MLS Roundup
Playoff Races Heating Up; BWP, Landon Eye Records
Nine teams are slugging it out for five playoff spots in Major League Soccer's wild Eastern Conference. Meanwhile, Bradley Wright-Phillips and Landon Donovan both have major records in their sights.
BY
Nick Kariuki
Posted
September 23, 2014
12:06 PM
TABLE TALK
The Eastern Conference standings remain unchanged after the recent round of games. D.C. United’s hard-fought 3-3 draw against the Chicago Fire on Saturday moved the conference leaders three points ahead of second-place Sporting KC, which did not play.
In the Western Conference, Tuesday’s extra-time U.S. Open Cup win over the Philadelphia Union forced the Seattle Sounders to rest several first team players against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday. New York were three goals up by the time top scorers Clint Dempsey and Obafemi Martins came on. The match finished up 4-1 in favor of the home team.
The Sounders' loss, combined with Los Angeles' 2-1 come-from-behind victory over FC Dallas, lifts the Galaxy into a virtual tie atop the table. The Sounders currently edge L.A. in the conference and Supporter's Shield races based on games won. Seattle also has a game in hand. Both teams have qualified for the postseason—they are the only two squads guaranteed to make the playoffs.
The Portland Timbers defeated the Vancouver Whitecaps 3-0 on Saturday, moving the Timbers into the Western Conference’s final playoff spot and pushing the Whitecaps below the red line.
LOOKING AHEAD
The Supporter's Shield is nice and all, but the really exciting battles should be for the lower playoff spots, particularly in the Eastern Conference. Only five points separate third-place New England and seventh-place Toronto FC in the East, with Sporting Kansas City just three points ahead of the Revolution.
The Columbus Crew snapped the Rev’s five-game winning streak with a 1-0 win on Saturday. Toronto's 3-0 win over Chivas USA on Sunday gave the Tim Bizbatchenko/Greg Vanney administration its first win and snapped the Ontario-based club's six-game winless streak.
Given its tough remaining schedule, Toronto will have to earn its way into the playoffs. It faces away games against the dominant Galaxy, the surging Red Bulls, and its season-closer at New England looks like it could be a decisive contest.
First place D.C. appears to be in good position, as it will travel to face lower-table Houston and Montreal, with a visit from Chicago in between. The Fire will still have four away matches left, more than any other side in the conference. The Fire will also host the Impact and the Dynamo, but home advantage won’t mean as much if Toyota Park’s field condition doesn’t improve.
The Union and the Crew will get two cracks at each other: The first leg will be in Philadelphia in Oct. 11, with the follow-up in Columbus on Oct. 26. As the two teams currently on either side of the playoff line, both matches will be "six-pointers."
GOOD FORM, BAD FORM
The Galaxy’s victory extended its unbeaten streak to eight games. The team will next host the Red Bulls on Sunday.
If a tie is like kissing your sister, the Chicago Fire is....no, we're not going there. After its 3-3 draw with D.C. United, the Fire now have 16 ties this season, equaling the single-season record set by both New York and Chicago in the 2011 season. What’s more worrying is that Chicago still has six games remaining to set the MLS all-time record for mediocrity.
With Sunday’s loss, Chivas have gone winless for 11 games now. Saturday’s visit to Seattle is probably not going to help that streak.
The Colorado Rapids could not capitalize on last week’s draw and fell 5-1 to Rocky Mountain Cup rivals Real Salt Lake on Friday. RSL took the cup with the first ever sweep in the series. The Rapids’ winless streak is now at nine games.
LEAGUE LEADERS
Bradley Wright-Phillips found the back of the net three times against the Sounders, raising his season total to 24 goals. It was his third hat trick of the season.
Wright-Phillips broke the team’s single-season record of 19, set by Juan Pablo Angel, back on Aug 23. Now the English striker has his sights set on the MLS’ all-time record of 27 goals, shared by Roy Lassiter and Chris Wondolowski.
Kansas City's Dom Dwyer remains in second place in the Golden Boot race with 19 goals. Third spot is shared by Galaxy strike partners Robbie Keane and Gyasi Zardes, both on 15 after the youngster set up the veteran for the team’s opener against FC Dallas.
Landon Donovan couldn’t extend his four-game assist streak but remains top of the league with 15. Still on 132 assists for this career, Donovan now has five games to reach Steve Ralston’s all-time record of 135.
Portland’s Diego Valeri and Los Angeles' Keane share the second spot with 14 assists. Valeri started off the counter that led to Fanendo Adi’s first goal, while Keane crossed in Alan Gordon’s late winner.
ROOKIE OF THE YEAR
Harry Shipp set up Quincy Amarikwa for his game-opening goal over the weekend, raising Shipp's assist total to six this season to go along with six goals.
Rookie of the Year rival FC Dallas forward Tesho Akindele managed 75 minutes before subbing out. He currently has seven goals and three assists.
Nick Kariuki writes both the ASN Injury Report and the MLS Roundup every week. Follow him on Twitter.
