meaning the defending MLS Cup champion would be out of the postseason for the first time in club history -- and Real Salt Lake played to a 1-1 home draw with Houston Dynamo, Chivas had qualified for the playoffs just a year after having an MLS all-time low four wins in their expansion campaign.
The final available spot in the Western Conference will come down to a scrap between Real Salt Lake and the Colorado Rapids, after they played to a 1-1 home draw with the New York Red Bulls. The Rapids hold the edge, needing just a draw in the season finale to claim their spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs.
The Wizards victory and New York tie mean Kansas City needs just a draw when the teams meet in the season finale at Giants Stadium next weekend. The fourth-place finisher will take on D.C. United, who lost to the New England Revolution 2-1 last Saturday night. The Revolution are now in second place in the East after the Columbus Crew defeated the Chicago Fire 4-1; the Revolution and Fire will meet in an Eastern Conference Semifinal Series, but who holds home-field advantage will also have to wait until the results of the final weekend.
In what could be the final ever MLS game at Arrowhead Stadium, the Wizards hadn't lost in three games, though they knew for sure their playoff future would come down to the final game of the year. Chivas USA had a four-game unbeaten streak ended in a loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy the week before that again narrowed the West race.
After an expectedly tight first 45 minutes, the Wizards pulled ahead after the break. Jose Burciaga Jr. flighted in a free kick from the left and Dave van den Bergh rose up to head it home inside the left-hand post for his second MLS goal (50).
The teams traded penalty kicks three minutes apart. In the 71st minute, Nick Garcia tripped up Jonathan Bornstein in the area, and Claudio Suarez converted from the spot to tie the game. But Wizards striker Josh Wolff was fouled in the area by Jason Hernandez, and while Chivas 'keeper Brad Guzan got a hand to Burciaga's penalty, he couldn't keep it out. It was the eighth goal of the season for Burciaga, which is the most in MLS among defenders.
At Pizza Hut Park, the Galaxy had kept their slim playoff dreams alive with a 3-0 victory against Chivas USA the weekend before, while FC Dallas responded to finally booking their playoff ticket with a 3-1 loss to Columbus.
The Hoops drove a dagger into the heart of the defending champions after just a half hour. Richard Mulrooney hooked in a free kick from deep on the right and Carlos Ruiz rose up unattended at the back post to head home for his 13th goal of the season, third-most in MLS.
The home side then got the killer goal just after the break. Ronnie O'Brien whipped in a cross from the right and Kenny Cooper came across to volley home with a side-foot effort for his 11th goal of the year.
The Galaxy refused to go quietly and laid siege to the Dallas goal over the final half hour. But they could score just once: Chris Albright swung in a cross from the right, and Landon Donovan chested it down masterfully before prodding it past Shaka Hislop (71). But L.A. could get no closer, and will miss out on the postseason for the first time in 11 MLS seasons, becoming just the second MLS Cup winner to not reach the playoffs the following year.
At Rice-Eccles Stadium, Real Salt Lake could not claim a playoff berth with a victory, but could certainly make things tighter for the final weekend. Houston Dynamo were in, and after the Chivas USA loss, with a victory could secure home-field advantage for the Western Cnference Semifinal Series.
Dynamo controlled the opening 45 minutes and deservedly went ahead in the 20th minute through Paul Dalglish. Ricardo Clark hit a defense-splitting pass, and Dalglish spun away from marker Jack Stewart before slotting the ball inside Scott Garlick and the near post for his first MLS goal.
But Real kept their playoff dreams alive with an equalizer on the hour. Just minutes after coming on as a substitute, Mehdi Ballouchy played a nice combination with Jeff Cunningham and rifled home a low shot from the edge of the area.
In Denver, the Rapids returned home for their final regular season ever at Invesco Field at Mile High following a winless three-game road swing, while the New York Red Bulls knew they couldn't secure their playoff future, but with a victory could ensure they would need just a point from the season finale.
Yet it was the Rapids who got off to a dream start. Hunter Freeman launched a long ball downfield, and as he was trying to hold Carlos Mendes, Colorado striker Thiago Martins went to ground in the area. But with referee Biran Hall playing advantage, Jacob Peterson came racing from behind, collected the ball and slotted home past Jon Conway for the opener.
But the Red Bulls drew level on the hour mark. From a throw-in, the ball pinged around between players before Amado Guevara latched onto it, dribbled into the Colorado penalty area and lashed home a dipping drive inside the far post.
At RFK Stadium, United had clinched the Supporters' Shield the week before despite losing to Houston Dynamo, a second reverse in three games. The Revolution were once again putting on a late-season charge, unbeaten in five games.
United struck first. Bryan Namoff skipped down the right flank and hammered in a low cross that Jaime Moreno just couldn't control with his first touch. But Christian Gomez was there and stabbed home past Matt Reis from the heart of the area (26).
But New England pulled level eight minutes later through a great goal. Andy Dorman glided forward before finding Clint Dempsey running through, and his first touch sent him clean behind the United back three. Coming in on goal, Dempsey sent a sublime touch over the top of the advancing Troy Perkins, just days after he was awarded U.S. Soccer Player of the Year honors.
Just after the break the Revolution hit for the winner. A corner was driven in from the right, and Jay Heaps flicked it on to the far post where Taylor Twellman dived headlong to power a rising header into the roof of the net. The goal put Twellman into the MLS record books at the youngest player in league history to reach 75 career goals.
At Toyota Park, both teams also knew their future. The Crew had already failed to reach the MLS Cup Playoffs for a second successive season, while the Fire knew they would face the Revolution in the conference semifinals -- the only question was where.
Once again the Fire hit for an early goal. C.J. Brown found Chris Armas in the area, and he somehow eluded a host of Crew defenders to spin away to the endline before knocking a ball back for Chris Rolfe at the top of the goal area, and he had the simplest of finishes past 'keeper Andy Gruenebaum, making his first MLS start.
The Crew leveled the score midway through the half. Joseph Ngwenya put in a low cross from the right flank, and Jason Garey trapped the ball yards from the byeline. He laid back a quick pass to Eddie Gaven, who blasted the ball home from the corner of the goal area to tie the game (26).
With the game heading into first-half injury time, Ngwenya again played provider. This time he whipped in a hard, low cross across the top of the goal area and Garey came rushing in to volley the ball first-time past Matt Pickens.
The Crew put the game away with two goals in seven minutes late in the second half. In the 76th minute, Ricardo Virtuoso was the beneficiary of a Gaven tackle, taking over and cruising into the area before hitting a low angled shot that settled inside Pickens' left-hand post.
Then Virtuoso put in a long cross from the left corner and Gaven deflected it goalward, only for Pickens to make a diving save. But Ngwenya was first to it and tapped in for a deserved goal to round out the scoreline.
