KNOXVILLE, Iowa – Brian Brown had aspirations of winning his 50th career 410 sprint car feature at Knoxville Raceway on Sunday night, but David Gravel had other ideas.

Gravel stormed to the victory in the eighth annual Bell Helmets Capitani Classic presented by Great Southern Bank, banking a $7,500 payday in perhaps the most exciting running of the Cappy in history.

In a 25-lap feature where the lead officially changed hands five different times, it was Gravel who had the last laugh in the Jason Johnson Racing No. 41 sprinter. He had the door slammed on him by Brown in turn one with six to go, but ducked up to the middle groove and was able to make the winning pass.

From there, Gravel drove off to a 1.372-second victory over Brown, notching his fourth-career Knoxville Raceway feature win and his first in the Capitani Classic.

“Brownie has been really good here all year and is always one of the best cars, so to come out on top tonight over him feels really good,” said Gravel, who became the seventh different event winner in eight editions. “When you’re the leader, you don’t know what to do sometimes. He passed me around the top, and I knew if I hit the bottom good I’d be OK … but man, it was hard (to do).

“I got tighter as the race went on and it got harder and harder to hold it down there, and then lap cars were all over the place at the end,” Gravel added. “I don’t know if he was closer or not, but I made it wide and figured that there were three guys ahead of me, so nobody could really pass me.

“I’m happy to get a good run and this win is great confidence for the rest of our week.”

After Brown topped all comers to win $2,500 in the Ultimate Raceway Nationals Pole Shuffle, he led the field to green alongside Brock Zearfoss. A false start re-racked the field initially, but on the second attempt Brown got away to the lead with Gravel in tow on the bottom – a line he would run almost all night.

Gravel’s first bid for the top spot came on lap eight, and he made it stick with a diving pass to the inside of Brown, leading the lap before a caution was displayed for the wounded cars of Kerry Madsen and Tim Shaffer on the frontstretch. Both were able to return, restarting from the tail of the field.

When racing resumed, Gravel slid himself as a defensive maneuver to hold the top spot, but barely a lap later Brown was rocketing past to lead the 10th round with a run off the outside of turn two.

That set off a war between the top two, with Gravel using an under-over switch to grab some bite off the high line in turn four and resume command at lap 12. The furious battle was only interrupted by a brief debris caution moments later, after the restart cone was knocked onto the frontstretch.

Gravel’s defense worked so well on his first restart that he repeated it to perfection on the lap-13 green flag, but again, Brown used a big run one lap later to take the top spot back from the No. 41. That pass brought 17-year-old Gio Scelzi into the fray as well, shaping up a furious three-man battle for the win.

Scelzi briefly snuck by Gravel for the runner-up spot with 10 to go, but couldn’t hold it as Gravel turned on the afterburners and ran down Brown in a hurry to challenge for the victory. He caught the FVP No. 21 with eight to go and rocketed back to the lead for good two circuits later, never looking back.

Brown was left to settle for second, but was still smiling after the race and the thrilling scrap between he and Gravel out front.

“If anyone didn’t like that, I don’t know what to tell you, because that was pretty awesome racing from my seat,” Brown said. “David is one of the top two or three drivers in the world right now, and Gio is really good too, so to race those guys was a lot of fun. I just wasn’t hitting my lines … and was having to use the berm a little more on entry than I wanted to. We had been pretty tight, and just went a little too far.

“Three seconds in a row is tough … but it’s hard to be disappointed, because we could be on the other end and be a whole lot worse off than this.”

After contending for the lead in the second half, Scelzi ultimately completed the podium in third, followed by defending Capitani Classic winner Brad Sweet and his former teammate, Daryn Pittman.

Tim Kaeding was the night’s hard charger, coming out of a B-main transfer position and advancing 14 spots to come from 20th to sixth.

Ian Madsen, James McFadden, Sheldon Haudenschild and Aaron Reutzel filled out the top 10.

To view complete race results, advance to the next page.

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KNOXVILLE, Iowa – Three second place finishes in a row have Brian Brown atop the Beaver Drill & Tool Jesse Hockett Mr. Sprint Car Point Standings.

Monday the action shifts to the Southern Iowa Speedway in Oskaloosa and the $20,000 to win Sage Fruit Front Row Challenge presented by Searsboro Telephone Company.

