a span of 11 MLS games -- and just their second in 16 games in all competitions. The Colorado Rapids had last won in MLS play on May 26, having scored just three goals in their last eight league encounters.
The Rapids took the lead through a little good fortune. Goalkeeper Pat Onstad gave away a corner kick with a shanked clearance, and from a second attempt from the flag, Terry Cooke drove in a ball toward the near post that Dynamo midfielder saw go off his head and past Onstad for the 60th-minute opener.
The Rapids went down a man in the 77th minute Ugo Ihemelu was sent off for denying a clear goal-scoring opportunity after he pulled down Houston striker Joseph Ngwenya from behind just outside the area. But the Rapids withstood the final flurry from Dynamo to claim the win and close the gap for the eighth and final playoff place.
At Giants Stadium, the Red Bulls were playing their first game since July 26, having lost two of three games on a five-game homestand, the last match a 2-0 loss to Chivas USA. Toronto FC were winless in five games and hadn't scored a goal since July 7, a span of more than six hours.
The Red Bulls owned the game from the outset against an injury-hit TFC side, ending the game with a 21-3 advantage in shots, and not allowing the first shot from the visitors until just 15 minutes remained.
New York deservedly took the lead in the 24th minute. Clint Mathis -- who had come on for an injured Claudio Reyna just seconds earlier -- hammered in a low cross from the right that took a slight deflection. Juan Pablo Angel was able to corral the ball and quickly fired home from just beyond the far post, his 10th goal of the league campaign and first in seven games.
The Red Bulls put the game after the break. On a counter, Jozy Altidore slipped the ball to Angel on the right as the two raced toward goal. Angel tried to drive a low pass into the goalmouth; it took a deflection off a prone TFC defender and looped toward goal, Altidore putting on the final touch as it was crossing the line (50).
Thirteen minutes later the duo again combined forces. Angel flicked on a long ball as Altidore raced into the area. He tapped the ball over a defender's head and around TFC goalkeeper Kenny Stamatopoulos, driving it into the unguarded goal for his fourth goal on the season.
The shutout extended Toronto's scoreless streak to 462 minutes, the club's last goal coming July 7 in a 1-1 draw against the Chicago Fire. The streak is the fifth-longest without a goal in MLS history.
At RFK Stadium on Thursday, the Galaxy were on the second game of a three-game tour of the Eastern Conference in league play, after playing to a scoreless draw at Toronto FC in their first MLS game in more than a month, while D.C. United had put an end to a three-game winless run the weekend before with the win New England.
The sellout crowd on hand at RFK Stadium was given something to cheer about early, as Luciano Emilio scored the game's only goal in the 27th minute. Taking a short pass from Marc Burch well outside the penalty area, he strode forward and hammered a rising blast that clipped off goalkeeper Joe Cannon's hands and into the back of the net for his league-leading 13th goal on the campaign.
The Galaxy's comeback efforts were dealt a blow in the 67th minute when Kyle Martino was sent off with a straight red card from referee Jair Marrufo for a heavy tackle on United playmaker Fred.
The large crowd got what many also came to see in the 72nd minute, when Beckham came on the field for his Major League Soccer debut, replacing Quavas Kirk.
The RFK faithful were then almost treated to another bit of history with 10 minutes left, when Jaime Moreno found himself all alone in front of goal. But Cannon made a terrific save to deflect his shot just wide, stopping his bid for his 109th career league goal, which would make him the all-time leader.
