By TRAVIS CLARK
The World Cup is finally over, but MLS mid-season action was in full swing over the weekend.
With a tired Landon Donovan receiving a much-needed game off, the Los Angeles Galaxy slumped to a surprising 2-0 loss against the struggling New England Revolution. While Donovan's absence was felt, Omar Gonzalez's suspension because of yellow card accumulation was perhaps the bigger loss for the Galaxy.
Goals from Marco Perovic and Sainey Nyassi were sufficient as New England won its first game and scored for the first time since May 29, against the best defense in the league.
Here is a look at the rest of the action from Week 15:
SAN JOSE EARTHQUAKES 2, PHILADELPHIA UNION 1
The Philadelphia Union controlled possession, created scoring chances, and did just about everything to come away with three points at PPL Park.
However, two defensive lapses allowed San Jose to punish the hosts and head back west with a 2-1 win. Philadelphia couldn't best Earthquakes goalie Jon Busch, who came up strong and kept it close to set the table for Alturo Alvarez's stoppage time winner.
TORONTO FC 1, COLORADO RAPIDS 0
A strong home record continued for Toronto FC, as the club remained undefeated at BMO Field with a 1-0 win over the Colorado Rapids.
Fuad Ibrahim's 61st minute goal was good for all three points for the Reds, barely clinging on to the win as Colorado had a number of chances in the game's dying seconds. Conor Casey and Omar Cummings couldn't produce a goal despite a few early opportunities.
REAL SALE LAKE 1, CHICAGO FIRE 0
It looks like Real Salt Lake has finally figured out how to win outside of Utah. The defending MLS Cup champions, a team that has consistently struggled on the road, won for the third time away from Rio Tinto Stadium on the season, defeating the Chicago Fire by a 1-0 scoreline.
A Robbie Findley penalty kick settled the affair, as the injury-riddled Fire failed to respond in the second half.
D.C. UNITED 0, NEW YORK RED BULLS 0
The Atlantic Cup headed north to Red Bull Arena, as two bitter Eastern Conference rivals battled to a 0-0 draw.
D.C. United, with one of the worst defensive records in the league, posted a clean sheet for just the second time all season, but couldn't get one at the other end of the pitch against Bouna Coundoul. Neither Juan Pablo Angel or Ibrahim Salou managed to break the deadlock as the two sides settled for a point.
CHIVAS USA 2, KANSAS CITY WIZARDS 0
Kansas City's woes in 2010 continued against Chivas USA, as a brace off the foot of Justin Braun consigned the Wizards to a 2-0 defeat.
With the Kansas City attack once again struggling to tick the scoresheet, and Braun punished a pair of defensive miscues to best Jimmy Nielsen. Kansas City has won once in its last 12 league games, scoring just five times in that stretch, while Chivas won for the first time since May 5.
COLUMBUS CREW 0, HOUSTON DYNAMO 0
Brian Ching left the best chance of the game begging for Houston, and Columbus couldn't break the deadlock as the two sides drew 0-0. Opportunities for both sides were few and far between, with neither offense able to best goalies Will Hesmer and Pat Onstad.
Ching failed to connect early on, after a cross beat the Columbus defense, but his left-footed shot missed a wide open net. Houston drew for the third time in a row, leaving little margin for error as the season continues.
SEATTLE SOUNDERS 1, FC DALLAS 1
The Seattle Sounders once again couldn't deliver in front of a home crowd, conceding late to David Ferreira and tying 1-1 against FC Dallas on Sunday night.
It was a bright start for the Sounders, with Fredy Montero scoring his sixth goal of the season off an excellent James Riley cross, but Seattle failed to add to its lead. This came back to haunt them when Miguel Montano was sent off in the 56th minute for retaliating against a tough Brek Shea tackle, and Ferreira punished the Sounders with a well-worked equalizer in the 87th minute.
The result pushes Seattle's winless streak to four games in league play, leaving them in seventh place in the Western Conference.
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