Soccer <\/p>\n
What a week in MLS. Austin FC<\/a> and St. Louis CITY<\/a> played a low-scoring game, LA Galaxy<\/a> dropped points and Inter Miami<\/a> won despite being outcreated by a notable margin. It was truly a week unlike any other.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by, give or take a few, 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com. Please send all comments, questions and concerns to Matt Doyle\u2019s Bluesky DMs<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Despite missing Lionel Messi<\/a>, Tadeo Allende<\/a> and Telasco Segovia<\/a> in the starting lineup, Miami found a way to get up early on Philadelphia<\/a> at home. Robert Taylor<\/a> and Messi (as a sub) found the net, and the Herons weathered a barrage of shots from the Union in a 2-1 win.<\/p>\n It\u2019s still early, but it\u2019s starting to appear like this year\u2019s Inter Miami is even better than last year\u2019s. The most immediate question for them is whether or not that will translate into the Concacaf Champions Cup<\/a> success they missed out on last year. A big quarterfinal matchup with LAFC<\/a> is waiting for them on Wednesday.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Sometimes you run into the Inter Miami buzzsaw. What can you do? The Union are still on 2.00 points per game, and the underlying numbers are still there to back up those early performances.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Diego Rossi<\/a> responded almost instantly after D.C.<\/a> took an early 1-0 lead and then decided to respond one more time later in the game to give Columbus<\/a> a 2-1 win. For all the worries about their lack of another DP forward, the Crew are undefeated through six games.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Nothing happened in a 0-0 road draw with Toronto FC<\/a>. That\u2019s a totally fine road point despite having bigger things on their mind. Their CCC quarterfinal series with Pumas begins Wednesday night.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Nothing feels fake about this San Diego FC<\/a> start. They\u2019re controlling games, playing enjoyable soccer and have plenty of talent. That doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s going to stop being surprising when they go out and drive a dump truck over LAFC, though. They were the far better side in a 3-2 win in the pairs\u2019 first-ever meeting. Eleven points through six games is a solid mark for any side, let alone an expansion team.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n We\u2019ll politely say Minnesota<\/a>\u2019s strength of schedule hasn\u2019t been overwhelming so far this season, but they\u2019ve largely been rolling over teams they should be rolling over. That goes for their 2-0 win over RSL<\/a> last weekend and even their recent draws that really should have been wins against Sporting KC<\/a> and LA Galaxy.<\/p>\n The underlying numbers love the Loons so far. It\u2019s basically just more of the same since Kelvin Yeboah<\/a> arrived. Now that they\u2019ve found a way to work Tani Oluwaseyi<\/a> into the mix \u2013 that\u2019s four goals and two assists after his brace against RSL \u2013 they\u2019re really going to be a handful going forward.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s been a mediocre start in MLS play \u2013 three wins, three losses \u2013 for LAFC. At least by LAFC standards. The attack looks lackluster as they try to figure out how to fit the puzzle together. But they’re allowed some grace while they push ahead with CCC play. Their quarterfinal matchup with Inter Miami starts Wednesday night.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Djordje Mihailovic<\/a>\u2019s late brace doomed Charlotte<\/a> in a 2-0 loss at Colorado<\/a>. They were wholly outplayed in this one. That happens at altitude, though. Maybe the bigger concern lies with Wilfried Zaha<\/a>\u2019s performances since he scored on his debut? Through 450 minutes, he\u2019s averaging virtually the same non-penalty xG+xAG per 90 as Nashville<\/a> center back Walker Zimmerman<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Chicago<\/a> were far from their best against a CF Montr\u00e9al<\/a> team vibing off a new-coach bump, but they still managed to pull out a 1-1 draw at home. The really good news here, long term, is a home draw feels like a disappointment for this group rather than a success story.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n We\u2019re still getting used to saying things like: \u201cNashville out-played and out-created FC Cincinnati<\/a> in one of the weekend\u2019s most action-packed games,\u201d but they were the better and more entertaining side on Saturday night. Unfortunately for them, they missed a penalty and Cincy converted theirs. You can still probably call that performance proof of concept, though.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Club-record signing Myrto Uzuni<\/a> opened his MLS account as Austin cruised to a 1-0 win in St. Louis. Nico Est\u00e9vez has them playing pragmatic soccer, where they’ve scored just five goals and allowed three. However, 12 points! Pretty, pretty good.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s not totally clear how much Orlando<\/a> really \u201cwon\u201d on Saturday, so much as the Galaxy found new and inventive ways to punch themselves in the throat. But three points on a West Coast trip are always a big three points. It\u2019s been the most chaotic start to a season for the Lions in a while, and so far it\u2019s paying off.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Rapids thumped Charlotte in an impressive 2-0 win that saw them dominate every relevant statistic. Other than whatever that was against Portland<\/a> last week, they\u2019ve looked decent to good through six games. This win had a little more oomph to it, though. A big two-game stretch against Vancouver<\/a> and San Diego these next two weeks should give us a better sense of who the real Colorado is.