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MLS Week 30: A Look Back

AngelGetty

By AVI CREDITOR

The New York Red Bulls finished first in the Eastern Conference. Chris Wondolowski led the league in goals. New England, Houston, Chicago and D.C. weren't close to the playoff picture.

Welcome to bizarro MLS.

The final week of the regular season is in the books, but not before a few fairy tale stories took place. Jaime Moreno managed to score in his D.C. United finale, as did Brian McBride in his last game prior to retiring. Wondolowski tallied four goals during the week, including a hat trick against Chivas USA, to leapfrog Edson Buddle and inconceivably win the Golden Boot. Buddle didn't completely miss out though – his L.A. Galaxy finished what it started in March by capturing the Supporters' Shield.

Here's a rundown of all the action in MLS' final week of the regular season:

MLS WEEK 30 SCOREBOARD

San Jose Earthquakes 3, Chivas USA 0

Chris Wondolowski – who came off the bench as a 40th-minute substitute – netted a hat trick to pull even with Edson Buddle in the race for the Golden Boot (until pulling ahead just days later), and San Jose continued to show the mark of a team that could be a tough out in the MLS playoffs. HIGHLIGHTS

New York Red Bulls 2, New England Revolution 0

The Red Bulls completed their worst-to-first season by clinching first place in the Eastern Conference with their win at Red Bull Arena. Dane Richards and Joel Lindpere, two of the main reasons why New York was able to climb the ladder in the East this season, accounted for the scoring. The Revolution ended the season outside of the playoff picture for the first time under Steve Nicol's guidance. HIGHLIGHTS

Houston Dynamo 2, Seattle Sounders 1

Dom Kinnear's men finished a forgettable season in a memorable way, surprising one of the league's hottest teams at Robertson Stadium. Geoff Cameron and Cam Weaver scored to offset James Riley's opening goal. HIGHLIGHTS

Toronto FC 3, D.C. United 2

Dwayne De Rosario crashed Jaime Moreno's farewell party, notching a second-half brace to lead the Reds to a come-from-behind victory at RFK Stadium. Playing in his last game for D.C. United, Moreno was able to convert a penalty kick in the 39th minute, re-taking the lead as the league's all-time top goal scorer (133). HIGHLIGHTS

Kansas City Wizards 4, San Jose Earthquakes 1

Birahim Diop stole the show with an unlikely hat trick as the Wizards left CommunityAmerica Ballpark in style with a rout of the Earthquakes. Wondolowski tallied San Jose's goal, giving him 18 for the season and one more than Buddle to become the shock Golden Boot winner. HIGHLIGHTS

Colorado Rapids 2, Real Salt Lake 2

Alvaro Saborio's stoppage-time brace salvaged a point for RSL and helped the team maintain its grasp on the Rocky Mountain Cup in a thriller between postseason-bound rivals. Conor Casey and Omar Cummings had given the host Rapids a 2-0 advantage, but after Saborio scored in the 91st minute, Brian Mullan fouled Jamison Olave in the box. Saborio buried the PK past Matt Pickens for the equalizer at the death. HIGHLIGHTS

Chicago Fire 4, Chivas USA 1

Brian McBride scored in his final match, and the Fire enjoyed a rare attacking bonanza, lighting up the scoreboard at the Home Depot Center. Freddie Ljungberg added a goal and two assists for the Fire. Jonathan Bornstein played his final game with Chivas, as he is off to Mexican club Tigres following the season. HIGHLIGHTS

Columbus Crew 3, Philadelphia Union 1

Building off the momentum of its mid-week CONCACAF Champions League victory, Columbus ended the regular season impressively, as Guillermo Barros Schelotto, Emilio Renteria and Andres Mendoza carried the Crew to the victory. The victory came at a price, though, as keeper Will Hesmer fractured his shoulder and will be out for the playoffs. Because the Crew had no more subs remaining at the time of the injury, Eddie Gaven was forced into goal, where he made two saves but also allowed Sebastien Le Toux to put a final stamp on his outstanding season with his 14th goal of the year for the Union. HIGHLIGHTS

Los Angeles Galaxy 2, FC Dallas 1

David Beckham scored to bring Los Angeles out of an early deficit, and Juninho scored the game-winner, as the Galaxy captured the Supporters' Shield and dealt FCD its second consecutive loss after a 19-game unbeaten streak. Buddle went scoreless, finishing a goal behind Wondolowski for most in the league. HIGHLIGHTS

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What shocked you the most about this season? Think this was one of the best MLS seasons ever? Who do you think should be Player of the Week?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. The only reason a passive offsides is called in today’s game is if the player heavily impacts the play in some manner. Other than that – no call, as it should be.

    Oh yeah, and Franklin was keeping Cunningham onside by a yard.

    Reply
  2. Really. OK, from in the stadium we didn’t get that angle on the screen (at least not that I saw). It looked like a passive offside live though, but hey I wanted the Galaxy to win.

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  3. I can’t begin to express how much I enjoyed DC’s failure this season. I look forward to them relovating to Baltimore in 2011.

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  4. There was no passive offside. Franklin held Cunningham on from the far side of the field after the non-clearance, making him doubly culpable.

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  5. I’m a Galaxy fanatic and I think Landon’s play was a foul, BUT, that kind of crap was going on all over the field (you couldn’t see it all just from the TV angles), so it was not a surprise that he took advantage of the opportunity to give a little back. There certainly was a passive offside that was not called on the Dallas goal, so it evened out a bit.

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  6. Agreed, this was a great season. Lots of up and downs. The only thing missing was a race for the last playoff spot. Only getting better from here – Portland, The Couv, and Montreal will again raise the level of the league.

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  7. I think the balanced schedule made a big difference in the feel of this season. It created more excitement to know you had one chance to see a team visit your home side (instead of two visits from a conference side). The new stadia made a big impression as well, with travelling fans supporting their teams. Another benefit was having the golden boot and the playoff bracket races set in the absolute last game of the regular season. And oh yeah, Red Bulls are first in the East!

    Reply
  8. Also, what a wild week considering we knew who the playoff teams would be…

    Colorado’s jinx from hell against RSL (the Rocky Mountain Cup was already getting it’s picture taken being handed over to Rapids Class VI supporter group)

    Columbus sees their starting keeper go down and Eddie Gaven jumping into goal wearing the backup keeper’s jersey (then doing a sort of Jumping Jack as the ball flies over his head and into the goal). Also, was it stupid for their coach to play their stars so much considering they now have to travel to Colorado on three day’s rest to play at altitude)?

    The golden boot race got really interesting.

    Houstan-Seattle is a nice little rivalry.

    Not a bad week considering the big stuff was supposedly wrapped up already.

    Reply
  9. I mean seriously:

    New York is very important for the first time in years (besides the wild run to the final a few years ago)

    New stars

    Suprise stars (Wondo’s golden boot, anyone?)

    Great new stadiums (Ny, Philly)

    Off-field drama (Donovan’s future, DeRo’s antics, Joseph’s early season storyline)

    More visability (several players making appearances on FoxSoccer’s shows and World Football Daily).

    Oh, and some awesome runs by teams this year that made some matchups truely interesting (FCD vs RSL with two streaks on the line, for instance).

    Reply

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