Beaver Drill & Tool Company of Kansas City is in their second year as title sponsor of the Beaver Drill & Tool Jesse Hockett Mr. Sprint Car Award. The Vielhauer family, well-known in the sprint car racing community are owners of Beaver Drill & Tool Co.

Current 2019 Jesse Hockett Mr. Sprint Car top-10 standings:

1. Brian Brown, Missouri, 147 points; 2. James McFadden, Victoria, Aust., 143 points; 3. Aaron Reutzel, Texas, 137 points; 4. Sam Hafertepe Jr., Texas, 118 points; 5. Gio Scelzi, California, 116 points; 6. Justin Henderson, South Dakota, 111 points; 7. Wayne Johnson, Oklahoma, 106 points; 8. Joey Saldana, Indiana, 104 points; 9. Cory Eliason, California, 101 points; Davey Heskin, Minnesota, 101 points.

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KAUKAUNA, Wis. – Ty Majeski has something in common with Dale Earnhardt and Al Schill.

Normally, that’d be a good thing. But this time, in a rare instance, it’s not the case.

The Dixieland 250 at Wisconsin Int’l Raceway is the one super late model special in Wisconsin that Majeski hasn’t won in his accomplished career. Where he falls into the same category as Earnhardt and Schill is Majeski has won just about everywhere he’s been in a late model.

For Earnhardt, he won just about everything possible at Daytona, but it was the Daytona 500 that eluded him for 20 years before finally winning that race in 1998.

For Schill, he won just about everything possible at Slinger Super Speedway, except the Slinger Nationals.

For Majeski, he’s won nearly all of the top short-track races in Wisconsin, including Slinger Nationals, the Icebreaker 100, Joe Shear Classic, Howie Lettow Classic and Oktoberfest. He’s also won several of the nation’s top late model races, too, including the Rattler 250 in Alabama. He’s also won a sports car race at Road America and multiple events in the ARCA Menards Series.

But he’s never won the Dixieland 250 and it may be the most important one to him.

“That’s one race I haven’t won yet,” Majeski said Thursday night after winning the Blue race of the Red-White-Blue series at Wisconsin Int’l Raceway. “It’s one I want.”

It’s important to him to win the Dixieland because Wisconsin Int’l Raceway is his home track. It’s 15 miles from his hometown of Seymour. Many of his sponsors – including several who have been with him since the start of his racing career – are local to Wisconsin Int’l Raceway.

After winning the Slinger Nationals in 2018, Majeski said a win at the Dixieland will complete what he’s wanted to accomplish in his super late model career.

“It’s probably the top one on my list I haven’t won yet,” Majeski said Thursday, adding Snowball Derby is also on his list.

But Wisconsin Int’l Raceway, the Dixieland 250, it’s home.

“This is my hometown; home crowd,” Majeski said. “It’d mean a lot to win here. A lot of sponsors that have sponsored me from the beginning when I started in late model racing and they’ll obviously be in the stands. It’d be a huge race to win in front of everyone.”

The Dixieland 250 is arguably one of the Midwest’s treasured short-track racing events. It was held annually between 1981-2001. It returned for 2004-2010, and was revived a second time in 2014. The Dixieland 250’s list of all-time winners is full of racing legends. Mark Martin won the inaugural running in 1981 and repeated in 1984.

Wins in the Slinger Nationals, Joe Shear Classic and Dixieland 250 is considered the Triple Crown on Wisconsin’s asphalt ovals.

The all-time wins leader of the Dixieland is Steve Carlson, winning it six times (1997, ’98, ’01, ’04, ’08 and ’09). Dick Trickle won the event four times (1983, ’87, ’90 and ’91), while Butch Miller is a three-time winner (1985, ’86 and ’88). Two-time winners include Martin, Joe Shear and Johnny Sauter. Sauter’s dad won it in 1982.

On Thursday night, Majeski picked up momentum.

On that night, with the Dixieland 250 lurking days away, he set fast time in qualifying, won his dash and won both twin 35-lap features. Afterward, he called his car one of the five best he’s ever driven in his life.

