Week in Review: Eastern dominance
League's top three clubs impressive in Week 14
The Revolution got a pair of goals from Steve Ralston and hung on late, defeating Toronto FC 2-1 and ensuring Steve Nicol and his coaching staff will be charge of the MLS All-Stars at the Sierra Mist MLS All-Star Game. On a high-profile Sunday afternoon matchup in Washington, D.C. United got a pair of goals from Luciano Emilio and rolled to a 4-1 victory against the Los Angeles Galaxy. And after a remarkable goal from Emmanuel Ekpo, the Columbus Crew kept pace with a 2-1 victory against the Colorado Rapids.
The Kansas City Wizards put an end to their long winless run while stopping Real Salt Lake's record unbeaten streak, getting the game's only goal through an own goal for a 1-0 victory. FC Dallas ensured they would lay claim to the season series with in-state rival Houston Dynamo for the first time, after the teams played to a 1-1 draw on MLS Primetime Thursday. There were also a pair of interconference draws -- Chivas USA gifted an equalizer before settling for a 1-1 draw with the New York Red Bulls, and the Chicago Fire and San Jose Earthquakes playing to a scoreless draw.
At Gillette Stadium, the Revolution were returning home after seeing their seven-game unbeaten streak come to an end the weekend before, while Toronto FC were heading back out on the road after a win and a draw at BMO Field that kept them unbeaten at home for the 2008 season.
After just 11 minutes, the Revolution went into the lead. Adam Cristman's contested header from a Kheli Dube cross clanked off the base of the right post, and Ralston came in behind to tap it into the open goal for the opener.
Just before the hour mark, Ralston doubled his haul and the Revolution lead. Again it came from a rebound off the woodwork -- this time a sublime volley from Dube that crashed back off the face of the crossbar. Ralston calmly brought it down, cut back to avoid a defender and curled a perfectly placed effort off the inside of the right-hand post for his sixth goal of the season.
Toronto FC pulled a goal back 11 minutes from the end, when Amado Guevara swung a free kick into the area, aiming for Maurice Edu. Shalrie Joseph outjumped the young midfielder, but instead headed the ball into his own goal. The Reds nearly snatched a late equalizer when Jarrod Smith was first to the rebound of a remarkable Matt Reis save, but Michael Parkhurst was stationed right on the line to chest away his goal-bound attempt.
At RFK Stadium, a huge crowd turned out for a rare noon kickoff between the two highest-scoring teams in the league, and they weren't disappointed. United came in riding a three-game winning streak and five games unbeaten, while the Galaxy had lost just once in six games in taking over the lead in the Western Conference.
It took United just five minutes to open the scoring. Ante Jazic bundled over Santino Quaranta in the penalty area, and after referee Jair Marrufo pointed to the spot, Jaime Moreno coolly dispatched the spot kick for his sixth goal.
The Galaxy drew level in the 26th minute. Landon Donovan played a neat one-two on the right flank, and tried to slip Edson Buddle through into the area. But after the ball took a couple of deflections off United defenders, Buddle was still able to corral it and hook into the back of the net for his 10th goal on the campaign, and ninth in the last seven games.
Yet just before the break, United nosed ahead again. Marc Burch ran down an over-hit cross in the left corner and swung it back into the area, where an acrobatic header by Emilio while jumping backwards looped over Galaxy 'keeper Steve Cronin and inside the far post as he kept his goal-scoring streak going.
After the interval, it was all United. On the hour, Gonzalo Martinez played a cross to the top of the box that Emilio knocked down, and Marcelo Gallardo was first to it, bursting into the area to slot home to make the score 3-1.
Then Emilio finished off the rout eight minutes later. An inch-perfect through ball sent Fred in alone behind the Galaxy defense, and after he pulled Cronin off his line, he slid a simple square pass for Emilio to slide in and turn home for his 10th goal on the season, nine of those coming in the last six games.
