After a two-month FIFA World Cup hiatus, the MLS is back with its power rankings, and Matchday 18 action is already shaking things up! ESPN’s writers have been diving deep into the action to figure out who’s strongest coming out of the break and who’s gonna struggle in these dog days of summer. Forget about generic intros, because the biggest story hitting the top spot is an injury concern that just won’t quit.
Whitecaps Hold Firm at #1, But For How Long?
Vancouver is still sitting pretty at Number 1, but man, it’s not without its drama. After a kinda sleepy attacking showing in a 0-0 draw against Minnesota, the real gut punch came when star center back Ranko Veselinovic went down *again* with yet another injury. That’s a huge worry, for real. Yeah, the Whitecaps have some depth, but between his potential absence and Sebastian Berhalter’s reported move to Middlesbrough, that depth is gonna get absolutely hammered. They better hope those reserves are ready to step up, because the league ain’t waiting for anyone, and staying at Number 1 with those kinds of hits is tough.
Miami’s Star Power Shines, Even Without Messi
Down in Florida, things are looking up for Inter Miami CF, jumping to Number 2 from their previous Number 3 spot. Even without Lionel Messi and Rodrigo De Paul, they still pulled off a 1-0 win over Montréal. How? Casemiro making his MLS debut, that’s how! Talk about bringing the star power. But hold up, the victory was totally overshadowed by Germán Berterame’s late exit after a serious head injury. You hate to see it. Hopefully, that’s not too serious, because Miami’s looking like a real threat even missing some big names, and that 1-0 win shows they can grind it out.
LAFC’s Son Heung-Min Is Absolutely On Fire!
LAFC is making moves, climbing from Number 5 to Number 3! And you know who’s making it happen? Son Heung-Min, that’s who! Before the World Cup break, he hadn’t scored a single league goal. But since coming back to club play? BOOM! Three goals in three games. He even bagged one in their dominant 4-0 win over Sporting KC. Things are absolutely looking up for LAFC, and their biggest star is absolutely on fire. Watch out, MLS, Son is here, and he’s not messing around. That kind of scoring surge makes them a scary opponent for anyone right now.
Nashville SC had a rough go, falling from Number 2 to Number 4 after a 1-0 defeat to Orlando. They were missing some key players, Cristian Espinoza and Patrick Yazbek, who are both out with injuries. The sooner those guys get back, the better, because that loss was a flat performance. As for the San Jose Earthquakes, they’ve slipped one spot to Number 5. The article cuts off right as it mentions them falling behind, so you know it wasn’t a pretty picture for them either.
So, the rankings are in flux after the World Cup break. Keep an eye on Vancouver and their injury woes, Miami’s ability to win without their superstars, and LAFC’s red-hot Son Heung-Min. This season is just getting warmed up again, and it’s gonna be wild!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by ESPN.
Leave a Reply