Cincy on the up after tight draw vs. Messi-less Miami

6 months ago 6

Jon ArnoldJul 28, 2025, 10:25 AM ET

The 2025 MLS play is firmly underway, which means it's clip for ESPN's Power Rankings.

Who's climbing the table, and who's successful escaped fall? Our writers studied the enactment from crossed the play to bid each 30 teams successful the league. Let's dive in.

1. Philadelphia Union

Previous ranking: 1

The No. 1 got a trial from the Rapids, heading into the halftime interruption down 1-0. But the Union stayed astatine it and ended up getting a 3-1 victory, with Tai Baribo erstwhile again scoring and Mikkel Uhre adding a brace of goals connected 11 touches disconnected the bench.

2. Inter Miami CF

Previous ranking: 2

It's hard to clasp a location gully with Cincinnati against Miami, considering the Herons were missing Lionel Messi and Jordi Alba due to the fact that of suspensions incurred aft the prima duo opted not to be the league's All-Star Game. Fafà Picault and Luis Suárez had their opportunities, but they couldn't score. Keeping Evander disconnected the scoreboard is simply a immense measurement for their defense, though.

3. San Diego FC

Previous ranking: 4

San Diego won a much-anticipated showdown with Nashville 1-0, but it easy could've been more. After mounting up Hirving "Chucky" Lozano for the opening goal, Anders Dreyer had a punishment saved and past a stoppage-time breakaway chopped abbreviated by the last whistle being blown. SDFC volition beryllium blessed for the points connected a nighttime erstwhile their onslaught showed conscionable however devastating it tin be.

4. FC Cincinnati

Previous ranking: 6

Cincinnati thought it had beaten Miami erstwhile halfway backmost Miles Robinson enactment the shot into the nett successful stoppage time. Instead, it bafflingly was ruled retired for a foul, meaning FCC had to settee for a scoreless draw. It's the 3rd cleanable expanse successful a enactment for the Knifey Lions, who gaffe to 2nd successful the Supporters' Shield standings.

5. Nashville SC

Previous ranking: 3

Going connected the roadworthy for a Friday nighttime tilt -- with 3 All-Stars joining up precocious to footwear -- was going to beryllium pugnacious for B.J. Callaghan's men, and they fell 1-0 to San Diego. While it was a hard spot, Nashville inactive needs to amusement it tin bushed chap rubric contenders aft defeats to Miami and present SDFC this month.

6. Vancouver Whitecaps

Previous ranking: 8

Just erstwhile it looked similar the Whitecaps were slowing down, they smashed past Kansas City 3-0 acknowledgment to a originative show from Jayden Nelson. After a tiny swoon, they're backmost to 2nd successful the West and 5th successful the Supporters' Shield.

7. Columbus Crew

Previous ranking: 5

The Crew went up aboriginal and had chances to widen the pb but couldn't header with Orlando precocious and fell 3-1 connected the road. The accomplishment of Wessam Abou Ali, the benignant of DP guardant the squad has missed since Cucho Hernández near for Real Betis, should boost spirits successful Ohio's superior contempt the defeat.

8. Minnesota United

Previous ranking: 9

Kelvin Yeboah is simply a devastating punishment taker and got the accidental to instrumentality 2 for Minnesota, keying a 2-1 triumph implicit St. Louis. He won the archetypal by getting successful the container and earning not lone a punishment but a reddish paper for Chris Durkin, which swung the lucifer successful the visitors' favor.

9. Seattle Sounders

Previous ranking: 7

The Sounders stayed undefeated since the Club World Cup with a 2-2 distant gully against Atlanta connected Saturday. They won't beryllium capable to shingle the feeling that it should've been more, conceding a stoppage-time extremity aft scoring 1 of their own.

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Alexey Miranchuk rips gorgeous equalizer from extracurricular container for Atlanta

Alexey Miranchuk curls successful a extremity close earlier the last whistle to salvage a gully for Atlanta United against the Sounders.

10. Orlando City

Previous ranking: 11

After conceding a penalty, Orlando responded with a flurry of goals -- 2 pursuing the look of Martín Ojeda uncovering Iván Angulo, who successful crook deed Ramiro Enrique, who scored -- successful a 3-1 triumph implicit Columbus. The Lions person scored successful their ast 16 matches, but they indispensable beryllium tidier astatine the backmost to support climbing the table.

11. Charlotte FC

Previous ranking: 12

Charlotte rolled past Toronto with a 2-0 triumph acknowledgment to goals from Idan Toklomati and Kerwin Vargas, with Wilfried Zaha pulling the strings. The club's past is not long, but it's inactive notable that it has won 4 consecutive for the archetypal clip ever.

12. LAFC

Previous ranking: 10

With Aaron Long injured and Eddie Segura suspended, LAFC had a patchwork backline against Portland. While they mostly denied bully chances, Timbers midfielder Cristhian Paredes scored connected a acceptable piece, and LAFC couldn't bushed Timbers goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau successful a 1-0 defeat.

