It finally happened. Miami finally ran out of enough key players and had to play the bottom of their roster – and still, it took an amazing effort from FC Dallas to come back and earn the win. But it was in Miami, so they will be dropping, especially considering the Vancouver result. But we feel very validated that Inter did all they could to stand tall for so long.
Around the league, we have more chaos, so let’s see how things played out.
Top Shelf
1. Vancouver Whitecaps (Previously 2)
The Whitecaps are totally dominating the West, and thanks for a 3-1 win at Minnesota – where the goal for the Loons was as consolation as it gets – they take the top spot. Impressive. Most impressive.
2. Inter Miami (1)
For a team that had weathered so much this season, and done it without losing, they looked to be on track to win another one – this time with their scrubs. Yes, FCD scored first but then Miami scored three to take a dominating lead into the last third of the game. But then Dallas responded with three more of their own to take it 4-3.
Quality
3. FC Cincinnati (3)
Some of their results merit upward movement consideration, but this week they beat Sporting, 2-1, at home so it’s kind of hard to elevate them based on an average win over a bad team at home.
4. Columbus Crew (5)
Another team with an average home win over a less-than-poor team, the Crew beat San Jose 2-1.
5. Philadelphia Union (7)
The three losses on the season are all that holds the Union back from being higher. Most of their other results are legit, such as this week’s 3-0 home win over D.C.
6. Charlotte FC (4)
A 1-0 home loss to New England? Ouch.
7. Orlando City SC (11)
With a 3-0 win over Atlanta in front of the home fans, the Lions seem to have stepped up their game. Atlanta isn’t great, but that is a convincing win.
Pretty Good
8. Minnesota United (6)
The Loons took it on the chin at home against Vancouver last week. They were down 3-0 before scoring a meaningless goal.
9. Los Angeles FC (8)
They traded goals with St. Louis before City got a red card in the 83rd. Then St. Louis took the lead again in the 89th before LAFC salvaged a point by scoring in the fifth minute of second-half extra time. Good save but, yikes. St. Louis is not good.
10. Colorado Rapids (9)
Seattle is not so good right now, so the Sounders coming into Denver and getting a point of a 1-1 draw is not ideal. Are the Rapids falling back?
11. FC Dallas (14)
Hello. Or is it? Dallas continues to get road results, and this time a 4-3 comeback win over Miami of all teams. But it was the back end of the Inter roster. Then again, how many teams come back from a 3-1 deficit to win 4-3 in the last 30 minutes of a road game? The challenge with FCD this year has been consistency, so let’s see how it plays out, but clearly the potential for explosive play is there.
12. Portland Timbers (13)
It was the Galaxy, so take it for what that is worth, but they won 4-2 on the road. They were up 3-0 before LA scored two to make it close, and then they scored the fourth to ice the game.
13. New England Revolution (16)
For a team that was frankly putrid to start the season, the Revs have put a few things together. A 1-0 win at Charlotte is a significant result and it will be interesting to see if they can maintain this level.
14. Seattle Sounders (15)
For a team that had played so poorly to start the year, a 1-1 road tie at Colorado is another good result for them recently.
15. New York City FC (17)
It was Toronto, so let’s not get too excited, but a 1-0 win on the road is not something most teams do, even against TFC.
Okay, I Guess?
16. Austin FC (10)
Houston has been so bad this year that a 2-0 loss, even on the road, is just not a good look. Nico’s guys are going to have to earn their way back up the charts.
17. Nashville SC (18)
My goodness, Nashville, leave some for the rest of the league will ya’? Seven goals over Chicago is impressive, even though the Fire are still trying to figure themselves out. After losing 7-2 on the road, the Fire have more work to do and Nashville should have some more confidence to work with.
18. Real Salt Lake (23)
For a team that has struggled this year, RSL gave up the opener to San Diego on the road, then fired off three unanswered to take the match.
19. New York Red Bulls (20)
They won at home, 1-0, over Montreal. What are we supposed to do with that? (Rhetorical question – answer is not much.)
20. San Diego FC (12)
It has been an up-and-down season for the newcomers. This week, they scored first at home, only for Real to score three in response to take the full points.
Sorry, Not Good
21. St. Louis City SC (24)
On the front foot for much of the game, even after the red card, St. Louis almost pulled off the road win against LAFC, only to give up a goal in the 95th. The question is whether this is a one-off or a sign of a change in capacity.
22. Chicago Fire (19)
Don’t care it was on the road, giving up seven is just ugly. And Nashville is just not a great team right now. At least they scored 2? Except that the home side had already scored seven. Seriously, it was 7-0 before the Fire scored 2.
23. Atlanta United (21)
Whatever signs we thought we saw in Atlanta are clearly gone now. A 3-0 pasting at Orlando pretty much puts paid to that idea.
24. San Jose Earthquakes (22)
For a team that had a few moments, those are gone now. Maybe only losing 2-1 to Columbus on the road has a silver lining?
25. Houston Dynamo (28)
Signs of life from the Gulf of Mexico? A 2-0 home win over what had been a good Austin team could be a sign of things turning around.
Poor
26. Sporting Kansas City (25)
Who knows what Sporting is right now, but a 2-1 road loss to Cincinnati tells us work remains.
27. D.C. United (26)
Philadelphia is really good, and it was on the road, but a 3-0 loss leaves you with nothing to take away as a positive. Unless you’re Chicago…
28. Toronto FC (27)
Whatever momentum we thought they might have is gone now, as they lost at home to NYCFC, 1-0.
29. CF Montreal (30)
They slide ahead of the Galaxy because losing 1-0 at the Red Bulls is better than what happened in LA.
30. LA Galaxy (29)
What in the wide, wide world of sports is going on here? The reigning champs lost, 4-2, to Portland at home. Granted, Portland is on 18 points and second in the west, but…