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MLS Week 23: A Look Back

BuddleBrown (ISIphotos.com)

Photo by Tracy Allen/ISIphotos.com

 

The Los Angeles Galaxy and Chicago Fire went into Saturday's showdown both needing a win badly, but now that neither could secure the three points they each find themselves feeling some serious pressure.

The Galaxy's 1-1 draw at Toyota Park, coupled with the Columbus Crew's latest win at RFK, pulled the Crew into a tie with Los Angeles for the best record in MLS. Real Salt Lake pulled to within a point of the Galaxxy with its latest home victory.

While the Galaxy's hold on the Supporters Shield has been shaken, the Chicago Fire's quest to reach the playoffs took a major hit. Colorado and San Jose both scored victories, to widen the gap on Chicago for the final playoff spots.

Here is a rundown of this weekend's MLS action:

MLS SCOREBOARD

Philadelphia Union 1, Kansas City Wizards 1

Sebastien LeToux scored his 10th goal (with the help of Rookie of the Year front-runner Danny Mwanga's 4th assist of the season), while KC keeps its unbeaten run going. HIGHLIGHTS

Chicago Fire 1, Los Angeles Galaxy 1

Omar Gonzalez's late winner spared LA's blushes, but the FIre continue to squander precious points (though Chicago deserves credit for salvaging a point after the early Gonzalo Segares red card). HIGHLIGHTS

Columbus Crew 1, D.C. United 0

Bill Hamid has a bright future, but Saturday he reminded us why you don't want to lean to heavily on young goalkeepers. HIGHLIGHTS

New England Revolution 3, Seattle Sounders 1

If Seattle somehow misses the playoffs the Sounders may look to this game and a wasted opportunity for points. The Revs are technically still alive, but not for long unless they find consistency. HIGHLIGHTS

FC Dallas 1, Toronto FC 0

Jeff Cunningham scored his 129th career goal and Kevin Hartman posted yet another shutout against a short-handed TFC team that is quickly losing ground in the playoff race. HIGHLIGHTS

Real Salt Lake 1, New York Red Bulls 0

RSL continued its home dominance with a business-like performance against a short-handed and flat Red Bulls squad that looked far from being a title contender. HIGHLIGHTS

Colorado Rapids 3, Chivas USA 0

Rapids are getting hot at the right time, though an easy stretch on the schedule hasn't hurt. Chivas USA's miserable season continues, leaving us to wonder if Martin Vasquez is safe. HIGHLIGHTS

San Jose Earthquakes 2, Houston Dynamo 1

Fans in San Jose had to love seeing their Earthquakes dispose of a fading and lackluster Dynamo team that looks miles removed from those MLS Cups. HIGHLIGHTS

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What did you think of this weekend's results? Who do you see coming away with the Supporters Shield? Think Toronto or Kansas City can catch the Western Conference teams for the final playoff spots?

Share your thoughts below.

Comments

  1. Actually I agree with Scott. My most desired MLS cup final would be a NYRB vs RSL matchup. Why? Because how could would it be for RSL if in 2009 they brought down Donovan and Beckham to be crowned the champs, then in 2010 they brought down Henry, Marquez, and Angel to be crowned the champs.

    My 2nd most desired MLS Cup final would be Columbus Crew vs RSL. Because the RSL fans would drastically outnumber the Crew fans if you know what I mean.

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  2. Err I wouldn’t say it was a fluke. I’d say you snuck in like we did the season before. RSL started to click late and by the end of the season was an elite club. And this season they’re certainly an elite club. And NY will most definitely be in the playoffs. Basically a lock

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  3. Scott we will be there but you won’t.

    Anyone think last season was a fluke now?

    Supporter’s shield, MLS Cup, and Champion’s league. RSL are for real!!

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  4. With that being said RB had two more DPs than Real, and the fans are saying, “well if we had our third DP we would have got you!”

    Made me lol.

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  5. well Geovanni did not have the help of Angel but most importantly, the quakes and Geovanni beat the Dynamo in Housten though I cant say the same for Henry and co.

    Also Frank Yallop, give credit to where its due. John Doyle will be fumed if he found out that u took all the credit

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  6. Karma? Nah, it’s not karma, it’s a bunch of bad teams. As the saying goes, DC United couldn’t score in a brothel–they’ve tied the league record for shutouts (by an offense) and still have 7 games left. The wheels have come of the Revs that Nicol and Mariner used to hold together with chewing gum, tactics, goals by Twellman and middle of the field comination by Shalrie Joseph. Add an expansion team and that’s 3 relatively weak sides (even though all 3 have not thrown in the towel and consistently work hard nearly every game). Philly is just an expansion team, Nicol has ridden the Joseph/Twellman/Ralston/Reis horse as far as it can go and now it’s the Joeph/Reis show. And don’t get me started on DCU. No karma at all, just very weak teams that hustle, work hard and sometimes (as in Philly and the Revs) steal points by coaching and hustle and 1-2 really good players.

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  7. Sabo is just as important to RSL as Rafa is to Red Bulls, and Johnson is just as important to RSL as Richards is to Red Bulls. Miller is replacable, and I really doubt Bouna would have been able to pull off a few of those saves that Sutton did.

    With that being said RB had two more DPs than Real, and the fans are saying, “well if we had our third DP we would have got you!”

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  8. red bulls was missing 4 players which most are started richards(his form lately has been good best he played), roy miller, rafa who has been a big help in the mid since he got here, bouna which is ok na much of a difference from sutton,all have been starting lately.

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  9. I figured you’d use the lame excuse about the NYRB being shorthanded. Never mind that RSL was shorthanded with Saborio and Will Johnson gone, two of their mainstays this year.

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  10. Are you mixing up Mwanga for Alejandro Moreno bc then your claim would be substainated but Danny is a pretty clean player, he also works his butt off which is nice to see from a young stud prospect.

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  11. I found San Jose the best DP in the league. Geovanni’s not even a forward and his stats are already more impressive than that of Henry’s, and Geo only has 1 start! And it was on the road! Beating Houston in Houston is a huge statement to the Dynamo fans and the rest of the league. We’re in a great position in the playoff standings now that we’re 5 points clear of the other teams chasing, additionally we have at least 1 game in hand on every other team in the top 10.

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  12. Are you sure you’re thinking of the right player? I’ve never seen Mwanga play dirty in any way, and I have a pretty low tolerance for that stuff.

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  13. After the 2009 “Western conference is crap” schtick from all the East Coast peops, I am hoping that the Fire, Cheese Wiz, TFC, Revs, Union and DC continue to falter and stutter. Karma, plain ol’ Karma. Good to see Houston in the doldrums as well 🙂

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  14. The Fire game was a rollercoaster of emotions for me. i would have been happy with the tie after the direct red to segares sent me down in the dumps. then we scored and i was on cloud nine, then gonzales scores and im back down to the dumps. the playoffs start for the fire with the game on wednesday. its a must win.

    Reply

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