MLS Power Rankings: Vancouver Whitecaps and D.C. United Rise

A dramatic Week 16 in MLS produced more drama than usual. The Vancouver Whitecaps edged the 10-man New York Red Bulls thanks to goalkeeper David Ousted, who saved two penalties. Real Salt Lake, D.C. United and the Colorado Rapids also picked up results thanks to some late heroics. These decisive events have once again altered the MLS power rankings this week. Did Vancouver and D.C. do enough to pass the Seattle Sounders and Sporting Kansas City, who both lost? Here are the latest MLS power rankings.Begin Slideshow

MLS Power Rankings: Seattle Sounders Reclaim No. 1 Spot

There were only five games in Week 16 of MLS, but a couple of teams impressed, especially the Seattle Sounders. The Sounders moved to the top of the Supporters' Shield standings after their 3-0 win against FC Dallas on Saturday. The victory also catapulted Seattle into the No. 1 spot in this week's power rankings. Expansion teams Orlando City SC and New York City FC were also winners this weekend, but how does that impact the rankings? Here are the MLS power rankings after Week 16.Begin Slideshow

Cyle Larin, Tesho Akindele Give Canada Men’s National Team Hope for the Future

Canada's men's national team head coach Benito Floro was hired to usher in a new generation of Canadian players. Floro has since included the likes of the Vancouver Whitecaps' Russell Teibert, Toronto FC's Jonathan Osorio and West Ham's Doneil Henry. The Les Rouges haven't had a talismanic striker for a few years, but those days are over. Orlando City SC forward Cyle Larin and FC Dallas' Tesho Akindele both started against Dominica in the first leg of their second-round World Cup qualifying matchup on Thursday. It was Akindele's senior debut, which officially tied him to Canada. Larin bagged his second goal for Canada in the win, and Teibert converted the winner from the penalty spot to secure the 2-0 victory. Dominica is not a soccer hotbed, but it was significant seeing two youngsters scoring for the Canadians. Akindele didn't get on the scoresheet, but he still impressed on Thursday night. He was involved in the buildup and showed off his tremendous work rate on both sides of the pitch. Seeing Akindele, Larin and Teibert clicking up front was a far cry from a year ago, when Canada was snapping a 14-month scoring drought. With the Gold Cup beginning on July 7, with Larin and Akindele in the ranks, Canada actually has a ...

Why Sporting Kansas City’s Benny Feilhaber Deserves a USMNT Call-Up

Sporting Kansas City midfielder Benny Feilhaber has arguably been the best playmaker in MLS this season, recording a league-high seven assists along with the Columbus Crew's Ethan Finlay. However, it wasn't enough to convince U.S. men's national team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann to add Feilhaber to his provisional Gold Cup roster. Klinsmann's 35-man squad has plenty of depth in midfield. However, the inclusion of Feilhaber would give the U.S. some creativity it desperately lacked at the World Cup. The Guardian's Kristan Heneage asked Feilhaber about the omission. The Sporting KC midfielder was just as baffled as everyone else by Klinsmann's decision: I don’t expect to get called in, unfortunately. It would be big surprise for me. I would take [a call-up] by the horns and prove it to Jürgen and myself that I belong with that group. I actually wish someone in the media would ask him that question to see if he has an answer. It would help me out. You think about it and you kind of wonder [why you’re not there]. It’s only human. You think what is missing for you to get that opportunity. In the last two, three years, I’ve spoken to Jürgen and he’s told me things I’ve needed to improve on ...

MLS Power Rankings: Is There a New No. 1 After Week 15?

