longest in MLS this season -- and giving them 42 points on the season. That pulled them level with the idle New England Revolution atop the Eastern Conference and the overall standings, but United also have a game in hand.
The New York Red Bulls solidified their hold on a playoff spot, getting a late goal to defeat the Chicago Fire 1-0 at home. Nothing was settled in a meeting of teams tied for eighth place -- and the last available spot -- as the Columbus Crew and Colorado Rapids played to a 1-1 draw, while the Kansas City Wizards were able to salvage one point from their week-long road trip, drawing 1-1 with Houston Dynamo.
Real Salt Lake kept their slim playoff hopes alive while delivering a damaging blow to the Los Angeles Galaxy, in their first game without David Beckham, RSL coming back for a 2-1 victory on the road.
At Pizza Hut Park, D.C. United hadn't lost since July 22, a 1-0 defeat by the New York Red Bulls, while FC Dallas was returning to action after seeing their six-game unbeaten run put to an end by Houston two weeks previous.
When the teams first met this season, D.C. United held a three-goal lead after 50 minutes at home before the Hoops came storming back to claim a share of a 3-3 draw. There would be no such comeback this time.
It took Ben Olsen just four minutes to put United into the lead. Clyde Simms stepped in front of a clearance and headed to Olsen some 25 yards from goal, and he ripped a drive that beat Dario Sala inside the right-hand post.
Olsen doubled United's lead in stoppage time just before the break. A Marc Burch cross found Luciano Emilio at the far post, and Sala covered his ground well to stop his point-blank effort. But Olsen was there to punch home the rebound for his second multiple-goal game on the season.
United put the game away with two goals in the opening five minutes of the second half. In the 47th minute, a cross was half-cleared, only to Christian Gomez just outside the top of the area, and he lashed home a quick shot for the 3-0 lead.
Then three minutes later Gomez found Fred on the left side of the area. The Brazilian skipped across the top of the box before driving home a low shot past Sala inside his left-hand post, sealing FCD's worst-ever defeat in their Frisco home.
At Giants Stadium, the Red Bulls were returning home after a disheartening road trip that saw back-to-back losses to Eastern Conference foes at either end of I-95. The Fire were coming off a third win in five games, gaining a split of a home-and-home series with the Kansas City Wizards with a 2-0 home triumph.
The Red Bulls had most of the run of play, but nothing to show for it, until they finally unlocked the Fire defense with 15 minutes to play. Dane Richards rode a couple of tackles in the center of the park before sliding a pass to Juan Pablo Angel on the left, and he sent a low shot past Chicago 'keeper Matt Pickens inside the far corner for the game-winner.
For Angel, it was his 14th goal of the season, pulling him into a tie for the MLS Golden Boot with D.C. United's Emilio and Wizards striker Eddie Johnson by the end of the night.
At Crew Stadium, the two teams came in tied for the final available playoff spot, but going in different directions. The Rapids had won three games in a row -- all at home, and all by shutout -- while the Crew were winless in their last four games.
The home side took a vital lead just before the end of the first half. In stoppage time, a perfectly weighted through ball from Stefani Miglioranzi hit Eddie Gaven in stride as he snuck in behind the pulled-up Colorado back line. Gaven strolled into the area before slotting home past Bouna Coundoul to give the Crew the lead.
The Crew missed a glorious opportunity to seal the game in the 67th minute when Alejandro Moreno rattled the post when he got in alone behind the Rapids defense, and Jacob Thomas somehow couldn't turn the rebound into the unguarded goal.
The Rapids took advantage six minutes from the end. Herculez Gomez looped a pass to Mehdi Ballouchy on the right side, and he put in a cross in front of Crew 'keeper Will Hesmer where Conor Casey knifed between defenders and snapped home a header for his second goal in as many games to secure a share of the points.
At Robertson Stadium, Houston Dynamo had just one win in their last six games as they tried to hang on to the leadership of the Western Conference, while the Kansas City Wizards were completing a week-long road trip that had started with losses in Chicago and Salt Lake.
In first-half stoppage time, Eddie Johnson grabbed his share of the leadership of the MLS Golden Boot with a quality finish. Michael Harrington picked off a pass and sprung Scott Sealy on the left side of the area. Sealy drove in a low cross where Johnson flashed in in front of his marker and turned home a first-time shot past Pat Onstad for his 14th goal.
But Dynamo were able to take advantage of the travel-weary Wizards in the 69th minute. De Rosario picked up the ball in his own half and went racing forward on a nearly 50-yard run. Joseph Ngwenya timed his run along the back line to perfection, and De Rosario slotted a pass into the area for Ngwenya to drive home for the leveller.
At The Home Depot Center, the Galaxy were coming off their midweek penalty kick shootout loss in the SuperLiga final, looking for a first league win in eight games. Real Salt Lake were coming off just their third win on the year, a midweek win against Kansas City, aiming for back-to-back wins for the first time all season.
It took the Galaxy just six minutes to open the scoring. Peter Vagenas and Landon Donovan played a neat one-two on the right and Donovan swung in a cross to the spot. Alan Gordon rose up to nod down the service past RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando.
The Galaxy held the lead into the final half hour, then things started unraveling. First, on the counter, Andy Williams sent Robbie Findley in behind the Galaxy defense and he finished well against the club that had dealt him away in July for a 67th-minute equalizer.
Four minutes later the Galaxy were trailing. Alecko Eskandarian put a free kick on target and Steve Cronin made the save, but Eddie Pope was there to knock home the rebound for the eventual game-winner.
The Galaxy finished the game a man down when Troy Roberts was sent off with 12 minutes to play after being booked twice in the span of eight minutes.
Pope's game-winner was his first goal since 2005. It was also the first time since Aug. 16, 2006 that RSL had won a game away from Rice-Eccles Stadium, and the first time since Aug. 19, 2006 that RSL had walked away with consecutive league victories.