At Crew Stadium, the Crew were returning home after taking four points from two high-scoring road matches, while the Rapids were coming off their first draw in 13 games this year, though their winless streak extended to three games.
A breakneck first half saw no goals, but the Crew opened the lead in the 53rd minute when Guillermo Barros Schelotto converted a penalty kick after Alejandro Moreno was tripped up in the box in the right corner of the area, the Crew's first goal at home in 199 minutes.
The Rapids pulled level just seven minutes later. Conor Casey loped across the top of the area before sliding a pass to Nick LaBrocca on the right, and his low blast from outside the box eluded Crew 'keeper William Hesmer and nestled inside the far post.
But Ekpo saved the best for last. In the 70th minute, he took the ball at the midfield stripe and charged forward, dribbling through the heart of the Colorado defense. Untouched still at the top of the area, he launched a low strike that flew into the lower left corner of the net for his first MLS goal and the game-winner.
At CommunityAmerica Ballpark, the Wizards were back home again after seeing their winless streak extended to seven games in a scoreless draw at Toronto the week before, while Real were on the road after remaining unbeaten in Utah on the year, lengthening their club-record unbeaten run to five games with a victory against New England.
The Wizards had the better of the chances, especially over the final 45 minutes, but took a bit of fortune to get a goal. A minute from time, Davy Arnaud curled in a free kick from just outside the area on the right. Looking for Jimmy Conrad in the heart of the mixer, RSL defender Tony Beltran instead won the heading duel -- only to turn it over his own goalkeeper and into the net.
At Robertson Stadium, Houston Dynamo were back home after a scoreless draw with Colorado, while FC Dallas saw the Schellas Hyndman era kick off with a loss in New York. The teams were battling for El Capitan, the prize on offer for the winner of the season series, after playing to two dramatic draws in their first two meetings.
The Dynamo took the lead after 21 minutes. Craig Waibel took a pass on the right flank and carved out enough time to pick out Brian Ching breaking toward goal, and dropped a cross perfectly on his head for the U.S. international to nod home for his sixth goal on the year.
But FC Dallas drew level in the 62nd minute. Juan Toja whipped in an early cross from the left flank and Kenny Cooper rose up completely unmarked in the heart of the area to send a glancing header inside the right-hand post for his eighth goal of 2008 and the equalizer.
With a 4-2 advantage in away goals after all three meetings ended in draws, FC Dallas took El Capitan for the first time in the three-year history of the rivalry.
At The Home Depot Center, Chivas USA had put an end to their two-game losing streak the weekend before, while the Red Bulls had won for the first time in three weeks at home.
The visitors took the lead after 26 minutes. A free kick was won well out from the right corner of the area, and Dave van den Bergh flighted in a curling service. As Kevin Goldthwaite flashed through the box, he missed making a connection, but it wrong-footed Chivas 'keeper Brad Guzan enough so the ball sailed through and inside the left-hand post for his fourth goal.
But the Red Bulls gifted the equalizer deep into first-half stoppage time. A square pass across the Red Bulls backline rolled behind center back Jeff Parke, and Ante Razov swooped in to snatch it, hitting a first-time shot from the top of the box past goalkeeper Jon Conway and the leveller.
At Toyota Park, both teams were looking to get out of ruts. The Fire had lost three in a row and been shut out in their last two games, while the Earthquakes had lost the first two games of their four-game road swing and were winless in three in a row.
There were few chances for either team, but the Quakes had the better ones, especially over the final 45 minutes. Ramiro Corrales saw a freekick from straight out from goal glance off the top of the bar and away in the 52nd minute, then four minutes from the end, John Cunliffe saw a low shot hit the base of the post and come out into the goalmouth. Although Kei Kamara was first to it, he was not able to get his second-chance effort on frame.
The Fire owned a 4-1 advantage in shots on goal, and Earthquakes 'keeper Joe Cannon was called upon to make two stellar stops after the break, including a good diving effort on a Justin Mapp angled shot from the left.
