Power Rankings: LAFC & Vancouver Whitecaps set the pace

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What a week in MLS.

LAFC kept a clean sheet, New York City FC won at home, and Dejan Jovelji? scored at Dignity Health Sports Park. It was truly a week unlike any other.?

As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by, give or take, 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com. The author does not decide the rankings, but he does get a little rush from moving your team down a few spots when he can.

With their 2-0 win over St. Louis, LAFC became the first team in MLS history to keep a clean sheet through each of their first four matches.

They weren’t perfect in this one, but they kept St. Louis quiet and let?Mathieu Choinière cook from distance:

Meanwhile, LAFC have some work to do in Concacaf Champions Cup Round of 16 action. Midweek, Costa Rican side Alajuelense earned a 1-1 draw and an all-crucial away goal.

Previous: 2-0 win vs. STL | Next: 3/21 at ATX

If you’re going to watch any Vancouver Whitecaps highlights from last weekend, make sure there are no small children in the room. They tore Minnesota United apart and then set the pieces on fire. The ‘Caps were up 4-0 by the end of the first half and 6-0 by the end of the match. They're off to a historic start.

Which… makes what happened in the CCC Round of 16 last week pretty confusing. Vancouver got trucked at home by?Seattle in Leg 1, losing 3-0. Last year’s CCC runners-up are in real trouble heading into Wednesday's second leg.

Previous:?6-0 win vs. MIN | Next: 3/21 vs. SJ

Inter Miami didn’t score a goal last week. They won’t be too worried about failing to score against Charlotte over the weekend in a 0-0 game that featured a heavily rotated lineup. Though they might be worried about failing to score midweek at Nashville in a 0-0 draw of their CCC series.

Now, all the pressure is on Miami for Leg 2. CCC is the last box to check on their list in the?Lionel Messi era. They haven’t looked like the continent’s best team in 2026. Can they get it right on Wednesday night?

Previous:?0-0 draw at CLT | Next: 3/22 at NYC

If you went to bed once San Diego went down a man and a goal to Toluca inside the first 16 minutes, no one is going to blame you. They might laugh at you, though, because you missed out on one of the most remarkable results by an MLS team in Concacaf history.

Despite finishing with nine men, San Diego scored three times on the back-to-back LIGA MX champions. They’re taking a 3-2 lead into the second leg at Toluca’s sky-high elevation home stadium. If San Diego advance, it would be among the most impressive performances we’ve ever seen from an MLS side.

Oh, and they drew 3-3 with Dallas over the weekend. But that doesn’t seem as notable right now.

Previous:?3-3 draw at DAL | Next: 3/22 vs. RSL

Nashville kept Inter Miami quiet in a 0-0 draw in CCC play, then looked on track for another 0-0 draw against Columbus until…

The Cristian Espinoza signing is working pretty well, huh? That was the 25,000th regular-season goal in MLS history, fittingly scored by Hany Mukhtar (the 2022 Landon Donovan MLS MVP).

Now, Nashville have a chance to eliminate Miami in CCC. If any Eastern Conference team has the chops to do it, it is B.J. Callaghan's team.

Previous: 1-0 win at CLB | Next: 3/21 vs. ORL

The Sounders spent the week reminding everyone in the West just how dangerous they are.

They started by steamrolling Vancouver in a 3-0 CCC win. They followed it up with a smash-and-survive 1-0 win over a streaking San Jose side despite deploying a heavily rotated lineup.

At their best, Seattle can beat anyone. And they have the depth to make due even when multiple key pieces are missing.?

Previous:?1-0 win at SJ | Next: 3/22 at MIN

NYCFC have quietly put together one of the best starts in the league.

There were questions entering the season about how they would make up for missing No. 9?Alonso Martínez (knee), and it seems like the answer is Nicolás Fernández Mercau. He’s got four goals in four games, including two in last weekend's 3-1 win over Colorado, and NYCFC have an Eastern Conference-best 10 points.

Previous:?3-1 win vs. COL | Next: 3/22 vs. MIA

Another week, another RSL win.

Make it three straight victories for Pablo Mastroeni’s side, even though they’re still dealing with multiple key injuries. This week, new midfielder Stijn Spierings stepped up with an 88th-minute winner against Austin from distance.

Yup, that's a banger ??

Stijn Spierings' debut goal leads @realsaltlake! pic.twitter.com/IgRVDmy1NU

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 15, 2026

Oh, and Diego Luna got back on the field as a sub. Everything is going just about as well as possible to start the year for RSL.

Previous:?2-1 win vs. ATX | Next: 3/22 at SD

San Jose piled on chances but couldn’t find a breakthrough against a rotated Seattle side. Per FotMob, they outcreated Seattle 2.35 xG to 0.51 xG in the 1-0 loss. All four performances this season have been high-quality, even if this one ended in defeat.?

Previous:?1-0 loss vs. SEA | Next: 3/21 at VAN

It took a loooonnggg time, but the?Red Bulls finally found the back of the net at Toronto.

Maxim Choupo-Moting ties it for New York at the death! ?? pic.twitter.com/LYpenYpaFo

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 14, 2026

New York were the better side for the large majority of the game, but a quick counter-attacking goal had Toronto ahead at halftime.?

Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting’s stoppage-time equalizer eventually delivered a deserved point. Make it seven points in four games for New York.

Previous:?1-1 draw at TOR | Next: 3/21 at CLT

Folks. The second-latest winning goal (regulation time) in MLS history.

GOLAZO ??

Mateusz Bogusz with a dagger at the death for @HoustonDynamo! pic.twitter.com/OFz6DNttS7

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 15, 2026

They probably don’t want to leave it quite that late going forward, but the Dynamo have two wins in three games this season. And early returns on their two new DPs – Guilherme and Mateusz Bogusz – have been solid. Guilherme scored the opener in their 3-2 win, while Bogusz scored the winner.

Previous:?3-2 win vs. POR | Next: 3/21 at DAL

Petar Musa has quietly been one of the best No. 9s in MLS since arriving two years ago. The Croatian international reminded San Diego of that three separate times in Saturday’s 3-3 draw.

Musa’s 95th-minute equalizer gave FC Dallas a point and made Musa the first FC Dallas player to score multiple regular-season hat tricks.

Previous:?3-3 draw vs. SD | Next: 3/21 vs. HOU

It seems like the Rapids are building a cohesive and purposeful possession-based style of play under new head coach Matt Wells. It’s going to take time (and probably a few roster moves) before that truly starts to turn into results, though.

They completed nearly 200 more passes, but were chasing NYCFC for much of last weekend's 3-1 road loss.

Previous:?3-1 loss at NYC | Next: 3/21 at SKC

Just an all-timer of a mixed bag last week.

Cincy pummeled Tigres 3-0 in CCC play on Thursday, then turned around and got clobbered by New England in a 6-1 loss on Sunday.

It hasn’t been a strong start to MLS play so far. But advancing past Tigres in Mexico this week would most likely take the sting out of three straight losses in MLS.

Previous:?6-1 loss at NE | Next: 3/22 vs. MTL

Charlotte kept Lionel Messi-less Inter Miami quiet, but couldn’t find a goal of their own in a 0-0 draw. The Crown have scored just four goals in four games.

Previous:?0-0 draw vs. MIA | Next: 3/21 vs. RBNY

This is going about as well as it could be, all things considered. After going down at Chicago, D.C. picked up their second win of the year thanks to goals in the 84th and 95th minutes.

New DP striker Tai Baribo has three goals, and D.C. are on pace to nearly double their point total from last year’s Wooden Spoon-winning season.

It's only four games, but you celebrate what you can after a struggle-filled 2025.

Previous:?2-1 win at CHI | Next: 3/21 at ATL

The Fire just can’t seem to grow out of being… well, the Fire. This week’s disappointment came in the form of allowing an 84th-minute equalizer and a 95th-minute winner against D.C. United.

Chicago have four points through their first four games, but they’ve surrendered late 1-0 leads twice. They should have 10 points. Instead, they’re still struggling to hold leads. So far, 2026 hasn’t been the leap forward folks were hoping for.

Previous:?2-1 loss vs. DC | Next: 3/21 at PHI

The Galaxy outshot visiting Sporting KC 17-7, but Dejan Jovelji? got the best of his old team in a 2-1 defeat. That's two straight losses in MLS action.

The good news from last week is they're up 3-0 on Jamaica's Mount Pleasant in CCC action. LA have one foot in the quarterfinals.

Previous:?2-1 loss vs. SKC | Next: 3/22 at POR

Austin took an early lead, but RSL took control and eventually came back to earn a 2-1 win. After going two games undefeated to start the year, Austin have lost back-to-back road matches.

Previous:?2-1 loss at RSL | Next: 3/21 vs. LAFC

Club-record signing Josh Sargent’s debut nearly ended with three points. But Toronto surrendered a late stoppage-time equalizer that kept them from a win. Maybe Sargent, perhaps in a starting role, can make a difference this weekend.

Josh Sargent in to make his @TorontoFC debut! ?? pic.twitter.com/N0w8pcPBKn

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 14, 2026

Previous:?1-1 draw vs. RBNY | Next: 3/21 vs. CLB

Uhhhhhhhhh, it's probably best to do some breathing exercises and try to put the 6-0 defeat at Vancouver out of mind.?

