The Major League Soccer regular season is a marathon followed by a rapid knockout cup postseason. So far, the MLS season has featured some surprises.
Due to MLS's structure and salary cap, teams tended to trade places regularly from year to year. However, that trend is changing and clubs are seeing more sustained success. What is to come from the North American soccer league next?
Eastern Conference
Long considered the weaker of the two conferences, the East is home to reigning MLS champions Toronto FC. In early May, sportsbooks from around the globe placed the favourite tag on Atlanta FC, however, after Toronto's poor start. Atlanta are in first place in the Eastern Conference – and MLS overall. The Five Stripes have scored the league's most goals and are +12 in goal difference.
For as good as Atlanta has been, the Columbus Crew and New York City have kept pace. The two clubs sit on 21 points and have every chance of catching Atlanta for first in the Eastern Conference. The Crew's offseason trade of Gyasi Zardes has already paid off as the striker leads MLS in goals with eight.
The Eastern Conference's cellar is once again being taken up by DC United. Manager Ben Olsen has been unable to get his squad to play worthwhile football for the last three seasons. The club is set to finish dead last in MLS this term if things don't change.
Western Conference
The Western Conference has been dominated by one team thus far and that is Sporting KC. Peter Vermes' team has recorded a +11-goal difference. Not only is it the conference's best, but only four of 12 Western Conference clubs have positive goal differentials. Sporting's home form has been brilliant as the side have accumulated 13 of 18 points, which is over half the club's total.
The West's biggest surprise is Los Angeles FC, however. The first year MLS club has lost only two matches this term. Both defeats came on the road as LA have recorded eight from 12 points at home.
While both Sporting and LA have impressed early on, the Seattle Sounders have greatly disappointed. The club has secured just eight points from 27 possible. The Sounders appeared in the MLS Cup final in 2016 and 2017. Seattle won the latter and came runners-up a season ago against Toronto. Injuries have hurt the Sounders this term as forward Jordan Morris is out indefinitely. The team has scored he fewest goals in all of MLS (seven), and coach Bryan Schmetzer could be out of a job soon.
MLS's marathon regular season means almost anything can happen, especially when the playoffs begin. Sporting KC, LA, Columbus or Atlanta could fall off by the time the post-season begins. For now, all four are playing well, but there is a lot of football still to play.