It’s time to take stock of the season now that Major League Soccer goes on hiatus for the next two weeks to allow for international matches.

Except for New England-Chicago on June 2 and Vancouver-Houston on June 10, most MLS clubs don’t play again until June 16. The Earthquakes are dark until June 20, except for U.S. Open Cup matches.

The biggest surprises so far are D.C. United (8-4-3), which leads the Eastern Conference, and the Quakes (8-3-3), second in the west. Both teams were expected to be bubble playoff candidates.

Young coach Ben Olsen, 35, took over in August and reshaped United with smart trades and acquisitions. Mostly, though, he has brought stability and belief to the nation’s capital. There is renewed hope the team can break a four-year playoff absence.

“Throughout the week, we’ve been talking about it,” goalkeeper Bill Hamid told the Washington Times. “First place, first place, first place.”

Then United jumped to the top of the East with a 3-2 victory over the New England Revolution.

The second half should provide a lot of drama, though. At least seven Eastern teams look to contend for the five playoff spots. While New York and Kansas City seem best built to advance, D.C., Chicago, Columbus, Houston and New England also will have a say before it’s over.

The Western Conference is more difficult to guess. We keep saying the Los Angeles Galaxy will emerge. The Southlanders keep losing, skidding into the break with three consecutive defeats.

Real Salt Lake and the Seattle Sounders are among the leaders, as expected. And the way San Jose continues to impress it’s difficult to dismiss its winning ways as a lucky start.

But the rest is muddled. Chivas USA has greatly improved its chances with two midseason trades for F Juan Agudelo and D Danny Califf. Vancouver, with Scottish winger Barry Robson on the way, and Colorado remains strong and no one should give up on Portland — or the Galaxy for that matter.

Added note: Anyone lamenting the MLS work stoppage can take solace in the fact tons of great soccer will be played throughout the break. The U.S. national team boasting five league players has an exhibition against Canada on Sunday. The team also has 2014 World Cup qualifying matches June 8 and June 12 in the CONCACAF region.

And the biggest soccer event of the summer will begin June 8 with Euro 2012 in Poland and Ukraine. The European championship goes from June 8-July 1 with the knockout round beginning June 20.

It opens with 16 teams in four rounds. Many pick Germany as the favorite over Spain, which won in 2008 and followed that title by winning the 2010 World Cup. Germany will get tested early in Group B against the Netherlands, Portugal and Denmark. Germany has one of the world’s leading strikers in Mario Gomez of FC Bayern Munich. He is one of only two forwards with the experienced Miroslav Klose joining him up top.

Spain won’t have the injured D Carlos Puyol and M David Villa, the latter whom coach Vicente del Bosque called “irreplaceable.”

Power rankings:

Western Conference

1. Real Salt Lake: Alvaro Saborio strikes twice, first-place club hits break running with six-game unbeaten streak.

2. San Jose Earthquakes: Indomitable side has matched its win total for entire 2011 season, even with loss at K.C.: “With all my heart, I thought we were going to get another one,” D Steven Beitashour says.

3. Seattle Sounders: Club looking for complete effort after going 0-2-2 in last four: David Estrada did it all, including score the equalizer, in draw with Goats.

4. Colorado Rapids: M Martin Rivero initiates all three goals as club steals win over Impact playing a man down for the final 29.

5. Vancouver Whitecaps: Point taken: ‘Caps brave thunderstorm, Timber heat in 1-1 draw: Speedy Jamaican sub Darren Mattocks nets first MLS goal: “They showed the desire right to the end,” coach Martin Rennie says.

6. Chivas USA: Goats unbeaten in last four, but need to shore things up in attacking third: “It’s not like we’re entering the break on a real big downer or anything like that,” D Danny Califf says.

7. Portland Timbers: Lineup changes produce “sparkling” effort, unfulfilling result: “I thought our football at times was some of the best football we’ve played the whole year,” coach John Spencer says.

8. FC Dallas: Winless in its last nine after losing a wild one: Blas Perez’s clutch goal in the 85th minute struck down by RSL stoppage winner.

9. Los Angeles Galaxy: Shockingly bad first half ends as club wilts in Houston heat: “The players are not able to play at a high pace under these conditions for a long time,” coach Bruce Arena says.

Eastern Conference

1. Sporting Kansas City: Impressive victory over Earthquakes showcases defensive wall of Aurelien Collin and dangerous strike force of Kei Kamara, C.J. Sapong and Teal Bunbury.

2. New York Red Bulls: Kenney Cooper stays hot as Red Bulls surge into MLS break with a 4-0-1 finish.

3. D.C. United: Will coach Ben Olsen ever be satisfied? “It’s strange because I feel unfulfilled,” Olsen says after 3-2 victory over New England. “It’s nice to be feeling unfulfilled and have three points in the bag.”

4. Columbus Crew: “That was the hardest game I have ever played in,” M Tony Tchani says after victory over Chicago in 90-degree heat. Crew loses victory late in tie at San Jose then wins two in a row for big week.

5. Houston Dynamo: MLS Cup rematch against Galaxy lacks drama but this time Houston comes out on top.

6. Chicago Fire: No Fire escape for inconsistent club while German D Arne Friedrich is sidelined with hamstring injury.

7. New England Revolution: Frenchman Saer Sene has four goals in three games, seven overall, but Revs’ defense is letting down the team at wrong times.

8. Montreal Impact: After losing to Colorado despite a man advantage Impact makes big move by signing former Italian international F Marco Di Vaio as a DP.

9. Toronto FC: Season’s first MLS victory is cause for celebration and first move up Power Rankings — even if Reds’ breakthrough comes against breathtakingly bad Union.

10. Philadelphia Union: Perhaps Peter Nowak’s squad needed to hit the bottom before it could start to figure a way back to the top.

Contact Elliott Almond at 408-920-5865 and follow him on Twitter at Twitter.com/elliottalmond.