Rest provides tonic for weary Revs

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- A tired performance in Columbus may not have been the first time the New England Revolution had looked fatigued this season. But a 4-0 result against the Eastern Conference-leading Crew might have seen the Revs stretched to their breaking point.

"We've been tired for three or four weeks," Revolution head coach Steve Nicol said. "It didn't just appear in Columbus. It has been building through the end of SuperLiga."

That stretch saw the Revs slip from comfortably in first place to worryingly looking behind them to see whether Chicago had overtaken them as the team stumbled in league and CONCACAF Champions League play.

"We went through a rough patch," Revs goalkeeper Matt Reis said. "The double trip from Toronto to Trinidad messed with a lot of people. We've gotten over the hump now. We've had a little bit of time off. We've had some time to get away from each other and think about the season. It's the stretch run."

The stretch run might have started in Columbus, but the Revs would prefer to shift the focus towards last Thursday's 4-0 win against Chivas USA as a sign that the revival could be forthcoming.

An extra couple of days worth of rest and training gave New England a buffer it hadn't seen in two months to propel them past a weary Chivas USA side missing several regulars.

The reward? A long weekend to rest and a full week of training ahead of Saturday's trip to Colorado.

"It's going to be nice to get a few days off and get a full week of training," Revolution midfielder Steve Ralston said. "It's been so long that I can't remember. We'll go over some basics and some things that we need to work on."

Practice isn't the first thing most players say they want, but Reis said missing out on that practice time has hurt the team because they haven't been able to work on the bad habits that have crept into their game over the past couple of months.

"We'll get in a good week before we have to play," Reis said. "That's most important. We need to get away from each other and recharge our batteries. We need to look at this stretch run of the last six games and make sure that we're in a good position for the playoffs."

That position has been complicated by the recent three-match winless streak. The win against Chivas USA closed the gap between the Revs and Columbus to three points by the end of the weekend. The two teams meet again at Gillette Stadium on Sept. 27, a match New England will need if it aims to earn the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

"We'd love to get home-field advantage in the playoffs, but we need to get there first," Ralston said. "It's a long season and a lot of teams have closed the gap. Every point is important now. If we can win our conference, that would be great."

Reis said that this little break will give the team the mental break it needs to push for conference supremacy.

"The end of the season is around the corner now," Reis said. "It's just important to play better."

Second-half rally propels Red Bulls

E. RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- On second-half goals by Juan Pablo Angel and Dave van den Bergh, the New York Red Bulls defeated Real Salt Lake, 2-1, at Giants Stadium Saturday night, rallying from a 1-0 deficit to take the full three points for the second time this season.

The Red Bulls improved to 8-1-3 at the Meadowlands this year, while Real Salt Lake, which is undefeated in 12 games at home, is now 1-9-2 outside of Salt Lake City.

Real Salt Lake went in front, 1-0, in the 38th minute when Robbie Findley flicked in a service by Chris Wingert and freed Yura Movsisyan in on goal. Movsisyan outran Gabriel Cichero and tapped the ball with the outside of his right foot to the left of Red Bulls goalkeeper Jon Conway.

It was Movsisyan's third goal in the last five games.

Movsisyan was unfortunate not to have a second first-half goal when he took a pass from Javier Morales and took a touch around Conway. But Movsisyan's shot sailed over the crossbar in the first minute of first-half stoppage time.

The Red Bulls equalized four minutes into the second half when Angel received a long ball over the top of the RSL defense by Kevin Goldthwaite. The Red Bulls captain got around Jamison Olave, who went down on contact, and slotted the ball inside the far post. It was Angel's ninth goal of the year and seventh in his last nine games.

Conway was called into action on 56 minutes when he was forced to dive to his left to save Will Johnson's well-struck shot from 22 yards out.

The Red Bulls put intense pressure in the RSL defensive third just after the hour mark and were rewarded with the go-ahead goal by van den Bergh. Cichero whiffed on a shot attempt and Dane Richards' shanked shot fell right to van den Bergh, who hugged the offside line and beat Nick Rimando inside the far post for his sixth goal of the year.

A minute earlier, a dummy by Magee allowed Angel to latch on to a pass from Richards, but Rimando made a diving stop. Rimando also stopped Goldthwaite's point-blank header On the ensuing corner kick.

Movsisyan came inches away from tying the game in the 75th minute, but his shot from 16 yards out deflected off Conway's hand and the near post. He also fired a shot from distance over the crossbar in the first of four minutes of second-half stoppage time.

Findley had the game's first quality scoring chance, but he put his attempt from 16 yards out off the outside of the near post in the 14th minute. Four minutes later Mike Magee headed van den Bergh's cross from the left side over the net from just outside the six-yard box.

In the 27th minute, Movsisyan got behind the Red Bulls defense, but he put his shot wide of the target. The Red Bulls came right down the field and Richards' low shot just missed the mark.

With nearly a full allotment of players, Red Bulls coach Juan Carlos Osorio went with his familiar 3-5-2 formation at home. Returning to the team were Goldthwaite (suspension), Jorge Rojas (international duty) and Magee (staph infection).

With Seth Stammler rested because of a bone bruise in his right knee, Rojas played deeper in the midfield with Juan Pietravallo, Magee was used as an attacking midfielder and John Wolyniec, who has scored five goals in the last three reserve games, played up front with Angel.

With Fabian Espindola out with a severely sprained right ankle Jason Kreis started Findley up front with Movsisyan. Williams returned from international duty to play in the midfield and Robbie Russell started in RSL's back four, with Wingert, Nat Borchers and Olave.

Jeff Parke, who has been hampered with right ankle injuries, came off in the 53rd minute for Chris Leitch in Osorio's first substitution. In the 25th minute Parke had his right ankle stepped on by Will Johnson.

Carlos Mendes replaced Magee in the 59th minute for the Red Bulls' second substitution.

Clint Mathis, the all-time leading scorer in Red Bulls history, made his return to Giants Stadium, coming on for Andy Williams in the 59th minute. Kenny Deuchar replaced Findley in the 78th minute for Kreis' second change and Ian Joy came on for Russell five minutes from full time for RSL's final change.

Ottawa to announce MLS expansion bid

With the tremendous success of Toronto FC on the other side of the province as a case study, Ontario's capital city of Ottawa is looking to get into Major League Soccer and has a press conference scheduled for Tuesday morning to announce an expansion bid and plans on building a world-class soccer stadium.

Eugene Melnyk, owner of Senators Sports & Entertainment, is the driving force behind the possible deal and could be the fifth National Hockey League-based investor-operator of an MLS team and second in Canada, joining Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Toronto Maple Leafs, the NBA Toronto Raptors and Toronto FC. Colorado Rapids operator Stanley Kroenke owns the Colorado Avalanche and Denver Nuggets of the NBA among other teams, while AEG, investor-operator of the LA Galaxy and Houston Dynamo, own the Los Angeles Kings, and Dave Checketts and Sports Capital Partners, operator of Real Salt Lake, own the St. Louis Blues.

Ottawa is the latest Canadian city interested in possibly adding a Major League Soccer team. Phoenix Suns guard Steve Nash joined Vancouver Whitecaps ownership in a bid to land an MLS expansion team in his hometown of Vancouver and Montreal, which is already home to a brand new 14,000-seat soccer stadium (Stade Saputo) is also in contention for an MLS expansion team.

Major League Soccer will expand to 15 teams next year with the addition of the Seattle Sounders and will then add a team in Philadelphia in 2010. Other possible expansion destinations include a second team in New York, St. Louis, Miami, Atlanta, Las Vegas and Portland.

According to published reports, the New York Mets are looking to be the ownership group of a second New York club. David Howard, the executive vice president for business said the Mets are hoping to get into MLS expansion following the completion of construction for their new $600 million home, Citi Field.

"Our vision is not to be just a successful baseball team, but to be a world-class sports and media entertainment company," Howard told Bloomberg Radio's "On the Ball" program, which will air Saturday. "We're a lot closer to that goal than we were five years ago."

Noonan's journey reaches MLS goal

TORONTO -- It's a long way from Alesund, Norway to Columbus, Ohio, but it's a journey that Pat Noonan has taken to get back on an MLS scoring sheet.

The veteran striker scored for the first time in almost a year to lead the Crew to a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC at BMO Field on Saturday.

"I'm hoping to just come in and contribute," Noonan said. "There's a lot of guys fighting for spots and tonight I was able to get a start and get a goal. I'm happy to be here."

Noonan is a six-year veteran of Major League Soccer, first breaking into the league in 2003 with the New England Revolution. The versatile attacker scored 37 goals in 119 games with the Revs through 2007, including a league-high 30 points in 2004 that tied him with Amado Guevara for the MLS Scoring Champion Award.

