By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (May 4, 2022) US Soccer Players - LAFC lost a game in April to local rivals the LA Galaxy, but they're still the clear-cut front runner in Major League Soccer. LAFC leads the league with 22 points, has scored the second-most goals, and has the second-best goal-differential in MLS. LAFC and Philadelphia, the 2nd-place team in the rankings, seem set to stick around near . . .
MLS Power Rankings: Union rises, Revs fall
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Apr 6, 2022) US Soccer Players - It's still early in the 2022 season but not early enough where these results don't matter. There's a way of looking at this point in the season as more about trying not to screw up. It doesn't matter how low in the conference table a contender might be since there's plenty of time for the quality to show. For teams that lack that . . .
MLS Power Rankings: Starting with NYCFC
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Mar 2, 2022) US Soccer Players - In the first Power Rankings of the year, the MLS Cup holders sit at the top of the table. Considering what we saw on the opening weekend of the season, that could change quickly. The carryover from last season is still in play early in 2022, even with some teams making significant upgrades. Eventually, that should show in the . . .
MLS Power Rankings: The 2021 season ends
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Dec 15, 2021) US Soccer Players - The 2021 MLS season came to a thrilling finish Saturday as New York City FC survived a dramatic late equalizer and penalties to win its first-ever MLS Cup title at Portland. The best team won MLS Cup, of course, but how much will that finish reflect on the final Power Rankings of 2021? The playoffs, after all, are a bit random. . . .
MLS Power Rankings: New England’s season
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Nov 3, 2021) US Soccer Players - The last stretch of the season is proving to be important for many clubs. Five teams are fighting for three spots out West. In the East, six teams have life with two games left in the season. Still, it is the top team in the standings that has impressed the most. New England has set some high-water marks with its impressive season . . .
MLS Power Rankings: The stretch run
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Oct 6, 2021) US Soccer Players - The stretch run is here. Teams are either battling for playoff positioning or fighting to stay alive. At the very top of the table, though, one team is putting the finishing touches on the best regular season in MLS history. That makes it all too easy to figure out the top spot. It's the rest of the rankings where things get . . .
MLS Power Rankings: Staying put at the top
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Sep 1, 2021) US Soccer Players - We are finally entering the home stretch. There are roughly two months left in the season, and the playoff picture is tightening up. With only a handful of games remaining, teams are running out of wiggle room to compensate for poor results earlier in the season. Of course, that doesn't matter as much to the top team in the . . .
MLS Power Rankings: Revs pass Sounders at the top
By Luis Bueno – RIVERSIDE, CA (Aug 4, 2021) US Soccer Players - The Power Rankings had their biggest shakeup of the season as the front running Sounders fell into a three-game losing streak. Three losses will impact a team's standing, but the overall season counts as well as current form. Whether Gold Cup absences were the reason for the slide is an open question. Certainly, the Gold Cup did . . .
Did FC Dallas make a Western Conference statement?
Monday's soccer news starts with FC Dallas beating New England 2-1 at home with both goals from Ricardo Pepi. With the win, Dallas moves up into a group of clubs tied on 10 points, 11th in the table but with a game in hand over 10th-place San Jose. In other words, the win makes Dallas slightly better than bad in the Western Conference. Meanwhile, New England remains top of the East with a . . .
MLS Week 1: Seattle wins big, Chicago at Soldier Field
The 2021 MLS season started with Houston beating San Jose 2-1 at home on Friday. Memo Rodriguez scored the first goal of the new season, putting the Dynamo up in the 39th. Maxi Urruti doubled the lead in the 55th. Paul Marie pulled a goal back for the Earthquakes in the 74th minute. "We are happy we could start with the three points, most importantly I liked the way we played," Houston coach . . .