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MLS 2017 Power Rankings, Week 19: Chicago Fire in pole position at Gold Cup break

Chicago leads the league into its Gold Cup break.

Kamil Krzaczynski-USA TODAY Sports
No great change in the top five in Week 19...

1. Chicago Fire (no movement)
  • 38 points, 1st in Eastern Conference
  • 1st in Supporters' Shield race
  • Last result: Portland 2-2 Chicago
The Fire's latest winning streak was capped at four games by Portland, but its unbeaten streak is alive and strong at 11 matches and counting.

2. Toronto FC (up one place)

  • 38 points, 2nd in East
  • 2nd in Shield race
  • Last result: Orlando 1-3 TFC
TFC shrugged off its Week 18 loss to FC Dallas, bouncing back with a road win to keep the pressure on Chicago's hold on top spot in the Shield race.

3. New York City FC (down one place)
  • 33 points, 3rd in East
  • 3rd in Shield race
  • Last result: Vancouver 3-2 NYCFC
NYCFC slips a place, but its next three league games are against the two teams above it in these Rankings. The chance to bounce back up the list will come quickly.

4. Sporting Kansas City (no movement)
  • 32 points, 1st in Western Conference
  • 4th in Shield race
  • Last result: KC 1-1 Philadelphia
Points dropped at home again, but KC is now undefeated in its last six league outings.

5. Atlanta United (no movement)
  • 30 points, 4th in East
  • 6th in Shield race
  • Last result: Atlanta 4-2 San Jose
Three wins in a row now for Atlanta.



6. FC Dallas (up four places)
  • 31 points, 2nd in West
  • 5th in Shield race
  • Last result: FCD 4-2 DCU
After a bit of a slump in May and June, FCD has kicked off July with back-to-back wins.

7. Vancouver Whitecaps (no movement)
  • 24 points, 6th in West
  • 13th in Shield race
  • Last result: VWFC 3-2 NYCFC
Beating NYCFC is a good result, but the Caps' form is so uneven that the Rankings are hesitant to give too much credit for what might yet prove a freak result.

8. Seattle Sounders (up one place)
  • 24 points, 7th in West
  • 14th in Shield race
  • Last result: Colorado 1-3 Seattle
The Sounders won two of their first 11 games of MLS 2017. They've since won four of their last eight.

9. Houston Dynamo (up six places)
  • 28 points, 3rd in West
  • 9th in Shield race
  • Last result: Houston 3-1 Montreal
The Dynamo isn't in great form, just in better form than the other candidates to round out the top 10 of this list.

10. Philadelphia Union (up four places)
  • 23 points, 8th in East
  • 15th in Shield race
  • Last result: KC 1-1 Philadelphia
A draw isn't usually a reason for a massive bump up the Rankings, but the Union is now unbeaten in its last three games and grabbing a point in KC is not a bad result.


11. Colorado Rapids (down three places)
  • 19 points, 10th in West
  • 20th in Shield race
  • Last result: Colorado 1-3 Seattle
Third loss in four games: the Rapids are sliding again.

12. Montreal Impact (down one place)
  • 21 points, 9th in East
  • 17th in Shield race
  • Last result: Houston 3-1 Montreal
As soon as L'Impact starts to look like it might have got its act together, it slips up again.

13. LA Galaxy (down seven places)
  • 22 points, 8th in West
  • 16th in Shield race
  • Last result: LA 2-6 RSL
Third consecutive loss for LA, and it was a humiliating defeat in front of its home crowd, inflicted by one of the more troubled teams in the West.

14. San Jose Earthquakes (down one place)
  • 26 points, 5th in West
  • 12th in Shield race
  • Last result: Atlanta 4-2 SJ
Still win-some, lose-some for San Jose.

15. Columbus Crew (up one place)
  • 28 points, 6th in East
  • 8th in Shield race
  • Last result: Minnesota 0-1 Columbus
Solid result for the lackluster Crew.


16. New York Red Bulls (up three places)
  • 26 points, 7th in East
  • 11th in Shield race
  • Last result: Revs 2-3 RBNY
A little fortunate to win in New England, perhaps, but three goals and three points on the road is generally enough to get a positive boost in the Power Rankings.

17. Real Salt Lake (up five places)
  • 20 points, 9th in West
  • 18th in Shield race
  • Last result: LA 2-6 RSL
The Rankings will resist the urge to pitch RSL into the top 10 for thrashing the Galaxy in LA.

18.  Minnesota United (down two places)
  • 18 points, 11th in West
  • 21st in Shield race
  • Last result: Minnesota 0-1 Columbus
Minnesota's five-game home stand has started with a disappointment.

19. Orlando City (down one place)
  • 29 points, 5th in East
  • 7th in Shield race
  • Last result: Orlando 1-3 Toronto
Orlando hasn't won at home since the end of May.

20. Portland Timbers (no movement)
  • 27 points, 4th in West
  • 10th in Shield race
  • Last result: Portland 2-2 Chicago
The Timbers are doing fine in the league, but also haven't won in five straight games: Portland has more points than power at the moment.

21. New England Revolution (down nine places)
  • 20 points, 10th in East
  • 19th in Shield race
  • Last result: Revs 2-3 RBNY
Fourth consecutive loss for the Revs and second consecutive home loss: New England is lacking power.

22. D.C. United (down one place)
  • 18 points, 11th in East
  • 22nd in Shield race
  • Last result: FCD 4-2 DCU
DC's loss in Dallas put the team back at the bottom of the league standings and back at the bottom of the Rankings.