Injuries hampered Noonan over the last two seasons, however, and as a result he was let go by the Revolution following last season. Noonan signed with Aalesunds FK of the Norwegian Premier League and played 11 games for the team known as the Tangoshirts before signing with the Crew on August 6.

Since returning, Noonan has played in five games and Saturday's match was his second start, as regular forward Guillermo Barros Schelotto was out with a hamstring injury.

"It was the right time for me to come back," Noonan said. "I've come back into a great situation with a team that's having a successful year."

He couldn't have picked a better time to rediscover his scoring touch, either, as the Crew were trailing TFC, 1-0, after 40 minutes and looked out of sorts on attack without Schelotto leading the way. Noonan carried the ball almost from midfield and cut across the middle, freezing two Toronto defenders expecting him to race closer to the net.

Instead, Noonan stopped and launched a high shot that eluded Reds goalkeeper Greg Sutton and found the back of the net. It was Noonan's first goal in almost a full calendar year, as he last scored on Sept. 15, 2007 as a member of the Revolution.

"I was able to turn with the ball and I carried it in waiting for a defender to step and maybe get a one-two because I thought I was a little far out," Noonan said. "I think I was able to get Tyrone [Marshall] to bite a little bit and brought it back to the left and put it in."

The draw extends the Crew's unbeaten streak to five games (4-0-1) and ensures that they will leave the weekend's action still in first place overall in the league table. Columbus head coach Sigi Schmid pointed to Noonan's goal as an example of the depth that has been a big part of the Crew's success.

"One of the reasons we brought Noonan here was because we knew he could play in that position," Schmid said. "He scored a great goal today. Stefani [Miglioranzi] stepped in [for Brad Evans]. Emmanual Ekpo, he's only been back a little more than a week after being gone for a month with the Olympics, we're trying to round him into shape but everyone saw his quality in the last 15 minutes of the game. I've never been disappointed about our depth."

Despite Schelotto missing Saturday's game and Frankie Hejduk and Alejandro Moreno absent last week to international duty, the Crew finished those two games with four points. Schmid said his team's strong character keeps them from worrying about injuries or absences.

"We're not wasting time talking about [who's not here], we're talking about who's on the field," he said.

While a draw on the road is always a good result, the game continued a disturbing trend for Columbus. They fell behind on a sixth-minute goal when Amado Guevara passed a direct free kick opportunity to Carl Robinson, who launched a shot past the wall and goalkeeper Will Hesmer.

"We talked about their re-starts and we're disappointed that we gave up that first goal, especially within five minutes," Hesmer said. "It's a ball that I wasn't able to see, I didn't see it until too late obviously. I want it back because I think it's a ball I could save."

The early disappointment was compounded a few minutes later, when the Crew were awarded a penalty kick. Schelotto is the Black-and-Gold's penalty kick specialist with four goals in as many attempts this season, but with Schelotto out, the duty fell to Moreno, who didn't get a full foot on the ball and sent a weak attempt that was easily saved.

It all added up to yet another slow start for the Crew. Columbus has allowed a league-high eight goals within the first 15 minutes of games this season. This disturbing trend gets worse on artificial surfaces --- four of those early goals allowed came in three games in New York, Salt Lake City and Toronto.

"We've played four games on turf this year and in three of them we've conceded a goal in the first 10 minutes of the game," Schmid said. "So this time being able to come back form that was a positive. Dealing with the psychological blow of missing a penalty kick, you know, was also something we needed to come back from. I was proud of that. I was also disappointed, in a way, because we created some chances and had the run of play at times and should have done a bit better with our chances."

The early deficits are a problem that the Crew will have to correct if they want to advance in the MLS playoffs, but the team can already add one trophy to its case for 2008. The draw clinched the first-ever Trillium Cup for Columbus, as the Black-and-Gold won the season series between the two regional rivals.

The Trillium Cup may not be quite in the same league as the MLS Cup (or even the Norwegian Cup), but it's still an honor that Noonan is proud to have.

"I want to win all the trophies that we can," Noonan said. "Hopefully it's a start towards another trophy at the end of the year, but hey, a trophy is a trophy and we're happy to win it over a good team."

Hoops show moxie in D.C. comeback

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- FC Dallas have scored first in four of their last five matches but have just two draws to show for it with no wins. However, in their 2-2 draw with D.C. United at RFK Stadium Saturday night, the Hoops showed a resolve they have not demonstrated before.

"We just need to do a little better job protecting it (the lead) but today was really a little bit about character," Dallas head coach Schellas Hyndman said. "Normally when we go down, we don't come back; they drop their heads, drop the effort and this is what we keep talking about. It's attitude. I was really proud of the boys how they fought all the way until the end."

In their 2-1 home loss to Columbus two weeks ago and road loss two weeks earlier to the Crew by the same score, the Hoops gave up the equalizer and go-ahead goals within three minutes of each other on each occasion. Sandwiched between those games, FCD surrendered an equalizer in the final minute of a 1-1 draw with Kansas City on Aug. 23.

Against United however, Dallas continued to pressure after D.C.'s 26th-minute equalizer evened out a fantastic strike by Kenny Cooper in the ninth minute.

Taking the early lead and forcing United to attack with extra numbers -- leaving them open to frequent counter attacks -- has been the recent formula to beat the defending Supporter's Shield holders.

Ironically, the Hoops created all their scoring opportunities Saturday without the beneficiary of even one corner kick the entire match.

"It was a really entertaining game," Hyndman said. "Both teams had chances, they had the better possession but we exposed them for their weakness and were unlucky not to score on another counter. With the character, with the effort, they will do what we ask them to do, I think we will find success... It was a great team effort. This is what this team needs to do. They need to make more of a commitment to find success."

Midfielder Marcelo Saragosa similarly praised his teammates for not quitting after going down a goal following scores from Jaime Moreno and Santino Quaranta.

"It's difficult because we expect to win," Saragosa said. "I think the team did well and one point was a good result for us. The players gave 100 percent and it's important that the players helped each other. It's hard to (go behind) 2-1 but the team put their heads up and we scored the second goal."

Rocha's fitting equalizer in the 79th minute was the culmination of a series of chances created by the Hoops after momentum had swung United's direction following Quaranta's goal ten minutes earlier.

The inconsistent Brazilian has been in and out of Hyndman's lineup and was left off the 18-man roster for the Hoops' 1-0 loss at home to Colorado last week.

"We have not put our full team out there because we continue to have injuries," Hyndman said. "In training players, we are trying to get flank play. But what I saw today from Andre Rocha, he has been having kind of an up and down time with me the past month. Today was one of his best games."

Rocha was the catalyst and creative influence springing Cooper and Jeff Cunningham for multiple quality opportunities before burying his best and most meaningful opportunity for his second goal of the year.

"We have a lot of quality in the midfield," Cooper said. "We have not only guys who can play well defensively but guys who can play a killer pass too. Andre Rocha is like a quarterback so guys up front like Dom [Dominic Oduro] and Jeff who have so much speed so we can look for him to thread us through. The midfielders played some great balls tonight and we had some great opportunities."

TFC not giving up on playoff dreams

TORONTO -- With just six games left in the season, every one of the 14 teams in Major League Soccer still has a chance to make the playoffs. Toronto FC has a difficult hill to climb playing in the competitive Eastern Conference, but the team is showing no signs of giving up.

"We're chasing this bit of a shining light we've got of getting to the playoffs," said forward Danny Dichio. "While that's still alive we've all got to pull together and aim for that main thing that we want."

TFC currently has 27 points, which ties them with FC Dallas for 12th overall in the MLS league table. Only the Los Angeles Galaxy, at 26 points, are below Toronto in the standings, but the playoff picture is so congested that a single victory could vault one team over several others.

The Kansas City Wizards, TFC's opponents on Saturday, are a prime example. K.C. was in the league basement heading into last weekend's play, but after a 2-0 win against Los Angeles on Saturday, the Wizards improved to 29 points and are now four points back of D.C. United for the eighth playoff position.

"They won a game and all of a sudden they're [four] points behind the playoffs," said Toronto head coach John Carver. "So it's still tight, we're all running out of games. We have to start picking up the points and it has to be the maximum three points."

TFC's remaining six games are split evenly between Eastern and Western Conference opponents. Given the new playoff structure where the top three sides in a conference automatically qualify, Toronto's goal is to keep the Western teams down so they can continue to beat up on each other (second and last place in the West are separated by just five points) while getting ahead of their Eastern rivals in the race for one of the two wild card positions.

Given that the Wizards are in the same situation, Carver suspects that neither side will be holding anything back on Saturday.

"At this stage both sides have to win the game," Carver said. "So it might be an open game, and listen, if it finishes 5-4 or 4-3, then [that's fine] as long as we're on the winning end."

