MLS Power Rankings: Seattle stumbles as unbeaten run ends

Soccer

What a dramatic weekend in Major League Soccer. Gabriel Heinze? No longer the manager of Atlanta United. The Seattle Sounders‘ league-record 13-game unbeaten run? Snapped. Two of the league’s Canadian clubs returned home to play in front of fans for the first time in more than a year, with CF Montreal welcoming back its supporters with a wild win over FC Cincinnati. All the while, Sporting Kansas City rested idly, and remained our No. 1.

So let’s get caught up with the rest of the action and see where your team sits in our Week 11 Power Rankings.


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Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: July 21 vs. San Jose, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Sporting Kansas City has been idle since a 2-0 win against the Galaxy on the Fourth of July. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 4

Next MLS match: July 21 at Inter Miami, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

A three-game winless streak was evidence that the Revs had been struggling a bit, but Gustavo Bou‘s game winner against Atlanta United got New England back to winning ways, and maintained some separation atop the Eastern Conference. — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: July 22 at Austin FC, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

It took 14 matches, but it finally happened: The Sounders lost a league match. It was bound to occur and, perhaps, the 1-0 loss to Minnesota United takes a little bit of pressure off Seattle following the record start. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: July 21 at Portland, 10:30 p.m. ET

Things are starting to click for the preseason MLS favorite. In a 2-1 win on Saturday, the Black and Gold outshot Real Salt Lake 29-3 and welcomed back Designated Player Brian Rodriguez into the squad for the first time this season. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: July 21 vs. FC Dallas, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

With three of its best players — Kellyn Acosta, Sam Vines and Jonathan Lewis — with the United States at the Gold Cup, Colorado still managed to pick up a point in a 1-1 draw with San Jose. Cole Bassett scored the second-half equalizer. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: July 21 vs. Nashville SC, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Darlington Nagbe doesn’t score often, but when he does, jaws drop, and his delightful chip against NYCFC was no exception. After three straight draws, the 2-1 win was a welcome development for Caleb Porter’s side. — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: July 21 at New York City FC, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Montreal celebrated its return to Stade Saputo with a wild 5-4 win over FC Cincinnati, the team’s third victory in a row, which extended its unbeaten run to six games. The run now has CFMTL tied for third in the Eastern Conference, highlighting the impressive job Wilfried Nancy has done this season as manager. — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: July 21 at Columbus Crew, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

It was a night to remember for Hany Mukhtar, as his hat trick in a staggering six-minute span of the first half propelled NSC to a 5-1 win over Chicago. Nashville’s seven draws — tied with Atlanta for most in the league — have made it tough to gauge just how good the team is, but performances like last weekend’s will turn some skeptics into believers. — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: July 22 at Orlando City SC, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN Deportes

The Union continue to spread the wealth in terms of attacking effectiveness. This week it was Sergio Santos with a goal and an assist in the 2-1 win over D.C. United. Daniel Gazdag had a helper as well. Can he take the Union’s offense into a higher gear? — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: July 24 vs. Portland, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Robin Lod‘s late goal gave Minnesota United a 1-0 win against previously unbeaten Seattle and ended the Sounders’ league-record unbeaten streak of 13 to start a season. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: July 22 vs. Philadelphia Union, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN, ESPN Deportes

A road draw against Toronto, especially on the night of TFC’s emotional return to BMO field, isn’t the worst result, but it did extend the Lions’ winless streak to three games. Nani converted a penalty for his seventh goal of the season, which is already more than he had all of last year. Can he sustain that form into the second half of the season? — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: July 21 at Real Salt Lake, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

A shock 2-1 loss to Vancouver came without Javier Hernandez, but even without the star Mexico striker, the Whitecaps are simply a team the Galaxy should expect to get a result against every time out. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: July 21 at Toronto FC, 7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+

The Red Bulls were looking at what they thought was a three-point night against Inter Miami, only for the match to be postponed due to inclement weather. On the plus side, it gives Caden Clark another week to heal up. –Carlisle

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: July 21 vs. CF Montreal, 7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN+

