Power Rankings: St. Louis CITY continue climb, Charlotte FC rebound | OneFootball

By J. Sam Jones

What a week in MLS. Inter Miami pulled out a late win, St. Louis kept a clean sheet and Vancouver earned three points alongside an impressive Concacaf Champions Cup result. It was truly a week unlike any other.

As always: The Power Rankings are voted on by around 15 people associated with MLSsoccer.com. If you have problems, please email PowerRankingsComplaints@MLSsoccer.com. It’s definitely not going to forward anything you send into my editor's inbox.

1. Inter Miami CF

As always: “Other teams are just teams. They’re smarter than you, they’re luckier than you and whatever you think is going to happen, the exact reverse opposite is going to happen.” They can, in fact, keep getting away with it.

Inter Miami went down early to Atlanta on Sunday and wound up with a 2-1 win after a When Playing It Out Of The Back Goes Wrong and the world’s gentlest-headed winner from Fafà Picault. That’s 10 points from four games despite getting a red card in three of them and trailing in two of them. They’re not going to stop racking up points.

WATCH: Inter Miami stun Atlanta United with late win

Previous: 2-1 win at ATL | Next: Bye

2. Vancouver Whitecaps FC · +4▲

No one has had a more impressive start to the season. After losing DP midfielder Stuart Armstrong and parting ways with their head coach this offseason, expectations weren’t high heading into 2025. But the ‘Caps are thriving.

Despite missing playmaker Ryan Gauld to injury, Vancouver pulled off one of the biggest Concacaf Champions Cup series wins in MLS history last week when they eliminated CF Monterrey. It feels like Rayados have jettisoned roughly 235 MLS teams in that competition over the years, but the ‘Caps made it look relatively easy. It’s their best result in club history, and they followed it up with a 1-0 win at FC Dallas on Saturday. That’s four wins in four MLS games.

While other teams are faltering due to CCC fatigue, Vancouver have just kept going. Jesper Sørensen’s been in charge for about a month's worth of games and has already helped produce an all-time great run for the club. It’s time to talk to your friends and family about the elite Vancouver Whitecaps.

How Vancouver Whitecaps have leveled up in 2025

Previous: 1-0 win at DAL | Next: 3/22 vs. CHI

3. Philadelphia Union · -1▼

The previously-perfect Union hosted Nashville and got a bucket of cold water dumped on their scalding hot start. The 3-1 loss marks the first time in four games they’ve failed to score multiple goals.

Previous: 3-1 loss vs. NSH | Next: 3/22 vs. STL

4. Columbus Crew · +3▲

We always knew the Crew’s ceiling would be limited without Cucho or a Cucho-esque replacement at striker. We got a taste of that during their Round of 16 CCC loss to LAFC. Still, they’re a Wilfried Nancy-led Columbus side. They put the fear of God into LAFC for a moment and followed that up with a 1-1 draw at San Diego. They’ve earned eight points through four games and now don’t have CCC games to slow them down.

Previous: 1-1 draw at SD | Next: 3/22 vs. NYC

5. San Diego FC · +4▲

Four games in and they’re sitting second in the Western Conference. None of it seems like a fluke, either.

Per American Soccer Analysis, San Diego are second in the league in (ultra-small sample size, your mileage may vary) expected goal differential and they’re certainly passing the eye test. They were the better side against the Crew in a 1-1 draw over the weekend.

Previous: 1-1 draw vs. CLB | Next: 3/23 at ATX

6. Charlotte FC · +4▲

They’ve been up against Seattle, Atlanta, Miami and FC Cincinnati to start the season and, after their 2-0 win over Cincy on Saturday, they’ve earned seven points. Just imagine where the hype would be if they had capitalized on Miami’s red card last week. Still, seven from four there is an excellent run. The early-season projections of Charlotte as a potential top-four side in the East feel justified right now.

Previous: 2-0 win vs. CIN | Next: 3/22 vs. SJ

7. Los Angeles Football Club · -2▼

LAFC nearly found themselves in a full-blown existential crisis on Tuesday night when Columbus turned a 3-0 Concacaf Champions Cup deficit into a 3-2 deficit in one half. But LAFC held on and finally shrugged off the Crew, progressing into the quarterfinals. They didn’t carry that momentum into MLS play over the weekend, but they won’t care. They finally beat the boss battle they’d been stuck on since December 2023.