“It’s huge,” Majeski said of the confidence boost he got from Thursday night. “It’s certainly going to maybe slim down our practice time. We had a lot of things we want to go through and we went through a lot of those today. This thing was so good. I don’t think we’re going to deviate far from this. We’ve got a few ideas on things we’re going to try.

“If it’s this like on Tuesday, somebody is going to have to be really good to beat us. Pretty excited about that.”

So who will challenge Majeski at Dixieland? There are plenty of suitors to make Majeski wait at least another year for a Dixieland title.

There is Jeff Van Oudenhoven, a three-time Red-White-Blue champion at Wisconsin Int’l Raceway and a five-time Fox River Racing Club champion.

There is Casey Johnson, another Red-White-Blue champion as well as a champion at several tracks throughout Wisconsin and for several traveling series throughout the region.

There will be six Kulwicki Driver Development Program drivers – past and present – in the field (Majeski, Paul Shafer Jr., Carson Kvapil, Brett Yackey, Justin Mondeik and Luke Fenhaus).

There is Derek Kraus, leader of the NASCAR K&N Pro Series West standings and third in East standings.

There is Austin Nason, winner of the Father’s Day 100 at The Milwaukee Mile in June.

Former winners in the field include Rich Bickle Jr. (1989), Dennis Prunty (2016) and Johnson.

Also entered is NASCAR driver Daniel Hemric, who is racing in Wisconsin in a late model for the second time in as many months. He finished ninth at the Slinger Nationals on July 9. He’s a former winner of the Redbud 300 and the All-American 400.

When asked what may be attributed to him not having triumphed yet in the Dixieland, Majeski offered some possibilities.

“Obviously it’s a long race, 250 laps, a lot more variables, a lot more cars, a lot more competition,” he said.

There is one aspect that could help him.

Thursday night was the fourth straight time he’s won the Blue race of the Red-White-Blue series. However, the previous three times were after the Dixieland 250. This year, it is reversed.

“Typically, we’re OK at the Dixieland and we come to the Blue race and we’re really good,” Majeski said. “Hopefully this year it’s flip-flopped.

“We hit on something during the day today and it was a huge gain. It proved to be just that tonight. I really like our chances moving forward not only for the Dixieland, but for more races in general. I think this will translate well.”

After a disappointing stint with the rebuilding New York Rangers, Kevin Shattenkirk now gets a legitimate shot at a Stanley Cup with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

The team announced that it has signed the defenseman to a one-year, $1.75 million contract.

The Rangers bought out the last two years of Shattenkirk's contract last week.

Shattenkirk, 30, played 119 games with the Rangers over the past two seasons, scoring 51 points (7 goals, 44 assists) with a minus-29. But his game never recovered after an injury-filled first season with the team, and his 1.4 shooting percentage last season was the worst of his career.

His contract carried an average annual value against the salary cap of $6.65 million through 2021. According to Cap Friendly, the Rangers will save $5,166,667 against the cap this season, as Shattenkirk's cap hit would be reduced to $1,483,333 in 2019-20.

The buyout will be spread out over the next four seasons, with the Rangers also paying him $6,083,333 in 2020-21 and $1,433,333 in 2021-22 and 2022-23.

After a year splitting time with the St. Louis Blues and Washington Capitals, Shattenkirk became a coveted unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2017 as one of the NHL's better puck-moving defensemen. Spurning longer-term deals, on July 1 he signed a four-year, $26 million contract with the Rangers, his favorite team as a child while growing up in New Rochelle, New York, where his parents still live.

The Lightning had an opening on the blue line after Anton Stralman signed with the Panthers and Dan Girardi became an unrestricted free agent.

Information from ESPN's Greg Wyshynski was used in this report.

Lionel Messi has been ruled out of Barcelona's squad for the two games against Napoli in the United States this week after injuring his calf in his first training session back.

Messi picked up the knock during training on Monday and will not travel to the U.S. with the rest of his teammates, including new signings Frenkie de Jong, Antoine Griezmann and Junior Firpo.

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"Messi withdrew from the session due to discomfort in his right leg," Barca said in a statement.

"Tests carried out have diagnosed a grade one calf strain for the Argentine. Messi will remain in Barcelona and will now not travel to the USA for the club's tour. His availability to come back to action will be dictated by his recovery from the injury."

