Video: Major League Soccer Highlights for August 21-24, 2008
As Major League Soccer (MLS) heads towards the post-season, every team in the league has a chance at making the playoffs. New England continues to lead the Eastern Conference while Houston has regained its familar perch at the top of the Western Conference. Many of the league’s teams’ rosters will be bolstered by the return of several players from the recently concluded Beijing 2008 Olympics and last week’s FIFA World Cup Qualifiers and international friendlies.
Toronto FC 1 – New England Revolution 1
Chad Barrett scored a goal and Toronto FC earned a 1-1 tie against league-leading New England on Saturday night.
Playing his fourth game for Toronto since being acquired in a trade with the Chicago Fire, Barrett took a pass from Rohan Ricketts in the penalty area before turning and firing a left-footer past New England goalie Doug Warren in the 66th minute.
The goal seemed to energize Toronto, which just missed going ahead 2-1 in the 73rd minute when Marvell Wynne shot wide on an outstanding chance from in close.
New York Red Bulls 3 – Houston Dynamo 0
Juan Pablo Angel and Dane Richards put the Red Bulls two goals up before the game was a half-hour old, then Mike Magee continued his goalscoring streak on the hour mark to finish off the match.
Crew 3, Real Salt Lake 0
Defender Chad Marshall and midfielder Brad Evans also scored and Will Hesmer made two saves for his fifth shutout. Columbus (11-6-4) equaled the 37 points it had in 30 matches last season.
Real Salt Lake (7-8-6) is 1-8-1 on the road. Schelotto, the league leader with 14 assists, had an assist and a penalty kick in a 10-minute span for 2-0 halftime lead.
United 3, Rapids 0
Louis Crayton had his second shutout in three matches and Joe Vide and Quavas Kirk scored their first career goals.
Colorado has only one victory in its last six matches and extended its road winless streak to seven. The Rapids haven’t won at RFK Stadium since 1999.
Chicago Fire 1 – LA Galaxy 0
The Bruce Arena era for the Los Angeles Galaxy began in much the same fashion as the last couple of months have gone for the club. It took more than an hour for John Thorrington to score for Chicago, but that was all the Fire needed for a 1-0 victory Thursday at The Home Depot Center.
Chivas USA 0, Earthquakes 0
Zach Thornton made three saves for his first shutout in two years to preserve Chivas USA’s tie.
The Earthquakes (5-9-7) extended their unbeaten streak to six games. Chivas USA (6-9-6) is winless in its past six.
Thornton made his biggest save in the 85th minute, when he blocked Ronnie O’Brien’s 26-yard shot with his left hand while in the air and parallel to the ground.
FC Dallas 1, Wizards 1
Jimmy Conrad scored out of a loose-ball scramble in second-half stoppage time, giving Kansas City the draw.
Conrad’s team-leading fifth goal came from just inside the 6-yard box on an assist from Josh Wolff.
Andre Rocha scored his first Major League Soccer goal early in the first half, but FC Dallas, which played a man down for the last 28 minutes, couldn’t hang on.
FC Dallas (6-7-8) missed a chance to move past Real Salt Lake into second place in the Western Conference. Kansas City (6-7-8) avoided its first home loss since a 3-0 defeat by Columbus on June 14.
