Soccer <\/p>\n
Lionel Messi<\/a> scored a brace in front of a massive crowd, Toronto FC<\/a> played a wild home game, CF Montr\u00e9al<\/a> pummeled Red Bull New York<\/a>, and Petar Musa<\/a> found the back of the net for FC Dallas<\/a>. It was truly a week unlike any other.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by, give or take, 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com. The author does not decide the order, but he does get a little rush from moving your team down a few spots when he can.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Whitecaps<\/a> put three past Sporting KC<\/a> in the first 28 minutes and then pulled off the gas in an easy win.<\/p>\n Early days, but it\u2019s worth highlighting what this Vancouver side has accomplished so far. The underlying numbers show them putting up performances similar to \u2013 and even beyond \u2013 2019\u00a0LAFC<\/a>. We\u2019re talking best MLS performance of all-time stuff.<\/p>\n It might be a long while before they\u2019re knocked off their perch at the top of these rankings.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you didn\u2019t believe in the Earthquakes<\/a> yet, you should now.<\/p>\n In the span of five minutes at LAFC, San Jose cemented themselves as one of the best teams in MLS.\u00a0Ousseni Bouda<\/a> put the Quakes up 1-0,\u00a0Timo Werner<\/a> opened his MLS account three minutes later and an LAFC own goal shortly thereafter sealed the biggest Quakes win in\u2026 well, a really, really long time.\u00a0<\/p>\n The underlying numbers love them, too. Per American Soccer Analysis, they\u2019re second in MLS in expected goal differential. They\u2019re playing outstanding ball, and there\u2019s nothing gimmicky or fluky about it.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Timo Werner opens his MLS account! \ud83d\udca5 pic.twitter.com\/5N3zIe8LED<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 20, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Nashville<\/a> messed around last week and pulled off one of the most impressive wins by an MLS team in recent memory.\u00a0<\/p>\n The Boys in Gold went down to Mexico City and earned a 1-0 victory over Club Am\u00e9rica to advance to the Concacaf Champions Cup<\/a> semifinals and become the first team in MLS history to win at Estadio Azteca.<\/p>\n Tigres UANL are up next, and Nashville have a genuine shot at becoming the second team in MLS history to win the CCC (modern era).<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Mukhtar puts @NashvilleSC<\/a> on top in Estadio Azteca \ud83e\udd2f pic.twitter.com\/Nk4GyJxvtf<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 FOX Soccer (@FOXSoccer) April 15, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Then, Nashville visited Atlanta<\/a> over the weekend and cruised to a 2-0 win. It’s just what they do nowadays.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n LAFC got the job done against Cruz Azul in the second leg of their Concacaf Champions Cup quarterfinal series. But San Jose posed a different challenge on Sunday night, inflicting a 4-1 defeat at BMO Stadium.<\/p>\n They’re probably<\/em> alright with that exchange, and have a massive CCC semifinal series with Toluca on the horizon. Still, that\u2019s back-to-back MLS losses after a near-perfect start. It seems fair to wonder if being in multiple competitions is taking a toll.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Sounders<\/a> came up just short in a genuinely valiant CCC quarterfinal effort against Tigres UANL, falling on away goals despite being level 3-3 on aggregate.<\/p>\n That\u2019s a tough way to go out, but maybe it woke up Seattle\u2019s attack? They followed up the midweek exit by whomping St. Louis<\/a>, 4-1, on Saturday.<\/p>\n American Soccer Analysis still has Seattle’s (small sample size) xG-per-game rate as the 25th-best in the league, though they definitely took a step in the right direction.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Real Salt Lake<\/a> and Diego Luna<\/a> were gifted \u2013 like,\u00a0gifted<\/em> \u2013 an early lead against San Diego<\/a> and didn\u2019t look back. By the end of the first half, striker Sergi Solans<\/a> had a brace and RSL were up 4-1. At every turn, they keep proving themselves. And they\u2019re doing it with guys like Solans, who joined in January as a SuperDraft pick.<\/p>\n On a related note: RSL are up to 16 points through just seven games.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Uhhhhh, new manager bounce?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n MESSI MAGIC AT MILE HIGH! \ud83e\udd29 pic.twitter.com\/cJaO56dDhI<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 18, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Despite two defensive mistakes that allowed the Rapids<\/a> back into the game, Inter Miami<\/a> still pulled out a 3-2 win in front of a historic crowd<\/a> at Denver’s Empower Field at Mile High.<\/p>\n That followed one of the more stunning moves in recent MLS history. Last week, head coach Javier Mascherano<\/a> abruptly left the Herons just five months after he steered the club to an MLS Cup presented by Audi title.\u00a0<\/p>\n For now, Miami will rely on interim(ish) coach Guillermo Hoyos to help stabilize things.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Following a string of solid defensive performances, Chicago<\/a> got back into some bad habits against FC Cincinnati<\/a>. After taking a 3-1 lead early in the second half, Cincy piled on chances until they equalized in the 86th minute.<\/p>\n A road point is a good point, but they\u2019ll have a bad taste in their mouth after that draw.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Golden Boot presented by Audi leader\u00a0Petar Musa scored twice. However, Dallas relinquished an early 2-0 lead over the Galaxy<\/a> by the end of the first half.<\/p>\n It goes without saying, but\u2026 these are the kinds of matches Dallas really need to win if they\u2019re going to compete with the Western Conference elite.