Soccer <\/p>\n
Minnesota United<\/a> scored from a long throw into the box, Evander<\/a> and Sam Surridge<\/a> put on a show, and Vancouver<\/a> earned a big win despite missing key players. It was truly a week unlike any other.<\/p>\n As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by, give or take, 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com. The author gets a little rush out of moving your team down a few spots, though.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n These freaking guys, man.<\/p>\n Where do you even start? San Diego<\/a> went up to Vancouver and got the performance of a lifetime from Milan Iloski<\/a>, who scored four (4!) times in 12 minutes to push his season total to nine goals in 381 minutes and power San Diego to a heckuva 5-3 win<\/a> and the top spot in the Western Conference. They then held that perch on Saturday when they scored twice late to pull out a 3-2 win at Dallas<\/a>.<\/p>\n It\u2019s important to remember that none of this is a fluke. They\u2019ve got solid underlying numbers. The eye test loves them, too. They\u2019re earning these results. We might be watching an all-time great expansion season unfold.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Whitecaps were missing Brian White<\/a>, Ryan Gauld<\/a> and Sebastian Berhalter<\/a> \u2013 among others \u2013 and still found a way to win 1-0 at LAFC<\/a> on Sunday night. Things didn\u2019t go quite as well for them midweek against San Diego with a 5-3 loss, but they\u2019re still one of just two teams in MLS averaging 2.00 points per game.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Union<\/a> remain at the top of the Supporters\u2019 Shield standings, but the margins are getting narrow. Just three points separate Philly and the sixth-place Crew<\/a>, who got the better of them in a 1-0 loss on Sunday Night Soccer presented by Continental Tire. They\u2019ll be in a dogfight at the top the rest of the way.<\/p>\n Big note here: 15-year-old Cavan Sullivan<\/a> made his most notable appearance in MLS yet against Columbus. He played 45 minutes in the defeat.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Make it a six-point week thanks almost exclusively to Sam Surridge. The English striker scored all four goals<\/em> for Nashville<\/a> in their two wins. He\u2019s up to 16 goals and three assists this season, grabbing the Golden Boot presented by Audi lead from Philly’s Tai Baribo<\/a>. He\u2019s already outpaced his first season in MLS in both categories.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Crew bullied poor Atlanta United<\/a> until they got bored and then earned a huge win over the (admittedly shorthanded) Union to cap off a six-point week.<\/p>\n It\u2019s always worth repeating: They play gorgeous soccer. Even if they\u2019ve taken a slight step backward this year, they\u2019ll still be near the top of the Shield standings the rest of the way. They\u2019re only three points out of first place, after all.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s magical. It\u2019s Evander. ???? pic.twitter.com\/TTLIyvTVyr<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) June 30, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n He tormented CF Montr\u00e9al<\/a> in a two-goal performance on Wednesday, then turned around and did the same to Orlando<\/a> on Saturday. Cincy won both games.<\/p>\n Since the start of 2024, nobody in MLS has more goal contributions. He\u2019s up to 26 goals and 26 assists across 44 starts.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The most impressive result by an MLS team\u2026 ever?<\/p>\n In the Club World Cup, Miami<\/a> took down FC Porto with a 2-1 comeback victory<\/a> that featured a textbook Lionel Messi<\/a> free kick from outside the box. It\u2019s the first time an MLS team has beaten a European side in a competitive match, and they pulled it off against one of Portugal\u2019s biggest clubs.<\/p>\n That win, plus draws against Al Ahly and Palmeiras, advanced them out of their group and into the knockout rounds. They immediately ran into the PSG buzzsaw, but hey, it\u2019s a remarkable \u2013 and incredibly lucrative \u2013 accomplishment to advance that far.<\/p>\n Now, they return to league play sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference and have four games in hand on teams above them.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Previous: Club World Cup | Next: 7\/5 at MTL<\/a><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n LAFC gave Chelsea a genuine scare and earned a draw with Brazilian giants Flamengo. A disappointing 1-0 loss to ES Tunis kept them from advancing out of their Club World Cup group, though. They were welcomed back to MLS play with a matchup against Vancouver on Sunday night and came up short in a 1-0 loss.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, the Olivier Giroud<\/a> experiment has come to an end. The two mutually parted ways last week. He\u2019s reportedly on his way to Ligue 1 side Lille after scoring three MLS goals in 21 appearances since arriving in the middle of 2024.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 LAFC (@LAFC) June 30, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Orlando took care of business against St. Louis<\/a> on Wednesday and then got Evander-ed by Cincy on Saturday. The Lions have now lost three of their last five.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Loons were a couple of minutes away from a six-point week after bullying Houston<\/a> on Wednesday. But a 90th-minute Red Bulls<\/a> equalizer ruined a perfect week. Still, Minnesota are racking up plenty of points. That\u2019s partially thanks to their ability to create marginal advantages where other teams aren\u2019t.<\/p>\n In particular, they\u2019ve taken the enlightened approach to sling as many throw-ins into the box as possible. They keep scoring off long throws. For some reason, other teams keep ignoring how effective that strategy is.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Seattle<\/a> had their hands full at the Club World Cup, to put it mildly. Yet they were solid against Brazil\u2019s Botafogo, kept things from getting out of hand against Atl\u00e9tico Madrid and PSG, and then bounced back immediately to earn a 2-0 win over Austin<\/a>. That\u2019s not a bad stretch, all things considered.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n [looks around]<\/p>\n [whispers]<\/p>\n Chicago<\/a> are above the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs line after 19 games.<\/p>\n A big win over Charlotte<\/a> on Saturday pushed them to eighth in the East and elevated their goal differential to +4. The Fire have stabilized as Gregg Berhalter\u2019s first season has rolled along, and we’re officially on high alert: Their playoff drought is maybe, just maybe, on the verge of ending.