Such a scoring outburst would be welcome for the Reds, who are second-last in MLS with 25 goals scored. The problem as of late for TFC hasn't necessarily been scoring, but rather keeping the opposition off the board at critical junctures in a game. Of the 33 goals allowed by Toronto this season, 18 have come in the final 15 minutes of a half. As well, TFC's record after scoring the first goal is 7-3-2, which on the surface seems impressive but is actually the second-lowest win percentage of any MLS team after gaining an early lead.

"What they've got to realize is if you've got a lead, you've got a lead for a reason," Carver said. "So you don't change what you're actually doing that actually gave you that lead. I remember in some of the games we've conceded goals and for some reason we've dropped a little bit deeper ... in the box which has given us some problems. So I'm going to say to them, look, once we take the lead, we're not going to change the way we're playing. We'll stay the same way, keep doing the things that got us this lead and try and reinforce [the lead] as well."

Carver thinks his team has lost a few of these leads due to mental mistakes, something that he and the coaching staff have been trying to correct with situational training during practice sessions.

"I'm trying to limit errors, and what I mean by that is, don't play in certain areas when you don't have to play in those areas," Carver said. He cited the team's 2-1 loss to Chivas on August 30, when goalkeeper Greg Sutton made a poor clearance throw in stoppage time that led to a Chivas corner and the eventual winning goal.

"Eliminate the errors and eliminate the opportunity to create errors. So when you get to the end of the game, get the ball in their half and let's try and play in their end. ... Yeah, I want people to get the ball down and play it, pass it, and make it attractive to the eye, but I want to win games as well. I think if we had thought about that a few weeks ago we might have a few more points on the board and be closer to that playoff spot."

One positive for the Reds is that the team is near full fitness for Saturday's match. Defender Nana Attakora-Gyan has resumed some light training after missing the last month with a knee injury, while Carl Robinson and Kevin Harmse fully participated in Thursday's training session and should be available for selection on the weekend.

Striker Carlos Ruiz saw limited field time on Thursday after having fluid drained from his knee on Wednesday, but Carver said that it was a routine procedure for the veteran forward and Ruiz would be ready for Saturday.

Another bit of good news for TFC is that should Ruiz or fellow striker Chad Barrett need to be substituted, Dichio is ready to come off the bench. The Englishman has played 118 minutes over the last two games, including a start against Chivas on Sept. 6, and is finally recovered from the concussion that limited him to just 12 minutes over an eight-game span through July and August.

Dichio said he is still not quite fully fit after missing nearly two months of action, but is eager to contribute coming off the bench.

"I'm just trying to make as much impact and create a little bit of spark when I come on. It's totally different from starting," Dichio said. "I'll adapt to any role that's been given to me at the moment because I'm just trying to help out the team."

The aches and pains involved with getting his body back into full-time playing shape have been tough on the veteran, but Dichio said he greatly prefers those types of minor injuries to the helplessness of a concussion.

"The concussion was a totally frustrating injury where I didn't have a timeline on it. The joints and muscles and stuff are long-term, but you can ease them and work with them at times," Dichio said. "The concussion was [something] that you have no input in.

"I've been training every day and the couple of matches I've been involved with now have helped a lot. I feel a lot better, a lot stronger than I did previously."

Galaxy still clinging to playoff dreams

CARSON, Calif. -- The term parity is often used to describe the balance in MLS. In other leagues, when two teams that are at the bottom of their respective conferences meet this late in the season, it's chalked up as a meaningless game. However, both the Los Angeles Galaxy and Kansas City Wizards are just barely on the outside of the playoff picture, and win for either in Saturday afternoon matchup at Arrowhead Stadium could put either team right back in the hunt.

"We're at that point in the season where we have to start putting points together. Kansas City is in the same position," said Chris Klein. "I think the time is now for us really. Going into Kansas City is a tough game, but hopefully we can go in there and impose our will on them."

That is the task that faces the Galaxy as they head to the road to play Kansas City. While the Wizards have struggled lately, LA won't be taking them lightly. There are still plenty of quality players on their team that can cause trouble.

"Jimmy Conrad is having an all-star season, (Kevin) Hartman has been good in goal," said Galaxy head coach Bruce Arena. "The combination of (Josh) Wolff and (Davy) Arnaud and (Claudio) Lopez certainly makes for some good attacking options."

One possible advantage that the Galaxy could have heading into the weekend is that Arena was an analyst for Kansas City's local TV broadcasts earlier in the year. Arena, however, was quick to downplay that role.

"One would think that would help, but certainly I know all the teams in the league. I'm just a little more familiar with the names (in Kansas City)," said Arena. "It doesn't take long during an MLS season to figure out each and every team. Certainly my experience in Kansas City helps a little bit, but I don't think it's a factor in the game."

There will be one definite leveler over the weekend. Because of the draw of David Beckham and the Galaxy, the game has been moved from CommunityAmerica Ballpark to Arrowhead Stadium in order to meet the ticket demand. It will be the first time this season that Kansas City has played at Arrowhead, and LA sees that as a potential advantage.

"The field becomes a better issue for us. I haven't been to the ballpark there, but Arrowhead will be bigger," said Klein. "There will be more space for both teams to play. Hopefully that will benefit us."

While the visit of Beckham is the main reason why the match is being moved into a larger arena, it still remains unclear whether he'll be available to play.

The Galaxy were without four regular starters this week in training because of World Cup qualifying. Beckham himself played sparingly in England's two qualifiers, but faced a grueling travel schedule to get back from Croatia. In addition, Ante Jazic is flying in from Mexico. Landon Donovan and Eddie Lewis have the shortest flights as the U.S. played in Chicago on Wednesday, but Donovan went the full 90 minutes, leaving his status in question as well.

Arena is preparing for the worst-case scenario.

"We won't know anything until (our internationals) show up in Kansas City on Friday," said Arena. "It's hard to tell right now if we'll be able to utilize one of them, all of them, or whatever combination. We've gone a whole week of training without them here, so we might as well plan on not having them."

The Galaxy are unquestionably a different team with the like of Beckham and Donovan roaming the field. It also gives Arena more options off of the bench should changes be needed during the game. The road has been less than kind to the Galaxy this season, but perhaps a trip to face a struggling Kansas City side is exactly what they need to make a late-season playoff push.

Crew trying to overcome turf woes

COLUMBUS -- For all the good the Columbus Crew have done in compiling the most points in MLS -- a formidable record at home and one of just three winning records on the road -- there is one area that needs attention.

In three games on artificial turf this season Columbus has been outscored 4-0, in losses at New York and Real Salt Lake and a scoreless draw at Toronto FC on May 17.

The Crew's next opportunity to rectify the situation is Saturday at Toronto but it will likely have to do so without MLS assist leader Guillermo Barros Schelotto, who has a strained hamstring.

His potential absence adds another challenge as the Crew inch closer to their first playoff spot since 2004 and the Supporters' Shield for most points.

"It's coincidence," not a trend, coach Sigi Schmid said of the Crew's inability to score on an artificial surface.

A look at the three games reveals the Crew did not play miserably but in two of them early goals spelled their doom:

• April 5 -- New York 2, Crew 0: Dave van den Bergh scored 46 seconds into the match in Giants Stadium and Kevin Goldthwaite added another tally in the 8th minute. The Crew tried to battle back and outshot the Red Bulls 20-12 although New York doubled the Crew's four on target. Each side had seven corner kicks.

• May 17 -- Toronto 0, Crew 0: The attack never materialized as evidenced by only eight shots even though four reached the Toronto goal. TFC had 14 of the 20 fouls and six of the nine corners.

• July 12 -- Real Salt Lake 2, Crew 0: Javier Morales put RSL ahead in the third minute. While the Crew pressed and were unlucky to hit the post a couple of times, Robbie Findley iced the match in the 78th minute. RSL outshot the Crew 17-14 and had five on goal to two for Columbus. The Crew had 10 of the 14 corners.

"The first game on turf was the second game of the year. We didn't have a good game," Schmid said. "We had a horrible first 15 minutes and found ourselves behind the 8-ball and never got ourselves untracked. We had some chances when you look back on that game but didn't put them away.

"The second game on turf for us was in Toronto. That game took on a unique nature and we were just hanging on. The other one in Salt Lake was a little bit similar to the New York game where we put ourselves behind the 8-ball by giving up that free kick early and then again you look at the game and we had some chances."

Forward Jason Garey noted that Schmid had broached the topic of not scoring on turf in the days leading to the match at Toronto.

"We'll be able to score on turf. No problem. There's no mental block -- we've done it before," Garey said.

The Crew have won four in a row but that was with Schelotto, who assisted on 10 consecutive goals during the winning streak. It stands to reason that the goals will be hard to come by on the FieldTurf at BMO Field.

