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It was an abbreviated Week 33 of the Major League Soccer season and even though there were just four league contests, it doesn’t mean we lack movement in the Pro Soccer USA Power Rankings.
D.C. United’s last-minute win over FC Dallas not only catapulted Ben Olsen’s side above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference, but it also dropped the Western Conference leaders out of the top three.
The Major League Soccer Power Rankings are created by averaging the rankings submitted by a committee of Pro Soccer USA’s editor and writers.
(1) New York Red Bulls (20-7-5, 65 points): After being idle last week, the Red Bulls head to Talen Energy Stadium to face the Philadelphia Union in their penultimate game of the season Sunday afternoon. (2) Atlanta United (20-6-6, 66 points): They’ll be without Miguel Almiron and maybe will be in the market for a new coach with the reports that Tata Martino is set to be Mexico’s next manager. But the Five Stripes have no room for error when they face the Chicago Fire Sunday. (4) Sporting Kansas City (15-8-8, 53 points): We’ll know a lot more about SKC come Sunday night with critical matches against the Vancouver Whitecaps and FC Dallas in Week 34. (5) Seattle Sounders FC (15-11-5, 50 points): With a win or a draw against Orlando City SC on Wednesday night, the Sounders will book their spot in the MLS Cup playoffs. (6) Los Angeles Football Club (16-8-8, 56 points): After conceding the first goal, Carlos Vela struck for a brace and Adama Diomande and Walker Zimmerman each added a goal in a 4-2 win over the Houston Dynamo. (8) D.C. United (12-11-8, 44 points): D.C. United is finally above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference following a dramatic 1-0 win over FC Dallas with Russell Canouse honoring close friend Paul Arriola, whose father died last week. (3) FC Dallas (16-7-9, 57 points): FC Dallas may be atop the Western Conference standings, but their struggles against elite Eastern Conference opponents continued with a 1-0 loss to D.C. United at Audi Field on Saturday. (7) Philadelphia Union (15-12-5, 50 points): The Union are just three points behind third-place NYCFC and could overtake the Cityzens, who they face on Decision Day, but first up are the Red Bulls at home Sunday. (9) LA Galaxy (12-11-9, 45 points): They are one point below the playoff line in the Western Conference with two games remaining. First up a trip to TCF Bank Stadium to take on the Loons Sunday. (10) Montreal Impact (13-15-4, 43 points): The Impact will be first rooting on rival Toronto FC on Wednesday to beat D.C. United and then they’ll need to knock off TFC at home Sunday in hopes of moving back into a playoff spot. (11) Portland Timbers (14-9-9, 51 points): The Timbers meet a desperate Real Salt Lake squad on Sunday, but can clinch a playoff berth on Wednesday with a RSL loss or tie against New England or a Vancouver Whitecaps loss or tie vs. Sporting KC. (12) Columbus Crew SC (13-10-9, 48 points): The Crew might not need a plane to fly to Orlando on Sunday, with the team — and especially their fans — riding an emotional high with word of #SavetheCrew nearing a reality. (13) Real Salt Lake (13-12-7, 46 points): Because of an uneven number of teams in MLS, RSL won’t be playing on Decision Day. Their final two must-win games come this week, beginning Thursday at home against New England. (14) New York City FC (15-9-8, 53 points): A three-week break from league play allowed NYCFC to get fully healthy, which means the long-awaited return of Yangel Herrera, who missed five months following ankle surgery. (15) Vancouver Whitecaps FC (12-12-7, 43 points): Three points below the playoff line with three games to play, there’s optimism in Vancouver even if the schedule is daunting, beginning Wednesday night at home against SKC. (16) Toronto FC (9-16-6, 33 points): TFC won’t be playing in the MLS Cup playoffs, but they sure can impact (no pun intended) the field with road games against D.C. United and Montreal this week before closing out the season vs. Atlanta. (17) Houston Dynamo (9-15-8, 35 points): It was a positive start for the Dynamo, who raced in front of LAFC on a Mauro Manotas goal. But LAFC scored the next four goals before Andrew Wenger scored Houston’s second. (20) New England Revolution (9-12-11, 38 points): Props to the Revs who, hours after being eliminated from playoff contention, defeated Orlando City SC, 2-0, for their first home victory since late June. (19) Chicago Fire (8-17-7, 31 points): The Fire will try to play spoilers, and receive much love from Red Bulls players and fans, when they meet Atlanta United on Sunday. (21) Colorado Rapids (7-19-6, 27 points): Yannick Boli scored just after the hour mark and Niki Jackson added a stoppage-time insurance goal as the Rapids snapped a seven-match losing streak with a 2-0 win over Minnesota United. (18) Minnesota United FC (11-18-3, 36 points): The Loons have been outscored 7-1 in back-to-back defeats, but they’ll be buoyed by a big crowd in their home finale Sunday vs. the Galaxy. (22) Orlando City SC (7-20-4, 25 points): The season can’t end soon enough for the Lions, who fell to New England, 2-0, on Saturday. It is the fifth straight match without a goal. (23) San Jose Earthquakes (4-20-8, 20 points): The Quakes will try to end a six-match losing streak when they host the Rapids Sunday before closing out a dreadful season at Seattle on Decision Day.Pro Soccer USA’s writer Dylan Butler contributed to this report
The post MLS Power Rankings Week 33: Sporting KC moves into top three, FC Dallas falls to No. 7 appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Dylan Butler, Pro Soccer USA
