MLS Week 26: Who wants to go?

Chicago could only manage a draw, but Colorado couldn't gain any ground as the race for the final playoff spot heats up. Meanwhile, DC United cruised on the back of four second-half goals (including Luciano Emilio's 20th), to keep four points separating them and New England in the race for the real MLS championship, the Supporters' Shield. Columbus missed a chance to leapfrog Chicago and move into the eighth playoff spot, while Houston won the Texas showdown with Houston.

SEPT. 30
Houston 3-0 FC Dallas

Los Angeles 2-1 Columbus

SEPT. 29
Toronto 1-4 DC United
Toronto got on the board early, with a Carl Robinson free kick in the 14th minute, but then DC brought the pain, with four unanswered goals in the second half. DC defender Marc Burch continues to have a stellar year with a goal in the 52nd minute, a cracker from 18-yards. Target practice continued four minutes later when Fred hit a long-distance effort from near the same spot as Burch, finding the upper, right corner. Jaime Moreno added to his record-setting goal talley with an easy finish from the six, after a nice through ball delivery from Copa Sudamerica hero Clyde Simms. And Luciano Emilio scored his 20th goal of the season, connecting after Christian Gomez's freekick his the crossbar. It's the first time that an MLS player has scored 20 goals in a season, since 2002 when Carlos Ruiz scored 24. The all-time record is 27 goals by Roy Lassiter in the inaugural year (1996).
Full Match Recap

Colorado 0-1 New England
It took 88 minutes, but New England got the result against Colorado, as Khano Smith beat the Rapids defense and then Colorado keeper Bouna Coundoul with a low shot. Poor finishing kept this close, as the Revs put eight shots on goal, but only managed a single goal, against a desperate Rapids team, who are four points behind the final playoff spot with just three games to play. The Revs, meanwhile, kept pace with DC who lead the Supporters' Shield race by four points over their Eastern conference rivals.
Full Match Recap

Real Salt Lake 2-2 New York
New York's shoddy defense continued as they surrendered a rather weak opening goal to RSL's Chris Brown, after he nodded in a Chris Wingert cross at the far post in the 22nd minute. New York's newboy Francis Doe scored his second of the year, equalizing in the 49th minute. But RSL midfielder Kyle Beckerman, unmarked, easily redirected a Fabian Espindola pass past the spraawling Ronald Waterreus in the 75th. Juan Pablo Angel, who had been stymied all match despite some excellent chances, made sure from the spot in the 80th minute, after Red Bulls defender Seth Stammler was upended in the box, converting his 17th goal of the season.
Full Match Recap

Chicago 1-1 Chivas USA
Yet another superb free kick by Cuauhtemoc Blanco put Chicago in the driver's seat at the 24th minute, but as has been the case this season, the Fire's late-game defending let them down, as Claudio Suarez equalized from the spot, eight minutes from time. After hitting the post ten minutes prior, Maykel Galindo was brought down in the area and Suarez calmly tucked it in the top-right corner. A bit of extra time drama, as Blanco appeared to be taken down by Alex Zotinca in the other end, but referee Tim Weyland awarded only a corner kick to the Fire. Following the play, Fire coach Juan Carlos Osorio was ejected and will not be on the sideline for the next match.
Full Match Recap

SEPT. 27
Los Angeles 1-0 Kansas City
KC's downward spiral continued at home on Wednesday, as even the bottom-of-the-barrel Galaxy managed a result against the lackluster Wizards. Substitute Gavin Glinton headed home Mike Randolph's cross in the 80th minute to give the Galaxy only their sixth win in 24 played. Not helping matters was the ejections of both Jimmy Conrad and Davy Arnaud in the 57th and 82nd minutes, respectively. Maybe he insulted their sisters? In separate incidents, Conrad and Arnaud were sent off for a blantant studs-up tackle on the same player, Galaxy midfielder Peter Vagenas.
Full Match Recap.