking his second in as many games and New England‘s seventh goal this season (the lowest in the league). They’ll hope to catch some momentum from here, and there’s nowhere to go but up.