with the four games in between all losses.
A scrappy affair finally saw a goal scored in the 85th minute -- after a rare Houston defensive misplay. Chris Lancos sent the ball forward, and as Wade Barrett tried to play it, a poor touch allowed Findley to latch onto it and race in at goal. With a shot from the right side of the area, Findley found the inside of the left netting past Onstad's dive and gave Real the eventual game-winner.
At Gillette Stadium on Sunday, the Revolution had extended their unbeaten streak to five games after their Thursday night victory, while United were returning to league play for the first time in two weeks riding a three-game winless streak, though they had qualified for the semifinals in SuperLiga in between.
Hard work gave the United their opener. Clyde Simms flighted in a shot from the right, and Matt Reis got down easily to make the save. But he allowed the ball to barely roll away, and before he could reclaim it, Josh Gros stormed in to poke it home (22).
Nine minutes later United doubled their lead. Luciano Emilio drifted off his marker's shoulder in the Revolution area and Guy-Roland Kpene sent in a perfect defense-splitting through ball. Emilio latched onto it and slotted home past Reis.
United put the game away 14 minutes from the end. Emilio was fouled at midfield, grabbed the ball and quickly played to Ben Olsen in the center circle. Olsen sent the return pass behind the New England defense and Emilio raced to get on the end of it, coming in alone on goal before sliding his shot past Reis for his 12th goal on the campaign, tying Emilio for the league lead along with Eddie Johnson of the Kansas City Wizards.
At BMO Field, another sellout crowd greeted TFC, winless in their last four games and goalless in their last three. The Galaxy were making their return to league competition after more than a month, though they had earned a place in the SuperLiga semifinals in between.
Toronto FC dominated from the outset, and could have taken the lead in the eighth minute. Andrea Lombardo ran onto a ball played over the top and looped a soft shot past Joe Cannon as the Galaxy 'keeper came well off his line. But just as the ball bounced in front of the L.A. goal, defender Ty Harden came sliding in to sweep it away to safety.
The Galaxy forced TFC 'keeper Kenny Stamatopoulos, making his MLS debut, to stop just one shot on the night. But Cannon preserved the shutout and guaranteed a share of the points with another big stop in second-half stoppage time, coming off his line again to smother Andy Welsh's bid after he burst into the area on the right.
At Toyota Park, the Fire were coming off a 3-0 win in Toronto that put an end to a six-game winless streak, while the Crew rebounded from their first loss in six games in their last match, a 2-0 win against TFC.
Before an overflow crowd in Bridgeview, Blanco started for the Men in Red in a playmaking role behind the front two. As the crowd cheered nearly every touch he made, he suffered 12 fouls on the night, an MLS single-game record.
The Crew's Argentinean playmaker, Guillermo Barros Schelotto, was most dangerous from set piece opportunities. Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens, who was called upon to make four saves of the night, stopped Andy Herron from close range with three minutes remaining to preserve his sixth clean sheet on the season.
At Pizza Hut Park, FC Dallas came in having not lost in their last four league games, yet were eliminated from SuperLiga in a remarkable 6-5 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy their last time out. The Rapids scored goals for the first time in four games in their last outing, but still saw their winless streak stretched to nine games in a 2-2 draw at Kansas City.
The Hoops took the lead in the 31st minute. Dax McCarty whipped in a free kick from the right flank and it bounded in front of Rapids goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul and through the other side. But defender Drew Moor slipped in unopposed at the far post to nod it over the line from close range.
FC Dallas goalkeeper Ray Burse was making his MLS debut for the injured Dario Sala, and made three saves for his first professional shutout, including a remarkable save from point-blank save on Jacob Peterson that left the Rapids striker holding his head. But he got some help from his back four as well -- Clarence Goodson clearing a quick shot by Herculez Gomez from a corner out of the goalmouth with Burse seemingly beaten.
On Thursday in New England, the Revolution gained a little separation in the Eastern Conference with a 2-0 victory against the Wizards.
The teams had played to a wild 4-3 contest in their last meeting in Kansas City, highlighted by an Eddie Johnson hat trick, but when Matt Reis turned a Carlos Marinelli free kick onto the post in the first half, it was a sign there would be fewer goals.
The Revolution took the lead in the 55th minute through birthday boy Pat Noonan. Khano Smith swung in a cross from the left flank and Taylor Twellman rose up at the far post to head it back across the goalmouth. Noonan came in at the back side to bundle it in, his third consecutive game with a goal.
New England sealed the match in stoppage time. Reis found Adam Cristman in the center circle with a quick outlet throw, and he knocked it first time to Steve Ralston on the right. Ralston carried forward before sliding a centering pass back into the path of Cristman who had turned and gone forward, and the rookie settled before slotting home his fourth goal on the campaign.
