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…
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.