Nashville Stays Atop Power Rankings Despite San Jose Draw as Messi Pushes Inter Miami to No. 2

Another Monday, another round of Power Rankings, and the same name sits on top: Nashville SC. The club holds onto first place despite a weekend that was hardly picture perfect, a 1-1 draw with San Jose in which it managed just four shots on target, and a curious stat: neither team topped 0.73 expected goals (and it wasn't Nashville that fell short of that mark). The draw might feel underwhelming for a fan base already eyeing the Shield, but the math is simple: a win at Montreal would clinch it, and with four games left, eight points would also secure the single season points record.

Right behind them is a number worth watching: Inter Miami CF jumped from third to second on the back of three straight wins since the FIFA break. In a 3-1 victory over Atlanta, Lionel Messi scored twice in just four minutes, pushing his tally to seven goals in his last six matches. The team is finding its rhythm at exactly the right time.

Third place belongs to St. Louis City SC, which drops a spot after suffering its first loss since May 3, a 3-2 defeat to Minnesota that ended a 19 game unbeaten streak. That result cost them a shot at an undefeated season record, though they can still make a run at the top seed in the West if they finish strong over the final four weeks.

Philadelphia Union stays put at fourth after a 2-2 draw with Charlotte, stretching their unbeaten run since the World Cup to 15 matches, even as it snapped an eight game winning streak. Moving up is Vancouver Whitecaps, who climbed to fifth after a 2-1 win over Austin FC and hold a four point cushion atop the West, even if the performance itself wasn't their sharpest.

Chicago Fire slide back to sixth after dropping both games against Eastern Conference opponents, falling 1-0 to New England on Saturday following an earlier stumble against Philadelphia. Charlotte FC holds steady at seventh despite salvaging a point in a match they clawed back into (an own goal off a penalty, two goals scored, and Bruno Damiani's equalizer capping the 2-2 draw). With just one win in their last four games, they'll need to find an answer soon if they want to secure home field in the playoffs.

Movement in the Middle of the Table

LAFC holds at eighth after a tight 1-1 draw with NYCFC, rescued by a stunning free kick goal from Leo Walta, his first for the club in just his third match. Orlando City surged into ninth thanks to a blowout win and a moment that will stick around highlight reels: in the 4-1 win over D.C. United, Antoine Griezmann backheeled an assist to Martin Ojeda, who finished with a midrange bicycle kick in the 22nd minute. Seattle Sounders fall to tenth after their four game winning streak came to a halt with a loss to FC Dallas and a tight 1-1 draw against Montreal, with 20 year old Sebastian Gomez scoring the equalizer in the second half.

Further down, Houston Dynamo stay at 11th after a dramatic finish: Mateusz Bogusz converted a penalty in the 94th minute, only for Petar Musa to answer with a penalty of his own in the 11th minute of stoppage time, sealing a 2-2 draw with FC Dallas. With that result, Houston has now drawn four of its last five matches. New England Revolution remain at 12th thanks to six saves from Matt Turner and a goal from Matt Polster, assisted by Carles Gil, in a 1-0 win over Chicago.

FC Cincinnati drop to 14th after losing the "Hell is Real" derby and falling in three of their last four matches. They're clinging to the final wild card spot in the East just as Miami, Philadelphia, and Nashville loom on the schedule down the stretch. Meanwhile, San Jose Earthquakes climbed to 15th and remain unbeaten since August after playing to their third straight 1-1 draw, this time against league leading Nashville.

Near the bottom of the table, Minnesota United celebrated their first win since August 22, a 3-2 comeback from a two goal deficit capped by Marcus Caldeira's 88th minute strike, his seventh goal in 12 matches. Columbus Crew shine at 21st following a dominant 2-0 win over Cincinnati, a match in which Patrick Schulte made seven saves while his team out-shot its opponent 23 to 3.

Toronto FC are unbeaten in three straight after a 2-0 win over Red Bull New York and now have real playoff hopes, while Real Salt Lake picked up their second win since the World Cup with a 3-1 victory over Sporting KC, powered by a Morgan Guilavogui brace, his first multi goal game since August.

Rounding out the table are teams with little left to play for: Atlanta United lost again, though at least they kept Messi from completing a hat trick, and CF Montreal is on the verge of becoming the first team eliminated in the East after their draw against Seattle.