It really makes no sense that the team should have trouble on turf. The Crew are 5-4-2 in away matches after a 4-6-5 mark in 2007. However, Columbus was 2-1-2 on turf last season even though it was outscored 10-8.

"I've scored on turf. Alejandro's (Moreno) scored on turf. Everyone has. It's not a big deal," Garey said. "If we have a good performance like we did the other night against New England (4-0 win on Sept. 6) we'll score goals on turf or any other surface you put us on."

One theory for the Crew's struggle is that an artificial surface is not conducive to its style.

"We can't really play our game on that because we're not as used to it as they are. We're going up there and probably play a little differently," defender Chad Marshall said. "It's tough to play the type of soccer we like -- knocking balls around. You get bad touches, the ball hops up on you. You never really get a smooth roll out of it. It's probably going to be a lot of counterattacking. It's a tough place to play, anyway, so we'll probably sit back and pick and choose our times to go."

There aren't many who like the surface but fortunately for the Crew midfielder Eddie Gaven is one of them, having spent his early pro years playing his home games in Giants Stadium.

"I don't think it's a huge difference because I played on it for three years when I was with the MetroStars. I actually don't mind playing on it, which most guys on the team do," he said. "The ball rolls a little different. If it's a really dry turf the ball just stops. If it's wet, it takes off and skips like crazy. I don't know if they're going to have it dry or wet prior to the game."

As much as the Crew would like a point or three in Toronto, they can also receive a psychological boost just by scoring. After Toronto, the Crew also play on turf in games at New England and New York among their final three road matches.

"We definitely talked about that. We want to break that (scoreless streak) and show we can score on turf because to get through in the East at the end of the day you're probably going to have to play on turf at some point," Schmid said.

The Crew know positive results will be harder to come by down the stretch no matter where the match is played.

"We've got to be able to raise our level and play wherever it is so if we're in the playoffs on the road on turf we can deal with it," midfielder Brian Carroll said. "There's going to be a challenge whether it's on turf or not."

Rapids surge into third place

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- The Colorado Rapids' surge into a tie for third place in the Western Conference Sunday came as a result of winning back-to-back games for the first time all season, following a 2-0 defeat of the Chicago Fire.

The timing couldn't be better, as the Rapids have found themselves clicking at a critical time in their season, when every game feels like a must-win. They leapt up from a fifth-place tie, reinforcing their belief that the postseason remains within reach.

"Obviously, we looked at where we are on the table, and you have to put out more effort," said striker Omar Cummings, whose 37th-minute goal sealed the victory for the Rapids. "The coach emphasized, we have to dig deep and see what we're made of. These are the results you get."

Cummings was making just his second start in the past five matches, and his addition to the starting lineup was the only change from the side that blanked FC Dallas on the road last week, replacing Conor Casey on the front line alongside Tom McManus.

After the Rapids took the lead when Jordan Harvey forced an own goal from Chicago 'keeper Jon Busch in the 30th minute, Cummings delivered with a much-appreciated insurance goal on an assist from Terry Cooke.

But despite the spark provided from relative youngsters like Cummings and Harvey, it was the veteran spine of the team that set the standard on the field, with Mike Petke and Cory Gibbs playing tight defense while sharing center back duties and team captain Pablo Mastroeni dominating on both sides of the field. Cap it off with goalie Preston Burpo's second clean sheet in as many games, and the Rapids have found a winning formula.

"They're a good team. There was no way we were ever going to take them lightly," interim head coach Gary Smith said of the Fire. "They've not got the best defensive record in the league for no reason. We knew that maybe even one goal would be the difference. We weren't expecting an enormous amount of chances. But with the opportunity in front of the goal, we knew that we needed to be a bit more clinical than we've been in previous games.

"But also, they've got quality on the team. So there was preparation in keeping the game compact, making sure that individuals such as [Cuauhtemoc] Blanco and [Brian] McBride, who've got real pedigree, weren't allowed opportunities in front of the goal, or they certainly would capitalize on them."

The bulk of that responsibility fell on Petke and Gibbs, but the entire back line rose to the occasion, with Kosuke Kimura and Harvey playing solid on the flanks to the strong central defense presence.

"Our fullbacks have not played a lot of football, and the demands upon them are enormous," Smith said. "We're asking them to join in attacks, to be productive on the ball, and also limit their opponent to not an awful lot going forward. I thought the pair of them did it fantastically. They're young players, they don't have a lot of experience. Fortunately, inside them they have two extremely experienced players who I thought were absolutely immense."

Petke's return to the team after missing much of the season to injury essentially coincided with the acquisition of Gibbs, giving the Rapids a strong boost in the middle and anchoring the defense, making it easier to implement a sense of total team defense from a strong central foundation.

"In the first half, it was probably the best 45 minutes I've seen Mike play since I've been here," Smith said of Petke's play. He was removed in the 64th minute as a result of an ankle injury suffered in the first half. "Cory took over the middle [after the substitution], and he was a colossus."

Gibbs echoed his coach's comments, relishing the role he's been able to play as a part of a backline that has been all but impenetrable over the past two matches.

"Let me tell you, in this league [good defenders] are what you need," Gibbs said. "Mike and I can fill the hole in the middle, and you can't ask more of Jordan and Kosuke. I feel comfortable playing next to Jordan and Mike does with Kosuke. They know their jobs, and that's what you need in this league."

The other piece of that puzzle was Mastroeni in the midfield. As the defensive line has solidified, the team has benefited from liberating Mastroeni, relying less on him as a defensive key and making the most of his ability to impact the match on both ends of the field.

"I believe [Mastroeni] is as good as anything in this league," Smith said. "He's reliable, he's talented, he's got the passion of a 21-year-old. It's just an absolute delight to have him on the team."

The back-to-back wins enabled the Rapids to climb back into the playoff hunt, tying Chivas for third in the Western Conference following their loss Thursday. The Rapids were able to watch second place Real Salt Lake fall to New York on Saturday and saw first-place Houston play to a draw with fourth-place San Jose, setting the stage for the Rapids to leapfrog over the Quakes into the thick of the postseason push.

"You've still got to win your game," Smith said, noting the weekend results had all gone Colorado's way. "So there's a bit of added pressure there, especially for the younger players. I thought the more experienced players pulled them through at times of need. Terry Cooke, Tom McManus, the three I've already mentioned [Petke, Gibbs, and Mastroeni], they're great to have in the changing room. They're great for the other players to inspire them and lead them on.

"At the moment there's a great feeling, as you can well imagine in the changing room. Another clean sheet. To get consecutive wins is very, very important to the team. It just adds to that belief that we can actually turn the tables and maybe cause a little bit of an upset."

Rapids hold serve at home vs. Fire

COMMERCE CITY, Colo. -- The Colorado Rapids got a pair of first-half goals and continued to deny the Chicago Fire any success in the Rocky Mountain State, scoring a 2-0 victory on Sunday afternoon at Dick's Sporting Goods Park.

The win moved the Rapids into a tie for third place in the Western Conference, while the Fire fell back into sole possession of third in the East as they could not keep pace with Columbus and New England. The Fire saw their winless streak against the Rapids extended to 10 games, having not won there since the 1999 season.

The game-winner came on an own goal, as Chicago 'keeper Jon Busch's 30th-minute deflection from Jordan Harvey slipped over the goal line, providing the decisive factor as the Rapids climbed into a crowded scrum knocking on the door for a postseason berth. Omar Cummings doubled the lead seven minutes later.

Neither team looked especially strong in the opening minutes of the first half. It was possession by attrition in the early going, with neither team able to build momentum and sustain an attack into opposing territory.

The Rapids' best early chance came on a service from Kosuke Kimura, connecting from the right wing and offering Tom McManus a header in front of the goal.

Cummings outran Diego Gutierrez into the right corner in the 20th minute, then crossed to McManus, who got off a good shot from near the goal line, just missing the far post.

Kimura made a big defensive stop in the 25th minute, breaking up a Fire attack after Logan Pause centered a pass from Cuauhtemoc Blanco.

The Rapids finally broke the stalemate in the 30th minute, after a free kick by Terry Cooke. Harvey recovered the ball on the left wing, near the goal line, and managed an awkward angled shot that Busch deflected into the near side of the goal, the ball barely crossing the plane of the goal before a defender tried to clear it back out.

The go-ahead goal would have been Harvey's first score of the season, but given the angle and the fact that the ball might not have gone into the goal without contact from Busch, it was ruled an own goal.

The Rapids kept the pressure on, finding the net again in the 37th minute when Cooke passed from the right side to Cummings some 30 yards from goal. Cummings rounded a defender and made the deep shot low into the left side of the goal, past a diving Busch.

