Team of the Week: San Jose

While the Los Angeles Galaxy's 5-1 romp over New York City FC received most of the attention, San Jose’s 2-0 road win over D.C. United qualifies as the most significant result of the weekend.

If the MLS season ended today, the Earthquakes would be in the playoffs—and the Seattle Sounders would be done for the year. (Raise your hand if you saw that coming.) Attacker Chris Wondolowski is the heart and soul of the team but the Quakes’ defense has not allowed a goal in 274 minutes.

“Any time in the season is a good time to go on a streak,” San Jose coach Dom Kinnear said after Saturday’s result. “We found ourselves being away from people before the Colorado game, and the only way you can get closer is by winning games. Now you watch the scoreboard and see what happens for the rest of the guys ahead of you, but the first thing you can do is do yourself a favor and win a game.

“We have won three in a row, improved our standings, and our point total is higher, so it is good that we have done that and now the hard work begins.” 

On Friday, the Earthquakes’ will host the Galaxy—a classic immovable object/irresistible force showdown.

Bust of the Week: Sporting KC

Sporting Kansas City lost two games this week, both in miserable fashion. On Wednesday the aforementioned Earthquakes rumbled into Sporting Park and demolished the home side, 5-0. Three days later SKC had a 2-1 lead on the Columbus Crew but then allowed two late goals to lose the game.

Despite the problems, Kansas City players and coaches remain upbeat.

“I thought we, for 98 percent of the game, we were focused, we were tuned in and didn't give a lot away,” K.C. midfielder Graham Zusi said. “But just a couple mental breakdowns and you get punished. For me, there is no reason we shouldn't come away with at least a point in that game and it's a bit frustrating.

“We look back at the past two games and you can't fault our effort in this game. It is the kind of effort that we need, it is a big improvement from Wednesday's game so it is a positive.”

Fortunately for Kansas City, it will next face a bad Colorado Rapids team on Saturday.

Player of the Week: Dos Santos

Everything seems to be going the Galaxy’s way these days. The Designated Players are producing. American players acquired from Europe, like Baggio Husidic and Sebastian Lletget, are proving to be bargains. And the Homegrown signings and draft picks are, for the most part, rock solid.

In Sunday's 5-1 drubbing of New York City FC, Giovani Dos Santos finished with a goal and and was always involved and dangerous in a 90-minute outing.

“Again, like most of the team, his start to the game could’ve been a little bit better,” Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said afterward. “But his passing and running off the ball and his understanding with the players is getting better. He had a goal and set up a couple other goals, but just an overall good performance.” 

Young Player of the Week: Tim Parker

Cyle Larin should win the MLS rookie of the year award as the Canadian attacker has completely justified his top pick status in the 2015 MLS draft.

The rookie who could be playing in the most important games down the stretch, however, is Vancouver defender Tim Parker—now a fixture in the Vancouver Whitecaps’ starting lineup.

On Saturday night the Long Island, N.Y., native anchored a backline that held FC Dallas scoreless in a 1-0 victory. With the three points Vancouver kept pace with the league-leading Galaxy, trailing by one point with a game in hand.

Parker, 22, is particularly intriguing for American fans because he is age-eligible for the U.S U-23 team and could help boost the team's thin defense.

Goal of the Week: You Pick

This was simply too close—tell us which goal was better in the Comments section below.  

We see you, Zusi. Graham Zusi puts @SportingKC in front 2-1 with this far post finish #CLBvSKC https://t.co/CxOjKOxw18

— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 23, 2015

Expansion Blues (and Purples)

For a while, both Orlando and New York City FC seemed likely to make the postseason. Now? Not so much.

This past weekend proved to be a low point for both teams as NYCFC and Orlando lost their respective games by a combined score of 10-1.

Orlando still has cause for optimism. A new stadium is on the way and young players like Tommy Redding and Larin are producing. The future, while not exactly bright, doesn’t look half bad. 

New York City FC, however, must contend with a number of question marks. The once-promised stadium news is non-existent. David Villa has shined but neither Andrea Pirlo nor Frank Lampard have shown they can overcome the rigors of MLS play so far. And Mix Diskerud has been a major disappointment.

Kreis acknowledged the shortcomings after Sunday’s disheartening defeat.

“We still have a lot to learn about how to be mentally strong and how to get the momentum back in games,” Kreis said. “I think it is happening to us quite often where we have spells where we are good and them something happens in the game and everything completely shifts and we have a hard time getting that back.”

Panic in Seattle?

Many observers expected the Seattle Sounders to rank among the best teams in the league this season. It hasn’t worked out that way.

Yes, injuries have played a major role in the club’s downward spiral. Clint Dempsey and Osvaldo Alonso are currently out of the lineup and Obafemi Martins has only recently returned to the fold.

On Saturday night, the Sounders were thoroughly outplayed by Real Salt Lake and lost 2-0. The Sounders have now lost nine of its last 11 league games.

Is it time to panic?

“I think after this we are there,” captain Brad Evans said. “Whether everybody realizes, it is up to them. But I think that that will be addressed this week. Looking at the standings, we have a massive game against Salt Lake at home at the end of the year. We've still got at San Jose and Portland. So there are still plenty of massive games coming up that could swing either way.Those three games especially are going to be indicative of where we finish the season.

“It's up to us.”

Brian Sciaretta is an American Soccer Now columnist and an ASN 100 panelist. Follow him on Twitter.