MLS Power Rankings: Week 5

If you are a fan of spectacular goals, then MLS was the league to tune into this weekend. 

The league's biggest stars like Thierry Henry and Kenny Miller, as well as newcomers like Dillon Powers, delivered fans of the American top flight some pieces of individual brilliance.

As for the results of the eight games played on Saturday, the most significant came out of Kansas City, as Sporting took down the previously unbeaten Montreal Impact at Sporting Park. 

Find out where those two teams as well as the other 17 in MLS landed in this week's edition of the power rankings. 

Every week, our MLS experts will rank each team from 1-19.

Each team will be given a point total for its specific ranking.

For example, the team that is ranked No. 1 is given 19 points, while the last-place team receives just one point. 

We will compile the votes each week, and the team with the highest point total will be placed atop the power rankings.

Meet Our Voters

Joe Tansey—World Football Featured Columnist

John D. Halloran—MLS and United States National Team Featured Columnist

Eduardo Mendez—MLS Featured Columnist 

Alan Hainkel—MLS Featured Columnist

Points: 4

Last Week's Ranking: 19

Week 5 Result: No Game Played

The good news for everyone surrounding the Chicago Fire is that the team did not step foot on the pitch this weekend. 

Frank Klopas' team has already amassed a minus-eight goal difference in its first four games while earning just one point. 

The Fire will look to put their miserable March behind them on Sunday as they host the Red Bulls at Toyota Park. 

Points: 8

Last Week's Ranking: 15

Week 5 Result: Loss to Real Salt Lake, 2-1

The worst start in Sounders' franchise history continued on Saturday as they fell to Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium.

Sigi Schmid's team gave up two goals to RSL before Brad Evans made it closer with a goal in the 57th minute. 

The loss kept the Sounders in the cellar of the Western Conference, and they are now 11 points behind conference leader FC Dallas. 

Points: 12

Last Week's Ranking: 18

Week 5 Result: Draw with Portland, 2-2

The first 54 minutes of the Rapids' home game with Portland went to perfection. The final 36 minutes erased all of the positive play from early in the game. 

Before giving up two second-half goals to their visitors, the Rapids were the beneficiaries of a superb strike by Dillon Powers in the 18th minute. 

Powers' firecracker of a shot from outside of the penalty area was his first career MLS goal, and it will not soon be forgotten. 

Points: 17 

Last Week's Ranking: 16

Week 5 Result: Draw with Colorado, 2-2

The Timbers earned their league-leading third draw of the season in Colorado on Saturday. 

Will Johnson's second-half brace powered the Timbers back from two goals down as they avoided the humiliation of a loss.

The offseason acquisition from Real Salt Lake scored on a header in the 55th minute and knocked in a 71st-minute penalty to equalize the game. 

Points: 19 

Last Week's Ranking: 14

Week 5 Result: Loss to FC Dallas, 1-0

It has not been an exciting start to the season in New England, as the Revolution have now gone three games without notching a win. 

Since beating the lowly Fire in their first game of the season, the Revolution have lost twice and drawn once. 

During its three-game winless streak, Jay Heaps' team has failed to score a single goal. 

Points: 26 

Last Week's Ranking: 13

Week 5 Result: Draw with Los Angeles, 2-2

After Jonathan Osorio's 78th-minute goal, Toronto FC seemed to be on course to win its second game of the season.

However, the Galaxy's Jose Villarreal had something to say about that. The Galaxy youngster equalized in the 92nd minute to deny the Reds the full three points. 

In the first half, Robert Earnshaw continued his hot start to the season with his fourth goal in his last three games for the Reds. 

Points: 34

Last Week's Ranking: 6

Week 5 Result: Loss to Houston, 2-0

The Earthquakes were unable to break Houston's impressive unbeaten streak at BBVA Compass Stadium on Saturday. 

Frank Yallop's team could only muster one shot on goal in its second loss of the season.

One bit of good news that the Earthquakes received on Saturday night was the return of Alan Gordon, who made his first appearance of the season as a substitute in the 68th minute.

Points: 35

Last Week's Ranking: T-11

Week 5 Result: No Game Played

After losing to Columbus at home last Saturday, United had the week off to prepare for its trip to Sporting Park on Friday to face Sporting Kansas City. 

Points: 35

Last Week's Ranking: 9

Week 5 Result: Loss to New York, 2-1

After bringing on Conor Casey and Antoine Hoppenot in the 62nd minute, the Union looked like it had a legitimate shot of winning its first game at Red Bull Arena in franchise history.

That hope was nearly fulfilled when Casey headed home a Sheanon Williams throw-in in the 63rd minute. 

Unfortunately for the Union, earning a point in Harrison, N.J., was not in the cards. Thierry Henry put the Red Bulls ahead for good in the 81st minute. 

Points: 37

Last Week's Ranking: 17

Week 5 Result: Win over Philadelphia, 2-1

The Red Bulls finally earned their first victory of the season on Saturday against the Union. 