Chicago midfielder John Thorrington was shown a yellow card in the 41st minute, making a reckless tackle and sending Colin Clark limping off the field before rejoining the play moments later. Clark penetrated in first half stoppage time, but hit a dead end when facing three defenders alone on the left side of the box.

Bakary Soumare picked up a yellow card after the play, taking down McManus on a reckless foul.

Rapids captain Pablo Mastroeni picked up his own warning for a reckless foul in the 56th minute, leaving Thorrington flat on his back and setting up a free kick from Blanco. Mastroeni was back in the thick of it moments later, stealing a Fire ball in the middle third, taking it down the field and crossing to Clark, who shot wide in the 58th minute.

Gutierrez offered a threat in the 62nd minute, serving the ball to substitute Andy Herron in front of the goal, but Herron's one-timer was high. Herron came in for midfielder Stephen King a minute before, with Justin Mapp entering the game at the same time for Fire defender Brandon Prideaux.

The Fire had another dangerous play in the 67th minute, with Gutierrez taking a corner kick from the left side, and Brian McBride missing on a bicycle kick attempt from six yards.

The Rapids made three second half substitutions, bringing in Ugo Ihemelu for Mike Petke in the 64th, replacing Cooke with Mehdi Ballouchy in the 71st, and sending Conor Casey into action for McManus in the 79th.

Mapp nearly put Chicago on the board with a close cross to McBride in the 82nd minute, but the pass eluded the Fire striker, who was removed for substitute Tomasz Frankowski immediately following the play.

Wilman Conde received a final caution from the referee for dissent in the 84th minute, arguing an out-of-bounds call that went against Chicago.

Colorado made an effort to extend their lead in the 88th minute, with Clark firing hard from 15 yards and Cummings following up on Busch's deflection, but to no avail.

The Fire did not fade quietly, getting five shots off in a 10-minute period beginning in the 62nd minute, but Burpo rose to the occasion protecting the nets -- including a pair of stops from close range in added time -- and thrusting Colorado squarely into the playoff mix as the teams enter the final month of regular season play.

Rowland relishes fresh start with Hoops

FRISCO, Texas -- It's been just more than two years since Jeff Rowland was selected with the second overall pick in the 2006 MLS Supplemental Draft by Real Salt Lake. But much has happened to the 24-year-old striker since.

The native of Albuquerque, New Mexico, has torn his right ACL not once but twice and has been released by RSL on three different occasions. After his latest stint on the Wasatch Front, Rowland landed with Wilmington of the USL Second Division. In 18 games with the Hammerheads, he scored five goals.

In August, Rowland used his ties to former RSL head coach John Ellinger, now an assistant with FC Dallas, to get a trial with the Hoops. FCD head coach Schellas Hyndman liked what he saw and added him to the developmental roster just before the MLS roster freeze deadline.

"He was a very good player at New Mexico," Hyndman said of Rowland. "He's a solid post-up striker, very strong. He's a good finisher and is something we don't really have right now, somebody who can hold the ball in the penalty box and lay balls off. If you give him half a chance, he's going to do something with it. I thought that with where we are right now in our year, this is a great opportunity to look at him. Instead of looking at him when he's out of shape, let's look at him when he comes right off a season."

For Rowland, he is just glad to be back in MLS for another shot at making it in the league.

"I'm really excited to be here," he said. "It's been a long couple years coming back from injury but I couldn't be more excited to get back, to get this opportunity and the chance to play again. It's great to be back."

There could certainly be a question of Rowland's physical condition, given the two knee surgeries. But he says it has improved greatly.

"It was my right knee (that was injured) but it happened multiple times," Rowland said. "I tore it but now these last few months, I have really started feeling like myself. I feel like it's really coming around. I feel like I'm 100 percent and ready to go." Rowland calls his time in the USL very productive as it was the first competitive soccer he's played in some time.

"It was a tough experience at first because you go down," he said. "I wanted to be in MLS and had to go down. It was a great opportunity. In MLS, I wouldn't have gotten to play right away but there, I got games and trained day in and day out to get healthy. That really gave me confidence with my leg. I just started playing again, which is what I needed. It had been two years since I had played."

But after a solid season with the Hammerheads, he decided to touch base with his former coach at RSL.

"I was playing in Wilmington for the summer, which was good for me because I got back and just started playing again," Rowland said. "That was the biggest thing for me, to get over that mental block of playing every day, day in and day out. I went there and the season ended in early August. Through my agent, I got in contact with John (Ellinger) and Dallas and asked them if they could bring me in and give me a shot. Thankfully, they did and thankfully, they're giving me this opportunity.

"He (Ellinger) has been great to me," he continued. "He keeps giving me opportunities and has believed in me to give me these opportunities the last few years. I really appreciate him giving me the chance to get back out here and show what I can do. I can't say enough good things about John for him bringing me back."

Once he joined FCD, Rowland wasn't exactly coming to a team where he didn't know anyone.

"I played with both Jamie Watson and Jeff Cunningham (before)," he said. "They were in Salt Lake when I was there. I played with Ray Burse in PDL before during the summer. It's very nice (to have some familiar faces here)."

Rowland admits he will never forget how tough all that rehab work was to get his knee back to 100 percent.

"It was really hard," he said. "The rehab was just two straight years of rehab. Mentally, it was tough at times and draining. I had a goal in sight to get back and try to play because you only get one chance to play in your life, so I wanted to give it all I could to do that."

But in the end, staying focused on his goal of getting another shot at MLS was what kept him from losing hope that he would rebound from those injuries.

"I had people urge me on," Rowland said. "That's what I wanted. When you're off for that long, you realize how much you love the game and how much it means to you to be out there, compete, work your hardest day in and day out to get those opportunities. I've had it before in high school when I tore my ACL just before college and didn't get recruited."

Even though he is signed with FCD for the balance of the 2008 season, Rowland is keeping his goals simple.

"My goals here are to just come into practice and play as hard as I can," he said. "I'm thankful that I'm here. I'm going to work hard every day. My goal is to make it on the team for next year. My first goal is to be in the 18. I haven't been there yet. I want to prove myself and play as well as I can for next year to play here."

United host FCD side in transition

WASHINGTON -- Saturday's visit by FC Dallas is being treated as a must-win game for D.C. United, who are keen to make the most of their first and last league match at RFK Stadium in the month of September as a draining, two-part road trip beckons next week.

With new boss Schellas Hyndman's makeover in full swing, the Hoops remain a side in transition and their recent lineups have had an experimental air as the longtime SMU coach searches for the right mix. While United continues to battle through an injury epidemic and FCD's own playoff prospects remain very much alive, they've gone more than a month without a league win.

The Black-and-Red believe that with a strong performance, the full three points are there for the taking.

"It's difficult with them. They have some injuries too, they have some guys out also," said D.C. assistant coach Chad Ashton this week. "I think since the new coach has come in you haven't really seen a consistent lineup with them. They've changed at least a few guys every game and they just recently acquired [Jeff] Cunningham now, so they're finding their way a little bit right now."

Since his arrival in June, Hyndman has challenged his charges to take up a new style of play and prove themselves as worthy cogs in his system. Even putting aside the club's hunt for one of the Western Conference's final playoff spots, that reality gives everyone wearing Hoops plenty to prove on match day, as their United counterparts are quick to recognize.

"We have to get three points this weekend," said Santino Quaranta. "It's tough when you get a coaching change in the middle of the year and the situations that they've been through haven't been the best lately. But again, any game you play in this league is going to be difficult because they're fighting for their jobs and everybody wants to do well."

The well-traveled Cunningham, whose 101 career goals place him three spots behind D.C. captain Jaime Moreno on the league's all-time scoring chart, represents a proven goal threat, though strike partner Kenny Cooper's strength and skill might pose even bigger problems for the United defense.

But the makeup of the midfield behind them has been a work in progress -- a state of affairs familiar to the Black-and-Red lately, who tried out a 4-5-1 shape against San Jose last week due to a shortage of forwards but seem likely to return to a 4-4-2 look with Moreno's return from international duty.

Playmaker Marcelo Gallardo finally returned to the starting lineup against the Earthquakes, though he has yet to reach top form since undergoing dual sports hernia surgery earlier in the summer and this week a bout with illness offered yet another setback for the Argentinean. His coaches and teammates recognize the quality he offers and are eager for Gallardo to attain full match fitness at this pivotal point in the season.

"It's good for the team and if we can get him back at 100 percent that would be great, because he's an excellent player," said goalkeeper Louis Crayton. "Obviously him being present [makes] a lot of difference."

