and put an end to their six-game unbeaten streak -- with a dramatic 1-0 victory Saturday night, leaving the teams level atop the conference and MLS overall table. They were then joined by the Fire on Sunday, who exploded for four goals in a 14-minute span in the second half en route to routing the New York Red Bulls 5-1.
The Los Angeles Galaxy moved atop the Western Conference, continued their goal-grabbing ways with three second-half strikes in a 3-1, come-from-behind victory against the Kansas City Wizards. The rest of the division tightened up after Chivas USA went to Colorado and knocked off the previous leader, defeating the Rapids 2-1 for their second consecutive win.
There were noteworthy wins in Dallas, D.C. and San Jose. FC Dallas came back to win in Marco Ferruzzi's coaching debut, getting two late goals from Dominic Oduro for a 2-1 win against Real Salt Lake. D.C. United won for the first time in more than a month, rebounding from a midweek loss to Toronto FC with a 3-2 win in the back end of a home-and-home series, ending TFC's six-game unbeaten run. And the San Jose Earthquakes won for the first time at home in their return to the league, defeating the club that used to call the Bay Area home, the Houston Dynamo, 2-1 on MLS Primetime Thursday.
At Crew Stadium, the Crew had seen a five-game winning streak end the previous weekend, but still hadn't lost since the second week of the season. The Revolution had overcome a long string of injuries with back-to-back wins for the first time on the season.
The Crew held the balance of the chances over the opening 88 minutes, but the Revolution capitalized on the one they needed. Steve Ralston skipped across the top of the area, and when Ezra Hendrickson tripped him in the tackle, referee Richard Heron immediately gave the penalty.
Shalrie Joseph took the spot kick, but for the third time on the season, Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer saved it, diving to his left to palm the shot away. But Kheli Dube was quickest to the rebound and knocked it home for his second goal on the season and the game-winner.
At Giants Stadium, the two stoutest defenses in MLS were on display. The Fire had seen a three-game winning streak come to an end the week before, but had still allowed a league-low five goals, while the Red Bulls were riding a five-game unbeaten streak, having conceded just six goals.
But it took the Fire just eight minutes to prise open the New York defense. Cuauhtemoc Blanco sent a long ball over the top from midfield, and Chad Barrett held off a defender before slotting home from inside the box.
After the break, the visitors exploded. Freed by a long ball out of the back from Bakary Soumare, Blanco flighted a cross from the right flank and Chris Rolfe nodded it home to double the lead (48).
Justin Mapp was tripped up as he burst into the area, and Blanco converted from the spot in the 55th minute to make it 3-0. Then Barrett hit for his second on the day, Mapp swinging in a bouncing cross from the left that Barrett stooped to head under a prone Jon Conway (60).
The Fire completed the rout two minutes when Wilman Conde's header from a corner came back off the woodwork, but Gonzalo Segares lashed home the rebound. The Red Bulls scored a consolation goal 16 minutes from the end when Jozy Altidore flashed in at the near post to head home a corner.
At The Home Depot Center, the Galaxy had hit for five goals in each of two of their previous four games, their only wins in the last six, while the Wizards had lost back-to-back games as their six-game road swing was nearing its end.
It was the visitors who jumped into the lead five minutes before halftime. Claudio Lopez collected the ball at the edge of the final third, burst between a pair of defenders and sent a rising drive inside the upper right corner for his second goal on the campaign.
But the Galaxy drew level in the 54th minute. Landon Donovan was hauled down as he tried to touch the ball past Tyson Wahl in the area, and from the resulting penalty, he made no mistake in scoring his league-leading ninth of the season.
Edson Buddle continued his rich vein of form, putting the Galaxy in the lead in the 74th minute. Donovan finished off a spell of possession with a through ball into the left side of the box and Buddle stroked it home for his fourth goal in two games.
David Beckham then put the exclamation point on the victory in style. With K.C. goalkeeper Kevin Hartman forward in search of the equalizer, a corner was cleared out to Beckham, and he sent the ball from some 70 yards away into the unguarded goal.
At Dick's Sporting Goods Park, the Rapids were looking to put together consecutive wins for the first time on the season after defeating Real Salt Lake at home the Thursday before, while Chivas USA stopped a five-game winless skid with a win against D.C. United in their previous outing.
