MLS is Back: Power Rankings after Matchday One
By Matt Coles
10 – Portland Timbers (+3)
Up three places and into the top ten for the first time this season are the 2015 MLS Cup champions, Portland Timbers, after they defeated LA Galaxy thanks to a great performance from Sebastian Blanco.
The Argentinian scored one and assisted another as the Timbers went out into a two-goal lead. He set up Jeremy Ebobisse for the opening goal of the game just after the interval, before scoring himself to double Portland’s lead. Dario Zuparic was sent off for a second bookable offence, which allowed Javier Hernandez to score his first goal for the Galaxy late on but Portland held on for the W.
The Timbers top Group F after the victory and are also now into the top four in the Western Conference for the regular-season standings. They know a win against Houston in their second group game could well see them into the knockout stages.
Remaining Group Matches: Group F – vs. Houston Dynamo (July 18, 8 pm ET), vs. Los Angeles FC (July 23, 10:30 pm ET)
9 – Columbus Crew SC (+2)
What a way to start the MLS is Back tournament for Columbus Crew, who put four goals past their Hell is Real rivals FC Cincinnati in a dominant display, taking the top spot in Group E after the first round of matches.
Prior to the suspension of the league due to COVID-19, the Crew had won one and drawn one, and they now sit top of the Eastern Conference as well with seven points from their opening three matches.
A double from Gyasi Zardes, along with strikes from Lucas Zelarayan and Youness Mokhtar gave Columbus a comfortable 4-0 victory over their Ohio rivals, and they will now face off against the Red Bulls in a top of Group E clash. The Crew move up two spots and into the top ten on our Power Rankings.
Remaining Group Matches: Group E – vs. NY Red Bulls (July 16, 10:30 pm ET), vs. Atlanta United (July 21, 8 pm ET)
8 – Sporting Kansas City (-2)
Two of the 100% teams faced off to kick off Group D, and unfortunately for Sporting Kansas City, they were on the wrong end of a Minnesota United fightback, which saw them lose from a winning position.
Sporting were in control for much of the match and took the lead in the latter stages of the first half through a Khiry Shelton strike. However, a 72nd-minute red card for goalkeeper Tim Melia for the denial of a goalscoring opportunity gave the Loons the advantage, and they took it.
SKC saw a 1-0 lead turn into a 2-1 deficit in the space of the seven minutes that were added on at the end of the match, and they eventually fell to defeat thanks to a 97th-minute winner from Kevin Molino. They will still fancy themselves to go through, but their journey becomes much tougher now.
Remaining Group Matches: Group D – vs. Colorado Rapids (July 17, 8 pm ET), vs. Real Salt Lake (July 22, 9 am ET)
7 – New York Red Bulls (+3)
As the two favourites went head-to-head in the opening clash in Group E, both the New York Red Bulls and Atlanta United were aiming to take the early advantage in the group. It was the Bulls that got the victory, and they move up three places on our Power Rankings following the opening round of fixtures.
It was a returning star that got the only goal of the game, as Florian Valot, a forward who has spent most of the last two seasons on the sidelines with recurring ACL injuries, got the winner in just the fourth minute of the clash.
The Bulls’ defence was able to hold the Five Stripes to just four shots on-target, and in keeping a clean sheet, they move into pole position in the group, despite a one-sided affair in the other clash on MD1. They face Columbus next, with the Crew topping Group E as its stands.
Remaining Group Matches: Group E – vs. Columbus Crew (July 16, 10:30 pm ET), vs. FC Cincinnati (July 22, 8 pm ET)
6 – Philadelphia Union (+2)
It wasn’t the prettiest of victories, but the Union got all three points from their clash with New York City FC in their opening match of the tournament, one that saw the two favourites in Group A go head-to-head with each other in the first 9 am kick-off in Orlando.
Two of the Union’s key men stood up, with Alejandro Bedoya scoring the only goal of the fixture in the 63rd minute, before former MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Andre Blake came up huge for his side, with two wonderful saves in the dying embers of the match.
In what is now a four-team Group A, following the withdrawals of FC Dallas and Nashville SC, the four sides will play each of their group rivals. The Union are now strong favourites to top the group, with matches against Inter Miami and Orlando City to follow. They face the expansion side in their next game.
Remaining Group Matches: Group A – vs. Inter Miami (July 14, 10:30 pm ET), vs. Orlando City (July 20, 8 pm ET)