13. San Jose Earthquakes

Previous ranking: 13

Josef Martínez had San Jose up of Salt Lake successful the 51st infinitesimal successful an attacking determination that showed the Quakes astatine their best. Then, a brace of antiaircraft errors showed them astatine their worst, and they had to wrestle with a 2-1 loss. It's present 7 successful a enactment successful each competitions without a triumph for Bruce Arena's squad.

14. Chicago Fire

Previous ranking: 14

Hugo Cuypers converted a punishment footwear to assistance the Fire to a 1-0 triumph implicit the Red Bulls astatine home, wherever the Fire really person struggled this season. Perhaps fans successful the Windy City volition spot much affirmative results soon.

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Fire victorious aft blanking Red Bulls

The Chicago Fire get a large 1-0 triumph implicit the Red Bulls Saturday night.

15. New York City FC

Previous ranking: 17

Alonso Martínez scored a chapeau instrumentality aft teen Jonathan Shore's MLS debut arsenic NYCFC topped Dallas 4-3 successful North Texas. They're undefeated successful their past three, but the 3 goals conceded successful 1 fractional are concerning.

16. Portland Timbers

Previous ranking: 18

The Timbers secured a 1-0 roadworthy triumph implicit LAFC acknowledgment to immoderate heroics from goalkeeper Maxime Crépeau and a slayer header from Cristhian Paredes. It's conscionable the benignant of effect they could usage to crook things astir -- though adjacent up is Leagues Cup.

17. Austin FC

Previous ranking: 19

Austin has struggled up apical this play and is present missing guardant Brandon Vázquez due to the fact that of a semipermanent injury. The cure? Play D.C. United. The Texas squad rolled to a 4-2 victory, scoring aboriginal and often. Austin is unbeaten successful its past four.

18. New York Red Bulls

Previous ranking: 15

The Red Bulls struggled to get overmuch going against the Fire, falling 1-0 astatine Soldier Field connected Saturday. While they beryllium 10th successful the East, lone 2 teams successful the league person worse roadworthy records.

19. Colorado Rapids

Previous ranking: 16

Things started truthful good for the Rapids successful their travel to Philadelphia. Rafael Navarro scored from a beauteous header to springiness the visitors a lead, but the Union wore Colorado down and took a 3-1 triumph from the encounter. Leagues Cup arrives astatine a bully clip for the Rapids, who person won erstwhile successful their past five.

20. Real Salt Lake

Previous ranking: 22

Despite a bid of aboriginal chances, RSL were playing from behind, yet they were capable to instrumentality vantage of a busted offside trap from San Jose to propulsion level and a goalkeeper mistake meant a 2-1 triumph for the hosts. They'll instrumentality it.

21. Houston Dynamo

Previous ranking: 20

The Dynamo weren't successful enactment this play aft Friday's lucifer against the Galaxy was postponed due to the fact that of dense rainfall. A Leagues Cup "home" lucifer against Tigres looms.

22. FC Dallas

Previous ranking: 21

Oh, Dallas. Should it get recognition for 3 first-half goals and a near-miss against NYCFC? Or punished for practically handing NYCFC the win, giving up a chapeau instrumentality to Alonso Martínez and making the Western Conference's worst location grounds look adjacent worse?

23. LA Galaxy

Previous ranking: 23

If the Galaxy's uptick successful signifier is going to continue, it'll person to wait. The reigning champions' lucifer against Houston was postponed due to the fact that of terrible upwind successful Houston and volition present beryllium played Sept. 6.

24. CF Montréal

Previous ranking: 27

Despite conceding archetypal against the Revs, Montréal earned its 4th triumph of the play with a 3-1 victory. Prince Owusu, Dante Sealy and Olger Escobar scored the goals, which possibly volition springiness fans successful Quebec conscionable a dash of anticipation that determination are pieces to rescue here.

25. Sporting Kansas City

Previous ranking: 25

A 3-0 nonaccomplishment to Vancouver saw SKC dominated by the Caps onslaught portion they struggled to decorativeness the opportunities they generated up top.

26. New England Revolution

Previous ranking: 24

The Revs were playing the worst squad successful the Eastern Conference standings and scored successful the 3rd minute. They were losing by the 36th infinitesimal and ended up falling 3-1 to Montréal. The Revs person 1 triumph successful their past 15.

27. Atlanta United

Previous ranking: 29

A stunner of a extremity from Alexey Miranchuk successful the 99th infinitesimal rescued a constituent for Atlanta against the Sounders. It's the Five Stripes' 4th gully successful their past 5 contests.

28. Toronto FC

Previous ranking: 26

TFC really had much possession than Charlotte but didn't pb successful galore different categories, including the 1 that matters successful a 2-0 decision astatine Bank of America Stadium.

29. St. Louis City SC

Previous ranking: 28

Struggling teams find ways to lose, and that's what St. Louis did successful a 2-1 decision to Minnesota. Despite being up acknowledgment to a first-half Eduard Löwen penalty, STL conceded a brace of penalties of their ain successful the 2nd half.