The win was highlighted by two spectacular second-half goals.

Dax McCarty opened the scoring in the 55th minute with a shot that deflected off the right post and settled in the back of the net. In the 81st minute, Thierry Henry coolly controlled the ball with his right foot and struck home the game winner with his left. 

Henry, who came on as a substitute in the 59th minute for fellow designated player Tim Cahill, was playing with a MCL sprain that he suffered on March 16 against D.C. United. 

Points: 37

Last Week's Ranking: T-7

Week 5 Result: Loss to Chivas USA, 2-1

Entering this season, the Whitecaps expected their trip to the Home Depot Center to play Chivas USA to be an easy victory.

The complete opposite happened to the Whitecaps on Saturday night as they fell to the surprise story in the Western Conference this season. 

After giving up two goals to its hosts, Vancouver pegged one back in the 64th minute by way of Kenny Miller, but that was all the Whitecaps could muster as they went back to British Columbia with a loss. 

Points: 50

Last Week's Ranking: T-11

Week 5 Result: Win over Seattle, 2-1

Going into its home game with the Sounders on Saturday, Real Salt Lake had not scored a goal in 400 minutes against its Western Conference foe. To boot, Alvaro Saborio was the club's only goal scorer this season.

The eighth minute marked the end of both trends as Robbie Findley cleaned up a huge mess in the penalty area by tapping the ball past Michael Gspurning for his first goal of the season. 

Jason Kreis' team only needed 27 minutes to score its second goal, as Luis Gil also headed home his first goal of the season. 

Despite giving up a goal in the second half to Seattle, RSL earned its first win since March 3. 

Points: 58

Last Week's Ranking: T-7

Week 5 Result: Win over Vancouver, 2-1

The surprising start of Chivas USA continued on Saturday night as the Goats extended their unbeaten run to four games with a win over the Whitecaps. 

The Goats became the first team in MLS to score 10 goals this season when Eric Avila found the back of the net in the 55th minute.

The first goal of the game for Chivas came on an own goal by Jun Marques Davidson in the 12th minute. 

Chivas USA will look to extend its unbeaten run to five games on April 13 when it hosts Colorado at the Home Depot Center.

Points: 58 

Last Week's Ranking: 4

Week 5 Result: No Game Played

The Crew had the weekend off after taking down D.C. United last weekend.

The next game for Robert Warzycha's team will come on Saturday as the Crew host Philadelphia at Crew Stadium. 

Points: 60

Last Week's Ranking: 10

Week 5 Result: Win over Montreal, 2-0

The reigning king of the Eastern Conference showed the unbeaten Impact who is still in charge of the conference with a two-goal win over Montreal. 

Claudio Bieler made a statement early in the game for Sporting with his third goal of the season in the fifth minute. 

Sporting was thoroughly impressive for most of the match, and its efforts were rewarded with a second goal in the 80th minute, courtesy of Graham Zusi.

The American international fought his way past Montreal defender Karl Ouimette en route to his second goal of the season. 

Points: 63

Last Week's Ranking: 1

Week 5 Result: Loss to Sporting Kansas City, 2-0. 

The Impact's improbable four-game winning streak to start the season ended on Saturday night at Sporting Park. 

In the loss to the defending Eastern Conference champion, the Impact only managed one shot on target. 

As they have off next week, the Impact will not be able to start a new winning streak until April 13 against Columbus. 

Points: 64

Last Week's Ranking: 2

Week 5 Result: Draw with Toronto, 2-2. 

The Galaxy opened and closed the scoring at BMO Field against Toronto FC on Saturday.

The goals by Mike Magee and Jose Villarreal should have been enough to earn the Galaxy three points, but they conceded twice and had to rely on Villarreal's 92nd-minute strike to salvage a point. 

Despite not earning the result they wanted, the Galaxy did see Landon Donovan return to the pitch less than a week after rejoining the team. Donovan came on for Jack McBean in the second half and ended up playing the final 28 minutes of the game. 

Points: 71

Last Week's Ranking: 3

Week 5 Result: Win over New England, 1-0

Blas Perez rescued FC Dallas from a scoreless draw in the 87th minute with his headed goal that bounced off the post and into the back of the net.

The win gave FC Dallas its fourth victory of the season and extended its winning streak to three games.

The only team to beat the Western Conference leader so far this season has been Chivas USA, who sits two points behind Dallas in the standings.

Points: 72

Last Week's Ranking: 5

Week 5 Result: Win over San Jose, 2-0

The Dynamo home unbeaten run extended to 34 games in all competitions on Saturday as they took down San Jose. 

Will Bruin opened his 2013 scoring account in the 17th minute before Gilles Barnes scored his second goal of the season in the 42nd minute to clinch the victory. 

The Dynamo will get a chance to extend their streak to 35 in two weeks against the struggling Fire. But before they can defend their unbeaten streak at home, the Dynamo must go on the road to play Portland on Saturday.