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"&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;To better get out of the way of the Copa America Centenario, Major League Soccer took a two-week break way back at the start of June. This MLS Power Rankings column took things a step farther. With wall-to-wall coverage of the Copa America and Euro 2016 dominating our time here on Planet Futbol, it\u2019s now been six weeks since we\u2019ve taken stock of where every team stands in MLS. Now the MLS Power Rankings are back, and we return to a league that looks strangely similar to the one we left all those games ago.&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;The Colorado Rapids continue to get solid results despite a less-than-awesome scoring record. Robbie Keane and the LA Galaxy, as professional as ever, continue to get the job done. Dallas balanced runs of total dominance with head-scratching instances of being dominated. The Fire and Dynamo are still bad. So, what has changed?&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;\u2022 MLS: Recaps and results from Saturday | Sunday&lt;/strong&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;A lot! Orlando City parted ways with longtime head coach Adrian Heath, Vancouver parted ways with a disappointing Designated Player in Octavio Rivero, and the New York Red Bulls shook things up by sending winger Lloyd Sam to D.C. United.&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;But perhaps no change seemed as glaringly obvious as the marked uptick in the form of NYCFC, which now holds a three-point lead at the top of the Eastern Conference (the Philadelphia Union, in second, do have a game in hand and a superior goal differential). Frank Lampard may have done enough during this run alone to squash any suggestion that he is MLS\u2019 worst-ever foreign signing.\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;\u200BNow, does a team leading MLS at the midway point and a player avoiding an ignominious distinction count as huge developments? Maybe not. But in a league where change is constant, the remarkable thing about the last several weeks is just how little upheaval there has been in the league's pre-Copa America order. Perhaps there are some twists and turns to come. Knowing MLS, there probably are. &amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;This week\u2019s rankings take into account all the games played since the end of the Copa America break. We\u2019ll get to them in a second. First, a couple awards:&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Offensive player of the weeks: Ola Kamara, Columbus Crew&lt;/strong&gt; &amp;nbsp;&lt;/h3&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;He was the pick for this award here here six weeks ago, but I have no problem handing it out to Kamara again. The Crew haven\u2019t been able to make his goals count, but that shouldn\u2019t diminish the accomplishments of the striker who replaced Kei Kamara after this season\u2019s shocking trade. Many other players would have folded under the pressure and expectation of replacing a 22-goal scorer, but Ola has fit right in and now has nine goals in nine games as a started, including five in Columbus\u2019 last six contests.&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n&lt;h3&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Defensive player of the weeks: Matt Hedges, FC Dallas&lt;/strong&gt;&lt;/h3&gt;\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;Dallas sorely missed the presence of Hedges during his recent injury layoff, and there\u2019s no better evidence of that than the way Dallas has shut down opponents since he\u2019s been back. Hedges\u2019 presence was key in three straight shutout wins for Dallas, and he played no part in the team\u2019s 5\u20140 loss to Seattle. When he came back against Chicago this weekend, the only goal the Fire could get came in garbage time.&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n\r\nMLS Power Rankings, Week 19\r\n\r\n&amp;nbsp;\r\n\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t1\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t1Colorado Rapids\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;1\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;10\u20132\u20137\r\n\r\n\tWhen last we left you, the Colorado Rapids were on top of these rankings having not lost a game since April 9th. Six weeks later, the Rapids still haven\u2019t lost. Colorado\u2019s 14-match unbeaten run is tied for fifth-longest in the league\u2019s history, it has yet to lose at home, and it\u2019s already-solid defense now has U.S. national team star Tim Howard between the sticks. Saturday\u2019s win over Sporting Kansas City was his first in MLS since 2003. Indications are there will be plenty more to come.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t2\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t2Los Angeles Galaxy\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;3\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;8\u20133\u20138\r\n\r\n\tThe Galaxy went 3\u20131\u20132 in its games since the break, with Saturday\u2019s 1\u20130 win over Houston being the third win in a row. The Galaxy\u2019s already-stingy defense has been especially so lately, with each of their three wins coming via shutout. Robbie Keane has been in great form since returning from Euro 2016, and Bruce Arena\u2019s team seems poised to make one of its trademark late-season runs heading into the playoffs.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t3\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t3New York City FC\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;18\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;9\u20136\u20136\r\n\r\n\tIf you\u2019re looking for an example of how a two-week break in play can benefit a team, look no further than NYCFC. Patrick Vieira\u2019s side went into the break on the back of a devastating trio of results: A 7\u20130 loss in the Hudson River Derby, then two surrendered leads at home. In the six games since the break, they\u2019ve gone 5\u20131\u20130, Frank Lampard has scored his first five (!!!) goals of the season, and rookie Jack Harrison has emerged as a bonafide young star. Once a punchline, NYCFC now look like contenders.