MLS Power Rankings: Crew rise to the top once again
By Matt Coles
MLS Power Rankings: 18. FC Dallas (=)
Just the one game the week for FC Dallas, they have only played seven times so far in the regular season. Their position of 9th in the Western Conference is slightly askew from their performances so far.
They will be happy with the point they earned from that lone match this week, as it came against the side who top the Western standings, Sporting Kansas City. Franco Jara scored for the Texan side in a 1-1 draw, one that sees them sit just below the red line.
They will play twice this week in an attempt to catch up on fixtures, but face two sides sitting inside the top six in the Conference. They travel to Minnesota United on Wednesday, before hosting Houston Dynamo in the Texan Derby on Saturday evening.
This Week’s Fixtures: @ Minnesota United (Wednesday 9, 8 pm ET), vs. Houston Dynamo (Saturday 12, 8:30 pm ET)
MLS Power Rankings: 17. New York Red Bulls (-3)
Two games, two defeats. It was not a pretty week for the New York Red Bulls, as they failed to score in either match and are perilously close to falling out of the post-season berths available in the Eastern Conference.
In midweek, they lost out to D.C. United, thanks to a lone Erik Sorga strike before conceding three without reply to the Philadelphia Union on Sunday evening. Goals from Brenden Aaronson, Kacper Przybylko, and Matt Real condemned the Bulls to a second straight defeat.
They will face off against D.C. again this week, with the side from capital coming off the back of being only the second side to go through an entire MLS league match without attempting a shot. The Red Bulls sit in 9th and need a win to stay in the playoff places.
This Week’s Fixtures: @ D.C. United (Saturday 12, 7 pm ET)
MLS Power Rankings: 16. Atlanta United (+1)
It really has not been a good start to the 2020 campaign for the Five Stripes, who seem to be missing Josef Martinez more and more each week. With the sale of Pity Martinez Saudi Arabian side Al-Nassr all but done, they could struggle even more as the season goes on.
They managed a pair of draws this week, firstly a goalless result with Inter Miami, before a 1-1 draw with Orlando City on Saturday evening. Adam Jahn scored a late equalizer for Atlanta, as they came from a goal down to secure a second draw of the week.
Despite the poor form, the Five Stripes remain inside the playoff places in the Eastern Conference, but only have 11 points from their first nine matches. They are 12 behind Columbus Crew and only two ahead of the red line. They face both expansion sides this week, in Inter Miami and Nashville SC, and will be aiming for a perfect six points from those two clashes.
This Week’s Fixtures: @ Inter Miami CF (Wednesday 9, 8 pm ET), @ Nashville SC (Saturday 12, 8:30 pm ET)