FRISCO - FC Dallas continued its run as the only unbeaten MLS side after a home draw with New York City FC in Week 11. After just over two months of MLS action this season, it’s time to take a look at how the rest of the Western Conference is shaping up in early 2017.
While Dallas owns the distinction of having not lost a MLS regular season match since Sept. 10, 2016, the team currently sits second in the Western Conference on 19 points with a 5-0-4 record.
Houston (6-3-1) owns the tiebreak advantage over Dallas by having one more victory and sets up a heavyweight bout in next week's first Texas Derby meeting of the year at Toyota Stadium, a match that could determine who gets early season dominance in the West.
Sporting KC rounds out the top three teams in the West, all with 19 points. Dallas has accumulated its total in only nine matches, while Houston Dynamo and SKC have played 10 and eleven matches, respectively, to reach their 19 point totals.
Kansas City (5-2-4) has the same number of wins as Dallas, but a goal differential of +6, compared to Dallas’ +8.
The six Western Conference teams currently in playoff positions are separated by just six points. Portland is fourth with 18 points, followed by this weekend's opponent, San Jose, with 15 points and Vancouver with 13.
Dallas will have a chance to test themselves against the West’s best with five of the club’s next seven opponents currently among the West’s top six.
The five teams sitting outside the West’s playoff places may surprise some.
After eight straight MLS Cup Playoff appearances, the Los Angeles Galaxy find themselves off to a slow start in 2017, just two points adrift of Vancouver and sit seventh in the standings with a 3-5-2 record.
Defending MLS Cup champion Seattle Sounders FC are ninth and have won only twice in their opening 10 games. Colorado, who finished second in the conference last season and pushed FC Dallas for the Supporters’ Shield title, is last in the West with just seven points in nine games played.