Previous: 1-0 loss vs. ATX | Next: 3/22 at SKC

8. St. Louis CITY SC · +8▲

You have scored exactly as many goals as anyone else has on St. Louis this season. They pushed their clean-sheet streak to four with a 1-0 win over Seattle. The Olof Mellberg era is off to a conservative and effective start.

Previous: 1-0 win vs. SEA | Next: 3/22 at PHI

9. Minnesota United FC · -1▼

Well… for about 67 minutes it looked like the Loons were well on their way to their third straight win. But 13 minutes later, a 3-0 lead over Sporting KC evaporated. That’s not ideal, to say the least, but it’s hard to be too worried when Tani Oluwaseyi is out here picking up a brace and Hassani Dotson is out here doing this:

WATCH: Hassani Dotson hits insane screamer for Minnesota United

Previous: 3-3 draw at SKC | Next: 3/22 vs. LA

10. Colorado Rapids · +4▲

Zack Steffen is in the middle of a complete turnaround. After posting bottom-of-the-barrel shot-stopping numbers in 2024, early statistical returns and the eye test look great for the USMNT goalkeeper in 2025. He made 12 saves in Colorado’s 2-1 win at San Jose this weekend. The Rapids haven’t been great (or remotely good) defensively this year, but Steffen has stepped up to rescue them.

WATCH: Best of Zack Steffen's heroic 12-save performance

Previous: 2-1 win at SJ | Next: 3/22 vs. POR

11. FC Cincinnati · -7▼

Nothing has been easy for Cincy this year. They’ve crashed out of CCC, have just six points from four games and lost Miles Robinson to an injury early in their 2-0 loss at Charlotte. There’s nothing to panic about, but these early-season moments make you wonder about their ceiling.

Previous: 2-0 loss at CLT | Next: 3/22 vs. ATL

12. Seattle Sounders FC · -9▼

Uhhhh… uh-oh.

The Sounders seemed like a sure bet before the season. A few weeks in and the ceiling is dropping. Paul Arriola is likely out for the year after tearing his ACL, Pedro de la Vega is already injured, Jordan Morris is hurt as well, they’re out of CCC and they’re sitting 10th in the West after their 1-0 loss at St. Louis over the weekend. The high of that 5-2 win over a rotated LAFC side went away with warp speed.

Previous: 1-0 loss at STL | Next: 3/22 vs. HOU

13. New York City FC · +2▲

NYCFC are a late Inter Miami equalizer away from sitting on nine points in four games. Instead, they’ll have to settle for seven after rolling past New England in a 2-1 win on Saturday. Alonso Martínez made it three goals in four starts.

Previous: 2-1 win vs. NE | Next: 3/22 at CLB

14. Nashville SC · +8▲

Nashville aren't just starting to be fun – they’re starting to get results. They followed up last week’s 2-0 win over Portland with an even more impressive 3-1 win at red-hot Philadelphia. The vibes are as good in the Music City as they’ve been in a long time.

Nashville SC: Glimpses of dark-horse contender?

Previous: 3-1 win at PHI | Next: 3/22 vs. MTL

15. New York Red Bulls · -4▼

It’s not entirely clear what to think of a Red Bulls side that doesn’t really press well and enjoys spending time on the ball. They kept 57% possession against Orlando last weekend and 60% against Atlanta the weekend prior. It’s… weird. And it’s resulted in two straight draws after playing Orlando to a 2-2 stalemate. They have five points through their first four games.

Previous: 2-2 draw vs. ORL | Next: 3/22 vs. TOR

16. Orlando City · +1▲

Yes, Orlando dropped two separate leads in last weekend's 2-2 draw at the Red Bulls. But there's great news: new DP winger Marco Pašalić is up to three goals and an assist through his first four games. He’s looked like a capable Facundo Torres replacement so far.

Previous: 2-2 draw at RBNY | Next: 3/22 vs. DC

17. Atlanta United · -5▼

Four games in and it’s clear there’s still a lot of work to do in Atlanta. There’s a lack of chemistry in attack and the issues with giveaways and mental lapses that have plagued this side for years are still there.

Case in point, part one: Saba Lobjanidze making a goal-saving tackle on… Emmanuel Latte Lath.

Case in point, part two: A terrible giveaway on Miami’s first goal and a comically slow header finding the back of the net on Miami’s later winner.

