and in doing so, dealt the home side a serious blow to their playoff hopes, while New York took advantage of the week's other results to ensure they could not be caught. One of those results was the Galaxy remaining in contention with their fourth consecutive victory, a 2-1 come-from-behind win against Houston Dynamo on Sunday afternoon.
The Colorado Rapids also kept their postseason aspirations alive with a 1-0 victory against Toronto FC on Sunday -- after playing down two men, while the Chicago Fire took a huge step toward a playoff spot with a 2-1 home victory against the New England Revolution.
Chivas USA maintained their hot streak and stayed in contention for the MLS Supporters' Shield with a 3-2 road victory against Real Salt Lake, keeping in touch with overall leaders D.C. United, who played to a 1-1 draw with the Kansas City Wizards. The New York Red Bulls began the week with a 2-1 Primetime Thursday loss to Toronto FC as the expansion club put an end to its 12-game winless streak, but ended the week knowing their playoff spot was secure.
At Crew Stadium, the Crew came into the game with just one win in their last nine games as they try to get back to the MLS Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2004, while FC Dallas were also struggling to seal their postseason spot, with just one win in their last six games.
The Crew owned the opening 45 minutes, but had just a single goal to show for it. It was a cracker: Alejandro Moreno ran down the ball on the left and laid back to Eddie Gaven, who ripped a long-range drive from outside the area that flashed inside the far post for the 31st-minute opener, his fourth goal.
But FC Dallas pulled level three minutes after the break. Dominic Oduro slipped the ball inside to Arturo Alvarez, who cut laterally across the top of the area. He got to the top of the area and lashed a curling shot inside the left-hand post for his third goal.
Needing a win, the Crew pushed numbers forward in the final minutes, and FCD made them pay. In the 86th minute, Ricardinho did the hard work, chasing down a loose ball just before it crossed the endline. He slid it to Abe Thompson outside the right post, and he was able to turn the between two Crew players and the post from a tight angle.
Then three minutes later, Thompson sealed the match. Alvarez let fly with another long-range effort that Hesmer could only parry, and Thompson strolled in to knock the rebound into the goal for his first career multiple-goal game.
At Robertson Stadium, the LA Galaxy had pulled themselves back into playoff consideration with three consecutive wins -- the last two on the road -- while Houston Dynamo were also winners of three in a row.
Brian Ching was scratched from the lineup just minutes before kickoff with back spasms, and that put Nate Jaqua into a forward role. He made that pay off in the 21st minute when he put Dynamo into the lead. Craig Waibel sent Joseph Ngwenya free down the right flank, who hooked in a low cross. It fell to Jaqua's feet, and he turned home a first-time shot for his seventh goal.
But just before the break the Galaxy pulled level. From a quick throw-in, Carlos Pavon touched the ball back to Landon Donovan, then raced forward to collect the return pass played over the top. Pavon lashed a dipping first-time shot inside the right-hand post from the left side of the area.
The Galaxy scored the game-winner in the 77th minute, again prompted by Donovan. He swung a high free kick into the area, which was headed into the air by Cobi Jones. Gavin Glinton raced to the left-hand post and nodded it home from close range for his third goal in the last five games.
At Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the Rapids came into the game winless in their last five games after a season-long three-game winning streak, while Toronto FC was coming off their first victory since July 4.
The Rapids also needed a win to maintain contact, but on a cold, wet night in Commerce City, the job threatened to get that much tougher in the 36th minute when Mehdi Ballouchy was sent off with a straight red card by referee Kevin Stott for a studs-up tackle on Carl Robinson in midfield.
But Colorado had a little good fortune just before the break. A corner kick bounced around the area, and as it was pumped back in, TFC midfielder Chris Pozniak pulled down Facundo Erpen as he moved for the ball. Stott awarded a penalty, and Jovan Kirovski converted with ease, his sixth goal of the year and fourth from the spot.
TFC 'keeper Kenny Stamatopoulos made sure it stayed 1-0 with a terrific save on a close-range Kirovski volley midway through the second half, then two minutes from the end, Pablo Mastroeni was shown a second yellow card, leaving Colorado down two men.
From the ensuing free kick, the ball was played square to substitute Tyler Hemming who hammered a rising drive from well outside the area, but Rapids 'keeper Bouna Coundoul just tipped it over the bar to secure the victory.