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Even when you play well, it\u2019s nearly impossible to hold off Lionel Messi forever.<\/p>\n The Rapids became the latest team to put forth an impressive performance against Inter Miami and come up short because Messi said so. In front of a club-record 75,824 fans \u2013 good for the second-highest single-game attendance in MLS history \u2013 the Rapids allowed a 79th-minute winner to the reigning Landon Donovan MLS MVP.<\/p>\n There\u2019s a lot to appreciate from their play in this game and the season overall, though. They were unlucky not to get a result over the weekend.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n History made in Colorado. \ud83d\udc4f pic.twitter.com\/IclWdmf4ab<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 18, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n If you\u2019re looking out the sunny side of the bus, you\u2019re enjoying a 2-1 road win over a solid New York City FC<\/a> side in one of the toughest road trips in the league, thanks in part to another great performance from Kristijan Kahlina<\/a>. If you\u2019re looking at the shady side, you\u2019re pointing out that Charlotte got outshot 23-8 and allowed five big chances.<\/p>\n Either way, Charlotte<\/a> kept NYCFC from breaking through until stoppage time. And now they\u2019re third in the Eastern Conference on 14 points.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Loons<\/a> cruised to a comfortable 2-0 win over the Timbers<\/a>. Suddenly, they\u2019ve won three in a row.<\/p>\n That 6-0 loss at Vancouver feels pretty far away these days. They\u2019ve earned 10 points in the four matches since.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n NYCFC will feel that the final score in their 2-1 loss to Charlotte didn\u2019t reflect their performance. That, unfortunately, doesn\u2019t change the fact that they\u2019ve lost three of their last four.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Revs<\/a> fought back from a 1-0 deficit to earn a 2-1 win over Columbus<\/a>. They\u2019ve quietly won three in a row and are equal on wins with second-place Inter Miami despite playing one less game.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n By most measures, Toronto are having a solid season. But things have been chaotic lately. Very chaotic. Last weekend, they needed an 88th-minute equalizer to pull out a 3-3 draw against\u00a0Austin<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n If you want to win soccer games, it’s best to avoid this:<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 19, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Week after week, it seems like San Diego hit themselves in the face with a whiffle ball bat.<\/p>\n They\u2019re shortly removed from a historic expansion season, and there’s still a good team in here somewhere. But they’re winless in five, and some of that early-season luster is fading.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Galaxy went down 2-0 in the first half at Dallas, then made up for it quickly. It was 2-2 by halftime, and Joseph Paintsil<\/a> was back doing Joseph Paintsil things.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 19, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n Red Bull New York apparently can’t solve CF Montr\u00e9al. Saturday’s 4-1 road defeat was their second three-goal loss against the Canadian side this season, the only two games Montr\u00e9al have won all year.<\/p>\n Strange. Very strange.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n H\u00e9ctor Herrera<\/a> saved the day for Houston<\/a> in their 1-0 win at Orlando<\/a>. They\u2019re now sitting on a totally fine nine points after seven matches.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Cincy scored three times and created tons of chances, but had to claw back from 3-1 down to draw Chicago. Defensive issues remain a major concern.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n The Timbers were outplayed in a 2-0 loss at Minnesota. Back to the drawing board.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Austin drew 3-3 with Toronto in a chaotic, wild match that leaves them with just one win across all competitions this year.<\/p>\n The good news: Facundo Torres<\/a> opened his account for the Verde & Black.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n \u2014 Major League Soccer (@MLS) April 18, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n The Crew got devastating news last week: Wessam Abou Ali<\/a> is out for the season with a torn ACL and meniscus damage in his right knee. That impact showed in a 2-1 loss at New England.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n A visit to Seattle did not go well. St. Louis now have one win, six points and a -6 goal differential.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n D.C. United<\/a> were eliminated from the US Open Cup<\/a> by a USL League One team and followed that up with a 0-0 draw at Philadelphia<\/a>.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Let’s all just move on.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Say it with me: CF Montr\u00e9al are the best team in the world.^<\/p>\n ^When playing Red Bull New York.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n We’ll look at the positive side: After losing their first six games of the year, the defending Supporters’ Shield champions have taken four points from their last two games.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Make it six losses from the first eight games of Tata Martino’s second stint in charge.<\/p>\n “Not even in my worst nightmares could I have imagined that we\u2019d have this start,” Martino said after last weekend’s 2-0 defeat to Nashville.\u00a0<\/p>\n That about sums it up.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n Orlando have allowed just one goal in back-to-back games. Progress, maybe?<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n\n
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