MLS Recap: Chivas clinch berth
Chivas USA defeated the Kansas City Wizards 2-1 on Saturday evening to ensure their place in the playoffs, though passage was already secured after Real Salt Lake knocked off the Colorado Rapids 1-0 in the third Rocky Mountain Cup meeting of the season.
But the Rapids remained within hailing distance of the other two teams in the scrap for the final postseason spot; the Rapids now trail the Columbus Crew by two points, after their come-from-behind 2-1 win against Toronto FC, while the Chicago Fire still hold onto eighth place overall, despite seeing D.C. United score a late equalizer in a 1-1 draw on Sunday.
The Los Angeles Galaxy kept their slim hopes alive with a 2-1 comeback victory against FC Dallas on Sunday evening, and the New York Red Bulls twice overcame New England Revolution leads before the teams settled for a 2-2 draw.
At The Home Depot Center on Saturday, Chivas USA were returning home still riding their lengthy unbeaten run, now at seven games, while the Kansas City Wizards put an end to a brief three-game winless streak with a dramatic stoppage-time win against Columbus the weekend before.
After a taut opening half, Chivas took the lead in the 69th minute through Ante Razov. Freed on the left flank, Francisco Mendoza drove a low cross to the back post where Razov cruised in to side-foot the ball into the roof of the net.
But it took the Wizards just three minutes to pull level. Eddie Johnson outran the Chivas defense into the penalty area and ripped a shot that was deflected by Brad Guzan, ratting the crossbar. The rebound fell to Eloy Colombano's feet, and the Argentinean put back the rebound for his first MLS goal.
This time, however, the late heroics would belong to Chivas. Getting a pass beyond the right corner of the penalty area with acres of time and space, Razov calmly curled a perfect shot high inside the far upper corner beyond K.C. goalkeeper Kevin Hartman for the game-winner, his second of the night, 11th of the season, and 109th of his MLS league career, moving him past RSL head coach Jason Kreis for second all-time on the league's scoring list.
At Rice-Eccles Stadium, Real Salt Lake were winless in their last four games, though were coming off a dramatic midweek 2-2 with the Los Angeles Galaxy, while the Colorado Rapids were winless in their last three after hauling themselves back into the playoff picture with three wins on the trot.
In a driving rain on the Wasatch Front, Real took the lead at the half-hour mark as one of the players who made the Rocky Mountain competition a true rivalry played his part.
Kyle Beckerman, reviled by the RSL fans in his days with the Rapids before his trade to the Utah club earlier this year, found Chris Brown free on the left. Brown took a shot that Colorado 'keeper Bouna Coundoul was able to get down and parry, but the rebound came straight out to Kyle Brown, and he knocked it back home for the eventual winner.
The Rapids came close in the dying minutes when Jose Cancela sent a long free kick on goal that RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando couldn't hold. But with a pair of Rapids attackers swinging, he was able to knock it away. The RSL win leveled the season series for the Rocky Mountain Cup with the teams set to meet in the regular season finale.
At BMO Field, Toronto FC came into the game without a victory since July 4 and without a goal in more than 13-1/2 hours, though having ended a four-game losing streak last time out. The Columbus Crew were in real need of a win, two goals in stoppage time at Kansas City the weekend consigning them to a seventh consecutive game without a win.
It didn't take long for the TFC fans to finally have something to celebrate. In just the second minute, Jim Brennan whipped in a low cross from the left, and it bounced around the Columbus area. Danny O'Rourke wasn't able to clear it far, and Miguel Canizalez latched onto the ball before sliding it back home. It put an end to the Toronto scoring drought at an MLS-record 824 minutes, the club's first goal since July 7.
Once again, though, the Crew came storming back after the break. A cross from Frankie Hejduk on the right escaped TFC 'keeper Kenny Stamatopoulos as he came flying off his line, and sailed through to Eddie Gaven on the left. He settled and played a square ball to Jason Garey, who calmly controlled and passed the ball into the nearly empty net. It was the first goal of the season for Garey.
