Ranking this week’s MLS games

FC Dallas' Walker Zimmerman (25) stretches to steal the ball from Vancouver Whitecaps' Bernie Ibini-lsei (23) during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Frisco, Texas, Saturday, July 29, 2017. (Steve Hamm/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

Credit: Steve Hamm

Credit: Steve Hamm

FC Dallas' Walker Zimmerman (25) stretches to steal the ball from Vancouver Whitecaps' Bernie Ibini-lsei (23) during the first half of an MLS soccer match in Frisco, Texas, Saturday, July 29, 2017. (Steve Hamm/The Dallas Morning News via AP)

Ranking this week’s MLS games from best to worst.

1. Sporting KC (9-4-10) at Seattle (9-7-7), 4 p.m. Saturday. Seattle is unbeaten in its past seven games with four wins, and an offense that is starting to find its form. Sporting KC’s defense is the best in MLS with just 18 goals allowed.

2. Portland (9-8-7) at Toronto (12-3-8), 6 p.m. Saturday. The Timbers are starting to get healthy and finding the form that made it one of the league’s best teams early in the season. Toronto is… Toronto. No matter who is in the lineup it grinds out results.

3. Orlando City (8-9-6) at New York Red Bulls (11-9-2), 7:30 p.m. Saturday. If Orlando City’s Jason Kreis isn’t on the hotseat, not getting a result here could light the burner. The Lions have one win in their past nine games, are (temporarily) out of the playoff race right now, and have added Dom Dwyer and Yoshimar Yotun to improve an offense that is second-worst in the East with 24 goals.

4. San Jose (9-9-5) at Houston (9-7-7), 9 p.m. Saturday. Watch out, MLS because Houston is starting to figure out how to earn points on the road. Put that with its fantastic home record and it is a team to watch. The Quakes broke their string of poor form with a win over Columbus last week.

5. NYCFC (12-7-4) at L.A. Galaxy (6-11-5), 11 p.m. Saturday. The Galaxy have lost of seven and Jermaine Jones again proved a liability in last week’s loss to Portland. NYCFC need a win to maintain their race for the top in the East.

6. Chicago (12-5-5) at Columbus (10-12-2), 7:30 p.m. Saturday. After stumbling into the All-Star break, the Fire rolled over New England last week. David Accam seems once again settled. The Crew just can’t put together a run of good results. It’s odd. Both teams will want to keep the ball. Who can make that killer pass?

7. Vancouver (9-8-4) at New England (7-10-5), 8 p.m. Saturday. Vancouver has won three of its past six, while New England has won two in the same span. The Revs have all the talent on offense with 37 goals, but have conceded 38. If the defense can stop Fredy Montero (8 goals), the Revs should be OK.

8. Montreal (7-8-6) at Philadelphia (8-10-5), 8 p.m. Saturday.  I’ve got a sneaky suspicion that Philadelphia may work its way into the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference.

9. Colorado (6-12-3) at Dallas (9-5-7), 8 p.m. Saturday. Dallas has lost two consecutive by a combined score of 7-1. Colorado has one win in it past seven.

10. Real Salt Lake (7-12-5) at D.C. United (5-14-4), 7 p.m. Saturday. D.C. United tore apart its roster during the final transfer window of the season. Who knows what we will see from this one?