Why Atlanta United's high-priced attack isn't producing

Previous: 2-1 loss vs. MIA | Next: 3/22 at CIN

18. San Jose Earthquakes · -5▼

San Jose peppered Colorado with shots on target, but could only get one past Zack Steffen in a 2-1 loss to the Rapids. The bright side is they’re creating chances and Chicho Arango has snapped a months-long scoring drought. He’s got two goals in four starts for his new team.

Previous: 2-1 loss vs. COL | Next: 3/22 at CLT

19. Chicago Fire FC · -1▼

TO THE FLOW CHART…

I can see it → Oh, no → Oh, yikes, no → Well, maybe → Nope → But let’s just… → Oh, ok immediate no on that → But what if they tweak this → This looks better! → OH NO. THEY GOT ME AGAIN → No. → I’m not falling for that → No, forever. → Offseason → I can see it.

Four games in and we’re still hanging around the first “I can see it.” They picked up their second road win in a row by taking down Toronto, 2-1. They’ve earned seven points through four games. Yeah, those seven points came against D.C. United, Dallas and Toronto and, yeah, they’re second to last in the league in expected goals allowed so far per American Soccer Analysis. But, still… like… I can see it!

Previous: 2-1 win at TOR | Next: 3/22 at VAN

20. Austin FC · +1▲

Who needs all those expensive attackers when you have a solid defense and Guilherme Biro? Biro scored the winner (and Austin’s second goal of the season) as Los Verdes earned a 1-0 win at LAFC. That’s four 1-0 games to start the season. Two of them have gone Austin’s way.

Previous: 1-0 win at LAFC | Next: 3/23 vs. SD

21. Real Salt Lake · +2▲

Diego Luna is outstanding. He delivered an opening-minute assist and redirected a go-ahead goal just before stoppage time of RSL’s 2-1 win over Houston. The 2024 MLS Young Player of the Year is a constant threat.

Previous: 2-1 win at HOU | Next: 3/22 vs. DAL

22. FC Dallas · -3▼

Nothing is clicking for Dallas. Vancouver handed them their second-straight home loss on Saturday to make it three games without a win. It’s not how they envisioned following up their blown lead against Chicago last week.

Previous: 1-0 loss vs. VAN | Next: 3/22 at RSL

23. D.C. United · -3▼

D.C. generated plenty of chances against CF Montréal and couldn’t find a breakthrough in a 0-0 draw. Still, they’re undefeated through four games. The competition hasn’t been stiff, but undefeated is undefeated.

Previous: 0-0 draw vs. MTL | Next: 3/22 at ORL

24. LA Galaxy · +2▲

Is this… progress? The reigning MLS Cup champs earned their first point of the season in a 1-1 draw at Portland, thanks to Christian Ramírez's smash-and-grab strike. They also reached the CCC quarterfinals with a comeback result against Costa Rica's Herediano.

Maybe, just maybe, the Galaxy are turning a corner.

Previous: 1-1 draw at POR | Next: 3/22 at MIN

25. Portland Timbers

Portland are 12th in the way-early Western Conference standings after failing to hold onto a 1-0 lead against an LA Galaxy side coming off midweek CCC action. I'm skeptical that things will improve soon.

Also, here's what Timbers fans are talking about from last weekend:

Previous: 1-1 draw vs. LA | Next: 3/22 at COL

26. CF Montréal · +2▲

Any points are good points on a seven-game road trip to start the year. That includes a 0-0 draw against D.C. they were lucky to hold onto.

Previous: 0-0 draw at DC | Next: 3/22 at NSH

27. Sporting Kansas City · +3▲

It’s not great that they went down 3-0 in the first place, but Sporting KC delivered the comeback of the season on Saturday night. But… uh… an incredible comeback to earn a point doesn’t feel quite so good when it’s a draw that breaks a 10-game losing streak. They still haven’t won a game in a long, long time.

HIGHLIGHTS: Sporting Kansas City vs. Minnesota United FC | March 15, 2025

Previous: 3-3 draw vs. MIN | Next: 3/22 vs. LAFC

28. Houston Dynamo FC · -4▼

Houston are another team still looking for their first win of the season after a 2-1 loss to RSL.

Previous: 2-1 loss vs. RSL | Next: 3/22 at SEA

29. New England Revolution · -2▼

How much time will New England get before it’s time to hit the panic button? A team remade over the offseason has one point through four games.

Previous: 2-1 loss at NYC | Next: Bye

30. Toronto FC · -1▼

Robin Fraser has his work cut out for him.

Previous: 2-1 loss vs. CHI | Next: 3/22 at RBNY