The inaugural season of MLS NEXT Pro has been packed with goals, drama and excitement through eight weeks. Let’s take a look at the teams that continued to light it up and made MLS NEXT Pro Top 5 rankings this week:
Looking at Saturday’s loss to North Texas SC does not outshine the six-game unbeaten run WFC2 took into Choctaw Stadium. Whitecaps FC 2 is still hanging tough at third place in the Western Conference after Week 8 and should be capable of putting together another lengthy unbeaten run.
Previous Ranking: 3
Next Match: vs MNUFC2 on Saturday, May 21.
The Union II’s 1-0 win over a determined Orlando City B on Monday stood out as one of the bigger talking points coming from the weekend. It extended Union II’s unbeaten streak to four games and has them sitting just three points outside of first place in the Eastern Conference standings.
Previous Ranking: 5
Next Match: at RNY FC on Saturday, May 21.
Another week, another solid showing from Pa-Modou Kah’s men.
North Texas SC is on a three-game unbeaten run after Saturday’s win over WFC2. The win moved the Dallas-based side to 5-1-2 on the season and keeps it right on Houston Dynamo 2’s heels in the Western Conference ranks.
Previous Ranking: 4
Next Match: at Real Monarchs on Friday, May 20.
Saturday’s 1-1 tie and an ensuing shootout loss to MNUFC2 was the second time in three weeks that Dynamo Dos has been humanized in comparison to their excellent form out of the gate. Still, they remain at the top of the Western Conference standings with a 6-1-1 line and have a strong case to be the chart-topper.
Head coach Kenny Bundy has a BYE week to work with before returning to action against a Western Conference foe.
Previous Ranking: 1
Next Match: at Real Monarchs on Wednesday, May 25.
The argument for Crew 2 to claim the top spot has been valid for a few weeks, and Saturday’s road win over NYCFC II made it undeniable.
In one swoop, the side from Columbus extended its winning streak to six in a row, kept a clean sheet against the highest-scoring team in the league, and managed to do it with a numbers disadvantage for the last 20 minutes.
Striker Jacen Russell-Rowe was the difference maker and extended his personal scoring streak to five games in a row, and the clean sheet left Crew 2’s pristine Goals Against statistic at three on the season. For context, their nearest competitors in that category are in a three-way tie at seven allowed.
Previous Ranking: 2
Next Match: vs TFC II on Saturday, May 21.
