Griezmann's Stunning Form Propels Orlando into Playoff Spots as MLS Power Rankings Undergo Major Shakeup

With the latest round of league matches in the books, an authoritative overseas media outlet has updated its MLS Power Rankings, and the landscape has shifted significantly.

Nashville played out a goalless 0-0 draw with New York City on home turf. Fortunately for them, both Vancouver and Miami dropped points, so Nashville's lead in the Supporters' Shield race remains solid, with a 10-point cushion.

Vancouver Whitecaps hosted St. Louis and took an early lead, but conceded three goals before halftime and were overturned 1-3. This defeat is arguably the darkest moment of their season so far, and also the second time in four matches they have fallen to a Western Conference opponent.

St. Louis, meanwhile, celebrated a 3-1 away victory and took all three points. New signings Rafael Navarro and Damien Downs came off the bench in the second half to make their debuts, and the team displayed championship-level quality, leaving doubters to reconsider.

Inter Miami played out a 2-2 home draw with Atlanta United, their old problems again evident: two reckless fouls inside the box conceded penalties, once again exposing the fragility of their defense.

LAFC went into halftime with a one-goal lead but were held to a 1-1 draw by Real Salt Lake on the road, managing only a point. The black-and-gold side's chronic issues of lacking composure in possession late on and being unwilling or unable to control the tempo continue to persist.

FC Cincinnati's match against D.C. United was postponed due to severe weather, giving the team unexpected extra time to integrate new defensive signings, but the shadow of last round's 0-4 thrashing by Nashville still looms large.

Chicago Fire and Toronto FC played out a 4-4 goal fest. Lewandowski is gradually integrating into the attack and scored a goal, but the defense was breached four times, and the absence of young star Mbekezi Mbokazi was keenly felt.

New York City FC head coach Pascal Jansen opted for a conservative approach against Nashville on Friday, willingly ceding possession and keeping a clean sheet, but their attack posed no threat whatsoever, making the 0-0 scoreline a fair result.

New England Revolution fell 1-2 away to LA Galaxy, trailing by two goals at halftime. Carles Gil pulled one back from a penalty, but the chronic problem of a lack of support in attack remains prominent.

Houston Dynamo played out a 0-0 draw at Charlotte, and despite having a man advantage for the final 20-plus minutes, they could not create a meaningful shot on goal. Their lack of attacking punch is a weakness, but their defensive record of consecutive clean sheets demands respect.

Charlotte FC ground out a 0-0 home draw against Houston, with Allan Saint-Maximin undoubtedly the focus of the match. The new left winger single-handedly produced nearly all of Charlotte's attacking threat, showing the quality of an MLS star.

Real Salt Lake drew 2-2 at home with LAFC. They created plenty of chances, but their transitions in defense were too open, and they lacked overall control and tactical balance.

Antoine Griezmann remains in red-hot form, scoring the only goal of the match to help Orlando City beat San Diego 1-0. Since joining, he has been directly involved in eight goals in eight appearances, quickly changing the course of the team's season. Orlando have now climbed into the Eastern Conference playoff places.

FC Dallas edged Sporting Kansas City 4-3 at home in a thriller. Petar Musa scored twice and added an assist, including the winning goal, continuing to prove himself a strong candidate for the best striker in MLS.

Philadelphia Union have remained unbeaten since the league resumed after the World Cup, beating Montreal 2-0 on Saturday to extend their unbeaten run to eight matches, six of them wins. Cavan Sullivan found the net again as the team's momentum looks unstoppable.

San Diego fell 0-1 away to Orlando, missing midfield linchpin Jeppe Tverskov due to suspension through yellow card accumulation. Without the Dane, their attacking buildup struggled to translate into consistent threat, significantly reducing their effectiveness.

Minnesota United lost 4-5 at home to the Portland Timbers, conceding three goals in the first half—a disaster for a side known for their defense. However, striker Marcus Caldeira scored twice, which may signal long-term improvement in attack.

LA Galaxy beat New England 2-1 at home. Sergi Roberto made his first MLS start, becoming the midfield heartbeat in terms of touches and dictating the tempo. If he and "Chucky" Lozano, who provided an assist, maintain this form, the Galaxy cannot be underestimated.

Toronto FC drew 4-4 at home with Chicago, with Josh Sargent netting a hat-trick. The American striker displayed top-class quality under Robin Fraser's attacking system, earning a valuable point for the hosts.

New York Red Bulls played out a 0-0 draw at Seattle and have now fallen out of the Eastern Conference playoff spots. With no activity in the summer transfer window and no key reinforcements before the deadline, their hopes of a resurgence are a cause for concern.

Seattle Sounders fans finally saw Cristian Roldan return to the starting lineup for the first time since May, but the US international midfielder's comeback did not bring a victory. After the 0-0 draw with the Red Bulls, the team still cannot end their winless streak that has lasted months.

Portland Timbers won 5-4 at home in a wild match against Minnesota. After top scorer Kevin Kelsy transferred to Rangers in the Scottish Premiership, replacement Vincent Jansen quickly hit form, scoring a hat-trick.

San Jose Earthquakes drew 1-1 at home with Austin, still without a win since May. Just when it seemed they were about to end their slump, they conceded an equalizer in the 97th minute, making their situation even more difficult.

D.C. United's match against Cincinnati was postponed due to weather, so the team missed the opportunity to end their five-match winless run.

Austin FC snatched a 1-1 draw at San Jose, with Guilherme Biro scoring in the final moments of stoppage time to extend the team's unbeaten run to four matches.

Columbus Crew cruised to a 3-0 home win over Colorado. Santi Rodríguez scored the opener on his debut. With their attack restructured, it will be worth watching whether they can mount a push for a playoff spot late in the season.

Colorado Rapids suffered a 0-3 defeat at Columbus. Before the deadline, they traded Navarro to St. Louis and brought in new signings, but the newcomers have yet to integrate into the system, and the team is far from its best.

Atlanta United drew 2-2 away at Miami, with new striker Breel Embolo scoring a penalty on his debut to equalize late in the match. Young defensive midfielder Mauricio Amaro also made his MLS debut and looked composed and calm.

CF Montréal fell 0-2 away to Philadelphia, slipping back to the bottom of the Eastern Conference. Even with Alexis Sánchez in the squad, the team still lacks talent, and significant improvement seems unlikely in the short term.

Sporting Kansas City suffered a disappointing 3-4 home loss to Dallas. New winger André Luis sparked one of the team's best attacking performances of the season in his debut, but a late penalty from Musa ultimately left them just short.