MLS Power Rankings Matchday 34

Another Matchday is in the books, which means it’s time for our latest Lemon City Live MLS Power Rankings!

These rankings are based on the teams’ overall performance, recent form, impact of key players, and the insights and opinions of our staff here at Lemon City Live. With 34 Matchdays complete, let’s dive into our top 10!

1. Inter Miami CF

Prior Ranking: 1

The Herons remain at number one this week, but not without some late drama. After the GOAT’s return, Miami found themselves in a tight spot, blowing two late leads. First, Aleksey Miranchuk equalized for Atlanta United in the 84th minute, resulting in a 2-2 draw. Then, a stunning 90’+5 equalizer from James Sands off a corner kick allowed NYCFC to steal a point. Despite these setbacks, Miami still holds a comfortable lead in the Supporters’ Shield standings and will aim to get back to winning ways this Saturday night when they host Charlotte FC.

Back-to-back draws on the road for the Herons this week. They'll aim to regroup and reload as they host Charlotte FC this coming weekend. #MLS // #InterMiamiCF pic.twitter.com/DOXGzGWebz

— Lemon City Live (@LemonCityLive) September 22, 2024

2. Columbus Crew

Prior Ranking: 3

The Crew delivered a statement this week with a commanding 2-0 win at Toronto FC followed by an even more impressive 4-3 victory at home against a red-hot Orlando City team. Now tied with Cincinnati for second place in the East with a game in hand, the Crew are building serious momentum. With their current form, could they pose a genuine threat to Inter Miami’s Supporters’ Shield ambitions?

Cucho slams it home for our third 3️⃣ pic.twitter.com/AhnQbCpzuN

— The Crew (@ColumbusCrew) September 22, 2024

3. LA Galaxy

Prior Ranking: 2

The LA Galaxy bounced back from their 4-2 defeat at Portland with a 4-2 home victory over Vancouver. Despite dropping a spot in our rankings due to the Crew’s impressive performances, the Galaxy remain in a strong position. They comfortably sit atop the Western Conference, seven points clear of a faltering Real Salt Lake team. There’s no immediate cause for concern as they continue to dominate the West.

4. FC Cincinnati

Prior Ranking: 5

Cincinnati climb a spot to number four in our rankings. Despite being undefeated in their last four matches, they’ve lost their hold on second place in the Eastern Conference, now sharing it with the red-hot Columbus Crew. Cincinnati faces a tough challenge to close out the season, with a grueling schedule ahead: hosting LAFC and Orlando, followed by away trips to NYCFC and Philadelphia. Ouch!

💰💰💰 pic.twitter.com/fD4BNSHgKv

— FC Cincinnati (@fccincinnati) September 22, 2024

5. LAFC

Prior Ranking: 4

LAFC hasn’t won a regular season game this month, and adding in their El Trafico loss, it’s shaping up to be a month to forget for the Black and Gold. Currently sitting in fourth place in the Western Conference, they’re only seven points away from falling out of the playoff picture entirely. With the postseason looming, they can’t afford to keep dropping points and will need to turn things around quickly.

6. Orlando City

Prior Ranking: 7

The Lions stay hot and move up a spot in our rankings to number six, despite their loss at Columbus. Their resurgence has been one of the season’s best stories. A few months ago, they seemed completely out of the race, but now they’re just a point away from breaking into the top four in the East. It’s been an incredible rise from the dead, and this team is showing no signs of slowing down.

PLAYOFF BOUND 👊 pic.twitter.com/dyucCqBj8e

— Orlando City B (@OrlandoCityB) September 24, 2024

7. Colorado Rapids

Prior Ranking: 6

Colorado took a tough loss in their midweek game against Sporting KC, but they bounced back with a solid 2-0 win at home over Toronto FC. The Rapids aren’t fading, but they’ll need a strong finish to hold onto their third-place spot in the West. With a crucial home game against the top-seeded LA Galaxy still on the schedule, a win there could be the statement victory that puts the entire league on notice as the playoffs approach.

8. Real Salt Lake

Prior Ranking: 9

It’s wild to think that the second-place team in the Western Conference actually moves up a spot to number eight, but that’s a reflection of the run Real Salt Lake has been on. The silver lining? At least they’re still finding the back of the net, with six goals in two games last week. Now, they just need to tighten things up defensively.

9. Houston Dynamo

Prior Ranking: unranked

The Houston Dynamo re-enter our rankings this week at number nine. While they only netted two goals in two matches last week, they still managed to collect four points and extend their undefeated streak to five games. Quietly consistent, the Dynamo are positioning themselves as a team to watch down the stretch.

¡¡GOLAZO DE COCO!!! #Hustlin4More pic.twitter.com/MG5MvDPQXv

— Houston Dynamo FC (@HoustonDynamo) September 22, 2024

10. New York Red Bulls

Prior Ranking: 10

Guess what the Red Bulls did last week? They secured another draw. They haven’t won a match since July but managed to notch their 14th draw of the season, the most in MLS. At this point, it’s hard to tell if they’re a solid team that knows how to grind out points or a struggling side that just can’t seem to close out games. Either way, they’re stuck in this limbo of mediocrity, and it’s unclear which way they’ll go as the season wraps up.

We say goodbye …

Seattle, you cannot draw at home against the San Jose Earthquakes this late in the season and expect to stay in our rankings.