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Josef Martinez is new MLS king of goals and Atlanta United remain the king of the Pro Soccer USA Power Rankings following Week 26 of the Major League Soccer regular season.
Rivalry Week saw plenty of drama with teams already trending up, like the Philadelphia Union, Real Salt Lake and Seattle Sounders picking up wins, while the struggling sides, like the Colorado Rapids, New England Revolution and Orlando City SC continue their rapid decline.
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) Atlanta United (16-4-6, 54 points): Josef Martinez broke the MLS single-season scoring record with his 28th goal, which proved to be the game-winner in a 2-1 victory over Orlando City SC. (2) New York Red Bulls (16-6-4, 52 points): Kaku scored the lone goal and the league’s stingiest defense produced yet another clean sheet in a 1-0 victory over D.C. United Sunday. (3) Sporting Kansas City (13-6-6, 45 points): Another team traditionally known for its stout defense, Sporting produced a fourth straight shutout win and Yohan Croizet and Diego Rubio struck for second-half goals in a 2-0 win over Minnesota. (4) New York City FC (14-6-6, 48 points): Despite being down two men in the second half, NYCFC were the better team in the final 45 minutes and David Villa scored a deserved equalizer in a 1-1 draw with the Red Bulls. (5) FC Dallas (13-5-7, 46 points): Michael Barrios gave FC Dallas a late lead, but Ronaldo Pena got the later equalizer in a 1-1 draw with the rival Houston Dynamo. (7) Los Angeles Football Club (12-7-7, 43 points): LAFC will have to wait another year — or for the postseason — for their first El Trafico win, but Carlos Vela ensured the visitors would earn a second point in a 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy. (8) Seattle Sounders FC (11-9-5, 38 points): The streak is seven straight wins and 10 games without defeat after beating Cascadia rival Portland, 1-0, at Providence Park. (9) Columbus Crew SC (11-8-7, 40 points): Staring a second consecutive defeat in the face, Niko Hansen’s first goal of the season three minutes from full time earned the sluggish Crew a 1-1 draw with Chicago. (10) Philadelphia Union (11-11-3, 36 points): The lesson learned from the Union’s third straight win and fourth in the last five games is play to the whistle. That’s why Cory Burke did to score the lone goal in a 1-0 win over New England. (8) Portland Timbers (10-7-7, 37 points): The Timbers were the better team on the night, but they were victimized by a Julio Cascante own goal and fell to Seattle, 1-0, for their fourth defeat in a row. (11) Real Salt Lake (12-10-5, 41 points): The award for most lopsided Rivalry Week victory goes to Real Salt Lake by a mile. A 6-0 drubbing at Colorado not only secured yet another Rocky Mountain Cup, but it was their second consecutive road win. (14) D.C. United (7-10-6, 27 points): It might seem weird that D.C. United actually move up two spots following a loss, but it was a 1-0 defeat at the New York Red Bulls, a defeat that snapped a streak of five straight games without defeat. (16) Toronto FC (7-12-6, 27 points): Is this the point when Toronto FC finally shift into the next gear and have the late-season run we’re all expecting? Time will tell, but a 3-1 win over Montreal at home Saturday might just have saved their season. (12) Montreal Impact (10-14-3, 33 points): The Impact conceded three goals inside of 29 minutes before Alejandro Silva stopped the bleeding and pulled the visitors back a goal. But it was the only goal the Impact would get in a 3-1 loss at Toronto FC. (15) Vancouver Whitecaps FC (10-9-7, 37 points): Trailing by two at halftime, the Caps had a furious second-half rally as Yordy Reyna, Cristian Techera and Kei Kamara scored in a nine-minute span in a 3-2 win at San Jose. (13) LA Galaxy (10-9-8, 38 points): Zlatan Ibrahimovic scored and Ashley Cole was a beast, but the Galaxy conceded a Carlos Vela equalizer in a 1-1 draw against LAFC that stretched a winless streak to five games. (17) Houston Dynamo (7-11-7, 28 points): They desperately needed three points, but Wilmer Cabrera will take the 90-minute effort, and the late leveler from Ronaldo Pena, in a Texas Derby draw against FC Dallas. (18) Minnesota United FC (9-15-2, 29 points): The Loons battled, but their shorthanded offense was suffocated by Sporting Kansas City in a 2-0 loss, their fourth defeat in five games without a win. (20) New England Revolution (7-10-8): A 1-0 loss at Philadelphia was the Revs sixth in the last seven games and extended a winless streak to eight games. (19) Colorado Rapids (6-14-6, 24 points): It started with a red card, and then another and then an avalanche of goals from visiting Real Salt Lake, which rolled to a 6-0 Rocky Mountain Cup victory. (21) Orlando City SC (7-16-2): Scott Sutter canceled out Leandro Gonzalez Pirez’s first-half goal, but any hopes the Lions had of taking a point from the Supporters’ Shield leaders went up in smoke when Josef Martinez made history in the 74th minute. (22) San Jose Earthquakes (3-14-8, 17 points): If only games were 45 minutes long. If that was the case, goals by Jahmir Hyka and Magnus Eriksson would have given the Quakes their first home win since early March, rather than suffering yet another defeat to the Whitecaps. (23) Chicago Fire (6-15-6, 24 points): They were almost out of the power rankings basement thanks to a Nemanja Nikolic 67th-minute goal. But Niko Hansen slammed that door shut three minutes from full time. The losing streak ends at eight, but the winless run is now nine.Pro Soccer USA writers Dylan Butler, Julian Cardillo and Emily Olsen contributed to this report.