The Argentina international's participation in the Copa America meant he wasn't cited to return to training until Monday. However, while he didn't play, he was present for Sunday's win over Arsenal at Camp Nou.

Messi expressed his disappointment on Instagram, posting a message that read: "I was looking forward to getting started but unfortunately I have had a setback in my first training session that's going to rule me out for a short while.

"I wanted to be with the team and the fans that follow us in the U.S. This time it's not to be but we will see each other soon."

Speaking in his role as captain before the game, he told supporters he didn't regret pledging to win the Champions League last season despite the humiliating loss against Liverpool in the semifinal.

"It's difficult to say anything after last season," he said. "But I don't regret anything, and I would say the same thing again. I back these players and the coaching staff we have. Together we're going to fight to win everything.

"Last season ended with a bitter taste, but we have to give value to La Liga, the eighth we have won in 11 years. That's important, and maybe we don't give enough value to what we have done."

Neither Messi nor Luis Suarez were part of the club's tour to the U.S. last summer because of their involvement at the World Cup.

Of the other four South American players who saw action in Copa America, Suarez is confirmed to travel, along with Arturo Vidal, Philippe Coutinho and Arthur Melo.

B team players Inaki Pena, Riqui Puig, Carles Perez and Abel Ruiz have also been included.

Barca play Napoli at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Wednesday before flying to Michigan to face the Italians again as they step up preparations for their curtain-raiser against Athletic Bilbao next weekend.

The Spanish champions are also holding a number of fan events while in the U.S. as they look to get closer to their American supporters -- a market of particular interest to president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

Some of the first-team squad are due to appear at a "Barca Fest," which is being held at Bayfront Park in Miami on Tuesday, with artists Pedro Capo and Play N Skillz set to perform.

Manchester United have signed England international defender Harry Maguire from Leicester on a six-year deal.

Sources told ESPN FC on Friday that United agreed to pay Leicester £80 million, which represents a world record fee for a defender, surpassing the £75m Liverpool paid Southampton for Virgil van Dijk in 2018.

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"I am delighted to have signed for this great club," Maguire said.

? New player, same #MUFC DNA ?

Our first interview with @HarryMaguire93 is not to be missed ?

— Manchester United (@ManUtd) August 5, 2019

"I have thoroughly enjoyed my time at Leicester and would like to thank everyone at the club and the fans for their fantastic support over the past two seasons.

"However, when Manchester United come knocking on your door, it is an incredible opportunity. From my conversations with the manager, I am excited about the vision and plans he has for the team.

"It's clear to see that Ole [Gunnar Solskjaer] is building a team to win trophies. I am now looking forward to meeting my new teammates and getting the season started."

Leicester were holding out for a bid of £90m for Maguire before agreeing to a compromise.

The 26-year-old underwent a medical over the weekend and will be eligible to make his United debut against Chelsea at Old Trafford on Sunday.

"Harry is one of the best centre-backs in the game today and I am delighted we have secured his signature," United manager Solskjaer said of the signing.

"He is a great reader of the game and has a strong presence on the pitch with the ability to remain calm under pressure.

"I can see he will fit well into this group both on and off the pitch. He has a great personality and is a fantastic addition to the club."

Maguire played 76 games in two seasons at Leicester after arriving for £17m from Hull City in 2017.

It was a weekend of statements made across Major League Soccer, and the Power Rankings are taking note.

We see you, Alejandro Bedoya and the Philadelphia Union, stomping DC United and digging in at the top of the East. We see you, LAFC, reminding everyone that "hottest" doesn't mean "best" and that you can get it done without Carlos Vela. We see you, Minnesota United, winning ugly and claiming second place. We see you ... Colorado, maybe? Six goals is a lot.

What about RSL? That win means something, right? Sporting? OK, so maybe we need some of you to make another statement next week.

Let's go rank.

Previous rankings: Week 21 | Week 20 | Week 19 | Week 18 | Week 17 | Week 16 | Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1

1. LAFC (16 wins, 4 draws, 3 losses)

Previous ranking: 1

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 vs. Red Bulls, 10 p.m. ET

Making the cross-country trip with five All-Stars in tow, the best team in the league took down the hottest team in the league on the turf at Gillette Stadium and maintained a record pace for points. The fact that Vela wasn't involved in either goal is actually a plus: It showed the Black & Gold can win without his direct influence.