With as many as nine first-choice performers out to injury, Chivas look to defend in depth, then they broke through just before the halftime interval. Justin Braun collected the ball on the left of the area, laid it back to Jesse Marsch, and he cut inside before lashing a low drive inside the right-hand post for his second goal in as many games.
Chivas then doubled their lead in the 79th minute. Carey Talley swung in a high free kick from near the halfway line. Jorge Flores leapt up and looped a header over Bouna Coundoul, the second goal in as many games for the Sueno MLS 2007 winner.
Barely a minute later, the Rapids pulled a goal back through a wonder strike. Fully 35 yards from goal, Tom McManus sized up a shot and let fly, the ball sailing past Chivas 'keeper Brad Guzan and into the upper right corner.
At Pizza Hut Park, FC Dallas had gone winless in four consecutive games, last a disheartening 5-1 home loss to the LA Galaxy, in what would be Steve Morrow's final game in charge. Real Salt Lake had just one win in their last five matches, still winless on the road on the campaign.
Before the first half was out, both teams were a man down. RSL defender Ian Joy was sent off in the 38th minute, after the second of two bookable offenses in 20 minutes. But just before the break, FCD defender Bobby Rhine was also shown red after an altercation with RSL's Javier Morales.
The visitors took the lead in the 69th minute. Racing to receive a return pass from Morales in the left side of the area, Fabian Espindola sailed past a defender and drove an angled shot past FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala inside the far post.
Dominic Oduro scored his first goal of the season the week before, and after coming on as a substitute, he again came through. In the 83rd minute, Drew Moor floated a long ball from well out on the right, and the Ghanaian rose up to head it over RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando.
Then a minute into stoppage time, Andre Rocha split the RSL defense with a ball into the box. Oduro collected it before cutting to his right to escape his marker, then set himself and curled a shot past Rimando inside the right post for the winner.
At RFK Stadium, Danny Dichio's seventh-minute goal on Wednesday night was the game-winner in the first meeting between the clubs in the week, extending TFC's club record six-game unbeaten streak while sending D.C. United to their fourth consecutive loss.
Just as he had done at BMO Field, Dichio popped up early in the proceedings, this time heading a Jim Brennan cross home from close range for the 13th-minute opener. But United drew level in the 41st minute as Devon McTavish flicked on a corner at the near post and Gonzalo Peralta stooped to head home his first goal in a United uniform.
But in first-half stoppage time, Dichio restored Toronto's advantage. The big target man exchanged passes with Guevara at the top of the D.C. box before taking knocking a well-aimed, side-footed shot that skipped past United 'keeper Zach Wells and nestled just inside the left-hand post.
In the 70th minute, Santino Quaranta was pushed over by TFC fullback Marvell Wynne as he drove goalward nearly on the byeline, and Jaime Moreno duly converted from the spot to again bring United back level. Then two minutes later, a stinging Quaranta drive was only parried by TFC 'keeper Greg Sutton and Luciano Emilio swept to knock the rebound home. Minutes earlier, a carbon-copy "goal" was ruled out for offside, but this time the flag stayed down and United had put an end to their losing run.
At Buck Shaw Stadium, the Earthquakes hadn't won in four games, since claiming the first victory in their return to the league, while the Dynamo had won their last two matches after opening defense of their title with a six-game winless run.
It was somewhat of a homecoming for the Dynamo, featuring 10 players and coach Dominic Kinnear who had gone with the club to south Texas when it left after the 2006 season.
The Earthquakes took the lead in the 67th minute. A deflected cross from Ronnie O'Brien was flicked over his head by Ned Grabavoy, finding Kei Kamara deep in the box. His quick shot on the turn not only beat Dynamo defender Patrick Ianni, but goalkeeper Pat Onstad as well, giving the Quakes the lead.
San Jose doubled the margin in the 81st minute. On the counter, Ivan Guerrero played Ryan Johnson through on the right side of the box, and while Onstad did well to parry his blast, Guerrero was on hand to slot home the rebound.
The Dynamo pulled a goal back two minutes from the end when Brian Ching volleyed home a Brad Davis cross at the near post for his second goal on the season, but they could get no closer and San Jose was able to celebrate a victory in front of their home fans for the first time in three years.
