MLS Power Rankings: Surging Rapids climb into second

• by Ridge Mahoney  @ridgemax, Aug 19, 2013

By Ridge Mahoney

The Portland Timbers held on to the top spot in the Power Rankings with a 2-1 win over FC Dallas that ended their three-game winless streak. Colorado, which was ninth in the Power Rankings a month ago, is now second after leapfrogging New York with its 2-0 win over Vancouver. Supporters' Shield leader Real Salt Lake dropped one spot to sixth place after falling at Los Angeles, 4-2.

1. PORTLAND (9-3-11), 1. Couldn’t get the third goal to polish off FCD but still held on to win, 2-1. Two more assists for Diego Valeri.

2. COLORADO (10-7-9), 3. Vicente Sanchez earned an assist as Rapids ran unbeaten streak to nine and co-debutant Gabriel Torres looked good as well.

3. NEW YORK (11-8-6), 2. Red Bulls sent a boisterous crowd of 25,355 home happy to be in first place but disappointed at a 0-0 tie with noisy neighbor Philadelphia.

4. MONTREAL (11-7-5), 6. The Impact, a 2-1 winner over D.C. United, has only two wins in its last nine games yet is still just a point out of first place.

5. SPORTING KC (11-8-6), 4. Beaten 1-0 by offside goal at San Jose, SKC’s attack looked flat without injured Graham Zusi and Kei Kamara.

6. REAL SALT LAKE (12-8-5), 5. As a former President of the U.S. once said, “That was a thumping.”

7. PHILADELPHIA (10-7-8), 8. A first-ever point at Red Bull Arena might have been three if Sebastien Le Toux’s shot off the bar would have been a few inches lower.

8.  HOUSTON (10-7-6), 9. With four wins in the last six games after a 3-1 defeat of Seattle, the Second-Half Surge is officially on.

9. VANCOUVER (10-8-6), 7. The road record is 2-7-3 after the loss at Colorado.

10. LA GALAXY (11-9-4), 11. Galaxy fans chant, “Robbie Keane, Robbie Keane, Robbie Keane,” and then, “Clint who?”

11. NEW ENGLAND (10-9-6), 10. Juan Agudelo’s amazing goal in the 2-0 win over Chicago kind of makes MLS player development look pretty good, don’tchya think?

12. CHICAGO (9-10-4), 12. After 2-0 loss at New England, Fire is 2-6-3 on the road with eight goals scored.

13. SAN JOSE (9-10-6), 14. The offside goal by Chris Wondolowski notwithstanding, the Quakes got monster games out of Clarence Goodson and Victor Bernardez to blank SKC to get their fourth win in the last five games.

14. SEATTLE (10-8-4), 13. Nicely headed goal by Shalrie Joseph couldn’t rescue Sounders from an overall sloppy game that ended three-game winning streak.

15.  FC DALLAS (8-7-9), 15. Loss at Portland extends winless streak to 11. Mauro Diaz scored his first goal for the club.

16. COLUMBUS (8-11-5), 18. Federico Higuain repeated his duet of the week before with both goals in 2-0 win over Toronto as the Crew won back-to-back games for the first time this season.

17. TORONTO FC (4-12-8), 16.  Joe Bendik (five saves) did all he could in goal but still TFC lost its second straight.

18. D.C. UNITED (3-17-4), 17. Three minutes after Conor Doyle equalized, D.C. United conceded the winner in the 84th minute. So it goes.

19. CHIVAS USA (4-13-6), 19. Sat out the weekend, plays FC Dallas Wednesday.