San Jose Stuns New England, Columbus Takes Lead in East
LA Galaxy 2-Chivas USA 2
An intense rivalry between two poor teams. Alan Gordon’s late equalizer gave LA a draw in the match, but a victory in this year’s SuperClasico series, as Cobi Jones managed a draw in his only game as Interim Manager. Without Brad Guzan or Sacha Kljestan, Chivas will have to get a major lift from Paulo Nagamura, Atiba Harris, or Carey Talley if they are going to survive the heated race in the West and make the playoffs.
FC Dallas 1-Columbus Crew 2
Dallas failed to extend its hot streak, as the Crew used two second half goals, both set up by league assist-leader Guillermo Barros Schelotto, to dispose of the visitors. With the victory, the Crew took control of first place in the East. Read the in-depth match review
DC United 1-Chicago Fire 0
Fred’s 27th minute strike was the difference for surging DC, who grabbed a key road win over Eastern foe Chicago. Brian McBride, recently arrived for Beijing, came on as a second half sub and made a few key plays on offense for Chicago. New Liberian Keeper Louis Crayton impressed in his DC United debut. Chicago could have taken the lead in the East with a win, but instead lost ground to DC.
Real Salt Lake 3-Houston Dynamo 4
Houston asserted their dominance in the West in a game that had 6 first half goals. Salt Lake managed an impressive offensive showing on the road (a rarity for Jason Kreis’ team). American international Clint Mathis made his RSL debut after a season abroad in Greece with Ergotelis.
Kansas City Wizards 1-Colorado Rapids 2
Colorado collected a much-needed road win over the struggling, young Wizards team. Conor Casey was a one-man wrecking crew for Colorado, finishing with two goals, and Keeper Preston Burpo seems to have supplanted Bouna Coundoul in the Colorado net. Kansas City, previously on a 5-2-3 streak, failed to escape the cellar of the East.
New England Revolution 0-San Jose Earthquakes 4
Streaking San Jose got a huge shutout win over then leaders in the East New England. English M Darren Huckerby had two assists, and Irish M Ronnie O’Brien notched two goals and an assist. The loss knocked New England out of the top spot in the East, although they have a game in hand on Columbus, but San Jose’s victory failed to catapult them from the cellar in the West.
Toronto FC 0-New York Red Bulls 2
Toronto FC continues their tailspin with a road loss against New York, who was down a man for the second half because of a red card for Venezueland Red Bull loanee D Gabriel Cichero. Mike Magee and Juan Pablo Angel scored for the Red Bulls, who were able to hop over Toronto in the Eastern Conference standings and into a fourth-place tie with DC United. Toronto’s newest face, American U-21 F Johann Smith made his TFC debut, subbing for Abdus Ibrahim, and nearly scored his first MLS goal.
Both teams sporting significant roster changes, Colorado emerged victorious on the road at Dallas behind a Mike Petke goal off of a Terry Cooke corner. Despite 10 corners and 7 shots on goal, Dallas couldn’t get one past Colorado keeper Preston Burpo. Burpo seems to have won Interim Head Coach Gary Smith’s favor over the sometimes-dynamic sometimes-inept Bouna Coundoul (whose bench spot was taken by Australian newcomer Chris Sharpe because of Coundoul’s Senegal National Team duties).