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2. San Jose Earthquakes (11-5-7)

Previous ranking: 2

Next MLS match: Aug.10 at Colorado, stream live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET

Again the Quakes dominated a match, but this time, the goals didn't come. Probably best to just chalk this one up to bad luck and move on. No reason to doubt San Jose based on a single bad result, even if that result meant the club's stay in second place was short-lived.

3. Philadelphia Union (12-6-7)

Previous ranking: 5

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 vs. Houston, stream live on ESPN+ at 6 p.m. ET

If not for a missed penalty by Kacper Przybylko , the Union would have scored six goals and matched Colorado for the weekend's best output. Even with that miss, Philly still managed the biggest margin of victory in MLS this round and, more importantly, maintained a three-point lead over Atlanta. Mic dropped.

4. Minnesota United (11-5-7)

Previous ranking: 6

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at FC Dallas, stream live on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET

The lucky Loons dodged a few good Timbers chances before getting a late penalty on Sunday. The win lifted Adrian Heath's team into second place in the Western Conference, ahead of the Quakes and Sounders on a tiebreaker. It also sets the stage for a massive Open Cup semifinal rematch against Portland on Wednesday.

5. Atlanta United (12-3-9)

Previous ranking: 8

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 vs. NYCFC, watch live on ESPN at 4 p.m. ET

We're a little murky on whether a pair of own goals and a penalty kick can add up to a "statement win," especially when the other team was missing its best player. Frank de Boer took some heat from his own players this week, so any comprehensive win is welcomed no matter how the goals went in.

6. New York City FC (9-8-4)

Previous ranking: 3

Next MLS match: Aug. 8 vs. Houston, stream live on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET

NYCFC was short-handed in Utah and Dome Torrent wasn't happy about it. "I don't understand why MLS decide to play with Maxi Moralez. Everybody knows he was injured. He played 70% walking all the time. I'm not sure if he's ready to play the next game. And look -- he played in All-Stars."

7. New England Revolution (9-6-9)

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Seattle, stream live on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET

There's no real shame in losing to the best team in the league to end an 11-game unbeaten run, but the Revs will need to avoid a letdown if they intend to make the playoffs. Next up is a trip to Seattle and if the Revs lose there, the chances of a spiral seem very real.

8. Seattle Sounders (11-5-7)

Previous ranking: 7

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. New England, stream live on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET

Nicolas Lodeiro is 6% more aerodynamic with his new haircut and can play a hell of a pass, but those things couldn't save the Sounders on Sunday night. The defensive lapses will haunt Brian Schmetzer, as might the shocking baldpate of his star Argentine playmaker. Sorry, but that head is wild.

9. New York Red Bulls (11-4-9)

Previous ranking: 12

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 at LAFC, 10 p.m. ET

The Red Bulls welcomed TFC to town on Saturday and fell backward into a clean sheet and a 2-0 win. There's drama in Harrison, with Aaron Long caught up in an argument between the club (and MLS) and his agent over how much it should take for a big European club to buy the center back.

10. Portland Timbers (9-4-9)

Previous ranking: 9

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Vancouver, stream live on ESPN+ at 11 p.m. ET

One bad moment from Larrys Mabiala was enough to turn a gritty road point into a deflating road loss in Minnesota. Giovanni Savarese will aim for revenge in Wednesday's Open Cup semi, presumably with the same mostly full-strength lineup he used on Sunday.

11. LA Galaxy (12-1-10)

Previous ranking: 10

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 at DC United, 7:30 p.m. ET

We're here to report that there is no truth to the rumors that the Galaxy have petitioned Major League Soccer to throw out the result of any game that Zlatan Ibrahimovic doesn't play in. No truth to them at all, nope.

12. FC Dallas (9-6-9)

Previous ranking: 11

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Minnesota, stream live on ESPN+ at 8 p.m. ET

Lots of the ball, none of the goals for the Hoops in Orlando. It's now a running theme for FCD and a real worrying reality headed down the stretch of the season. Unless a true goal scorer arrives before the close of the transfer window in ... oh ... three days, the playoffs might slip away.