The post MLS Power Rankings Week 26: Toronto FC climbs up, Portland Timbers slip down appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Dylan Butler, Pro Soccer USA
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COMMERCE CITY, Colo. – When Edgar Castillo joined the Colorado Rapids on a season-long loan back in January, then newly-hired head coach Anthony Hudson presented the 31-year-old with a challenge.
“The first day I got here, he said, ‘You have to be the best left back in the league’,” Castillo told Pro Soccer USA. “He’s a strict coach, but other than that, it’s all on us. We play on the field and he’s the one that gives us what we need to execute out on the field.”
With three goals and five assists in 24 appearances for Colorado this season, a pretty strong argument can be made that Castillo has fulfilled the manager’s wish.
“I think he’s shown a lot of character in stepping up at key moments in games and really having an effect on the outcome of games,” Hudson said. “He’s an important player to us and he’s great to have in the locker room. We want him to keep improving and keep doing what he’s doing.”
Soft-spoken and humble off the pitch, Castillo shows a different personality in games. He’s been a menace in attack while also relentless in breaking up plays defensively. On the ball, he’s also been arguably the Rapids’ best dribbler; a trait rarely seen in defenders.
“He’s shown he can go on these dribbling mazes,” Rapids captain Tim Howard grinned. “They look good, but there’s a lot of end product there, whether it be crossing or the goals he’s had this year. That’s an added bonus.”
As team general manager Padraig Smith explained to fans in a Q&A session earlier this month, Howard played a vital role in recruiting Castillo to Colorado.
“With Edgar, this was in the building stages,” Howard said of the recruitment process. “It was about letting him know that we have a top manager, but we needed time to build a solid foundation and we needed Edgar to be one of those pieces.”
In the Rapids’ locker room, Castillo has been the yin to Howard’s yang.
“We’ve got two different personalities,” Howard explained. “I’m more loud and brash and he’s the more quiet, sneaky one. It just seems to work.”
Their friendship dates back to their shared time with the United States men’s national team. Howard and Castillo played numerous important games together, including the USMNT’s historic 1-0 win over Mexico at the Estadio Azteca back in 2012.
As one of only two players [along with Martin Vasquez] to represent both the United States and Mexico at the senior level, Castillo’s outlook on the rivalry is unique. The son of Mexican immigrants, Castillo began his international career with the Mexican under-23 squad, helping the team qualify for the 2008 Olympics. Less than a year later, opportunity presented itself when he received a call from then-U.S. manager Bob Bradley, prompting Castillo to make his one-time permanent switch to represent the country of his birth.
“It was a hard decision for me to change,” he recalled. “I think I made the right decision because I felt good with the U.S.”
More than two years have passed since his last international appearance in March 2016. But with U.S. Soccer amid an ongoing change in direction, Castillo is hopeful for a return to the international stage.
“It’s changed as they look more for young players from the U.S., not necessarily Mexican-American guys. I hope it all changes and they bring other players in,” Castillo said. “It’s been [two] years and I was hurt. I’m here now trying to do my best and keep playing. We’ll see if I get a call up soon.”
His path to becoming a professional was likewise unconventional. Known as the “Mayfield Magician,” Castillo led Las Cruces High School to its first ever New Mexico state championship in boys soccer. Several months later, he and his brother decided to travel to Mexico to participate in an open tryout for Liga MX side Santos Laguna. He impressed, landing his first professional contract.
Castillo bounced around Mexico for more than a decade, playing for eight different Liga MX teams and winning three league titles along the way. Having now adjusted to Major League Soccer, he acknowledged the increasing quality of teams north of the border.
“Liga MX is a very good league with very good players. MLS is getting there,” Castillo said. “MLS teams have fought through CONCACAF, so it’s getting better and better. Mexicans know that, too. MLS is growing.”
The 2018 Colorado Rapids season has been about rebuilding, and more recently, about building upon positive performances. Despite their 2-0 loss to LAFC two weeks ago, the Rapids have put together favorable results, including a 2-2 draw Aug.14 at StubHub Center, where Castillo scored a highlight-reel goal against the L.A. Galaxy.
He gives all credit to those around him.
“The season’s not done and I have to keep going,” said Castillo. “I never would have thought I’d have three goals and a couple assists. But it’s not all me on the field. If not for my teammates, I wouldn’t have the goals and the assists that I have now.”
With 24 points in the Western Conference table and eight games left, playoffs remain a tall order for Colorado, which currently sits 14 points back of the red line. Regardless, Castillo wants to see through the ongoing project in Commerce City.
“Every club you go to, you want to win something, and the first day I said that,” he said. “I’m happy to be here and I want to win something for this club.”
Colorado is currently in advanced talks with Liga MX side Monterrey to turn his current loan deal into a permanent buy.
Castillo told Pro Soccer USA last week week that all sides have yet to reach an agreement and for now his loan is still set to expire at the end of the season. But he’s still hopeful to remain in Colorado – a place he’s embraced as a new home for himself, his wife and their three children.
“Since Day 1 when I got here, I’ve felt at home,” Castillo said. “I’m very happy to be here and I want to stay here.”
The post Rapids defender Edgar Castillo looks for permanent home in Colorado appeared first on Pro Soccer USA.
Original author: Marco Cummings, Pro Soccer USA
