The assessment of D.C. United at the halfway point of the 2015 season is easy: the Black-and-Red are in first place in the Eastern Conference with a deep team that has seen 16 different players record a goal or an assist and 16 different starting lineups in 17 games. Not bad. Not bad at all.
As United turns the corner, here’s a look at the rest of the East:
Chicago Fire
- The Fire have only won one game in the last eight games and have had a terrible time on the road, going 0-5-2 away from Toyota Park. In recent weeks, they have seen leads slip against D.C. United and Orlando City.
- First Half MVP: Despite the lackluster first half, David Accam has emerged as the shining light. The 5’ 9” Ghanaian forward has hit the ground running in his first season in MLS, scoring four goals and recording an assist as a threatening complement to second-year attacker Harry Shipp.
Columbus Crew
- The Crew spent their first 15 games on a rollercoaster; all six of their losses came when allowing the opposing team to score first and all four of their wins came when they scored first. Finding consistent form will be key to getting into the playoffs and making a title run – they’ll face D.C. United twice in the fall.
- First Half MVP: In his return to Columbus, forward Kei Kamara has been a superstar. He tops MLS with 10 goals and set the club record on May 30 as the fastest to reach double figures in scoring. Meanwhile Ethan Finlay is making a statement of his own in his fourth season; he leads the league with eight assists.
Montreal
- The Impact have been short of manpower, with eight of 29 players sidelined through injury, and have also played the least amount of games in the league due to the SCCL run. If they can get healthy, they’ll be able to creep up the table thanks to all of their games in hand.
- First Half MVP: Ignacio Piatti has played an integral role in four of Montreal’s wins with three game-winning assists and a game-winning goal.
New England Revolution
- Last year’s MLS Cup finalists have kept the pressure on D.C. United but have just one win in their last seven contests. The Revs’ have a variety of attacking options, but Jermaine Jones was crucial in the run to the MLS Cup final last year, and losing him to sports hernia surgery for 6-8 weeks this summer is a big blow.
- First Half MVP: Charlie Davies is in the midst of his best season in MLS since he spent 2011 with the Black-and-Red. He leads the Revolution with six goals and one assist and is proving to be a handful with the kinds of runs and play that once made him so dangerous for the U.S. Men’s National Team.
New York City FC
- In their inaugural MLS season, New York City FC have experienced a start similar to so many expansion sides before them – it’s difficult to have success right away. Spanish forward David Villa has a mediocre six goals and Mix Diskerud has two, part of just 17 goals so far this season as a team, second-lowest in the Eastern Conference.
- First Half MVP: Villa, who also has three assists, has shown his class and is always the biggest threat going forward for NYCFC. But the summer arrival of Frank Lampard can’t come soon enough.
New York Red Bulls
- After a hot start to the 2015 season, the club did has not won a game in five contests, suffering losses to Sounders FC, Houston Dynamo, Philadelphia Union and Vancouver in recent weeks. The Red Bulls will need to take advantage of games in hand to keep pace in the East.
- First Half MVP: Forward Bradley Wright-Phillips has five goals, but he’s not even close to his record-tying pace last season when Thierry Henry was feeding him. Lloyd Sam also has four goals and three assists, but the early buzz has diminished for new head coach Jesse Marsch’s squad.
Orlando City SC
- Orlando City has burst onto the MLS stage like no team since the league’s expansion to the Pacific Northwest. They’re second in attendance (35,770 per game) behind Seattle and they’ve got an MVP frontrunner in Kaká (seven goals), who has helped the Lions go unbeaten in their last five matches. A crowded upcoming schedule will give an indicator of whether this team is a real contender.
- First Half MVP: It’s been eight years since he was FIFA world player of the year, but 33-year-old Kaká has showed no signs of slowing in his first season in MLS. With free reign, he orchestrates the Orlando City offense.
Philadelphia Union
- The Union went winless in their first five games and have been working on climbing out of the cellar ever since. Stealing key wins over D.C. United and Columbus Crew in the last month have helped recalibrate expectations.
- First Half MVP: D.C.-area native C.J. Sapong has a team-leading five goals and has one assist in his first season with the Union after spending his first four years in Kansas City. His production helps take the pressure off the always-important Sebastian Le Toux who has two goals and four assists.
Toronto FC
- The ambitious Canadian side’s record continues to improve after they started the year on the road while BMO Field renovations finished. They’ve got games in hand and a home-heavy rest of the season in store, though with the Gold Cup taking place they could face more absences from Michael Bradley and Jozy Altidore.
- First Half MVP: There’s no doubt about the big impact of diminutive forward Sebastian Giovinco. He traded Serie A in his native Italy for MLS in the prime of his career, and with seven goals and six assists, he’s a legitimate MLS MVP contender for a side that is desperate to make the playoffs for the first time.