Frustration is beginning to set in for NYCFC after falling to Columbus 2-1 in a match in which it thought it deserved more. Certainly the goalkeeping on Lucas Zelarayan‘s game winner looked suspect. Valentin Castellanos‘ dry spell in front of goal — no goals in his past eight appearances — isn’t helping either. — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: July 21 at Chicago Fire, 8 p.m., ESPN+

Hernan Losada’s pressing ways have begun to take root in D.C., which made it all the more surprising for the Black and Red to be caught out on a simple long ball that resulted in Philly’s game winner. Hopefully for Losada, the trio of players that left due to injury — including Russell Canouse and Steve Birnbaum — won’t be out long term. — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: July 21 vs. LAFC, 10:30 p.m. ET

A late Jeremy Ebobisse goal gave the Timbers a 1-0 win against FC Dallas and puts them right on the playoff line. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: July 21 vs. LA Galaxy, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

RSL was completely overwhelmed by LAFC in a 2-1 loss and looks destined for a battle to reach the postseason. Goalkeeper David Ochoa turned in a strong performance to keep the game close. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: July 20 vs. Vancouver in Sandy, Utah, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Dynamo will look to avoid going winless for more than two months when they return from a 13-day break against Vancouver on Tuesday. That streak sits at six games with four draws sandwiched between a pair of losses to SKC and Seattle. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: July 22 vs. Seattle, 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN

Austin has been off in the league since a 2-0 loss to LAFC on July 7, but hosted Tigres UANL in a friendly on Tuesday, falling 3-1. Rodney Redes scored Austin’s loan goal. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: July 20 vs. Houston in Sandy, Utah, 10 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Whitecaps erased an early 1-0 deficit with a pair of second-half goals to beat the Galaxy 2-1. A sign of things to come or a rare one-off result? — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: July 21 at Colorado, 9 p.m. ET, ESPN+

In the wake of Tanner Tessmann‘s transfer to Venezia FC in Italy‘s Serie A, FC Dallas got an encouraging performance from Paxton Pomykal, but fell 1-0 at Portland and dropped to last place in the Western Conference. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 27

Next MLS match: July 21 vs. D.C. United, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Fire’s modest three-game unbeaten streak ended with a thud in a 5-1 hammering at the hands of Nashville, making Chicago 0 for 5 on the road. Wishing Chicago manager Raphael Wicky strength as he attends to a family health matter back in Switzerland. — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 27

Next MLS match: July 21 vs. New York Red Bulls, 5:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Toronto is showing signs of life at last, with a win over New England and a home draw with Orlando — its first home match at BMO Field in front of fans in 15 months — in which recalled striker Jozy Altidore got on the scoresheet. — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: July 21 vs. Atlanta United, 8 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes

Jaap Stam is in need of a year’s supply of Maalox after FCC twice squandered two-goal leads to lose 5-4 to Montreal. This was after blowing another two-goal lead while up a man against Columbus in the Hell is Real derby. Protecting the goal shouldn’t be this difficult. — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match:July 21 at Sporting Kansas City, 8:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

Cade Cowell remains a bright spot for the Quakes, but a 1-1 draw with shorthanded Colorado this week extended their winless streak to nine. Organizational ambition remains the biggest problem and stands in the way of any optimism for a turnaround. — Bonagura

Previous ranking: 23

Next MLS match: July 21 at FC Cincinnati, 8:00 p.m. ET, ESPN Deportes

If there were an MLS Drama Power Rankings, the Five Stripes would be top. The reality is that in the wake of a 1-0 home defeat to New England, they are looking for a new manager after firing Gabriel Heinze. After whiffing on two managerial hires in a row, is there any faith that Darren Eales and Carlos Bocanegra will get this one right? — Carlisle

Previous ranking: 26

Next MLS match: July 21 vs. New England Revolution, 7:30 p.m. ET, ESPN+

The Herons caught a break when inclement weather postponed their match against the New York Red Bulls. Alas, with the Atlanta United drama now over, focus will likely return to just how wretched Miami’s season has been. — Carlisle

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