MLS Power Rankings: Inter Miami, Vancouver Whitecaps Surge After Matchday 31

Charlotte FC slowed the momentum of the Philadelphia Union this week with a 2–2 draw against the Cavan Sullivan-led squad, and they should have no problem clinching a playoff spot next week against the Portland Timbers.

The conversation, though, hasn’t really changed around Charlotte all season. Yes, Allan Saint-Maximin has been a more consistent offensive threat than Wilfried Zaha, but manager Dean Smith’s side still struggles to match the league’s elite teams and could be in for a short playoff run.

Hindsight is always clearer, but would the Chicago Fire be in a better position if they had kept Hugo Cuypers instead of signing Robert Lewandowski? The publicity boost aside, he hasn’t scored in four games, has six goals in 12 and has struggled to match the impact of fellow summer signing Antoine Griezmann in Orlando.

After three-straight wins, including a convincing 3–1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, the Fire have now lost to the Philadelphia Union and the New England Revolution in back-to-back weeks and will need to turn their form if they hope to maintain a top-four spot in the Eastern Conference.

Picking up a late 2–2 draw with Texas rivals the Houston Dynamo on Saturday and clinching a playoff spot with a win over the Seattle Sounders on Wednesday made for a good week for FC Dallas. Sam Sarver, though, could be facing disciplinary charges after the forward appeared to throw a beer that had entered the pitch into the stands, nearly hitting supporters behind the goal.

Luckily for Dallas, Petar Musa is finding his form again. It’s two goals in the last three games now, and the Croatia international is up to 20 on the season, after a slightly quieter spell. With him leading the attack, Dallas will now look to take over second place in the Western Conference when they face the San Jose Earthquakes in a pivotal fixture next week.

The San Jose Earthquakes are back in the MLS Cup playoffs and clinched their spot in thrilling fashion, securing a point in a 1–1 draw against Nashville SC, which, combined with Vancouver’s win over Austin, prevented Nashville from lifting the Supporters’ Shield.

The result also puts manager Bruce Arena’s men back in the mix for the top spots in the Western Conference. They’re fourth for now, three points behind second-place St. Louis and third-place FC Dallas, but could take a big step forward in next week’s clash with Dallas.

While much of its success has come down to a collective effort, the team’s MVP has been Preston Judd. The 27-year-old now has 16 goals with the Quakes and has seemingly become the player so many hoped Timo Werner would be this season.

Two straight wins against FC Cincinnati and the Chicago Fire is quite the way to bounce back after back-to-back 3–0 losses. It wasn’t the most convincing result against the Fire, leaning on an impressive six-save performance from Matt Turner and Matt Polster’s lone goal, but it was enough to keep the Revolution in contention for second in the Eastern Conference.

Next week’s clash with the Philadelphia Union will be a challenge on the road, but all eyes are on three weeks from now, when they meet Inter Miami.

Inter Miami are back to their best, and Lionel Messi is back to his most impressive influence. This weekend, he scored a brace in a 3–1 win over Atlanta United, bringing his total to 25 goals and making him the first player in MLS history to have three 15-assist seasons in a row. He’s driving Miami’s momentum right now, and the players around him have improved under new manager Kily González.

Messi is the be-all-end-all for the team’s potential this season. He’s the favorite for the MLS Golden Boot and MVP once again and is showing no signs of slowing down in Heron’s pink.

Even a youthful superstar like Cavan Sullivan can be stopped. That’s what Charlotte FC did to the Philadelphia Union in a 2–2 draw over the weekend, ending the Union’s eight-game win streak and keeping Sullivan off the scoresheet—even if they needed a fortunate offside flag.

The Union’s momentum under interim manager Ryan Richter is still impressive though, even with the draw. It’s 15 games unbeaten now, Milan Iloski is up to 19 goals and in contention for the Golden Boot, and a top-four finish in the Eastern Conference isn’t out of the realm of possibility. The next two matches against the New England Revolution and Nashville SC are pivotal to their top-four hopes.

The Vancouver Whitecaps needed a stellar strike from Yadaly Diaby to secure a 2–1 win over Austin FC and return to winning ways.

Combined with St. Louis’s 3–2 loss to Minnesota United, the Whitecaps extended their lead atop the Western Conference to a four-point buffer and have control of their own destiny heading into the final spell. At the same time, the result gives them a slim, albeit mathematically possible, chance of surpassing Nashville SC in the Supporters’ Shield race.

Thomas Müller hasn’t played since Oct. 6, and manager Jesper Sørensen is clearly ensuring his German superstar is ready and healthy for the playoffs. Meanwhile, striker Brian White is out of form. Nevertheless, the Whitecaps seem to be on the uptick at the right time as they approach the end of a six-game road swing.

Don’t fret, St. Louis CITY SC fans, things will be alright. While St. Louis said farewell to their 21-game unbeaten run across all competitions by surrendering a 2–0 lead and losing 3–2 to Minnesota United, they went toe-to-toe with the Whitecaps midweek and are still favored to finish in the top four of the Western Conference.

The big focus now is on Wednesday, when manager Yoann Damet—who should be in the MLS Coach of the Year conversation—looks to lead his men to a trophy in the US Open Cup final. Unfortunately for them, they won’t be able to lean on summer signing Rafael Navarro, who is cup-tied to the Colorado Rapids.

Nashville SC have a confidence level like no other in MLS right now. While they fell short of becoming the first team in league history to win the Supporters’ Shield with four games remaining, the draw with the San Jose Earthquakes merely postponed that coronation.

The goal now is to keep everyone healthy for the postseason, especially goalkeeper Brian Schwake, defender Andy Najar and the attacking foursome of Sam Surridge, Hany Mukhtar, Elias Saad and Cristian Espinoza. They’ll likely lift the Shield next week against CF Montréal, the league’s worst team, who will also be coming off of short rest after Wednesday’s Canadian Championship final.

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