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MLS Power Rankings: Sporting Kansas City jump up the table, Seattle Sounders stay hot

It has been a good week for Sporting Kansas City: Six points and a slip from FC Dallas has Peter Vermes' side on top in the West.

1. Atlanta United

Record: 17W-6D-5L
Week 28 ranking: 1

United handled a trip to altitude in Colorado perfectly in a dominant 3-0 win over the Rapids and stay on top of the rankings as a result. Miguel Almiron reached double-digits for goals and assists with a brace in the win.

2. New York Red Bulls

Record: 17-5-7
Week 28 ranking: 2

The Red Bulls escaped Audi Field with a point on Sunday after a wild, back-and-forth, 3-3 draw that included a Bradley Wright-Phillips hat trick and a decidedly shaky defensive performance from the visitors.

3. Sporting Kansas City

Record: 15-6-7
Week 28 ranking: 6

Sporting squeezed past Orlando 1-0 at home last weekend and demolished San Jose 5-1 on Saturday night. The two wins, combined with FC Dallas' draw against the Crew, launched Sporting back into first place in the Western Conference.

4. Seattle Sounders FC

Record: 13-5-9
Week 28 ranking: 4

The Sounders' incredible run continued with a 2-1 win on the road in Vancouver, where summer acquisition Raul Ruidiaz scored both goals. Seattle's winning streak is now nine games, with a home date against Philadelphia on Wednesday up next.

5. FC Dallas

Record: 14-8-6
Week 28 ranking: 3

A tactically minded, cagey affair in Frisco saw FC Dallas get only a point at home against the Crew. Because of that result and Sporting's win, the Texans dropped into second place in the Western Conference.

6. LAFC

Record: 13-8-7
Week 28 ranking: 6

Bob Bradley's team is on a five-game unbeaten run, but a 1-1 home draw against the Revolution is a disappointing result for LAFC. More troubling is the club's tendency to give up late goals -- something Bradley must fix ahead of the playoffs.

7. Columbus Crew SC

Record: 12-8-8
Week 28 ranking: 7

A point on the road for Columbus, which stays ahead of the chasing pack for the right to host a knockout round game come playoff time. The conservative approach by Gregg Berhalter paid off with a crucial point.

8. Real Salt Lake

Record: 13-6-10
Week 28 ranking: 9

RSL couldn't keep up their incredible attacking output in a 1-1 home draw against Minnesota on Saturday. Following consecutive six-goal performances, the draw -- against a poor Loons defense -- brought Mike Petke's side back to earth.

9. New York City FC

Record: 14-7-8
Week 28 ranking: 8

NYCFC sat idle this weekend, though the struggles continued in a 1-1 home draw against DC United last weekend. Domenec Torrent's team hasn't won in more than a month. Next up is a trip to Montreal to face the Impact.

10. Portland Timbers

Record: 12-8-8
Week 28 ranking: 11

The Timbers took care of Colorado 2-0 last weekend at Providence Park. On Saturday, Portland laid an egg in Houston, falling 4-1 to the Dynamo. Giovanni Savarese will be most conscious of preventing the poor defending from carrying over into the next week.

11. D.C. United

Record: 9-8-11
Week 28 ranking: 13

United's heavy, back-loaded schedule continued means they've played three times since the last rankings. A five-point return is less than Ben Olsen wanted, especially with his club surrendering the lead late in a home match against the rival Red Bulls.

12. Vancouver Whitecaps

Record: 11-7-10
Week 28 ranking: 10

The Caps were the latest victim of Seattle's streak on Saturday at BC Place in a 2-1 loss. Vancouver might have earned a different outcome if it hadn't wasted early chances. Playing from behind made things too difficult against the red-hot Sounders.

13. Montreal Impact

Record: 12-3-14
Week 28 ranking: 15

The 4-1 thrashing of the Union on the road in Chester was a massive boost to Montreal and its playoff chances. The Impact fell behind but charged to the win using their excellent counter-attacking ability -- Alejandro Silva Gonzalez and Ignacio Piatti put on a clinic.

14. Philadelphia Union

Record: 12-4-12
Week 28 ranking: 12

The Union's five-game unbeaten run came to a screeching halt against Montreal on Saturday via a 4-1 home loss to the Impact. Philadelphia is now just a point up on Montreal and within striking distance of D.C. and New England for a playoff spot.

15. New England Revolution

Record: 8-10-10
Week 28 ranking: 19

The Revs revived their playoff chances with a four-point road trip to New York and Los Angeles. New England became the first team to win at Yankee Stadium last week and played LAFC to a 1-1 stalemate at Banc of California Stadium on Saturday.

16. Toronto FC

Record: 8-6-14
Week 28 ranking: 16

The fight isn't completely gone for the Reds, who pulled off a 5-3 win over the Galaxy on Saturday despite giving up a 3-0 lead. Next up for Toronto is the inaugural Campeones Cup match against Tigres on Wednesday night.

17. LA Galaxy

Record: 10-8-11
Week 28 ranking: 14

The Galaxy's playoff hopes took another hit with a 5-3 loss in Toronto on Saturday. The highlight of the night did belong to LA, however, with Zlatan Ibrahimovic scoring his 500th professional goal on an incredible scissor-kick volley in the 44th minute.

18. Houston Dynamo

Record: 8-7-13
Week 28 ranking: 18

The Dynamo built a little confidence for the US Open Cup final in what is already a lost MLS season when they crushed Portland 4-1 at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday. Alberth Elis was again the star man for Houston.

19. Minnesota United

Record: 9-3-16
Week 28 ranking: 18

The Loons fell 2-1 to D.C. United on Wednesday in Washington, then jetted to Utah for a Saturday showdown with RSL. Minnesota nearly pulled off a win in Salt Lake only to have what they thought was a late winner disallowed by VAR review.

20. Chicago Fire

Record: 7-6-15
Week 28 ranking: 21

The Fire got back on the field after a three-week break and put four goals past Orlando in a 4-0 win on Sunday. There's not much left to play for in Chicago, but the win should lift spirits a little.

21. Orlando City

Record: 7-3-18
Week 28 ranking: 20

The season is well and truly a disaster in Orlando, where a coaching change couldn't fix a horrific defense. James O'Connor's team conceded four goals to the Fire on Sunday, never looking competitive against a bad Chicago team.

22. Colorado Rapids

Record: 6-6-16
Week 28 ranking: 22

The Rapids added two more losses to their tally since the last MLS Power Rankings, a 2-0 loss in Portland and a 3-0 home defeat against Atlanta United. Colorado is officially eliminated from playoff contention -- the offseason portends more changes in Commerce City.

23. San Jose Earthquakes

Record: 4-8-16
Week 28 ranking: 23

Already eliminated from the playoffs, the only thing the Quakes are playing for is pride and to get Chris Wondolowski the MLS goal-scoring record. Wondolowski didn't score in a 5-1 loss to Sporting and now has six games to get three more goals.