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 out of moving your team in particular down a few spots when he can.<\/p>\n
Mukhtar\u2019s hat trick \u2013 this was maybe his best-ever game in MLS \u2013 powered Nashville<\/a> to an impressive 3-2 win over LAFC<\/a>. That capped a huge week that started with Nashville whomping New England<\/a>, 3-0, on the road.<\/p>\n Nashville keep reminding everyone they\u2019re arguably the league\u2019s most complete team. They lead the Supporters\u2019 Shield standings after 13 matches.<\/p>\n Make it three wins in a row with 11 goals scored, and the defending MLS Cup presented by Audi champions \u2013 at long last \u2013 have their first victory at Nu Stadium.<\/p>\n The Revs were taken to the woodshed by Nashville on Wednesday, but they responded nicely with a 2-1 win over Minnesota United over the weekend.\u00a0That\u2019s their eighth win of the year.<\/p>\n The Revs never feel all that overwhelming. They keep finding results anyway. Only Nashville, Vancouver and San Jose have more wins this year.<\/p>\n I mean, we could tell you about FC Dallas going toe-to-toe with Vancouver in a midweek loss and then earning a huge 3-2 win over San Jose on Saturday to cap a week that proved their bona fides as a real threat in the West.<\/p>\n The last time Hugo Cuypers played in an MLS regular-season game and didn\u2019t score? October 18, 2025.<\/p>\n Cuypers has played in 10 MLS games this year and scored in all 10. He\u2019s up to 13 goals this season and leads the Golden Boot presented by Audi race. In just 10 matches, he\u2019s beaten his 2024 total by three goals and is four away from matching his 17-goal output last season.<\/p>\n On a related note: Chicago beat D.C. United<\/a> and CF Montr\u00e9al<\/a> last week. They\u2019re fourth in the Eastern Conference after earning 23 points through 13 matches.<\/p>\n All of the positive vibes possible to New York City FC<\/a> legend Maxi Moralez<\/a>. The veteran midfielder left the team’s 1-1 draw against the Red Bulls with a non-contact knee injury.<\/p>\n If that\u2019s it for Moralez in MLS, it\u2019s been a \u201cstatue outside of the new stadium\u201d kind of career. He’s been an every-game starter, even at age 39. Unreal stuff.<\/p>\n Cincy<\/a> used to win a ton of one-goal games. It\u2019s much harder to do that, though, when you\u2019re allowing 2.5 goals per match.<\/p>\n They just allowed eight goals in a one-point week that featured a 5-3 loss to Inter Miami. Only Orlando City have allowed more goals in MLS this year.<\/p>\n Last week, Julian Hall<\/a> became the youngest player in MLS history to record a hat trick. He scored all three goals in RBNY’s 3-2 win<\/a> over Columbus<\/a>. The 18-year-old homegrown striker is up to 9g\/2a this season.<\/p>\n The Red Bulls couldn\u2019t carry that momentum into a win in the Hudson River Derby, but it\u2019s tough to complain about a four-point week.<\/p>\n San Diego<\/a> steamrolled Austin<\/a> in a 5-0 win midweek and were seconds away from following it up with a 3-2 win over FC Cincinnati. Instead, they allowed a 98th-minute equalizer just two minutes after Marcus Ingvartsen<\/a> seemingly put San Diego ahead for good.<\/p>\n At least it\u2019s become clear that they can count on Ingvartsen. The veteran striker has delivered 11g\/4a in 12 starts after being injured for long stretches last year.<\/p>\n D.C. got thumped by Chicago midweek and were in danger of going empty-handed on Saturday, too. However,\u00a0Jo\u00e3o Peglow<\/a>\u2019s 90th-minute equalizer rescued a point against St. Louis.<\/p>\n Now, taking 17 points from 14 matches isn\u2019t spectacular. But relative to expectations, the first half of the year has been a solid one for the Black-and-Red under head coach Ren\u00e9 Weiler.<\/p>\n A four-point week with a win over LAFC and a draw that could have easily been a win against D.C. is a really solid week.<\/p>\n St. Louis are starting to find their footing a bit, it seems. They\u2019ve earned seven points from their last three matches.<\/p>\n It\u2019s been far from perfect for CF Montr\u00e9al this year, but they don\u2019t go down easily and they aren\u2019t in Wooden Spoon territory. All things considered, it could be far worse. After a one-point week, they\u2019ve earned seven points from their last five matches.<\/p>\n Toronto are so incredibly injured right now that it\u2019s tough to assess anything they\u2019re doing. We do know they haven\u2019t won since April 4, though. The summer break is going to be very, very welcome.<\/p>\n Losing 5-0 at San Diego is one thing, but following it up with a 2-1 loss against Sporting KC after leading is\u2026 well, less than ideal.<\/p>\n Suffice it to say, it wasn\u2019t all that surprising when Austin parted ways<\/a> with sporting director Rodolfo Borrell and head coach Nico Estevez on Monday morning.<\/p>\n We’ve got a new direction for the Verde & Black.<\/p>\n Henrik Rydstr\u00f6m\u2019s tenure in Columbus lasted just 14 matches.<\/p>\n After a one-point week that included a loss at the Red Bulls and a draw at Philadelphia, Columbus parted ways<\/a> with their new head coach.<\/p>\n The Crew have certainly underperformed, but it seems this decision may have been more influenced by how the locker room received Rydstr\u00f6m\u2019s approach.<\/p>\n