the first of three penalty kick attempts to beat Crew 'keeper William Hesmer this season.
At Gillette Stadium, the Fire had won three of their last four games, while the Revolution were back at home after ending a two-game winless run with a victory at FC Dallas.
In the first meeting between the teams in the season opener, the Fire claimed a 4-0 victory. After 29 minutes in the rematch, a similar result was on. Putting together a 13-pass movement from their own goalkeeper into the Revolution end, John Thorrington split the New England defense with a pass to Chris Rolfe all alone at the top of the area, and he lashed home a shot on the half-turn for his first goal on the campaign.
Thorrington doubled the lead five minutes after the break with his third goal in two games. Rolfe sent in a low cross from the right flank, Chad Barrett laid it off back to Thorrington just outside the area, and he curled home a shot inside the right-hand post.
Stephen King then completed the rout with his first professional goal. Barrett took a pass from Cuauhtemoc Blanco at the edge of the box, but saw his shot blocked by New England 'keeper Matt Reis as he raced off his line. But King was able to hook the looping rebound back into the unguarded goal from the penalty spot.
At Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the Rapids were returning back home after losing for the second consecutive match, this time at Chicago, while D.C. United were hoping a heavy defeat at home against Real Salt Lake were sending them on their way following back-to-back losses.
But almost from the start the Rapids controlled the match and finally broke through eight minutes into the second half, as a pair of former United heroes came back to haunt their former club. Christian Gomez set off on a gallop up the center of the park before sliding a ball out to the right for Jacob Peterson to run onto, and he screwed a shot high inside the near post for the opener.
Then in the 72nd minute, Gomez tracked down a loose ball in the D.C. penalty area, playing it back for Terry Cooke. He curled in a short cross to the penalty spot where former United defender Facundo Erpen rose up to snap a back-post header past Zach Wells and seal the Colorado victory.
At Buck Shaw Stadium, the facility on the campus of Santa Clara University was playing host to the Earthquakes' first game at their main home; their only other home game on the season was at McAfee Coliseum in Oakland.
FC Dallas were returning to action following a 10-day layoff, after seeing their four-game unbeaten streak to open the campaign put to an end at home by New England. The Earthquakes were coming off a two-game road swing that began with the club's first victory since its return to MLS, before ending with a loss in New York.
The Earthquakes had also been exposed in a 4-0 loss at Real Salt Lake in midweek in a U.S. Open Cup play-in match, but even with center back Ryan Cochrane injured in that match, San Jose goalkeeper Joe Cannon had little to do beyond a pair of pedestrian saves. FC Dallas goalkeeper Dario Sala was the busier of the two, credited with one save on the evening.
At Rice-Eccles Stadium, Real Salt Lake were returning back home after losing both games on a two-match road swing to the East, while the Galaxy were playing their first road game in more than a month, after winning twice and tying once in a lengthy homestand.
Buoyed by a heavy victory in a midweek Open Cup play-in against San Jose, RSL took a two-goal within 18 minutes. Javier Morales sent a long ball over the top of the LA defense from the midfield stripe, and Fabian Espindola brought it down with his chest and fired a low shot under Steve Cronin for the sixth-minute opener.
Then on 18 minutes, Morales swung in a cross from the left flank that found Kenny Deuchar unmarked at the back post, and he coolly headed home for his second MLS goal.
But David Beckham single-handedly pulled the Galaxy level before the half was out. First, in the 36th minute, he took a short pass well outside the RSL area on the right, and hooked in a masterful shot that sailed over Real 'keeper Nick Rimando and tucked inside the far side netting.
Then four minutes, the Galaxy won a free kick some 30 yards straight out from goal. Beckham stood over the dead ball on his own, and hooked a trademark strike that sailed over the wall and dipped into the left-hand corner past Rimando's despairing dive.
At BMO Field, Toronto FC came into the Primetime showcase riding a three-game winning streak, the longest in club history, while the Red Bulls were coming off a win against San Jose that ended a two-game winless run.
On a windswept, rainy night on the shores of Lake Ontario, set pieces provided all the scoring. TFC opened the lead in the 22nd minute. Laurent Robert put in a free kick from the left touchline and as the New York defense pulled out, Marco Velez was left completely alone at the back post. Maligned by some for TFC's defensive play on the season, the Puerto Rican international powerfully headed home for his first MLS goal.
But the Red Bulls drew level seven minutes before the halftime interval. From a free kick outside the right corner of the area, Dave van den Bergh drove a low, curling effort that snuck around the wall and inside the far post for his second goal on the campaign.
At Robertson Stadium, the Dynamo received their championship rings from their 2007 MLS Cup victory, looking to claim a first victory on the season after five matches, the second-worst start ever by a defending champion. Chivas USA had demons of their own to exorcise, with three consecutive losses after a season when they claimed the Western Conference regular season title.
Chivas USA also came into the match with the most goals allowed after conceding less than a goal per game the year before, but goalkeeper Brad Guzan made five saves for his first clean sheet on the season, including a point-blank save on Corey Ashe late in the match.
The Dynamo played the final eight minutes a man up after Claudio Suarez was sent off for pulling down Brian Mullan from behind when he looked to go clean through on goal. Referee Jozef Batko issued eight yellow cards in addition to the ejection in the physical match.