Week 15 in MLS produced some controversial moments and results. The penalty called against Seattle Sounders goalkeeper Stefan Frei gifted Sporting Kansas City three points. Elsewhere, referee Baldomero Toledo brandished three red cards in the San Jose Earthquakes vs. FC Dallas match. All of these moments significantly altered the standings as well as this week's power rankings. Was Benny Feilhaber's penalty against the Sounders enough to move SKC into the No. 1 spot? Here are the MLS power rankings after Week 15.Begin Slideshow

Why Toronto FC’s Sebastian Giovinco Is Not MLS’ Best Player

Toronto FC's star forward Sebastian Giovinco was named MLS Player of the Week after a fantastic performance against the San Jose Earthquakes last Saturday. The ex-Juventus man has been excellent since arriving to North America, but it's still premature to refer to him as the league's best player. Giovinco has scored five goals and has recorded six assists in 11 games this season. He's also taken a high amount of shots. The 28-year-old has mustered 54 attempts, which is tied for the league lead, per the official MLS website. Giovinco's reported $7 million salary plus bonuses, according to the Toronto Sun's Kurtis Larson, and European credentials magnify his accomplishments and diminish his failures. Some media members have suggested that Giovinco could be MLS' best player. Sportsnet's Michael Grange is one reporter who is making this claim: An argument can be made that it is the case. Giovinco has been toying with MLS defenses since his debut on March 7 against the Vancouver Whitecaps. He made one of the league's top defensive midfielders, Matias Laba, look average before assisting Jozy Altidore's first goal. He followed up that performance with a dud against the Columbus Crew and a decent showing against Real Salt Lake. The Italian finally started ...

MLS Power Rankings: Sporting Kansas City and Toronto FC Rise After Week 13

Week 13 of the 2015 MLS season featured some highlight-reel goals and a few outstanding individual performances. There were also some incredible matches that dramatically altered the power rankings. Sporting Kansas City dominated FC Dallas at home, and Toronto FC confidently defeated the San Jose Earthquakes. Last week's No. 1 team, the Seattle Sounders, also recorded wins on Sunday and Wednesday.  These three teams impressed this weekend, but how did they compare with the rest of the league? Here are the MLS power rankings for Week 13.Begin Slideshow

MLS Power Rankings After a Dramatic Week 12

Week 12 in MLS produced several dramatic upsets this past weekend which drastically altered the league standings. The Chicago Fire recovered from a 2-0 deficit to draw 2-2 versus the Columbus Crew, the Montreal Impact squeezed out a 2-1 win over FC Dallas and the Colorado Rapids edged the Vancouver Whitecaps. A few of the top sides in MLS failed to win, including last week's No. 1, the Seattle Sounders. Did they manage to keep hold of the top spot? Here are the MLS power rankings after Week 12.Begin Slideshow

Fans, Media and MLS Must Start Respecting the League’s History

Major League Soccer has grown significantly since its first season in 1996. However, there's still one niggling problem. MLS' history is often insulted and disregarded by the newer generation of fans, the media and even by the league itself. This must end if MLS wants to be taken seriously. There were some peculiarities in the early days of MLS, such as the 35-yard shootouts it adopted from the North American Soccer League to determine a winner. However, Alexi Lalas, Tab Ramos and a few of the league's former executives told Complex Sports' Doug Sibor that they liked how different MLS was at the time. One of those rules was made fun of in a video produced by MLS (via World Soccer Talk). 30 Rock's Judah Friedlander told a story involving the New York MetroStars' Eddie Gaven and a goal he scored against D.C. United in 2003 after head coach Bob Bradley exposed a loophole. MLS allowed for a fourth "goalkeeper only" substitution at the time, so in overtime, Bradley made Tim Howard an outfield player and made midfielder Mark Lisi the goalkeeper. Gaven came in as a substitute for Lisi, and then Howard went back in goal.  Friedlander goes on to slam Bradley in the video for exploiting this rule and labeled ...

MLS Power Rankings: Seattle Sounders Rise in Week 11

The MLS weekend is over and it produced the craziest, most dramatic set of matches this season. It was the perfect showcase of the league's parity. The Seattle Sounders turned heads with their 2-0 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps, one of the hottest teams in the first half of the campaign. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Union, New York City FC and the Montreal Impact all recorded points. Their results, as well as Seattle's, have significantly altered the power rankings.Here are the power rankings for MLS for Week 11.Begin Slideshow