It's Monday, another week of MLS action is in the books, which means it's time for ESPN's Power Rankings. - Stream on ESPN+: LaLiga, Bundesliga, more (U.S.) Our Power Rankings are derived from a combination of key season statistics (points per game, goal differential, expected goal (xG) differential), recent performance, the Opta computer ratings, and the observations of our writers. So, who's climbing the table? Who's in free fall? We've ranked all 29 clubs in the league after Matchday 5. Let's dive in.
2. FC CincinnatiPrevious ranking: 3 I'm fascinated to see how the five new starters in Pat Noonan's preferred lineup start to jell, but the big story for Cincy continues to be Lucho Acosta. The guy feasts in tight games and scored the lone goal in his team's 1-0 win over NYCFC. 4. Inter Miami CFPrevious ranking: 2 Don't worry -- or celebrate, depending on your perspective -- folks, Inter Miami are still going to be a great MLS team when at full strength. They weren't at full strength against RBNY, though. And they won't be at full strength this summer. Depth is something of a concern for Tata Martino's team. 6. LA GalaxyPrevious ranking: 9 The Galaxy's attack just might be the best in MLS. They've scored three goals in three of their past four matches, including in Saturday's come-from-behind win over SKC. The defense is an issue. The buildup is, too. In the final third, though, this team can't be stopped. 8. Minnesota UnitedPrevious ranking: 8 The Loons enjoyed a bye this past weekend, giving new manager Eric Ramsay the chance to run through an extra training session or two with star No. 10 Emanuel Reynoso. 10. CF MontréalPrevious ranking: 10 Laurent Courtois' squad was on bye this weekend. They have two games left on their road trip before settling back into life in Montreal. So far, they've massively exceeded expectations. 12. Houston DynamoPrevious ranking: 11 Still dealing with an injury crisis, the Dynamo should be delighted with their last-minute 1-0 win on the road in Colorado. They should also be delighted that Sebastián Ferreira got back on the field. 14. D.C. UnitedPrevious ranking: 17 With Christian Benteke back on the scoresheet, D.C. earned a nice point on the road against St. Louis City in a 2-2 draw. Troy Lesesne's group is much further along in their tactical development than I thought they'd be at this point in the season. 16. Charlotte FCPrevious ranking: 18 It's hard to read too much into Charlotte's win over Columbus, given the Crew's early yellow card. Still, 23-year-old striker Patrick Agyemang was a difference-maker up top for Dean Smith. 17. Orlando CityPrevious ranking: 19 With Austin FC in town, Orlando picked up their first win of the season. The attack started to flow for Orlando City in a 2-0 win, with Nico Lodeiro, Martín Ojeda, and Luis Muriel working together nicely in the final third. 18. St. Louis City SCPrevious ranking: 21 St. Louis gave up a lead in the first half, only to storm back with a penalty kick equalizer in the second. Bradley Carnell's squad might just be afraid of playing a normal 90-minute game. 20. Toronto FCPrevious ranking: 24 While three points should put a smile on the faces of Toronto FC fans, losing Lorenzo Insigne to yet another injury is a huge blow. 22. Seattle SoundersPrevious ranking: 16 The Sounders have been oh-so-solid defensively for most of Brian Schmetzer's tenure. That wasn't the case against San Jose on Saturday, when Seattle shipped three goals for the first time in a regular season game since June 2023. 23. Chicago FirePrevious ranking: 23 Chicago had no real progress in their 1-1 draw with the Revs. This team looks at home in 12th out East. 25. New York City FCPrevious ranking: 26 Consistency continues to be an issue for NYCFC, who followed up their first win of the season with a tame 1-0 loss to FC Cincinnati. 27. San Jose EarthquakesPrevious ranking: 29 Progress! San Jose looked strong in their 3-2 win over the Sounders. Niko Tsakiris, who recently recovered from injury, was especially bright. The 18-year-old brought an extra layer of speed and on-ball quality to what's been a sluggish midfield. 29. Austin FCPrevious ranking: 28 Forty percent of Austin's games this year have ended without them taking a shot from inside the box. They're in deep trouble this year.
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