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t4\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t4FC Dallas\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;5\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;12\u20136\u20134\r\n\r\n\tDallas sputtered a little bit after the break, opening with a draw against Houston and a loss to Sporting KC. Since then, though, Oscar Pareja\u2019s side has reeled off four wins in its last five. The one non-win? A 5\u20130 shellacking at the hands of goal-hungry Seattle. FC Dallas is young, talented, and top of the MLS table ... but when it loses, it loses *hard*.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t5\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t5Portland Timbers\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;8\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;7\u20136\u20138\r\n\r\n\tThe Timbers were so-so at best before the international break, but the lull in action might have been exactly what they needed. The defending champs have gone 3\u20130\u20134 in games played since the last edition of Power Rankings, adding to an unbeaten run that is now up to nine games. Diego Valeri has scored or assisted on five of the Timbers\u2019 10 goals during that span.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t6\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t6New York Red Bulls\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;4\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;8\u20139\u20134\r\n\r\n\tThe Red Bulls had a four-game winning run snapped at Real Salt Lake, then coughed up a 2\u20130 lead against Philadelphia on Sunday to draw 2\u20132 and continue a run of indifferent results. The Red Bulls are five points off the Eastern Conference leaders NYCFC, making this Sunday\u2019s Hudson River Derby perhaps the most consequential edition ever of the short-lived rivalry.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t7\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t7Philadelphia Union\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;2\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;8\u20136\u20135\r\n\r\n\tThe Union entered the Copa America break on top of the Eastern Conference, but three losses in their next six games saw the team relinquish that position. Strangely, the Union\u2019s struggles seem centered on its defense, which had been a strength until recently. Philly has let in an average of two goals per game since the break, which makes it impressive that they only lost three of those matchups.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t8\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t8Real Salt Lake\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;6\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;8\u20136\u20136\r\n\r\n\tFor a team that has built so much of its recent success on a stellar home record at Rio Tinto Stadium, Real Salt Lake\u2019s recent indifferent form there may be cause for concern. Each of the Royals\u2019 last three home games have ended in draws, with Saturday\u2019s 0\u20130 draw against New England perhaps the most frustrating of the bunch. However, RSL still hasn\u2019t lost at home this season, so a 1\u20132\u20134 record since the Copa America break hasn\u2019t hurt the team as much as you might think.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t9\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t9Montreal Impact\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;9\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;6\u20135\u20138\r\n\r\n\tThe Impact started off their post-break slate well enough, getting four draws and a win in its first five games. However, Sunday\u2019s 3\u20131 loss to NYCFC revealed a few worrying signs. Didier Drogba hasn\u2019t scored since the break, and without Ignacio Piatti (suspended) pulling the strings, the Impact simply looked toothless in attack. However, there\u2019s plenty of time for Drogba to get it together, and Piatti will be back. Unless one of them gets injured, Montreal will be fine.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t10\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t10Toronto FC\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;11\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;6\u20137\u20136\r\n\r\n\tOn a macro scale, Toronto\u2019s problem this season has been its inability to string positive results together for longer than three matches at a time. That is still the case, as TFC went 2\u20132\u20132 in this six games since the Copa America break. If there\u2019s a reason for optimism, it\u2019s that TFC got that record with Jozy Altidore, Michael Bradley, and goalkeeper Clint Irwin out with injuries, combined with a dip in form from reigning MVP Sebastian Giovinco. If those things correct themselves, there\u2019s still time for Toronto to become the MLS force one would expect from that roster.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t11\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t11Vancouver Whitecaps\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;10\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;8\u20138\u20135\r\n\r\n\tDesignated Player Octavio Rivero is gone, having been sold to Chilean club Colo Colo, and once again the Whitecaps are searching for a consistent goal-scoring threat. Could Masuto Kudo be the one? The Japanese striker scored his first goal since a long injury layoff, which is a good sign. However, the Vancouver defense is still the worst in the league by goals allowed, which is part of the reason why the team drew 2\u20132 at home vs. a reeling Orlando City on Saturday.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t12\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t12D.C. United\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;13\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;5\u20137\u20137\r\n\r\n\tOn the plus side, D.C. United have been sticking to the \u201Cwin at home, draw on the road\u201D formula since the break. On the downside, they\u2019ve only played one game at home, and they haven\u2019t exactly looked great in their draws (and a loss) on the road. Fabian Espindola broke a three-plus month scoring drought with a goal in Saturday\u2019s 1\u20131 draw with Columbus, and still only has four goals on the year. Amazingly enough, that\u2019s good enough to be D.C.