Crew SC opened the 2016 MLS Season on the road last Sunday in Portland. In a highly anticipated “rematch” of the MLS Cup Final from December, the rendezvous was nothing short of exciting. Despite a 2-1 loss to the Timbers, Federico Higuaín lit up the soccer world with a jaw-dropping bicycle goal to bring the score even.
Let’s see how the eventful weekend played into this week’s MLS Power Rankings...
Not much change here—ESPN FC bumped the Black & Gold down one spot to third, but stated, “Crew SC will again be a power to be reckoned with this year.”
SI.com evaluated week one a little differently, highlighting Columbus’ dominant possession; but ultimately dropped the team from second to eighth.
MLSsoccer.com slotted Crew SC in fifth, down two spots from last week. It acknowledged the Black & Gold played well at Providence Park, but ultimately the match came down to finishing.