MLS Power Rankings: Tai Baribo's Philadelphia Union are flying, while Orlando City SC extend unbeaten streak to 11 after embarassing Lionel Messi's Inter Miami

Prior Ranking: 30

Results: Lost 3-2 to Philadelphia Union, drew LAFC 2-2

Ramifications: The Galaxy are still winless through 14 matches played. LA's struggles are truly perplexing. They were up 2-0 against Philadelphia, and then allowed three unanswered. They went up 1-0 against LAFC, conceded twice, and earned a draw due to a brilliant free kick from Reus - but that's two games where they squandered a lead.

Prior Ranking: 29

Results: Crew Columbus 1-1, lost to Toronto 6-1

Ramifications: A great point at home against a relatively full-strength Columbus side. Then, an early Joel Waterman red in the Canadian Classique was the start of the end in their derby against rivals TFC. Honestly, just an embarrassing performance at the weekend - but not a surprising one. Still without a permanent head coach, MTL will be riding a wave of misery throughout 2025 unless monumental changes arrive.

Prior Ranking: 28

Result: Drew Austin FC 1-1, lost to Philadelphia 1-0

Ramifications: There’s plenty to say about Atlanta right now — and most of it isn’t flattering. Winless in eight and with just three goals in their last seven matches, it’s hard to call this anything but a free fall.

Prior Ranking: 27

Result: Drew Sporting Kansas City 2-2, lost to MNUFC 3-0

Ramifications: Winless in 10 with 19 goals conceded, CITY are at the lowest of lows right now. Head coach Olof Mellberg is reportedly on the hot seat, but still with a job - for now.

Sporting director Lutz Pfannenstiel told Tom Ackerman on KMOX Sports over the weekend that he was "embarrassed" by recent performances and said the club is "at the lowest point we can be."

Prior Ranking: 25

Result: Lost to FC Cincinnati 1-0, defeated CF Montreal 6-1

Ramifications: TFC should be rather proud of their midweek performance against Cincy. They played valiantly, and came up just short in the end - but it was definitely a confidence booster for them that rolled into the weekend. In the Canadian Classique, they obliterated CF MTL, with Federico Bernardeschi bagging a brace in a standout performance.

Prior Ranking: 24

Result: Drew NYCFC 0-0, Drew Nashville SC 0-0

Ramifications: Well, it's two points in two games. Not much happened here folks, but for D.C. - at this point, you take it. They were defensively sound, but just couldn't click in the final third.

Prior Ranking: 23

Result: Drew CITY 2-2, Drew San Diego 0-0

Ramifications: Sporting mounted a solid midweek comeback after falling behind 2–0 to St. Louis, but the momentum didn’t really shift until the final 20 minutes. Had they come out of halftime with that same urgency, they might have walked away with all three points. Against San Diego, they settled for a road draw against a Western Conference opponent — a result you’ll take in the middle of a three-match week.

Prior Ranking: 22

Result: Lost to San Diego 2-0, defeated RSL 1-0

Ramifications: Colorado is still in a slump, even with its win over rival RSL on Saturday. Prior to the win over the weekend, the club's midweek loss to SDFC was its third-straight, and their fifth without a win. The Rapids scored just two goals in their last four, and have conceded six during that four-game stretch. However, they do need to be commended for their rebound against a relatively in-form RSL side. Djordje Mihailovic scored the winner, and the midfielder is now up to six goals and three assists this season.

Prior Ranking: 21

Result: Matchday 13 bye, lost to Houston Dynamo 2-0

Ramifications: Petar Musa returned to the XI, but FCD couldn't get anything going in the final third in the Texas Derby against their longtime rivals. That's three games without a win for Eric Quill's men, and just one in their last seven.

Against Houston, they registered an xG of 1.1 in comparison to Houston's .9, but somehow ended up goalless and on the wrong side of the scoreline.

Prior Ranking: 20

Result: Drew Portland 0-0, lost to Colorado 1-0

Ramifications: Not the greatest of weeks from RSL. Against Portland, they managed an xG of 1.1, but couldn't find the back of the net, while against Colorado, they were outclassed throughout the entire match on the road.
Pablo Mastroeni's men are in a weird place at the moment. Twelfth in the West, they're on just 14 points through 14 games this season - they're falling short of expectations in nearly every department.

Prior Ranking: 26

Result: Defeated Minnesota 2-0, defeated FC Dallas 2-0

Ramifications: Two really good wins. They defeated a heavily rotated MNUFC side midweek, and will take that result - even if it wasn't their "A" team. Then, a big win in the Texas derby against FC Dallas. U.S. international Jack McGlynn scored an absolute belter before Griffin Dorsey shut the door late with the double. Just an all-around good week for the Dynamo.

