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MLS Power Rankings, Week 9: LAFC, Orlando make moves after stellar wins

Harry How / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Welcome to the 2018 MLS Power Rankings, where theScore ranks each team after each week with consideration to form, latest results, stats, and other intangibles to craft an idea of how things stand in one single table.

Here's how each team ranks after Week 9:

1. Atlanta United (–)

  • Last Week: 4-1 win vs. Montreal Impact
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 at Chicago (8:30 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
6-1-1 21 9

A pair of Kevin Kratz free-kicks highlighted Atlanta United's dominant second-half showing. This latest big-margin win keeps the Five Stripes atop our table.

2. New York City FC (–)

  • Last Week: 3-1 win vs. FC Dallas
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 at NY Red Bulls (2:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
6-1-2 19 10

New York City FC inflicted a first defeat of the 2018 season to Dallas, and did so without much fuss, as David Villa celebrated his 400th career goal, too.

3. Los Angeles FC ▲

  • Last Week: 1-0 win vs. Seattle Sounders
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 vs. Dallas (4:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
5-2-0 17 13

Los Angeles FC celebrated the opening of its new home stadium with a last-minute free-kick by Laurent Ciman. This is the stuff of Hollywood scripts, folks.

4. Orlando City ▲

  • Last Week: 2-1 win vs. Colorado Rapids
  • Next MLS Match: May 6 vs. Real Salt Lake (5:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
5-2-1 16 13

Make that five wins in a row for the mighty Lions of Orlando City, who easily dispatched Colorado and will now look to do the same against RSL next week.

5. Sporting Kansas City ▼

  • Last Week: 1-0 loss vs. New England Revolution
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 vs. Colorado (8:30 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
5-2-2 20 12

Whoops. That's not how this match was supposed to go for Sporting KC, which lost to New England after a controversial VAR decision proved the difference.

6. New York Red Bulls ▼

  • Last Week: 3-2 win vs. LA Galaxy
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 vs. NYCFC (2:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
4-3-0 17 10

The Red Bulls edged out the Galaxy courtesy of an 84th-minute penalty in a match mired by ... "curious" refereeing. Still, three points is three points.

7. FC Dallas (–)

  • Last Week: 3-1 loss vs. New York City FC
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 at LAFC (4:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
3-1-3 10 6

FC Dallas suffered its first defeat of the 2018 season, but won't be discouraged as the team will aim to brush off this loss and make a statement against LAFC.

8. LA Galaxy (–)

  • Last Week: 3-2 loss vs. New York Red Bulls
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 at Houston (8:30 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
3-4-1 10 13

LA Galaxy captain Ashley Cole, ladies and gentlemen:

9. Columbus Crew SC ▲

  • Last Week: 2-1 win vs. San Jose Earthquakes
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 at Seattle (4:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
4-3-2 13 10

It took a late Mike Grella goal to secure all three points, but Columbus Crew SC won't care how this win was earned - only that it ends a four-match winless run.

10. Chicago Fire ▲

  • Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Toronto FC
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 vs. Atlanta (8:30 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
2-3-2 11 12

A late Alan Gordon goal against one of his former teams? That's just perfect for the Chicago Fire, who took on a run-down TFC and stole a point at the last.

11. Houston Dynamo ▼

  • Last Week: 2-1 loss vs. Minnesota United
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 vs. LA Galaxy (8:30 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
2-3-2 15 11

The Houston Dynamo still require a bit of work before they can be a real threat in MLS. First thing's first: Get the most out of Romell Quioto and Alberth Elis.

12. Vancouver Whitecaps ▲

  • Last Week: 2-0 win vs. Real Salt Lake
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 at Minnesota (2:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
4-4-1 10 17

Off the back of a pair of red cards, the Vancouver Whitecaps had yet another player ejected, but snapped a three-match losing streak, so ... good job?

13. New England Revolution (–)

  • Last Week: 1-0 win vs. Sporting Kansas City
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 at Montreal (1:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
4-2-2 13 8

Now wait just one minute. The New England Revolution aren't good again, are they? Early signs point to yes, though this win was largely fortuitous in nature.

14. Toronto FC ▼

  • Last Week: 2-2 draw vs. Chicago Fire
  • Next MLS Match: May 4 vs. Philadelphia (8:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
1-4-1 6 13

Blame Champions League fatigue for some of Toronto FC's troubles - as well as a spate of injuries to key starters - but the Reds will be fine, in good time.

Related: Why Toronto FC has no need to panic amid slow start to 2018

15. Portland Timbers ▲

  • Last Week: Bye week
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 at San Jose (10:30 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
2-3-2 12 14

The Portland Timbers took a little break this week and will return to action next weekend against San Jose.

16. San Jose Earthquakes ▼

  • Last Week: 2-1 loss vs. Columbus Crew SC
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 vs. Portland (10:30 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
1-4-2 12 15

Any hope the San Jose Earthquakes had of being competitive in the west this season is quickly being dashed as poor results compound in quick succession.

17. Seattle Sounders ▲

  • Last Week: 1-0 loss vs. Los Angeles FC
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 vs. Crew SC (4:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
1-4-1 5 9

If Stefan Frei is missing easy free-kick saves at the last minute, you know it's all gone wrong for the Seattle Sounders at the top of the 2018 campaign.

18. Philadelphia Union ▲

  • Last Week: 3-2 win vs. D.C. United
  • Next MLS Match: May 4 at Toronto (8:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
2-3-2 6 10

The Philadelphia Union pulled off a pretty straightforward win over D.C., even if it did come from a slimmer margin than Jim Curtin would have preferred.

19. Minnesota United ▲

  • Last Week: 2-1 win vs. Houston Dynamo
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 vs. Vancouver (2:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
3-5-0 11 16

There's nothing more humiliating than being sung off after a loss, doubly so if your team loses to Minnesota United and has to listen to "Wonderwall."

20. Montreal Impact ▼

  • Last Week: 4-1 loss vs. Atlanta United
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 vs. New England (1:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
2-6-0 10 21

A fourth loss in a row has the Montreal Impact feeling blue. One must wonder if Remi Garde's side has enough quality to overturn this slump by season's end.

21. Real Salt Lake ▼

  • Last Week: 2-0 loss vs. Vancouver Whitecaps
  • Next MLS Match: May 6 at Orlando (5:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
3-4-1 9 16

Real Salt Lake has firmly established its reputation for taking two steps back after taking one step forward. Case in point, a loss to a 10-man Whitecaps.

22. Colorado Rapids (–)

  • Last Week: 2-1 loss vs. Orlando City
  • Next MLS Match: May 5 at Sporting KC (8:30 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
2-3-2 10 10

Another week, another loss for the Colorado Rapids, who really needed to turn around a previous 3-0 loss to RSL with a better showing against Orlando.

23. D.C. United (–)

  • Last Week: 3-2 loss vs. Philadelphia Union
  • Next MLS Match: May 12 at Real Salt Lake (9:00 p.m. ET)
Record (W-L-D) Goals For Goals Against
1-4-2 8 13

D.C. United lost, again, but it could be worse - the team could be bottom of the league, a spot currently occupied by Toronto. Silver linings, people.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)

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