Another week, another major shuffle in the early MLS NEXT Pro Power Rankings landscape.
Matchday 3 took place from March 23 to March 30, and several clubs crammed in multiple matches in the busy seven-day span with both the regular season and U.S. Open Cup raging on.
With heavy rotation and flexed schedules, several surprising results in the third round of the MLS NEXT Pro regular season shook things up in the power struggle.
Here are the Top 10 Power Rankings heading into Matchday 4.
There’s just no arguing with St Louis CITY2 for now.
They still have yet to concede a goal through four games and just handled their double Matchweek expertly with a 2-0 win over rival Sporting KC II and a shootout win over Austin FC II.
It was so good it earned CITY2 their second Team of the Matchweek honor of the season.
Last match: 0-0 (5-4 SOW) vs Austin FC II
Next match: vs. Colorado Rapids 2 on Sunday, April 6
Chattanooga FC are also off to an unbeaten start to 2025.
Their latest result, a 2-2 tie and ensuing 4-3 shootout win over Atlanta United 2 on Sunday, showed their ability to trade blows and stay in a barnburner game no matter the circumstances.
CFC is also at large in the U.S. Open Cup, which will make for a busy, busy schedule once again this week.
Last match: 2-2 (4-3 SOW) at Atlanta United 2
Next match: vs. Chattanooga Red Wolves SC on Wednesday, April 9 (USOC)
Next League match: vs. Orlando City B on Saturday, April 5
Are we looking at the road dogs of the 2025 season?
MNUFC2 are two-for-two on the road to open the new season and have an apparent flair for picking up points in the Lone Star state with respective wins over Austin FC II and Houston Dynamo 2.
The Twosies will have to keep doing it on the road for now, with trips to Sporting KC II and Colorado Rapids 2 before their home opener against North Texas SC on May 2.
Last Match: 3-1 win at Houston Dynamo 2
Next Match: at SKC II on Wednesday, April 9
In the flexed matchweek, Dynamo Dos had to play three matches in seven days.
Ultimately, the statement 5-1 road win over defending MLS NEXT Pro Cup champions North Texas SC shines brighter than a narrow 1-0 defeat to Ventura County FC and a 3-1 loss to MNUFC2.
They'll enjoy a well-earned break before returning to action in Matchweek 4.
Last Match: 3-1 loss vs. MNUFC2
Next Match: vs. Los Angeles FC 2 on Sunday, April 6
OCB remained unbeaten with their 1-0 win at Crown Legacy FC in Matchweek 3.
Midfielder Shak Mohammed provided the match-winner to start a two-game scoring streak and put himself in the very early 2025 Golden Boot race.
Up next, a dance with Chattanooga FC will be one of the most interesting games of the early season as two of the few remaining unbeatens in MLS NEXT Pro square off.
Last Match: 1-0 win at Crown Legacy FC
Next Match: at Chattanooga FC on Saturday, April 5
Statement made.
Revs II put up a commanding 4-0 win over Toronto FC II on Friday to extend their unbeaten run to three games to start the season in tip-top form.
Marcos Dias is leading the way with two goals and assists each. Is it too early to name him as an early 2025 MLS NEXT Pro MVP candidate?
Last match: 4-0 win vs. TFC II
Next match: at Orlando City B on Sunday, April 9
They’re heatin’ up!
A 2-1 win over FC Cincinnati 2 puts Chicago Fire FC II on a two-game winning streak.
This week, it was newcomer Claudio Cassano leading the charge with a goal and pressuring the FCC2 defense into an own goal.
Last match: 2-1 win at FC Cincinnati 2
Next match: at New York Red Bulls II on Sunday, April 6
NYCFC II took their first loss of the season on Sunday but still had a strong showing that keeps them firmly in the power rankings.
Without a late penalty concession, they may have forced a shootout in their first Hudson River rivalry matchup with New York Red Bulls II to keep their unbeaten streak alive.
But, ending the month with a 2W-1L-1T (SOW) line is a fantastic start to the year for Matt Pilkington and Co.
Last Match: 3-2 loss at RBNY II
Next Match: at Carolina Core FC on Saturday, April 5
The win over NYCFC II marked a three-game unbeaten streak to start the season with an exclamation point.
RBNY II boasts five different goal scorers through the first three games of the season and had the services of 17-year-old wonderkid Julian Hall last weekend. If he is even a semi-regular in the Red Bulls II setup in 2025, that'll be a massive boost to what looks like an already-thriving attack.
Last Match: 3-2 win vs. NYCFC II
Next Match: vs. Chicago Fire FC II on Sunday, April 6
HCFC had to wait until Matchweek 3 for their 2025 home opener, and the fans at Joe Davis Stadium were treated to a thriller.
Midfielder Damien Barker John forced a shootout with a second-half goal, setting the stage for goalkeeper Erik Lauta to play the hero in Hunstville securing the shootout win.
The performance puts HCFC at 1W-1L-1T to open the season.
Last Match: 2-2 T (SOW) vs. Philadelphia Union II
Next Match: at Crown Legacy FC on Sunday, April 13
