One of the hottest teams in MLS continues to falter while the Eastern Conference leaders keep setting the pace
The LA Galaxy have gone from the hottest team in MLS to one of the coldest, while the Philadelphia Union have succeeeded in keeping their own hot streak rolling
That's what has the Galaxy and Union heading in opposite directions in the latest Goal MLS power rankings, with the Union reaching a new high after an impressive road win against Toronto FC. The LA Galaxy's defensive struggles continued in their third straight loss, while their attack also stalled out, marking the first time all season the Galaxy were shut out at home.
The Union's 2-1 road win against Toronto FC helped Jim Curtin's squad stay in first place in the East, extending their winning streak to thiree matches and unbeaten run to five.
The only team in the league with a longer winning streak is Atlanta United, which posted a pair of shutout victories to climb up the East standings and extend their winning streak to four matches. The reigning MLS Cup champions suddenly find themselves just six points out of first place in the East, with two games in hand.
Out West, the Vancouver Whitecaps are quietly start to climb out of a rough start to the season, posting their second straight victory by topping Cascadia rival Portland.
Here are Goal's MLS Power Rankings after week 11 action:
1Colorado Rapids (0-9-2)The good news for the Rapids is their attack keeps scoring goals, but the bad news is the defense keeps leaking them. Surrendering three goals to Real Salt Lake at home had to feel a bit like rock bottom, and things don't get any easier as the Rapids prepare for a road trip to take on an LA Galaxy slide looking to shake off a slump.Advertisement2New England Revolution (3-8-2)The Bruce Arena era has begun in New England after the recent firings of Brad Friedel and Mike Burns, and the Revs have already responded well to Friedel's departure with their 3-1 win against the San Jose Earthquakes. Arena will need some time to put his stamp on the team, but it's a safe bet he will shake things up for a team with some good attacking pieces.3FC Cincinnati (3-7-2)it wasn't tough to predict that Cincinnati would respond well to the firing of Alan Koch, but interim coach Yoann Damet still deserves some credit for helping the expansion side look miles better than it has in a good while. We shouldn't expect a magical turnaround just yet though, and it seems more likely that Cincinnati hires a high-profile replacement for Koch than turning to the 29-year-old Damet. Either way, FC Cincinnati looks to be in better shape now than a week ago.4Sporting Kansas City (2-4-4)The winless rut is up to six matches now for SKC, and Sunday's loss to D.C. United provided little to be excited about besides Tim Melia's performanced in goal. Sporting KC's midfield has long been a strength, but it was outplayed by D.C., and looked plain flat, even with the insertion of recently re-acquired Benny Feilhaber. If there's a bright side, it's that Sporting KC's next three matches are at home, starting with a visit from Vancouver.