13. Real Salt Lake (10-4-9)

Previous ranking: 16

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Sporting, stream live on ESPN+ at 8:30 p.m. ET

Real Salt Lake's Dr. Jekyll side was out against NYCFC, with Mike Petke's absence looming over the club following his Mr. Hyde routine in the Leagues Cup. Whether the win on Saturday had anything to do with Petke is hard to say, but it does lift RSL back above the playoff line.

14. Orlando City (8-5-11)

Previous ranking: 19

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Toronto, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

The Lions secured a very important home win over FC Dallas on Saturday, sparked by right-back Ruan's slashing run across the field and brilliant outside-of-the-foot through ball to Tesho Akindele. The run and pass were great, good enough that we're working really hard to get the pronunciation of "Ruan" down.

15. Sporting Kansas City (7-7-9)

Previous ranking: 21

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Real Salt Lake, stream live on ESPN+ at 8:30 p.m. ET

Sporting dug deep in Seattle, going up 2-0 on the Sounders before halftime and hanging on for a 3-2 lead. Peter Vermes needs a lot more of that to save the season, but he need only look at the recent history of the team he beat on Sunday to know a reclamation is possible.

16. D.C. United (9-9-7)

Previous ranking: 13

Next MLS match: Aug. 11 vs. LA Galaxy, 7:30 p.m. ET

The Black & Red are the Black & Blue these days, taking hits from all sides as they tumble down the table in the Eastern Conference. Russell Canouse was already out and now it looks like Chris Durkin will miss some time. It's enough to make you wonder if Ola Kamara can play midfield.

17. Columbus Crew (7-4-14)

Previous ranking: 18

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Cincinnati, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

The Crew were out-everything'd against the Quakes and the two-game winning streak came to an end, but a point is a point is a point, especially on the road against one of the hottest teams in the league. Columbus goes for five unbeaten in the Hell Is Real Derby next week.

18. Toronto FC (9-5-10)

Previous ranking: 15

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Orlando, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

The coin flip came up tails (or whatever they call it in Canada) for the Reds this week. Chance after chance went wanting at Red Bull Arena, leading to an ugly 2-0 defeat. The Reds have a host of games against teams below them in the table coming up and they might all be must-wins.

19. Colorado Rapids (6-5-12)

Previous ranking: 17

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. San Jose, stream live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET

Unfortunately for the Rapids, goals scored aren't redeemable for spots in the inimitable Power Rankings one-for-one. The current rate is more like .285 and even that is subject to the whims of the market. You know how markets are... they have a lot of whims.

20. Montreal Impact (10-3-12)

Previous ranking: 14

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Chicago, stream live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET

Let's be honest: Winning on the road in Colorado was the secondary concern for the Impact on Saturday. The first was avoiding the plague. Prairie dogs in Commerce City have the plague, so Montreal can consider it a victory if none of their players have the plague. The plague, as in THE ACTUAL PLAGUE.

21. Chicago Fire (6-9-10)

Previous ranking: 22

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 vs. Montreal, stream live on ESPN+ at 9 p.m. ET

The Fire deserve more words this week because A) they scored a goal and B) they won a game.

21. Houston Dynamo (9-3-11)

Previous ranking: 20

Next MLS match: Aug. 8 at NYCFC, stream live on ESPN+ at 7 p.m. ET

We have to be honest: We're saddened by the collapse of the Dynamo. All the fun has been sucked out of a Houston team that, once upon a time, was among the deadliest counter-attacking sides in all of MLS. These days, the only energy the Dynamo produce is of the referee-hating variety.

23. Vancouver Whitecaps (5-9-11)

Previous ranking: 24

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Portland, stream live on ESPN+ at 4 p.m. ET

Update: Vancouver, not the worst (for now)

24. FC Cincinnati (5-2-17)

Previous ranking: 23

Next MLS match: Aug. 10 at Columbus, stream live on ESPN+ at 7:30 p.m. ET

FCC doesn't get to start over in the standings, but this week does represent a smashing of the reset button in Cincinnati. New head coach Ron Jans is officially on the job as of Tuesday, ushering a new era for the expansion team with eyes squarely on Hell Is Real.