MLS Power Rankings: Top three clubs maintain position
By Matt Coles
MLS Power Rankings: 18. Real Salt Lake (+4)
Real Salt Lake were supposed to play the Colorado Rapids at the weekend, but that fixture was postponed due to the ongoing COVID-19 related problems that the Rapids organisation is experiencing. This meant the RSL had just the one game over the last seven days.
That came against the Portland Timbers, and it was a match they won 2-1. Early goals from Douglas Martinez and Damir Kreilach were enough to help them to the three points, despite the Timbers’ late attempts at a comeback.
RSL moves up four places on our Power Rankings this week and are sitting just one position off the playoff line, but they have a game in hand on the two sides above them. They face FC Dallas on Saturday afternoon, knowing a win would see them move into the playoff places.
This Week’s Fixtures: vs. FC Dallas (Sat 24, 8:30 pm ET)
MLS Power Rankings: 17. Chicago Fire (-1)
Due to a suspected COVID-19 case among the MNUFC team delegation, Chicago did not travel to Minnesota for their midweek game, and instead, had more time to prepare for their clash with Sporting Kansas City, which took place on Saturday.
The match finished 2-2, with the Fire coming from behind twice, and scoring in stoppage time of both halves, to earn a point. Robert Beric scored in first-half stoppage time before Djorde Mihailovic bagged a 95th-minute leveler to break Sporting’s hearts.
After a very poor start to the season, the Fire now occupies a post-season berth, sitting in 10th in the extended Eastern Conference. A win against the Red Bulls on Saturday evening could see them move further up the table, but a defeat could see them drop as low as 12th.
This Week’s Fixtures: vs. New York Red Bulls (Sat 24, 7:30 pm ET)
MLS Power Rankings: 16. Nashville SC (+2)
The first-ever Tennessee-based MLS side continues to shock the league, and they took a win from their only clash this week, as Nashville SC moved slightly further into the playoff places with just a few weeks of the season left.
They came up against a tricky Houston Dynamo side on Wednesday evening and left Texas with all three points. A double from Hany Mukhtar and a goal from Abu Danladi, all within a nine-minute first-half spell, killed the game for the expansion side.
They have two matches this week, with home ties against FC Dallas and New England Revolution all before the weekend comes around. Win both, and they could be within a couple of points of securing a post-season berth at the very first attempt.
This Week’s Fixtures: vs. FC Dallas (Tue 20, 8:30 pm ET), vs. New England Revolution (Fri 23, 8:30 pm ET)