MLS Player Power Rankings: Dempsey, Bradley Rise Near Top After Week 5

Week 5 of play in Major League Soccer produced the third-highest goal total on a single day with 28.  Thanks to the offensive outburst, plenty of players soared up the latest MLS player power rankings.  Four of the top five players—and six of the top 10—after Week 5 played a part in a goal scored by their team this weekend.  Continue reading to see which of those players ended up as the best player in the league after five weeks. Begin Slideshow

8 Things We Learned from MLS Week 5

The fifth week of play in Major League Soccer saw a few shocking results and plenty of visually pleasing play.  In a week where only one home team came out victorious, we saw a few rivalry games decided by the play of a few individuals and a team come together with their backs against the wall.  The six rivalry games did produce some juicy storylines, but so did the other three matches played during Week 5. Continue reading for the eight biggest takeaways from Week 5 in MLS. Begin Slideshow

Jose Mari, Cascadia and the Rest of the Winners and Losers from MLS Week 5

Any week that witnesses an eight-goal thriller, a MLS Cup rematch and a few rivalry matches is bound to have some winners and losers. That is exactly what Week 5 in Major League Soccer produced as the weekend began with a 4-4 draw in the Cascadia Cup and ended with a blowout in the SuperClasico. Mixed in between were plenty of things that stood out in a good and bad way.  Continue reading for the Week 5 winners and losers in MLS. Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Dempsey, Yedlin Star During Rivalry Week

During the first rivalry week of the Major League Soccer season, the stars shined bright, while one unexpected star denied the defending MLS Cup champions of a home success.  Outside of the marquee rivalry showdowns, a few players from Colorado starred north of the border and Toronto dominated in a match it was supposed to lose.  Continue reading to see which players put on the greatest performances in Week 5 to earn a spot on the MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow

Houston and FC Dallas Both Striking MLS Oil Ahead of Texas Derby

Heading into Saturday night's Texas derby at BBVA Compass Stadium, the pressure will be on both the Houston Dynamo and FC Dallas to prove that a hot start can turn into a big result early in the season. Both sides got off to blazing starts in the month of March with 16 combined points earned from seven games played between the two sides. Houston has been one of the most consistent franchises in the league over the last five years, and in its first two games, it proved that this year will be no different. The Dynamo thrashed New England in Week 1 at home before beating Montreal the next week by a 1-0 score. After a bye week, Dominic Kinnear's club faced a trip up to BC Place to take on Vancouver, a game which resulted in a 2-1 loss. That result could have been much different had Houston put away another chance or two on the treacherous turf up in British Columbia. FC Dallas has come out of the gates on fire for the second consecutive season, as the team is currently in pole position to win the Supporters' Shield. New manager Oscar Pareja ignited his team with a spark in Week 1 against Montreal ...

MLS Player Power Rankings: Diaz, Higuain Surge Up Chart After Week 4

Only one word could accurately describe the action across Major League Soccer in Week 4, and that word is dramatic.  Keeping with the theme from the weekend, we saw a dramatic shift in the latest ranking of the 20 best players in the league.  Just four players who sat in the top 10 after Week 3 remained in the top half of the rankings through the final week of the first month of the 2014 campaign.  Read on to see who took the throne away from Jermain Defoe on top of the latest MLS player power rankings.Begin Slideshow

8 Things We Learned from MLS Week 4

Believe it or not, we are already one month into the 2014 Major League soccer season. Before the league turned the calendar over to April, plenty of madness occurred over the nine matches played on the final weekend of March.  The weekend that saw four second-half stoppage-time winners taught us plenty about the 18 teams who took the pitch.  We cut those many lessons down to the eight key takeaways from Week 4. Begin Slideshow

Nick Rimando, Red Cards and the Rest of the Winners and Losers from MLS Week 4

Week 4 of play in Major League Soccer was the most thrilling one to date in 2014 as four matches saw a game-changing goal in stoppage time.  This weekend's action also produced a few unexpected results thanks to the late drama that began in Colorado and ended in New York.  Since the drama altered the results of so many games, there were plenty of winners and losers to choose from after play concluded at Red Bull Arena on Sunday.  Continue reading for the biggest winners and losers from Week 4 in MLS. Begin Slideshow

MLS Team of the Week: Zusi, Goncalves and Nguyen Star in Week 4

In a wild and crazy weekend of play in Major League Soccer, stars from past seasons and new acquisitions that have made a name for themselves featured.  Because the play in the midfield was so strong this week, we opted to set up the Week 4 Team of the Week in a 4-5-1 formation to make room for an extra central midfielder. Continue reading to see which 11 players were good enough to be named to the latest MLS Team of the Week. Begin Slideshow

MLS Player Power Rankings: Defoe Climbs to the Top After Home Debut

The third week of the Major League Soccer season saw the most action in 2014 with a full slate of nine games taking place across the United States and Canada.  Plenty of players delivered standout performances in those nine games, but only 20 were able to make the most recent player power rankings. Continue reading to see which 20 players made the cut after Week 3.Begin Slideshow