MLSsoccer.com pushed Columbus Crew SC up to No. 3 on their latest Power Rankings chart and ESPN.com listed Columbus up a spot to No. 7, as the Crew heads into Saturday's match at the Houston Dynamo with an MLS Cup Playoffs spot already clinched.
See below for the respective sites' explanations.
MLSsoccer.com: 3rd
Previous ranking: 4th
"The Crew’s four-game winless skid is over and they’re into the Audi MLS Cup Playoffs. We might sound like a broken record, but it’s exciting to think Columbus can reach another level when goalkeeperEloy Room and midfielders Lucas Zelarayan and Darlington Nagbe are back healthy. They’re that important."
ESPN.com: 7th
Previous ranking: 8th
"The Crew needed something special to snap a four-game winless streak. Columbus got it with Artur's first regular-season goal in a 3-1 defeat over NYCFC. The injuries continue to pile up though, with Artur and another goal scorer, Pedro Santos, the latest victims."