The gap between Toronto FC and the rest of the Major League Soccer teams is getting bigger as they became the first team to clinch their spot in the first season. They have collected a whopping 59 points so far this season, coming in 28 games. There is only one other team in the league that’s even at the 50-point more, which is NYCFC. Beyond that, no other team has more than 45. Toronto has been so dominant on the strength of their unstoppable offense. They have scored 59 goals so far, which is nearly two per game. Here’s a look at this week’s power rankings based on the MLS futures.
1. Toronto FC
Last Week: 1
MLS Cup Odds: +275
Toronto FC sits on 59 points and in first place in the Eastern Conference after a 4-0 win at home over San Jose. Jozy Altidore scored a pair of goals, while Jonathan Osorio and Victor Vazquez added single goals for Toronto FC, who will head west to take on the LA Galaxy on Saturday, but they can afford to rest players here and there down the stretch now. However, the points record of 68, which was set by the LA Galaxy in 1998 when shootouts were present, is definitely in play if Toronto wants to go for it. The 2011 Galaxy hit 67 points in 2011, which was a non-shootout season.
2. New York City FC
Last Week: 2
MLS Cup Odds: +800
NYCFC are now nine points behind Toronto as they fell 1-0 at home to Portland, and it was only their second home loss of the season. NYCFC might be looking out to hold on to second place as they’re five games ahead of the Chicago Fire, and now they head on the road to take on the Colorado Rapids on Saturday night.
3. Portland Timbers
Last Week: 4
MLS Cup Odds: +900
The Timbers got a 44th-minute goal from Diego Valeri for a massive win on the road at New York City FC, and now they’re in first place in the Western Conference. However, the Timbers can’t sit back and rest on their laurels as the six playoff teams in the Western Conference are separated by seven points and a short slump would send the Timbers down the ladder. They’ll stay on the road this week as the Timbers head to Real Salt Lake.
4. Seattle Sounders
Last Week: 3
MLS Cup Odds: +1000
The Sounders are a point behind Portland and in second place in the Western Conference as they could only manage a 1-1 draw at home against the LA Galaxy. Lamar Neagle scored in the 85th minute to pick up a point for the Sounders, who could have even lost that game, but they did lose Roman Torres to a straight red card and Jordan Morris to a hamstring injury. The Sounders will head out on the road on Saturday to take on FC Dallas.
5. Vancouver Whitecaps
Last Week: 8
MLS Cup Odds: +1200
The Whitecaps are in third place, three points behind Portland in the Western Conference, after a 3-2 win at home over Real Salt Lake. Cristian Techera, Kendall Watson and Yordy Reyna found the back of the net for the Whitecaps, who have played 26 games, which is the least among the top six teams in the Western Conference. The Whitecaps will stay at home on Wednesday as they welcome Minnesota United FC to town, and then the Columbus Crew will visit on Saturday.
6. New York Red Bulls
Last Week: 6
MLS Cup Odds: +1200
The Red Bulls are in fifth place in the Eastern Conference after a 1-1 draw at Chicago. Bradley Wright-Phillips notched an early goal for the Red Bulls, who have now drawn three games in a row, which is dragging them into a tough battle for a playoff spot; they’re only five points ahead of Montreal, wh is in seventh place, and New England is a point behind Montreal. The Red Bulls will welcome the Philadelphia Union to town on Sunday.
7. Sporting Kansas City
Last Week: 5
MLS Cup Odds: +1200
Sporting Kansas City is in fourth place in the Western Conference, just behind the Whitecaps after a 1-1 draw in Columbus, getting a goal from Cristian Lobato to open the scoring, but Sporting Kansas City couldn’t hold on for all three points. It was yet another draw for Sporting Kansas City, who now have 11 to lead Major League Soccer, and six of those have come on the road. Now they return home, where they’ll play four games in a row, starting with the New England Revolution on Saturday.
8. Chicago Fire
Last Week: 7
MLS Cup Odds: +1400
Chicago is in third place in the Eastern Conference after their 1-1 home draw with the New York Red Bulls as Nemanja Nikolic scored in the 66th minute to earn the Fire a point. They needed it as they’re two points ahead of Columbus, four points ahead of the Red Bulls and six points ahead of Atlanta United FC as the bottom half of the Eastern Conference playoff picture is getting crowded. The Fire will get DC United at home on Saturday in an important game.
9. Atlanta United FC
Last Week: —
MLS Cup Odds: +1400
Atlanta United FC enters the power rankings and they’re sixth place in the Eastern Conference after a 3-0 win at home over FC Dallas. Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, Josef Martinez and Greg Garza all scored for Atlanta United FC, who are holding on to the final postseason start spot and it would be a huge boost to this expansion team to make it into the playoffs. They’re playing very well and the win over FC Dallas was the first of six straight home games as they welcome New England to town on Wednesday, and then Orlando on Saturday.
10. Houston Dynamo
Last Week: 9
MLS Cup Odds: +1600
The Dynamo are in fifth place, just two points ahead of San Jose in the Western Conference, after a 1-0 loss to Colorado. It was the first home loss of the season for the Dynamo, who were playing their first game since Hurricane Harvey swept through Texas and it was an injury-time kick to the gut that stole the points from them. The Dynamo have a massive game on Saturday as they travel to San Jose to take on the Earthquakes, and Houston has been terrible on the road with one win, five draws and eight losses this season.
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