Desperate to improve their depth as the onset of CONCACAF Champions League play looms, D.C. finalized the signing of loanees Thabiso Khumalo, Greg Janicki and Ibrahim Koroma on Friday. But the most urgent concern is the speedy, smooth return of Gallardo and fellow South Americans Fred and Luciano Emilio from injury. So while Dallas' tactics and personnel may represent a bit of a wild card for United, the focus is aimed inward.

"We've scouted [FC Dallas] and we try and prepare for any kind of scenario they can throw at us," said Ashton. "[But] for us right now it's probably more important to concencrate on us, control ourselves, what we're going to come out with, what our mentality is going to be. And hopefully come out with a lot of energy at home and get three points."

Moments of magic propel Wizards

KANSAS CITY -- The Wizards showed they still have magic in their boots Saturday afternoon at Arrowhead Stadium in a 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy. Forward Josh Wolff and midfielder Davy Arnaud each scored improbable goals two minutes apart in the second half to give the Wizards a much-needed boost out of the cellar of the MLS's Eastern conference.

After each side combined to create only a few bright chances in the first 45 minutes, the second half began with more energized and more cohesive play. Still, no goals had come. Enter Wolff, who took the basic and created the beautiful.

Running near post for a low Herculez Gomez cross from the right, Wolff cleared the way to deflect the cross for a teammate by bodying his defender away from the ball with a left to right twist of his body. As he spun, Wolff hit the pacy ball purposefully with his right foot.

"I was able to get just enough of it," a grinning Wolff said afterwards. "It doesn't always come off, but we were happy to see that one go in."

Indeed, after the ball rolled by a confounded Josh Wicks in the Galaxy goal and into the far netting, Wolff ripped off his jersey in a raucous celebration.

The goal would have been a strong candidate for Sierra Mist Goal of the Week if it wasn't for what came next.

Davy Arnaud put the Wizards firmly in the driver's seat with a 33-yard bomb into the upper right corner of L.A.'s net to give the Wizards an insurmountable two-goal lead in the 69th minute.

"Davy just goes for the throat," Onalfo said. "That's his mentality. He's going to give you everything he has. It was an unbelievable goal; that has to be goal of the week."

The goal, Arnaud's fifth of the season, tied him for the team lead in goals with Wizards captain Jimmy Conrad. "I don't remember one that I hit any better than that," Arnaud said.

When asked if he was aiming for the right corner, Arnaud quipped, "I would like to say yes, but it's just one you try and hit hard on target."

The magical strikes, though, were supported by the type of magic the Wizards have been searching for all season.

"It was eleven guys committed to playing for each other and working extremely hard on the field," Onalfo said of his team shutting down the high-powered Galaxy. "It was an extremely hard-fought game. Bruce has L.A. playing extremely well."

If the match had held to what has been the pattern for most of the season, the Wizards would have given up a goal and had a harrowing last 15 minutes trying to hold onto the win. But the Wizards did it right on this night.

"I was extremely pleased with how we managed the rest of the game," Onalfo said. "We possessed it better towards the end, and we showed some good composure in the fact that we shut out what everybody talks about as the best attack in Major League Soccer."

Doing it on both sides of the ball consistently must now be the rule, not the exception. The Wizards remain four points out of playoff position following D.C. United's 2-2 draw with FC Dallas Saturday night and the New York Red Bulls' 2-1 victory over Real Salt Lake.

"[It's] a huge boost of confidence as we go into our last six games of the season, four of which are at home," Onalfo said. "We've positioned ourselves well. Hopefully we'll get a little bit of luck with results later on tonight.

"We're taking it one game at a time. We have a calm confidence about us; we have a belief. I never doubted this group for a second. What that does is give us a little confidence. We have a lot of work to do, but we have group of guys who are going to put everything on the line, and we're going to do our best to see if we can't do the same next weekend."

Five-a-side: What's hot around the league

MLS Five-a-side:The skinny on five things that matter this week in Major League Soccer:

1. Looking at the playoff picture: In examining the playoff positioning in the chase for eight postseason berths, Columbus, Houston, New England and Chicago are in excellent shape. Considering that 10 other teams will spend the next six weeks taking points from each other, it's hard to see any of the frontrunners spiraling into the danger zone.

So, let's assume for now that all four are playoff-bound -- barring some highly unlikely collapse, of course.

D.C. United and New York are in the next best spots. Each has a possible 21 points there for the taking, with seven matches remaining for each. Eight or so points should probably be enough to do the trick.

That essentially leaves eight teams chasing two spots. Of the pursuers, who has the most favorable schedule? San Jose, on an eight-game unbeaten streak, enjoys the best luck of the calendar. Kansas City has a good opportunity, too, for climbing back into postseason contention.

At the other end of the schedule equation lies bad news for all BMO loyalists. Toronto manager John Carver wants his team to play with more "grit." Well, they'll need it, because the schedule is none too kind.

Frank Yallop's Earthquakes have four of their remaining seven at home. After this weekend's date with Houston, the Earthquakes' remaining home matches feature Real Salt Lake, Chivas USA and Toronto. The way Ronnie O'Brien, Darren Huckerby and Joe Cannon are pacing the expansion side, nine points is not a bit out of the question from that closing threesome. On the road, San Jose has matches against FC Dallas and Kansas City, as well as a tougher matchup with Houston.

The Wizards get to play five of their remaining seven in the Midwest, including Saturday's match at Arrowhead against Los Angeles. Toronto comes into Kansas City next week, so Curt Onalfo's team has a big chance to grab six points by the end of the month.

Real Salt Lake can't feel too badly about things. Jason Kreis' team is currently second in the West, with winnable matches upcoming at home against Chivas USA, FC Dallas and a New York Red Bulls team that struggles to score on the road. The men from Utah finish with an Oct. 25 date at Colorado.

It's a mixed bag for Colorado, Los Angeles and Dallas. They don't have the opportunities some of the others have ... but they don't quite have it as bad as Toronto. Or Chivas USA.

Preki's team splits six remaining matches between home and the road. But the sequence is problematic: The next four weeks bring matches at Real Salt Lake, D.C. United and San Jose. Sandwiched in there is a home game against Kansas City, an absolute, positive must-have for the Goats. Otherwise, the sweet spot in the remainder of the slate, the last two weeks, which bring home matches against Colorado and Houston (which could have the West in pocket) could be irrelevant by the time they kickoff.

Then there's Toronto. The league's second-worst road team (six of a possible 33 points, minus-12 goal difference) plays four of its remaining seven away from BMO. They do get three on the waterfront at Exhibition Place -- but it's probably against the three you'd least fancy facing in MLS.

First up to visit Toronto is Columbus, the league's top club. Next up after that, the two-time defending league champs -- and currently very hot -- Houston Dynamo. After that, Chicago, the league's best road team. Whoa.

Carver's bunch will need lots of that grit -- and maybe a small miracle to find its way into the postseason.

2. Injury dents assist record chase: Guillermo Barros Schelotto's chances of doing something truly amazing and reeling in Carlos Valderrama's season assist record took a big hit this week. Columbus' playmaker, enjoying one of the best stretches ever for an MLS playmaker, will miss Saturday's match in Toronto after picking up a slight hamstring strain during last week's statement-making 4-0 win against New England.

More troubling still, Schelotto, with two assists in each of Columbus' last four matches, might be forced to miss his club's contest the following week against New York.

Obviously, the concern for Crew manager Sigi Schmid is keeping the 18-assist man healthy over the longer term. Schmid is not focused on records.

Still, it would put the proper packaging on Schelotto's magnificent season if he could, at least, become the league's second player to reach 20 assists. So what are his chances now that Schelotto can match Valderrama's 26?

Not great, to be honest. Following the Sept. 18 home date against the Red Bulls, the club plays three of its final five on the road. More significantly, the three road matches happen to be against three of the league's top defenses, New England, Chicago and New York. (Statistically, the Red Bulls might not look overly formidable. But three recent defensive-minded additions have surely helped solidify the rearguard at Giants Stadium.)

The Crew's two remaining home matches feature Los Angeles and D.C. United. So, the Oct. 4 contest against the Galaxy, the league's worst defense, looms large in Schelotto's chase. And who knows? With a big night there and a few other assists scattered about, he could still catch "El Pibe's record." It's just a bit more of a long shot now.

3. Houston -- where goal-scoring careers go to flourish: If you're an agent, and you've got a promising forward who seems to be on or approaching a plateau, move ye heaven and earth to get that young man down to Dominic Kinnear's Houston Dynamo. The evidence is mounting that this is a place where young strikers go to grow.

Nate Jaqua had 22 goals in 102 MLS matches when he was traded from Los Angeles to Houston last year. In two stints with the Dynamo (he left for a few months to play in Austria) Jaqua has 10 goals in 22 matches. Do the quick math and you'll notice that his production rose from scoring roughly once every fifth match to scoring nearly every other match. That's a jaw-dropping increase.

