Nashville SC remains atop ESPN's latest MLS Power Rankings, though a 1-1 draw with San Jose was a disappointment for fans hoping to see the club clinch the Shield. Nashville clocked four shots on target, but neither side managed a dangerous expected goals total. A win in Montreal would secure the Shield, and with four games left they need just eight points to set a new single-season points record.
Inter Miami moves up to second after finding its feet with a three-game win streak following the international break. In a 3-1 win over Atlanta, Lionel Messi scored twice in the space of four minutes, bringing him to seven goals in the club's last six games.
St. Louis City SC slips to third after its first loss since May 3, a 3-2 defeat to the Loons that snapped a 19-game unbeaten streak. The club could still grab first place in the West with a strong four-game finish. Philadelphia Union rises to fourth after a 2-2 draw with Charlotte, a result that extended Charlotte's 15-game unbeaten run started after the World Cup.
Vancouver Whitecaps climbs to fifth, holding a four-point lead at the top of the Western Conference after a 2-1 win over Austin FC. Chicago Fire drops to sixth after a 1-0 defeat to the Revs, while Charlotte FC sits seventh following a 2-2 draw with a late equalizer. Orlando City, now undefeated in three games after a 4-1 win over D.C. United, moves up to ninth.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing