Columbus, NYCFC rise — Goal's Week 5 MLS Power Rankings

Rudi Schuller

Columbus, NYCFC rise — Goal's Week 5 MLS Power Rankings image

The top remains unchanged, but there's plenty of movement elsewhere — We have a new team in last place!

(Our MLS power rankings are voted on by Goal's editors and writers. Comments written by Rudi Schuller.)


1. FC DALLAS


Oscar Pareja FC Dallas

LAST WEEK: 1
CHANGE: —

Oscar Pareja's side has led these rankings for the entire season thus far (and in the preseason). Is it getting boring? I doubt anyone in the Metroplex minds.


2. NEW YORK CITY FC


Tommy McNamara Rodney Wallace New York City FC

LAST WEEK: 6
CHANGE: +4

NYCFC was able to grid out a victory against a very competitive San Jose team in Week 5, and one has to wonder how long Tommy McNamara can be kept on the bench.


3. PORTLAND TIMBERS


Jake Gleeson MLS Portland Timbers 1023216

LAST WEEK: 2
CHANGE: -1

A pair of suboptimal results against Eastern Conference opponents has knocked the Timbers down slightly, but we suspect they'll hang around the top for most of the year.


4. SEATTLE SOUNDERS


Nicolas Lodeiro Seattle Sounders

LAST WEEK: 4
CHANGE: —

Generally a home draw against an expansion side would see a team slide down the rankings, but the Sounders looked as potent as a team could look in a scoreless deadlock.


5. TORONTO FC


Toronto FC vs. Sporting Kansas City

LAST WEEK: 3
CHANGE: -2

The inability to win enough home games killed TFC's Supporters' Shield hopes in 2016. It doesn't look like that demon has been exorcized just yet.


6. HOUSTON DYNAMO


Erick Torres MLS Houston Dynamo 04012017

LAST WEEK: 8
CHANGE: +2

How much is Cubo Torres enjoying playing under Wilmer Cabrera again? The Dynamo finally look like an offensively gifted team after years of searching for the right balance.


7. ATLANTA UNITED


Seattle Sounders vs. Atlanta United

LAST WEEK: 7
CHANGE: —

It's exceedingly tough to walk into CenturyLink Field and escape with a clean sheet. Perhaps this team's defense is better than advertised.


8. NEW YORK RED BULLS


Sacha Kljestan New York Red Bulls

LAST WEEK: 5
CHANGE: -3

Getting run over by Houston after failing to score at home against RSL is a foolproof way to drop down a few spots. 


9. SPORTING KANSAS CITY


Jozy Altidore Matt Besler Toronto FC vs. Sporting Kansas City

LAST WEEK: 9
CHANGE: —

The defensive record is extremely impressive, but at some point this team is going to need to score some goals.


10. COLUMBUS CREW


Justin Meram Ola Kamara Columbus Crew

LAST WEEK: 15
CHANGE: +5

Did Kekuta Manneh's arrival light a fire under Justin Meram? Whatever the case, Meram and the Crew looked impressive in a Week 5 win over Orlando City.


11. COLORADO RAPIDS


Marc Burch Dillon Serna Kevin Doyle Colorado Rapids

LAST WEEK: 11
CHANGE: —

The Rapids stood pat over the weekend, and so did their ranking.


12. MONTREAL IMPACT


Chris Duvall Bastian Schweinsteiger Montreal Impact Chicago Fire

LAST WEEK: 10
CHANGE: -2

Another two points dropped late — can the Impact close out games?


13. ORLANDO CITY


Jason Kreis Orlando City

LAST WEEK: 12
CHANGE: -1

It was a miserable outing in Ohio for the Lions, and we still have no idea just how good this team is.


14. SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES


Victor Bernardez San Jose Earthquakes

LAST WEEK: 14
CHANGE: —

A slim loss at NYCFC isn't the end of the world, but let's see how the Quakes deal without Victor Bernardez next week.


15. D.C. UNITED


Jose Guillermo Ortiz D.C. United

LAST WEEK: 17
CHANGE: +2

D.C. finally scored some goals and got a win against Philadelphia. Perhaps April will be kinder to Ben Olsen's side than March was.


16. LA GALAXY


Jermaine Jones LA Galaxy MLS Vancouver 04012017

LAST WEEK: 13
CHANGE: -3

The Galaxy got run off the pitch by a surprising Vancouver side, but more worrying is the fact that it happened with most of LA's team intact.


17. NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION


Lee Nguyen New England Revolution

LAST WEEK: 20
CHANGE: +3

A big win over Minnesota during the international break was followed up by a stolen point in Portland. Things could be looking up for the Revs.


18. CHICAGO FIRE


Bastian Schweinstieger goal celebration Chicago Fire MLS 040117

LAST WEEK: 18
CHANGE: —

Bastian Schweinsteiger was as good as advertised, but Chicago still had to claw back to draw at home against a shorthanded Impact team. There is plenty of work ahead for the Fire.


19. VANCOUVER WHITECAPS


Matias Laba Vancouver Whitecaps

LAST WEEK: 21
CHANGE: +2

Players are finally returning to health for the Whitecaps, and that could signal a surge for the downtrodden club.


20. PHILADELPHIA UNION


C.J. Sapong Derrick Jones Philadelphia Union

LAST WEEK: 16
CHANGE: -4

The Union allowed the previously scoreless D.C. United to score twice in a single game. On the plus side, C.J. Sapong is playing inspired soccer off the bench.


21. MINNESOTA UNITED


Christian Ramirez Minnesota United

LAST WEEK: 21
CHANGE: +1

A win! And by more than one goal! Minnesota finally gave its fans something to cheer about, and will be looking to build upon an historic day.


22. REAL SALT LAKE


Aaron Maund Albert Rusnak Real Salt Lake

LAST WEEK: 19
CHANGE: -3

Getting handled by the Loons can only mean one thing: a new team at the bottom of the power rankings.

Rudi Schuller