Football
Jason Davis, U.S. soccer writer 6y

MLS Power Rankings: New York City FC knock Atlanta United off top spot

1. New York City FC

Record: 12W-4D-4L
Week 19 ranking: 6

Three games, three wins for Dome Torrent as head coach of NYCFC. A 3-0 win over Columbus at home on Saturday put the New Yorkers just a point back of Atlanta in the Supporters Shield race, making things very interesting in the East.

2. LAFC

Record: 10-5-4
Week 19 ranking: 2

The Angelenos were stalemated by a red-hot Portland team in a clash of likely Western Conference playoff sides on Sunday. Carlos Vela's return to the starting lineup showed promise of a big second half of the season for the Mexican star.

3. Atlanta United

Record: 12-5-4
Week 19 ranking: 1

Certainly a two-points-dropped situation for the Five Stripes on Sunday after a 1-1 draw against the Sounders in front of another record crowd at Mercedes-Benz Stadium. Numerous missed chances while up a man for nearly half an hour makes it a painful point earned.

4. New York Red Bulls

Record: 11-2-5
Week 19 ranking: 3

Thanks to a couple of great hits from substitute Marc Rzatkowski, the Red Bulls came back from a goal down at home to beat Sporting 3-2. Chris Armas gets a gold star for his move to introduce Rzatkowski in his first win as New York boss.

5. Portland Timbers

Record: 8-6-3
Week 19 ranking: 4

Portland's unbeaten run hit 12 games after the goalless draw against LAFC. The Timbers had good chances and might have found a goal on a different day; as it stands, Giovanni Savarese & Co. will be fine with a road point.

6. FC Dallas

Record: 11-5-3
Week 19 ranking: 5

The top team in the West stayed the top team in the West by taking advantage of a poor Chicago defense and a second-half red card in a 3-0 win. The result was never really in doubt for Oscar Pareja's team.

7. LA Galaxy

Record: 8-4-7
Week 19 ranking: 9

With LA back in California, the Galaxy extended their unbeaten run to six and started a winning streak thanks to a pair of dramatic stoppage-time goals in New England. The renaissance of Chris Pontius is a major reason for recent good form.

8. Houston Dynamo

Record: 7-5-6
Week 19 ranking: 8

The high-flying, goal-scoring Dynamo fell to earth a bit with a goalless effort in Colorado. Wilmer Cabrera's team came off of four straight multiple-goal efforts but couldn't put the ball past Tim Howard at Dick's Sporting Good Park.

9. Sporting Kansas City

Record: 9-6-5
Week 19 ranking: 7

Peter Vermes' team probably didn't assume there were three points available for the taking in New Jersey, but the failure to grab at least a point after being up a goal on the Red Bulls will sting on the flight back to Kansas City.

10. Montreal Impact

Record: 9-0-11
Week 19 ranking: 10

Remi Garde's team kept its head above the playoff line in the Eastern Conference thanks to a 2-0 win over the woeful of San Jose Earthquakes. That makes wins in five out of the last six during the Impact's surge to the playoff places.

11. New England Revolution

Record: 7-7-5
Week 19 ranking: 11

What a way to lose for Brad Friedel's team in front of more than 36,000 fans at Gillette Stadium on Saturday. The Revolution played a man down for a large portion of the match, then conceded twice with the sides 10 vs. 10.

12. Columbus Crew SC

Record: 8-6-7
Week 19 ranking: 12

Something is off with the Crew, who have now lost four of five after a 3-0 defeat to NYCFC on Saturday. Gregg Berhalter is throwing things against the wall in a bid to fix the problem -- the question is whether any of it will stick.

13. Real Salt Lake

Record: 9-2-9
Week 19 ranking: 13

Mike Petke owned the night for RSL with his postgame rant about VAR and the referees, and he probably has a point. That said, his side did themselves no favors with a series of first-half mistakes.

14. Vancouver Whitecaps

Record: 7-5-8
Week 19 ranking: 14

Maybe it was the event of Audi Field opening or the long trip across the country; either way, the Caps didn't put much of a fight in a 3-1 loss to D.C. United. The lone bright spot, as is often the case, was Alphonso Davies' well-taken consolation goal.

15. Seattle Sounders FC

Record: 4-5-9
Week 19 ranking: 17

The Sounders need wins toward the chase for a playoff spot in the West, but a draw on the road against Atlanta United isn't a poor result by any means. Seattle will take solace in holding out for 30 minutes despite playing with 10 men.

16. Philadelphia Union

Record: 7-3-9
Week 19 ranking: 15

Philly heads to L.A. next weekend to take on the Galaxy after sitting the weekend out.

17. Chicago Fire

Record: 6-5-10
Week 19 ranking: 16

Veljko Paunovic owes his team a tongue-lashing for the lack of effort on defense in a 3-0 loss to FC Dallas, though it was partly of his own making. A heavily rotated Chicago team faced Dallas ahead of an Open Cup match midweek.

18. Minnesota United

Record: 7-1-11
Week 19 ranking: 19

Darwin Quintero probably can't will the Loons to the playoffs all by himself, but it won't be for lack of trying. A goal and two assists in a 3-2 win over RSL on Saturday shows the influence the Colombian can have for Minnesota.

19. D.C. United

Record: 3-5-7
Week 19 ranking: 21

On the field, the opening of Audi Field was a massive success for the Black and Red thanks to a 3-1 win over Vancouver and the influential debut of Wayne Rooney.

20. Orlando City

Record: 7-1-11
Week 19 ranking: 23

One word for the Lions and their fans after a 2-1 win over Toronto: Hallelujah! There's a long way to go, but James O'Connor's first win as head coach was the necessary first step.

21. Toronto FC

Record: 4-4-11
Week 19 ranking: 18

It's getting very tight very early for the Reds, who became the first team to lose to Orlando since the first week of May, when they fell to the Lions 2-1 on Saturday. Last year's triple trophy haul seems like a very long time ago in Toronto.

22. Colorado Rapids

Record: 4-4-11
Week 19 ranking: 20

The Rapids halted a two-game losing streak with a point against the Dynamo on Saturday. That's the good; the bad is Colorado can't buy a goal and is nowhere near making a run toward a playoff spot.

23. San Jose Earthquakes

Record: 2-6-11
Week 19 ranking: 22

The Quakes hit a new low in Saturday's loss in Montreal with the strange Fatai Alashe situation that played out early in the second half. Mikael Stahre's first season in San Jose is very much looking like it will be his last.

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