Prior Ranking: 15

Result: Lost 3-1 to Orlando, lost 4-1 to Chicago

Ramifications: Yikes. Just an awful defensive performance over two matches from Charlotte, much to the surprise of most of the league. They were completely undone by both Orlando and Chicago, and offered very little in response.

That's five straight losses for Dean Smith, which is nowhere near good enough.

Prior Ranking: 19

Result: MD13 bye, defeated Charlotte FC 4-1

Ramifications: What a performance from Chicago, and in particular, Brian Gutierrez. The 21-year-old bagged a brace en route to victory and is now up to five goals on the season. Named to the Preliminary 60-man USMNT Gold Cup roster, Gutierrez has been a bright spot for the Fire of late. That's now four-straight unbeaten across all competitions for Gregg Berhalter's men.

Prior Ranking: 18

Result: Drew D.C. United 0-0, defeated RBNY 2-0

Ramifications: Their midweek draw with D.C. was as frustrating as they come, as the Pigeons registered an xG of 2.4 during the match, but came up goalless. Still, though, a point is a point, and they'll take it. Against RBNY in the Hudson River Derby, they were completely dominant, running riot against their archrivals. A stunner of a goal from Alonso Martinez opened the scoring early in the contest, while veteran Maxi Moralez closed things up off a Martinez assist five minutes into the second half.

A good set of results for NYCFC after their embarrassing defeat to CF MTL last weekend.

Prior Ranking: 17

Result: Drew Miami 3-3, drew New England 0-0

Ramifications: ManagerBruce Arena won't be thrilled that these matches both resulted in draws, but at the same time, immense signs of progress for the club. They schooled Inter Miami for most of the match, and were lucky not to come out with a victory against Messi and Co. Then, against the Revolution, they managed to fire 14 shots towards the opposition net - but only one was on target, and it garnered an xG of just .5.

After a brilliant midweek display, they fell flat, but two points is a good takeaway from two good Eastern Conference teams in the grand scheme of things.

Prior Ranking: 16

Result: Drew Atlanta 1-1, Drew Vancouver 0-0

Ramifications: Brandon Vazquez scored the lone goal for Austin in its draw against Atlanta at home; a game where three points were theirs for the taking, but it failed to close things out. A 92nd-minute equalizer from Jamal Thiare secured the Five Stripes a point and cancelled early celebrations at Q2 Stadium.

Then, a really good point against a red-hot Vancouver side at home on Saturday. Nico Estevez will have no complaints there. Worryingly, though, Austin has just one win since the start of April.

Prior Ranking: 14

Result: Lost 2-1 to Nashville SC, lost 2-0 to NYCFC

Ramifications: From winning 7-0 over the Galaxy to losing two-straight within a week. Welcome back to reality, RBNY.

Nashville was simply the better team midweek and scored two great goals to secure all three points. RBNY managed just two shots on target all night, one of which went in - but they fell short otherwise.

Then, in the Hudson River Derby, NYCFC completely controlled the match and gave the 2024 MLS Cup runners-up little to nothing on the ball. Completely outclassed there, as they registered just one attack chance all game.

Prior Ranking: 13

Result: Defeated RBNY 2-1. drew D.C. 0-0

Ramifications: Another Hany Mukhtar goal - who is now up to six on the season - led them to three points midweek, while they fell flat against D.C. at the weekend. A four-point week is a welcomed result any time of the year, but there were six on the cards for Nashville here. The club will regret not going for it more against D.C., where it managed five shots on goal, but came out of the match scoreless.

Prior Ranking: 12

Result: MD13 bye, drew San Jose 0-0

Ramifications: It's now a six-match unbeaten streak for manager Caleb Porter. What a turnaround from the start of the campaign for the Eastern Conference side. Sure, a 0-0 scoreline isn't a pretty result, but it was against a San Jose side that put three goals past Inter Miami three days prior.

Prior Ranking: 8

Result: Drew San Jose 3-3, lost to Orlando 3-0

Ramifications: After the 2024 MLS season concluded, Miami's biggest critics told them to upgrade their defense. Now, in May, we're once again asking the same question. Six goals conceded in a four-day span and 21 on the season - the fifth-most in the Eastern Conference - has Miami falling to a new low.

They were completely undone by San Jose, and were lucky to escape with a point. Then, against Orlando, the Lions treated them like Gazelles in the Sahara, tearing the Miami defense to shreds in a rivalry week classic.

Messi is frustrated, and manager Javier Mascherano is running into selection issues. It's all just becoming a big mess in South Beach.

Prior Ranking: 11

Result: Defeated Colorado 2-0, drew SKC 0-0

Ramifications: Superb showing against Colorado. Anders Dreyer found the back of the net, again, scoring for the third-straight game while bring his season total to six goals and six assists in 14 appearances. Then, against Sporting, SDFC just fell flat. They out-possessed SKC 61-39 percent and outshot them 10-2, but nothing was going for them in the final-third.