\u2019s top scorer (in a tie with Alvaro Saborio).\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t13\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t13New England Revolution\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;16\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;5\u20137\u20138\r\n\r\n\tKei Kamara is finally showing up on scoresheets for the Revolution, who got solid results on the road against Vancouver and Real Salt Lake combined with a morale-boosting 3\u20131 win over Columbus at home. Kamara scored against his former team in that one, but the Revs will need him to keep up his good form if they\u2019re to solidify a spot in the playoffs. A three-game losing run before this weekend\u2019s result shows there\u2019s still plenty of work to be done.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t14\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t14Orlando City SC\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;15\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;4\u20135\u201310\r\n\r\n\tNo team in MLS has undergone more upheaval since the last Power Rankings than Orlando City, which fired longtime head coach Adrian Heath and his assistant Mark Watson shortly after a 4\u20130 loss to FC Dallas on July 4th. Ostensibly, the reason for Heath\u2019s firing was too many draws and not enough wins for an Orlando roster with no shortage of talent. However, in the three games under interim coach Bobby Murphy, Orlando has managed two more draws and a loss. It\u2019s hard to know what direction the Lions are heading in at this point.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t15\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t15Sporting Kansas City\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;20\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;8\u201310\u20134\r\n\r\n\tSKC went into the break on an absolutely brutal run, having won just once in their previous 11 games. The two-week pause apparently gave the team some much-needed perspective, as it won three of its next four, including victories against today\u2019s top teams in the West (Dallas) and the East (NYCFC). The last week, however, has been a reality check. First a 1\u20130 loss to MLS cellar-dweller Chicago, then another 1\u20130 loss to Colorado. Star center back and captain Matt Besler has been benched, but the defensive giveaways continue.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t16\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t16San Jose Earthquakes\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;7\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;6\u20136\u20137\r\n\r\n\tEven for a team known for grinding out good results against all odds, Saturday\u2019s 2\u20131 win over Toronto FC is one for the Earthquakes\u2019 record books. San Jose was reduced to nine men after two red cards, but still managed to score a winner while shorthanded. It was a nice end to a rough handful of weeks for San Jose, whose last win before Saturday was on May 11th. Most worrisome, Chris Wondolowski hasn\u2019t scored since April.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t17\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t17Columbus Crew\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;12\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;3\u20137\u20139\r\n\r\n\tIn the last edition of this column, I wrote that Columbus was beginning to look like the team that made a run to last season\u2019s MLS Cup final. Not anymore. The Crew have yet to win since the international break, and though Ola Kamara has been tremendous (five goals in his last five games), he is just about the only one producing consistently on the attacking end for the Crew.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t18\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t18Chicago Fire\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;19\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;4\u20139\u20135\r\n\r\n\tIn six weeks the Fire have added four losses to their already-abysmal away record, the most recent being Saturday\u2019s 3\u20131 failing at FC Dallas. David Accam\u2019s return from injury was supposed to kickstart the team\u2019s attack, but that hasn\u2019t been the case (Accam was an unused sub on Saturday). The team did get 1\u20130 wins over San Jose and Sporting KC since the last Power Rankings, but time is running out for the league\u2019s worst team to make a playoff push.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t19\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t19Houston Dynamo\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;17\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;4\u20139\u20136\r\n\r\n\tOwen Coyle is long gone as manager, but the same problems that plagued his tenure continue to pop up. The Dynamo still struggle to score, having been shut out in three of their five games since the break. And when they do score, the lead isn\u2019t safe, as displayed in a 3\u20132 loss to Portland where the Timbers scored three unanswered.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t20\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t20Seattle Sounders\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t&amp;nbsp;\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\tlast ranking:&amp;nbsp;14\r\n\r\n\trecord:&amp;nbsp;6\u201311\u20132\r\n\r\n\tThe Sounders went into the Copa America break on a positive note with a win over D.C. United, but just about everything since has been dire. Seattle has lost four of its six games since, and the team\u2019s one win in that span was a 5\u20130 outlier against an FC Dallas side that put out a second-string lineup. However, any positive momentum that could have been gained from that lopsided win was crushed on Sunday as Seattle fell to its Cascadia rival Portland Timbers.\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\t\r\n\r\n\r\n&lt;/p&gt;"^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.si.com/planet-futbol/2016/07/18/mls-power-rankings-week-19-nycfc-ola-kamara-international-break>