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n K\u00e9vin Denkey<\/a> converted from the spot at the start of stoppage time as FC Cincinnati escaped Nashville with a 2-1 win. They\u2019ve now managed 10 points from six games, but, man, the defense issues might be real. They gave up plenty of chances in Nashville and have been struggling to keep teams from creating for the majority of their first six games. FBref has them tied for last in the Eastern Conference in xG allowed.<\/p>\n Maybe Evander<\/a> just keeps bailing them out?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Twenty-six shots and 2.3 xG later and Seattle<\/a> still only managed a 1-1 draw versus San Jose<\/a>. They were in almost total control of this one (especially in the second half), but didn\u2019t break through with a goal until the 80th minute. That\u2019s six points in six games now. Something just feels off.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Things feel worse than they maybe actually are for the Red Bulls<\/a>, but nothing seems particularly good after a 2-1 loss at a previously winless New England<\/a> side. New York have looked toothless at times this year.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n No one got on the board (again) as St. Louis fell at home to Austin, 1-0. They\u2019ve scored just four goals and remain without injured goalkeeper Roman B\u00fcrki<\/a> (hand).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Sometimes you have to get punched in the face to feel alive? Atlanta<\/a> did everything in their power to put themselves down 3-1 to NYCFC<\/a> in the second half, and then somehow flipped it around into a 4-3 win.<\/p>\n You wouldn\u2019t call it a \u201cgood\u201d performance, but it was a much-needed result. The Five Stripes have their first surge of momentum of the season. Maybe a few tactical changes like we saw in the second half \u2013 Miguel Almir\u00f3n<\/a> centrally just seems right \u2013 can keep it going.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Dallas<\/a> have taken care of business the past two weeks against two of the Western Conference\u2019s least impressive teams. Points against RSL and SKC still count the same, though. They\u2019ve won two straight after dropping two in a row.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n NYCFC and Atlanta took turns trying to out-regift each other, and NYCFC eventually won (?) out in a 4-3 loss that featured a ton of defensive mistakes. Neither team deserved much of anything after that, but a fairer result probably would have been at least a point for NYCFC. Maybe there\u2019s a growth opportunity here after blowing a 3-1 second-half lead?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Timbers are suddenly hot? Make it seven points from their last three and back-to-back games with three goals after they beat up on Houston in a 3-1 win. The question, as always, is whether this is for real or an upswing on a typically Timbers roller coaster ride.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Seven points in six games won’t put San Jose on pace to win a title or anything, but they\u2019re clearly going to avoid a second straight Wooden Spoon. Progress is progress.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Just no good news for RSL right now. After their 2-0 loss at Minnesota, only LA, Houston<\/a> and Montr\u00e9al have a worse goal differential.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n D.C. United took an early lead against Columbus, then immediately threw it away. They\u2019re still looking for their second win of the season after a 2-1 loss.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n New England finally scored a goal where they kicked the ball in the back of the net instead of their opponent! And then they did it again to earn their first win of the season! Carles Gil<\/a> sent home a free kick and a 97th-minute penalty to give the Revs a much-needed 2-1 win over the Red Bulls. The next step is scoring that first goal from open play.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s technically the worst start in MLS history for a team coming off a title. But you\u2019d rather be doing that than be without a title\u2026 so, shiny trophy is still shiny.<\/p>\n This is a welcome sight, too:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Toronto didn\u2019t create much, but pulled out a 0-0 draw against Vancouver. They’re still looking for that first win.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Houston are still searching for their first win of the season after getting whomped by Portland in a 3-1 loss. Only SKC have been worse through six games.<\/p>\n The good news? They’ve got a new DP attacking midfielder:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) March 28, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Montr\u00e9al put in their best performance of the season against Chicago but couldn\u2019t pull out a win. A 1-1 road draw in your interim manager’s first game isn\u2019t terrible. They\u2019re almost ready to go back home.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s the end of the<\/em> era in Major League Soccer. Peter Vermes, the longest-tenured manager in MLS history, has finally left Sporting KC<\/a>. They’ve gone 13 games without a win, stretching back to September 2024. The club has missed the playoffs in two of the past three seasons. The timing is understandable.<\/p>\n But that\u2019s not gonna make it any less weird to see anyone besides Vermes coaching this team. He took over when I was in middle school. It likely feels like he took over when we all<\/em> were in middle school.<\/p>\n Considering where MLS is now as a league, we\u2019ll probably never see anything like this tenure again. To give credit where it\u2019s due, SKC had more success than failures in that span. Whoever\u2019s next in Kansas City has a lot of work to do.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 31, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n