What about Kei Kamara, a recent Dynamo acquisition? The statistical sample isn't as great for his time in Houston, but Kamara is certainly trending the right way, at least. The young Californian struck seven times in 48 matches before landing at Robertson Stadium. Now, with Kinnear's club, he has two goals in six matches already.

Last year, Joseph Ngwenya brought these five-year totals to Houston: nine goals in 65 matches. That's now awful, but it's hardly show-stopping stuff. For the Dynamo, he struck seven times in 25 matches, which is prodigious by comparison.

4. Slight decline in MLS influence: Perhaps it's a sign of the times, or perhaps there's been a philosophical shift in national team management. Either way, there's a little less MLS influence in the important World Cup qualifiers during this cycle.

Former U.S. manager Bruce Arena once made it part of his player selection doctrine: those prospering and getting minutes in MLS would be favored ahead of European bench riders.

Now, with ever more Americans earning their paychecks abroad -- even if they aren't necessarily getting into the starting lineup, or even getting on the field for their league sides -- current manager Bob Bradley seems to have moved off that platform. He seems more concerned with retaining lineup consistency -- essentially using the same players, whether they are starting for their European clubs or not -- and less concerned with finding players in peak form and fitness due to league play.

Hard to argue the results, with the USA just halfway through second-round qualifying and sitting pretty with three wins in as many matches.

But neither is the evidence difficult to assess. For whatever reason, players from Major League Soccer just haven't had the same influence in terms of occupying starting spots. Four years ago, in the first three matches of second-round qualifying, Arena deployed five starters from MLS clubs in each of fixture.

This time around, Bradley used four starters from MLS sides in the opening match against Guatemala, then put three on the field in subsequent matches against Cuba and Trinidad & Tobago.

5. Cunningham's partners can flourish, too: Funny thing happened when Jeff Cunningham joined FC Dallas' starting lineup four games back: Kenny Cooper stopped scoring.

Cooper had 13 goals in 19 matches before FC Dallas traded for Cunningham and inserted him immediately into the starting lineup. Since then, the well-traveled veteran has two goals for FC Dallas, while Cooper remains stuck on 13 goals.

The knock on Cunningham's game has always been that he sometimes struggles to combine with other attackers. His passing in areas outside the penalty area isn't always the best.

But he does have 58 career assists to go with those 101 MLS goals. So, that's not too bad. And his history suggests that players around him can certainly score. Strike partner Stern John connected for 18 with Columbus back in 1999. Edson Buddle hit for nine as Cunningham's partner at forward for the Crew back in 2002. Two years after that, Buddle led the duo with 11 goals, while Cunningham scored nine times.

In 2006, Jason Kreis scored eight times for Real Salt Lake as Cunningham scored 16.

FC Dallas manager Schellas Hyndman said there's no issue that should prevent Cooper and Cunningham from being an effective two-headed strike force. He said they were linking better than ever in practice this week. "It's just a matter of us getting Kenny scoring again," Hyndman said.

Fire near full strength for Rapids

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire are going to benefit from the Major League Soccer schedule, which has them playing Sunday at Colorado.

The Fire play the Rapids at Dick's Sporting Goods Park, trying once again to move into a tie with New England for second place in the Eastern Conference standings. The Revolution moved ahead of the Fire with their 4-0 win Thursday against Chivas USA.

The Fire are already six points clear of fourth place D.C. United in the East. In the overall league standings, the Fire are tied with Western Conference leader Houston for third-best record with 38 points.

Three members of the Fire played with their national teams in World Cup qualifying Sept. 6 and 10, and two of them are expected to play for the Fire against the Rapids.

The extra day will be most beneficial to defender Gonzalo Segares, who played 90 minutes in both games for Costa Rica.

"He got back (Thursday) at 5 p.m., got a good night's sleep and (Friday) did a regeneration, so he is ready to travel (Saturday)," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said.

Midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco of Mexico played only a few minutes in the Sept. 10 game against Canada, and it was his last game for the national team. He announced his retirement from international competition after that game.

But Blanco is expected to play his central midfield position for the Fire at Sunday. The only games he has missed for the Fire this season have been due to national team commitment or suspension for yellow card accumulation.

The bad news is that Marco Pappa, who has been sensational in the midfield for the Fire since coming to the team from his native Guatemala, suffered a "bit of a knee issue" in the Sept. 10 game against Cuba and will be out a week to 10 days, according to Hamlett.

That should open the door for Hamlett to use rookie midfielder Stephen King, who scored the game-winner in the Fire's 1-0 win against New York last weekend. Hamlett could also give a start to veteran Justin Mapp, who has been used in a reserve role the last couple of games.

In other injury news, Hamlett said defender Daniel Woolard and forward Patrick Nyarko have both worked as neutrals in practice this week, putting them on the path to full participation next week. Both players are recovering from knee sprains.

Veteran defender Dasan Robinson, who has seen little time with the senior club this season, suffered a hamstring pull in the last reserve game and is not available for selection. Veteran defender C.J. Brown continues to battle shin splints and is also out.

The Fire beat the Rapids 2-1 in a game at Toyota Park back in April but the Fire goes into Commerce City with a 0-5-4 record in their last nine games in Colorado. Chicago's last win in Colorado came Oct. 6, 1999, a 1-0 win at Mile High Stadium.

Preki not faulting injuries for defeat

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Injuries have ravaged Chivas USA for most of the season. The team remains without multiple key cogs, including Jesse Marsch and Maykel Galindo. Claudio Suarez played only the final 10 minutes on Thursday night.

But injuries weren't the only thing tearing apart Preki's team as the New England Revolution ravaged it in the second half of Thursday night's 4-0 loss at Gillette Stadium.

"Injuries or no injuries, we could have been better than what we showed during the second half, especially after we gave up the first goal," Preki said. "I felt that too many guys put their heads down and we lost a lot of confidence."

Confidence had been high after the Revs barraged Chivas USA in the opening stages but couldn't convert. Chances went begging and the visitors gradually settled into the game.

Ante Razov had two attempts towards goal, one that drew a diving save out of Matt Reis.

"Before that [first Revolution goal], we should have been a goal up coming into the second half," Preki said. "We had a couple of good looks at the goal. We don't score."

The best chance of the game for the visitors fell to Jim Curtin three minutes after the break during the middle of a Chivas USA surge. A free kick played Curtin in unmarked, but the towering defender couldn't connect with Reis stranded.

"If Jimmy Curtin just touches the ball on a free kick, it's a goal," Preki said. "Matt Reis doesn't know anything about the ball and it hits him in the leg. Sometimes, you get a lucky break and sometimes you get an unlucky break."

Curtin's chance, combined with an Atiba Harris header cleared off the line by Michael Parkhurst, consolidated Chivas USA's emergence out of the lockerroom.

But then the sucker punch happened when Steve Ralston slipped a little ball square to Taylor Twellman and the Revs striker punched home from close range to give New England the lead.

"I thought we came out pretty decent in the second half," Preki said. "The way we gave up that goal is really disappointing. We'll try to get it together for next week."

Ralston had hit a low cross past the front post. Paulo Nagamura looked liked he could have cleared the ball and instead let it pass him. Meanwhile, Twellman had slipped in between Nagamura and Talley to knock home the simple cross.

"I thought it was very poor play on our side because we had the numbers at the back," Preki said. "We just didn't deal with the situation in the right way as a unit."

The goal inevitably forced Chivas to open up spaces in the second half in search of the goal. The extra space invited the Revolution forward, with an in-form Ralston prone to exploiting the space.

Three goals in the final six minutes condemned Preki's team to a loss that didn't necessarily reflect the run of play. The Chivas USA coach didn't appear bothered that his team conceded the late goals.

"After [the goal], it was an uphill battle," Preki said. "We were trying to do things and make plays, but we opened ourselves at the back. Losing 1-0 or 4-0 means the same thing."

Blanco says goodbye to international play

Cuauhtйmoc Blanco informed his teammates on the Mexican national team that Wednesday's World Cup qualifier against Canada would be his final appearance for El Tri after a storied and at times controversial 13-year career.

It was a decision the Chicago Fire midfielder said he made about 15 days ago and one he didn't share with his teammates until Monday.

"I'm thankful to the Mexican national team, it has been a dream to be here, but there comes a time when you have to say goodbye," Blanco told a press conference after Mexico's 2-1 win at Estadio Victor Manuel Reyna in Tuxtla Gutierrez.

The 25,000 fans there were hoping for one last glimpse of their hero, who made his international debut against Uruguay in 1995. But that was in doubt when Ali Gerba brought Canada to within a goal in the 78th minute.