Seven minutes from the end the Crew hit for the game-winner. Latching onto a loose bouncing ball near midfield, Jacob Thomas went racing down the right and into the penalty area, holding off one defender before hitting a low, angled shot that beat Stamatopoulos inside the far post.
At Toyota Park, the Fire were still grimly hanging on to eighth place overall and the final spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs despite having played to draws in back-to-back games. D.C. United were returning to action after an 11-day layoff, having gone into the break riding a nine-game unbeaten streak.
Since he's come into the league, Cuauhtemoc Blanco has been the instigator in all the Fire's attacks, and he once again created the opening goal in the 18th minute. He lofted a terrific pass from his own half over the top for Chad Barrett to run onto, and the striker held off a United defender before stroking a low shot past Troy Perkins inside the left post for his sixth goal on the campaign. For Blanco, it was his sixth assist in the 10 league games since his arrival.
Just before halftime, Fire defender Wilman Conde was able to block a Luciano Emilio header on the line, keeping the league leading scorer at 19 goals on the year.
But seven minutes before full-time, United pulled level. From well out on the right, Jaime Moreno hit a half-cross, half-shot that sailed toward the near post. Fire 'keeper Matt Pickens appeared to let it go -- and it sailed into the goal under the crossbar for the equalizer, Moreno's sixth goal of the season.
At The Home Depot Center on Sunday, both teams were coming into the game off midweek draws, the LA Galaxy with one win in their last 12 league games after a 2-2 result in Salt Lake City, while FC Dallas had come back to claim a 1-1 draw with Chicago at home.
It took the visiting Hoops just 11 minutes to open the scoring. Chris Gbandi put in a cross from the left, and Carlos Ruiz also to pass through his legs on its way across the top of the box. Dax McCarty was on the back end and turned home a first-time shot from inside the area for his first professional goal.
Then in the 24th minute, the game turned upside down. Cautioned just two minutes earlier, Chris Gbandi held back Chris Klein as he tried to get onto the end of a free kick in the area. Gbandi was shown red for the second bookable offense, as referee Michael Kennedy also pointed to the spot.
FCD 'keeper Dario Sala saved Landon Donovan's initial attempt, but Donovan banged the rebound home. However, Kennedy had already ruled for the kick to be retaken, as Sala was well off his line when Donovan struck the initial attempt. On the second chance, Donovan left no doubt, sending Sala the other way for his seventh goal and second consecutive game with a spot kick conversion.
The Galaxy finally broke down the FC Dallas for the game-winner in the second half. Cobi Jones -- playing in his 300th league match, fourth-most in MLS history -- sent a long pass to Klein beyond the top right corner of the area, and the LA right back hit a screaming blast that sailed high inside the near post past Sala's dive to seal just the club's second victory since July 4.
At Giants Stadium, the regional rivals were meeting for the third time in three months with the Revolution having won the last five league meetings between the clubs. New England were already secure of a playoff spot, while the Red Bulls were fairly safe despite having won just once in their last five games.
The Revolution took the lead in the 22nd minute. Steve Ralston bent in a free kick from well out on the right and Taylor Twellman rose up completely unmarked to head home from the top of the six.
But the Red Bulls pulled level before halftime. Dane Richards worked himself free in the right corner and hooked in a low cross toward the near post where Francis Doe snuck a leg in front of his marker and turned the ball home, the first MLS goal for the Liberian (37).
Twellman struck once again 20 minutes from the end. Latching onto a deflection off Red Bulls defender Chris Leitch, he brought the ball down before lashing a low shot inside the right-hand post of New York goalkeeper Ronald Waterreus.
Yet New York fought back once again, through a familiar hero, in the 84th minute. A long ball out of the back was flicked on by Doe, and Juan Pablo Angel strolled in alone behind the Revolution back line before neatly side-footing home inside the right post for his 16th goal on the campaign, tying the club's single-season record.