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Chicago Fire FC (@ChicagoFire) June 29, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n The Red Bulls earned an unimpressive 1-1 draw<\/a> against Toronto and then picked up a slightly more impressive 2-2 draw vs. Minnesota thanks to a late equalizer from Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting<\/a>. He\u2019s quietly scored 11 goals on the season. That may not sound like a ton, but it\u2019s already the most goals by a Red Bulls striker since Bradley Wright-Phillips scored 20 in 2018. Lewis Morgan<\/a> is the only Red Bulls player to score more than 11 goals in that span.<\/p>\n Another goal scorer could be on the way soon. New York are reportedly in talks with RB Leipzig\u2019s Timo Werner.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n ???????????? Timo Werner has opened doors to New York Red Bulls as next club, initial green light to the move.<\/p>\n Talks now ongoing about conditions of the deal, salary and more. MLS can be one of the options for Timo\u2019s future.<\/p>\n Werner won\u2019t stay at Leipzig after returning from Spurs. pic.twitter.com\/jtCmjI7qZG<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) June 28, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Four points ain\u2019t bad, but the Quakes<\/a> would have loved to keep Marco Reus<\/a> off the board in Saturday\u2019s Cali Cl\u00e1sico. They missed out on a six-point week and a chance to kick a rival while they\u2019re down.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n A 1-0 loss to the East\u2019s last-place team, CF Montr\u00e9al, is\u2026 well, things could have gone better this past weekend. This team is stuck in the middle of the pack right now.<\/p>\n Meanwhile, Matt Freese<\/a> made himself known at the Gold Cup<\/a>. He made three PK saves in a quarterfinal win over Costa Rica:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) June 30, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Coming off a bye week, only to lose 3-0 at Toronto<\/a> in a game where you put zero shots on target, is rough.<\/p>\n The Timbers<\/a> have earned 30 points this year alongside a +1 goal differential. They’re fourth in the West, but it seems they’re closer to the middle of the pack than the top of the heap.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n One point and six goals allowed over two games isn\u2019t ideal, but hey, no one can accuse the Revs<\/a> of being quitters. They went down 3-0 at home to Colorado<\/a> before scoring three goals in the final 35 minutes.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n After back-to-back games scoring more than one goal (a rarity for them), Austin reverted to bad habits and put a zero on the board in a 2-0 loss at Seattle. They\u2019re last in MLS in goals scored (just 15).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Rapids were on their way to a six-point week when they took a 3-0 lead at New England in the 55th minute. They ended with a four-point week after what could politely be called an unraveling. Colorado have struggled to get a head of steam going this season.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Charlotte allowed 37 goals last season. They lost 11 games. This year, they\u2019ve already allowed 34 goals, including three over the weekend in a loss to Chicago and two in a midweek loss to Sporting KC<\/a>. They\u2019ve already lost 11 games, too. The Crown have regressed and are now sitting below the playoff line.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Houston were well off the pace against Minnesota midweek, then bounced back with a 1-0 win over St. Louis. Ezequiel Ponce<\/a> got on the scoresheet, giving the club-record signing five goals on the season. They need him to start producing more consistently.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The last 15 minutes were unkind to Dallas this week. They were tied 2-2 with San Jose before allowing 76\u2019 and 90+9\u2019 goals. They were up 2-1 on San Diego before allowing 77\u2019 and 90+6\u2019 goals. What could have been an impressive four-point week turned into a zero-point week. They\u2019re now five points below the playoff line.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Johnny Russell<\/a> pushed RSL to a 1-1 draw at Sporting KC with an excellent headed goal. They could use a few more moments like that. RSL are tied for second-to-last in the West in goals scored with 19.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The end of an era.<\/p>\n On Tuesday morning, Toronto<\/a> mutually parted ways with Italian DPs Lorenzo Insigne<\/a> and Federico Bernardeschi<\/a>. They were among the highest-paid players in the league\u2026 but the whole project never fully panned out.<\/p>\n This follows a four-point week where the Reds showed signs of life. They haven\u2019t saved the season or anything, and the direction of the club hangs in the balance, but we’re starting to see signs of life from Robin Fraser’s group.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n ???????????? BREAKING: Toronto FC have agreed mutual contract terminations with both Lorenzo Insigne and Federico Bernardeschi, per sources.<\/p>\n Both players are now free agents. The moves open two DP spots for TFC.<\/p>\n This era is officially over.https:\/\/t.co\/GVSZ07LOd5<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n \u2014 Tom Bogert (@tombogert) July 1, 2025<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Giving up a goal to Johnny Russell in their 1-1 draw with RSL meant the week didn\u2019t end on a high note, but Sporting KC still earned four points thanks to a big 2-1 win over Charlotte midweek. Don\u2019t look now, but they\u2019re only six points out of a playoff spot with 14 games left.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Five Stripes were on pace to allow an all-time single-game xG total at halftime of their 3-1 loss to the Crew. Columbus pulled off the gas, though. Maybe some changes are coming in the summer transfer window?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n An 18th-minute penalty put Nashville up 1-0 early in the first half, and that was that. D.C. United<\/a> have lost three in a row and allowed more goals than anyone else in the East (39).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n A 1-0 win over NYCFC leaves Montr\u00e9al three points away from moving out of last place in the East.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The new-manager bounce was more like a thud for St. Louis throughout June. They earned one point in four matches and are 11 points below the playoff line. It\u2019s getting late early in St. Louis.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n It\u2019s the little things that save us in our most trying times. Marco Reus\u2019 70th-minute equalizer in Saturday\u2019s Cali Cl\u00e1sico is one of those little things for the Galaxy<\/a> this season.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
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