MLS Power Rankings: Teams falter, new team lands on top
By Matt Coles
Following an interesting week in MLS, here are our latest Power Rankings
Five matches from Wednesday evening’s slate were postponed following the shooting of Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Michigan, with ten teams protesting against the incident. Inter Miami and Atlanta United were the first two sides to decide against playing their clash. Before FC Dallas and Colorado Rapids, Real Salt Lake and Los Angeles FC, San Jose Earthquakes and Portland Timbers, and LA Galaxy and Seattle Sounders followed suit later in the evening.
There was still plenty of action throughout the week, with matches played on Monday and Tuesday, before a full slate at the weekend. It was a bad week for the two sides who sat pretty at the top of our Power Rankings, as neither Columbus Crew nor Sporting Kansas City could grab a victory from their two matches. Both sides could only take a single point and the pair have been overtaken at the top of the Supporters’ Shield standings.
Here are our Power Rankings after the second full weekend of action since the MLS regular season returned.
MLS Power Rankings: 26. Inter Miami CF (-2)
Returning to the bottom of our Power Rankings this week are Inter Miami CF, as the expansion side continues to struggle in Major League Soccer. They only had one fixture this week, after postponing their clash with Atlanta United on Wednesday evening.
That match came against fellow expansion side Nashville SC on Sunday night, but they failed to get on the scoresheet and lost out 1-0. Thanks to an Anibal Godoy cracker from the edge of the area.
The defeat now means that they have lost six of their opening seven regular-season matches, with their only victory coming last week against Orlando City. They sit adrift at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with just three points, and face Atlanta United in midweek, before another clash with Nashville next weekend.
This Week’s Fixtures: @ Atlanta United (Wednesday 2, 7 pm ET), vs. Nashville SC (Sunday 6, 8 pm ET)
MLS Power Rankings: 25. Nashville SC (=)
The Tennessee-based team were one of two to play on Wednesday night, and they will have wished they hadn’t for more than one reason. However, they bounced back with a victory at the weekend, to keep them off the bottom spot of our Power Rankings.
They faced Orlando City in midweek and took the lead through a 15th minute David Romney strike. However, they would eventually fall to a 3-1 defeat thanks to Chris Mueller and Daryl Dike. Nashville would go on to take three points against Inter Miami CF, thanks to an Anibal Godoy stunner just before the hour mark.
They will face off against the same two sides this week and will be hoping for even better than three points this time around. They currently sit in 11th in the extended Eastern Conference, just three points off the post-season berths as it stands.
This Week’s Fixtures: vs. Orlando City (Wednesday 2, 8:30 pm ET), @ Inter Miami CF (Sunday 6, 8 pm ET)