International Soccer

MLS power rankings: week 7

Welcome to the start of 90min‘s weekly MLS team power rankings.

This list reflects the results of week 7 of the 2021 Major League Soccer season. So without further ado, let’s dive in…

Kyle Duncan, Chris Mueller
Orlando City SC vs New York Red Bulls on week 7 of MLS | Ira L. Black – Corbis/Getty Images

Just scraping into this week’s power rankings is the New York Red Bulls. Their 2-1 victory against previously unbeaten Orlando City showed an immense improvement from their performance against the New England Revolution. Cristian Casseres Jr. scored a stunning free-kick goal, while John Tolkin made a huge impact during his debut.

Ismael Tajouri
Ismael Tajouri at the weekend | Shaun Clark/Getty Images

Despite a dramatic red card foul that led to Nicolas Acevedo’s expulsion, New York City FC bounced back to defeat LAFC 2-1. Ismael Tajouri scored a phenomenal last minute goal to seal the victory for NYCFC. The team heads into the international break as fourth in the Eastern Conference.

Jonathan Lewis
Colorado Rapids player vs. FC Dallas on week 7 of MLS | Omar Vega/Getty Images

Colorado showed up against FC Dallas over the weekend, winning 3-0 and walking away with three points. Despite missing midfielder Kellyn Acosta due to international duty, the Rapids managed to dominate the match and break into fourth place in the Western Conference.

Tom Edwards, Kyle Smith
Orlando City SC face New York Red Bulls in week 7 | Ira L. Black – Corbis/Getty Images

Audiences expected more from Orlando City after a disappointing 2-1 loss against the New York Red Bulls. The Lions’ were bound to be beaten at some point in the season, but their determination and motivation appeared to run out after the first half. With only seven weeks into the season, the energy levels should not be declining as quickly. Still, the team is going into the international break third in the Eastern Conference.

Daniel Lovitz, Franco Escobar
Nashville SC v Atlanta United in a previous match | Carmen Mandato/Getty Images

Along with the Revolution, Nashville is the only other unbeaten team in the league. Over the weekend, the team tied 2-2 with Atlanta United, a fierce opponent that makes it difficult to walk away with points. Despite standing in seventh place in the Eastern Conference, Nashville has a talented bench that may lead to success.

San Jose Earthquakes v Los Angeles Galaxy
Los Angeles Galaxy player Chicharito vs. the San Jose Earthquakes | Shaun Clark/Getty Images

LA Galaxy remains third in the Western Conference after an own goal by the San Jose Earthquakes awarded them the three points over the weekend. The Los Angeles team played well, but must improve offensively to be considered top tier again.

Dario Zuparic, Ray Gaddis
Philadelphia Union vs Portland Timbers during the semifinals of the MLS Is Back Tournament | Sam Greenwood/Getty Images

The Philadelphia Union also improved from last week, moving from fifth to fourth. Their dominance against Portland led to a 3-0 victory that should not be taken lightly. The Union is quickly picking up momentum and perfecting their abilities on set pieces that may soon become unstoppable.

Erik Hurtado, Khiry Shelton, Gianluca Busio
Sporting Kansas City celebrate a win against the Houston Dynamo | Bob Levey/Getty Images

Sporting Kansas City must be mentioned after a phenomenal match against the Houston Dynamo. A world-class free kick by Gianluca Busio saw Kansas City begin their comeback, followed by great goals from Alan Pulido and Gadi Kinda. Pulido stands tied for third in most goals scored thus far.

Matt Polster, Yuya Kubo
New England Revolution vs FC Cincinnati during week 7 of MLS | Emilee Chinn/Getty Images

The New England Revolution move up a spot on the list from last week. A determined performance against FC Cincinnati saw the Revolution triumph 1-0 and maintain their lead in the Eastern Conference. The New England team is becoming a difficult opponent, both offensively and defensively, creating panic in the east.

Tomas Pochettino, Fredy Montero
Austin FC vs Seattle Sounders FC during week 7 of MLS | Steph Chambers/Getty Images

The Seattle Sounders top the list. Seattle remains one of only two unbeaten teams in the MLS, leading the Western Conference with a whopping 18 points. Despite a defensive performance against Austin FC that resulted in a 0-0 draw, the Sounders continue to prove themselves as the main contenders.

Click to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.

Most Popular

To Top