At Toyota Park, the Fire had seen their playoff drive stall a bit with four consecutive draws, while the Revolution had won four of their last six games.
The visitors took the lead though midway through the first half. A Steve Ralston corner was knocked back out to him, and his second centering pass hit a defender and rolled out beyond the top of the area. Jeff Larentowicz came racing on and sent a rising piledriver inside the right post.
But in stoppage time, the Fire drew level. Diego Gutierrez set off a counterattack on the left flank, sending Chad Barrett free. He cut across the area with an extended dribbling run before slipping the ball back to Chris Rolfe, who ripped a long-range shot of his own high into the goal for his sixth goal.
Then on the hour, the Fire scored the winner. Paulo Wanchope ran onto a pass in the area and sent a low drive goalward that was parried by Revs 'keeper Matt Reis. But Chad Barrett came in to pound home the rebound and secure a vital three points for Chicago.
At Arrowhead Stadium, D.C. United were returning to domestic wars riding an 11-game unbeaten league streak after falling at midweek to Chivas of Mexico in the Copa Sudamericana, while the Wizards had won just once in six games as they tried to make a return to the playoffs for the first time in three years.
Just 36 seconds into the game, Christian Gomez forced a save out of Wizards goalkeeper Kevin Hartman -- the 1,000th of his MLS career. Only two others -- Scott Garlick and Tony Meola -- have had more in their MLS careers.
The Wizards opened the scoring in the 44th minute with another long-range goal. Eddie Johnson ran down a ball in the right corner, and after holding up, laid it back for Scott Sealy coming on from behind. The Trinidadian stroked a first-time shot low inside the left-hand post for his third goal in as many games.
But Gomez had the final answer. Receiving a pass from left back Marc Burch with his back to goal in the 56th minute, he was able to turn defender Tyson Wahl and crack a quick blast inside the near post for his eighth goal on the year and keep United on track for the MLS Supporters' Shield.
At Rice-Eccles Stadium, Real Salt Lake were the only team mathematically eliminated from the MLS Cup Playoffs, despite a four-game unbeaten run, while Chivas USA hadn't lost in nine games.
Assured of a playoff berth, Chivas USA head coach Preki decided to give strike pair Ante Razov and Maykel Galindo the weekend off; between them, they have 23 goals. But the replacement strike pair combined to open the scoring in the 24th minute. Laurent Merlin broke down a defender and got in a cross from the right, and John Cunliffe bundled it home from close range.
After the break on a rainy night on the Wasatch Front, the game burst into life. Real pulled level in the 52nd minute when a long ball was headed on from the flank by Fabian Espindola, and Chris Brown burst between defenders to slot home a shot under Chivas 'keeper Brad Guzan.
But Cunliffe, making his first start since July 4, put Chivas back into the lead just two minutes later. Sacha Kljestan led the Englishman with a perfectly weighted through ball, and Cunliffe lashed it home inside the left-hand post. Paulo Nagamura then doubled the Chivas lead with a wonder goal, hitting a shot from all of 35 yards that sailed over RSL 'keeper Chris Seitz and dipped just under the crossbar.
Real pulled a goal back five minutes later when Andy Williams drove a bounding cross from the right side to the far post where Robbie Findley turned it home, but RSL couldn't find the equalizer.
At BMO Field on Thursday, after their 824-minute MLS-record scoreless streak had come to an end, TFC had made it a habit of scoring early, and it was no different this time. 2006 No. 1 pick Marvell Wynne moved forward from a midfield restart and slipped a through ball into the path of Maurice Edu as he cut into the area, and this year's No. 1 pick rolled an angled shot past goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus inside the far post for the 18th-minute opener.
Toronto FC doubled the lead in the 66th minute while playing a man up. Joe Vide was sent off for a second bookable offense in the 64th, and then Wynne charged up the right flank before driving a low cross aimed for Jeff Cunningham at the back post. Defender Chris Leitch got there just before Cunningham, but in trying to clear knocked the ball into the back of his own net.
Andrew Boyens was sent off with a straight red card just a minute later, and the Red Bulls pulled level with a quarter-hour remaining. Dave van den Bergh curled in a corner from the left and Dane Richards escaped notice, cleanly heading home from inside the six for his second goal on the year.