They left the match with an xG of 1.4 with four shots on target, while completing 657 passes.

Prior Ranking: 10

Result: Lost to LAFC 4-0, drew Portland 1-1

Ramifications: A heavily-rotated team took the pitch midweek against LAFC, and suffered against Steve Cherundolo's starters. Just completely manhandled, after the opening whistle, the result was expected. Then, in a Cascadia Cup match, Seattle played out to a stalemate against rivals Portland, with Albert Rusnak scoring his fourth goal in as many games to earn them a point.

Manager Brian Schmetzer won't be thrilled by any means, but it was a worthy draw.

Prior Ranking: 6

Result: Drew RSL 0-0, drew Seattle 1-1

Ramifications: Two points against Western Conference foes isn't a bad set of results by any means, but Phil Neville's men will think they deserved more here. They had four shots on target out of 12 scoring attempts against RSL, and were the better team for the majority of the match. Against Seattle, meanwhile, a point was a fair result as they battled it out with their longtime rivals.

Portland has gotten 10 results in their last 11 matches, as they continue to impress to start 2025.

Prior Ranking: 9

Result: Defeated Seattle 4-0, drew LA Galaxy 2-2

Ramifications: LAFC made easy work of a rotated Sounders side midweek, putting four past them in an impressive attacking display. Both Denis Bouanga and Cengiz Ünder got on the scoresheet, with the DPs delivering in a key Western Conference clash.

Then on Sunday, in another edition of El Tráfico, LAFC settled for a 2–2 draw after two moments of brilliance from Reus salvaged a point for the Galaxy.

All in all, a strong week for Cherundolo’s side — and signs are there that things are starting to click.

Prior Ranking: 4

Result: Lost to Houston 2-0, defeated CITY 3-0

Ramifications: ManagerEric Ramsay heavily rotated his squad midweek, even starting an MLS NEXT Pro player in Kieran Chandler , who signed a one-day contract earlier Wednesday afternoon, and as a result, they performed as you'd expect against the Dynamo. Back to full strength at the weekend, though, the Loons took care of business against CITY at home, thumping St. Louis 3-0 in a Western Conference showdown.

Minnesota is up to second in the West now.

Prior Ranking: 7

Result: Defeated Charlotte 3-1, defeated Inter Miami 3-0

Ramifications: What a week for Oscar Pareja's men. Two huge goal-scoring performances and six points taken against top Eastern Conference contenders have the Lions flying high. Factor in they're now 11-straight matches unbeaten, and it's even more impressive. Colombian forward Luis Muriel, who scored in both matches, is now up to six goals and three assists on the season as the ex-Atalanta man is really coming into his own after struggling for form last season.

Prior Ranking: 2

Result: Drew CF MTL 1-1, drew FC Cincy 1-1

Ramifications: A rather poor result midweek. Columbus is miles clear of MTL, and even with a bit of rotation in the XI, they should have left this one with three points. They were the better team, but never managed to find a winner.

Then, in Hell is Real against Cincy, that same trend came back to haunt them. A Diego Rossi penalty leveled things up nine minutes into the second half, and from there the Crew dominated the remainder of the game, but somehow, didn't find a winner. At the final whistle, they had an xG of 2.5, with six shots on goal and 67.4 percent of possession. A frustrating point for Wilfried Nancy's side.

Prior Ranking: 5

Result: Defeated Toronto 1-0, drew Columbus 1-1

Ramifications: A narrow victory on the road in Canada, Cincy came out with three points - but it was a little too close for comfort. Still, though, a big result for them to squeak a win in ahead of their Hell is Real derby with Columbus, which played out brilliantly.

A sixth-minute goal from Kevin Denkey opened the scoring early, while a 54th-minute penalty kick from the Crew's Diego Rossi proved to ultimately be what was a share of the spoils at the end of the day. On the backfoot for most of the game, Cincy will be thrilled with a point, as it looked like Columbus was on course for three points most of the second half.

Prior Ranking: 1

Result: MD13 bye, drew Austin 0-0

Ramifications: After a midweek bye, Vancouver traveled to Austin, where their attack went up against a relatively low block that they could not break down. They managed just two shots on goal, but a point on the road is never a bad result. The Whitecaps still remain atop the Western Conference, but fell one point back from atop the Supporters' Shield race to Cincy and Philly, though they have a game in hand over them both.

Prior Ranking: 3

Result: Defeated LA Galaxy 3-2, defeated Atlanta 1-0

Ramifications: Big, big week for Philly. A Cavan Sullivan-led attack against the Galaxy in stoppage time saw Tai Baribo score a dramatic winner before the Israel international returned at the weekend to score the game-winner from the penalty spot to take all three points on the road against Atlanta.

The forward is now up to 11 goals on the season, leading the race for the MLS Golden Boot, while Philly themselves sit atop the Supporters' Shield standings with 29 points.