ProSoccerTalk's weekly MLS rankings
By Steve DavisJun 18, 2013, 3:30 PM EDT
Like last week, Round 16 was abbreviated in Major League Soccer due to the international matches, so there was little movement in this week's ranking:
19. Chivas USA – The Carolina Railhawks took down slow-starting Chivas in the U.S. Open Cup. So, there's goes that opportunity, too.
18. D.C. United – Seriously, guys? You lost at home to Toronto? Don't make us move you into last place, bumping Chivas USA! Don't make us do it!
17. Toronto FC – To all TFC fans who read the comment above: No offence, guys! The 2-1 win at RFK was quite worthy on your part. Well done.
16. Chicago Fire – Mike Magee's next chance to make an inspirational difference is up Wednesday as Round 17 kicks off with Colorado visiting Toyota Park.
15. San Jose Earthquakes – Mark Watson's first match as interim manager was anything but forgettable; the Earthquakes got a road win and almost saw their manager instigate a brawl on the sidelines.
14. Vancouver Whitecaps – Hard to peg the team's 4-3 win over New England. Martin Rennie's team fell behind at home, but did rally against the 10-man Revs. Kenny Miller's re-emergence as a goal scorer will certainly help things around BC Place.
13. Columbus – We'll see if the Crew can continue to heroically rally around their debilitating injuries. The men in yellow certainly did last week as Dominic Oduro had a goal and an assist in a win over Montreal.
12. Philadelphia Union – After tumbling out of the U.S. Open Cup last week, Jack McInerney and Co. get a high-profile afternoon in a nationally televised match Sunday at PPL Park (pictured) against New York.
11. New England Revolution – Jay Heaps' young team certainly did not react well after going a man down to Andrew Farrell's red card. Vancouver hit three goals over the next 20 minutes as the visitors fell, 4-3.
10. Colorado Rapids – Atiba Harris' reckless challenge was costly, leaving his team down a man and making a major difference in the Rapids' highly contentious loss to San Jose.
9. LA Galaxy – Bruce Arena's team is slumping, and a trip Wednesday into Jeld-Wen Field is hardly a "slump-busting" place these days. Pablo Mastroeni's arrival from Colorado will be a talker.
8. New York Red Bulls – The club just announced a friendly against Lyon for July 16, and that should be a swell occasion. More immediately, an ESPN Sunday afternoon date is ahead as Mike Petke's team travels just south to PPL Park outside Philadelphia.
7. Seattle Sounders – If nothing else, the Sounders should be well-rested for this weekend's big visit to Rio Tinto to face Real Salt Lake; the club will have had 13 full days off before kicking off in Utah. Midfielder Osvaldo Alonso is healing but remains questionable.
6. Real Salt Lake – The team was idle in Round 16, but it was a big week anyway. They eliminated Charleston in the U.S. Open Cup, played host to the U.S. national team and saw Kyle Beckerman added to Jurgen Klinsmann's roster for tonight's qualifier.
5. Houston Dynamo – Dominic Kinnear's team had the weekend off following last week's elimination by FC Dallas in the Open Cup.
4. Sporting Kansas City – If Sporting KC is to get where it wants to be, they'll have to handle the big matches at home better. Period. Last week, Orlando City SC eliminated Peter Vermes team at Sporting Park, so there will be a new U.S. Open Cup champion this year.
3. Montreal Impact – Marco Schallibaum's team had a big opportunity to pick up road points at tired and injury-depleted Columbus, but couldn't exploit it.
2. FC Dallas – The team has three top-shelf strikers, but circumstance conspired to keep all three off the field for most of the 1-0 loss to Portland.
1. Portland Timbers – Darlington Nagbe had an absolute peach of a goal and goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts' save just before the break was one of the best in MLS this year as the Timbers took down Dallas, 1-0, in a battle of Western Conference leaders.