At least James Rodríguez made his Loons debut.

Welcome to the league, James Rodríguez. ????

The Colombian legend enters for his MLS debut. pic.twitter.com/4Tej8ht3u4

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) March 15, 2026

Previous:?6-0 loss at VAN | Next: 3/22 vs. SEA

Dejan Jovelji? loves scoring at Dignity Health Sports Park. He’s scored five times in his last five games there?for both the Galaxy and Sporting KC. Fortunately for Sporting KC, he was on their side for this one. The DP No. 9 found the net again, and Sporting KC earned their first win of the season (and first under new coach Raphael Wicky).?

Things have gone relatively well so far for a side tabbed as a preseason Wooden Spoon favorite. Jovelji?’s four goal contributions have played a major role.

Previous:?2-1 win at LA | Next: 3/21 vs. COL

For all the talk about building on former head coach Wilfried Nancy’s tactics, Columbus have set up in a 4-4-2 the last two weeks. They’ve scored no goals in either game and earned just one point.

New head coach Henrik Rydstr?m has some things to figure out.

Previous:?1-0 loss vs. NSH | Next: 3/21 at TOR

Whatever the Revs did during their week off should be standard practice from here on out. They chose violence against FC Cincinnati on Sunday afternoon, bullying their way to a 6-1 win.

It’s their first victory under new head coach Marko Mitrovi? and the first game of the year where they’ve looked up for the fight. Five different players found the net for New England.

Previous:?6-1 win vs. CIN | Next: 3/21 at STL

The Timbers are tied with Minnesota for the most goals conceded in the West. Their 11th and latest goal conceded gave Houston all three points 15 minutes into second-half stoppage time. With a 3-2 defeat and three losses in four games to start the year, the heat is ratcheting up in Portland.

Previous:?3-2 loss at HOU | Next: 3/22 vs. LA

After six-plus years, Oscar Pareja is no longer in charge of Orlando City. The club opted to part ways with Pareja early last week following a 5-0 defeat at NYCFC.

Pareja helped turn Orlando from a side that regularly finished at the bottom of the standings into a consistent Audi MLS Cup Playoffs team. But things had gone stale.

Assistant coach Martín Perelman has taken over as interim and, well, so far so good. Orlando took care of business last weekend in a 2-1 win over?CF Montréal.

Previous:?2-1 win vs. MTL | Next: 3/21 at NSH

It took 290 days, but Atlanta United finally got an MLS win at home. The Union were pretty hapless, though don’t get it too twisted here. The Five Stripes looked as cohesive and competent as they have in a long, long, long time.

New midfielder Matías Galarza made an impact in the 3-1 win, and maybe the most encouraging news for Atlanta fans is that the DPs seem to finally be sorting things out. Emmanuel Latte Lath and Alexey Miranchuk both scored, while Miguel Almirón delivered three assists.

Did we see a sign of things to come, or a flash in the pan?

Previous:?3-1 win vs. PHI | Next: 3/21 vs. DC

Montréal couldn’t back up their big 3-0 win at the Red Bulls. They generated chances, but Orlando were the better side in the 2-1 result.

Previous:?2-1 loss at ORL | Next: 3/22 at CIN

St. Louis have scored one more goal than you and I have this season. To be fair, they’ve gone up against San Diego, Seattle and LAFC in their last three games. Maybe this upcoming weekend’s matchup against New England can provide a bit more room to operate.

Previous:?2-0 loss at LAFC | Next: 3/21 vs. NE

The only team the Union have beaten in 2026 is Defence Force, a club from Trinidad & Tobago that rosters several members of the T&T protective forces.

Last year’s Supporters' Shield winner is the only team in MLS without a point. The lesson, as always: Replacing good players is hard.

Previous:?3-1 loss at ATL | Next: 3/21 vs. CHI

• Power Rankings
• Voices: Sam Jones
• Atlanta United
• Austin FC
• Charlotte FC
• Chicago Fire FC
• FC Cincinnati
• Colorado Rapids
• Columbus Crew
• FC Dallas
• D.C. United
• Houston Dynamo FC
• Sporting Kansas City
• LA Galaxy
• Los Angeles Football Club
• Inter Miami CF
• Minnesota United FC
• CF Montréal
• Nashville SC
• New England Revolution
• Red Bull New York
• New York City Football Club
• Orlando City SC
• Philadelphia Union
• Portland Timbers
• Real Salt Lake
• San Diego FC
• San Jose Earthquakes
• Seattle Sounders FC
• St. Louis CITY SC
• Toronto FC
• Vancouver Whitecaps FC

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