MLS WRAP – Week 32: NYRB reach play-offs, Sporting KC finish top in East, Galaxy beaten

The final regular season matches of the 2011 MLS season were completed on the weekend with New York Red Bulls the last team to secure a spot in the play-offs.

Prior to the round of matches, the Red Bulls required victory to become the tenth team in the finals and they produced that with a 1-0 home result over Philadelphia Union which came courtesy of Dane Richards’ eighth minute header which deflected off the upright and bounced back in off Union keeper Faryd Mondragon.

The win gave New York a fifth-place finish on the Eastern Conference table setting up a meeting with the West’s fourth-place side FC Dallas in Texas on Wednesday.

Elsewhere in MLS, Danny Koevermans netted his eighth goal in nine starts as Toronto FC forced a 2-2 draw with New England Revolution to finish second bottom in the East and third bottom overall as the Revs ended on equal points with Vancouver Whitecaps to have the worst record in MLS.

The Whitecaps could have finished above the Revs as they were a goal up at home against reigning champions Colorado Rapids but lost 2-1 as Gary Smith’s men finished fifth in the West.

Sporting Kansas City moved to the top of the East with a 1-0 away win at DC United, who ended up seventh, whilst Jalil Anibaba scored a brace as Chicago Fire defeated Columbus Crew 3-2 with the losers securing a fourth-place finish in the East and the Fire ending just three points out of the play-offs.

Real Salt Lake did not move out of third in the West despite a 1-1 draw with Portland Timbers, who scored late, as the Seattle Sounder show rolled along with a 3-1 away win over Chivas USA.

San Jose Earthquakes got some late season joy with a 4-2 victory over FC Dallas to move to seventh in the West whilst Supporters’ Shield winners LA Galaxy made plenty of changes, with 16-year old Jack McBean opening his MLS account, but were beaten 3-1 by Houston Dynamo who finished second in the East.

2011 MLS season – Week 32 scores

New York Red Bulls: 1 (Dane Richards 8’)
Philadelphia Union: 0
Red Bull Arena, Harrison, NJ – 25,044

Toronto FC: 2 (Nick Soolsma 20’, Danny Koevermans 83’)
New England Revolution: 2 (Monesf Zerka 40’, Milton Caraglio 46’, red card: Chris Tierney 90+4’)
BMO Field, Toronto, ON – 21,600

Vancouver Whitecaps: 1 (Alain Rochat 49’)
Colorado Rapids: 2 (Jeff Larentowicz 59’, Wells Thompson 84’)
BC Place, Vancouver, BC – 21,000

DC United: 0
Sporting Kansas City: 1 (Matt Besler 54’)
RFK Stadium, Washington, DC – 15,965

Chicago Fire: 3 (Jalil Anibaba 11’/30’, Diego Chaves 81’)
Columbus Crew: 2 (Emilio Renteria 72’, Dilly Duka 79’, red card: Emmanuel Ekpo 90+1’)
Toyota Park, Bridgeview, IL – 20,237

Real Salt Lake: 1 (Alvaro Saborio 45’)
Portland Timbers: 1 (Mamadou Danso 90+1’)
Rio Tinto Stadium, Sandy, UT – 20,378

Chivas USA: 1 (Victor Estupinan 83’)
Seattle Sounders: 3 (Andy Boyens (og) 53’, Alvaro Fernandez 68’, Sammy Ochoa 73’)
The Home Depot Center, Carson, CA – 22,137

San Jose Earthquakes: 4 (Simon Dawkins 26’/38’, Rafael Baca 27’, Chris Wondolowski 34’)
FC Dallas: 2 (George John 46’, Ruben Luna 90’)
Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara, CA – 10,744

Houston Dynamo: 3 (Adam Moffat 27’, Bobby Boswell 48’, Carlos Costly 74’)
LA Galaxy: 1 (Jack McBean 88’)
Robertson Stadium, Houston, TX – 30,018

 
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