"It seemed difficult," Blanco said. "I wanted to come on. For a moment I thought I wouldn't be able to, given the circumstances of the game, above all because the end of the game got tricky for us, but I got the opportunity and I'm grateful."

Finally in the last minute of regulation, Mexican national team coach Sven-Goran Eriksson used his third substitution to bring on Blanco, who earned his 100th cap.

"I hope I did not disrespect him," Eriksson said. "I did what was best for the team, which was winning three points. With a different score, maybe he would have played more."

Blanco entered to a thunderous applause and was immediately handed the captain's armband from Rafael Marquez, a gesture that surprised and touched Blanco.

"It was a nice touch by Rafa. The truth is I wasn't expecting it, but it was great to have the captain's armband and go out in that way," Blanco said. "It demonstrates that I'm leaving happy, and that whatever other situation that took place in the past is no longer important."

When the match ended four minutes later and Mexico had all but booked passage into the final CONCACAF hexagonal, Blanco was carried off the field by his teammates, some of whom unfurled a banner that read "Gracias Cuauhtйmoc."

"There's no division in the group, we continue to get along well and I don't have problems," Blanco said. "On Monday I told them I would retire, and several of them asked me not to, but the decision is done. I leave happy."

And Blanco also leaves as one of the most decorated players in Mexican history. He scored 34 goals in a career that included a pair of World Cups (France '98 and Korea/Japan 2002) CONCACAF Gold Cup titles in 1996 and 1998, and a win against Brazil for the 1999 Confederations Cup.

While he waved goodbye to the fans at Estadio Victor Manuel Reyna, Blanco said he'd still like one more opportunity to wear the Mexican shirt.

"I would like to have a game in the Estadio Azteca, to have 10 or 15 minutes and retire there," he said.

For now, though, Blanco will head back to the Chicago Fire, which is battling for a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The 35-year-old has plans to return to Mexico, where he's a two-time league MVP, and play once again for Club Amйrica.

"I still have a commitment to be in the United States and then to play six months with Amйrica, if they want me," Blanco said. "Though hopefully not right now since they're doing badly."

Schedule not working in United's favor

WASHINGTON -- For MLS players, early fall's shorter days and cooler temperatures signal the advent of the campaign's final sprint, where playoff berths must be consolidated and crucial late-season momentum built.

But for D.C. United, this year's stretch run is looking more daunting than ever. CONCACAF Champions League action has essentially doubled D.C.'s schedule over the next seven weeks, piling heavy demands on a tired, injury-hit side presently clinging to the league's final postseason slot.

The hard realities of geography are a leading factor. Following two home games, Saturday's league match against FC Dallas and Tuesday's Champions League opener against Deportivo Saprissa of Costa Rica, United's journey begins in earnest. After a cross-country trip to take on the Galaxy in Los Angeles, Tom Soehn's squad will spend a recovery day in California before flying directly to Honduras for a Sept. 24 clash with CD Marathon in San Pedro Sula. Then it's back to Washington for just two days before a visit to north Texas for a return date with FC Dallas.

"Indeed, it's going to be extremely busy and we're hoping and praying that all of our players will get back physically, mentally and morally, because we're going to be on the road for almost a week," said goalkeeper Louis Crayton.

Santino Quaranta admitted that his first look at the transcontinental itinerary, finalized on Tuesday, prompted a double-take.

"It's not going to be easy," he said. "I've never seen a schedule like that before, where you're traveling so many miles in such a short period of time. But it's a good opportunity for us as well. It's a big tournament. It's not like we're doing this for friendly games or there's no reward for it."

The Black-and-Red are in no position to look beyond that voyage, but mid-October also portends another long journey with back-to-back road ties in Costa Rica and Houston over a 72-hour span. So while the Champions League is a central cog in the club's international ambitions, there's little denying that CONCACAF's new-look competition has arrived at an awkward time for a team shorn of crucial contributors -- and thus well short of full speed -- for a variety of reasons.

"We'll have a better barometer after we come out," said assistant coach Chad Ashton, discussing the tourney's implications. "But going in you just don't know, and the scary part for us is, we're not healthy right now. How are we going to become more healthy through an even longer and harder grind right now? It's literally going to have to be a day at a time, evaluating guys and being smart as possible with guys' [playing] time."

Up front, Luciano Emilio will have to go through the latter stages of his recuperation from a groin injury while on the road, while Jaime Moreno's recent absence while on Bolivian national team duty inevitably adds some uncertainty to his status.

Playmaker Marcelo Gallardo continues to work his way back to peak match fitness gradually, while influential Brazilian Fred has experienced fits and starts on his recovery from hamstring problems. Similarly hamstrung, Argentinean defender Gonzalo Peralta remains a missing link in the heart of the back four and midfield terrier Joe Vide hopes to contribute as well. Each injury requires what Ashton calls a "delicate" evaluation process.

"Are we pushing them too much? Are guys coming back ready to go? We've got to make sure we don't bring them back too early, and they get hurt again and we lose them for the playoff push, late-season MLS games, stuff like that," he said.

Psychology plays an important role, too. The technical staff has taken extra effort to make the longer trips as comfortable and relaxing as possible, and more experienced heads try to emphasize the correct mental framework to their teammates. Many players would even contend that they prefer match days to training days.

"I'm excited to play every game and that's the way it should be. Hopefully we'll keep a positive attitude about this situation," said Quaranta. "Saturday-Wednesday [scheduling] is nice because you do recovery and then you're back at it. It's not bad. But the travel is the problem."

United are extremely wary of collapsing down the stretch, a fate that has befallen them more than once in recent years. So hard choices regarding squad selection will inevitably crop up as the rigors of the Champions League compete for prominence with the quest for a fifth MLS Cup.

"I think Tommy's talked about that and he's given his priorities of what he expects and what he's going to put at the top, and so on and so on," said Ashton. "Last week Soehn specifically mentioned that his focus is on domestic success.

"At the end of the day, we're going to have to rely on and count on guys who aren't typical starters to see time and do well for us. They're going to have to step up and do a good job, and hopefully those guys will come through for us."

Revolution turn 4-0 mark in their favor

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Four-nil has plagued the New England Revolution for the past week.

A 4-0 loss at home to Joe Public FC, to send the team crashing out of the CONCACAF Champions League.

A 4-0 loss at Crew Stadium to watch Columbus build a five-point cushion atop the Eastern Conference.

Combine those two losses with two road losses in Chicago and San Jose by the same scoreline and the Revolution were fine with not seeing that particular numeral grouping for quite some time.

Then again, 4-0 looks a lot better when the four goals are in your favor. Goals from Taylor Twellman, Steve Ralston, Khano Smith and Jeff Larentowicz ensured the Revs would hang their dreaded result on a battered Chivas USA side.

"The important thing for us today was to win the game," Revolution coach Steve Nicol said. "Four-nil has become the flavor of the month for us."

Flavor or not, the role reversal felt good to a team that had been hammered twice in the past week.

"It was good to put four on someone else," Larentowicz said.

The win snapped a season-high three-match winless streak in the league in emphatic fashion.

"It's been a while for us to be on this side," Ralston said. "It's a much better feeling. We wanted three points. We feel like we're getting our legs back and we think we can get something going moving forward."

Ralston helped propel the team forward following his return after missing three games with back spasms. With the veteran midfielder shifting between forward, midfielder and defender during the night, Ralston's versatility was missed almost as much as his ability to find his way onto the scoresheet.

"It's incredibly important," Larentowicz said. "If you saw tonight, you saw the many things that he does. He started up front and ended up at left back. He's kind of our heart and soul. He's our most controlling player out there besides Shalrie. It's great to have him back."

One goal and two assists announced that Ralston had returned and his form hadn't dipped.

"It felt great to be back," Ralston said. "Watching is so difficult when you have an injury. You want to participate and be a part of it. It was great to be back tonight."

Nicol lauded his captain for his ability to spark the team out of its tired stupor.

"He's a huge influence on and off the field here," Nicol said. "To have him back on the field is great with the quality he brings. The couple weeks' layoff has energized him. He has his legs back."

Legs were found all around the field as the Revs looked sharper in possession and more dangerous in the attacking third, but Nicol warned that the team still needed to improve in order to continue its playoff push.

"It was certainly better," Nicol said. "I think certainly we're far from the way we can play. But it was better. It was nice to get a wee bit more legs back after a few days off. We'll be off a few more days, so hopefully we'll be back even better before Tuesday. We still have a long way to go to where we can be."

Unkind twist hits at RSL's depth

SALT LAKE CITY -- An unkind twist of fate -- or, more accurately, flip -- has left Real Salt Lake shorthanded again as they hit the road to take on the New York Red Bulls this weekend.

Star forward Fabian Espindola will be sidelined for 4-to-8 weeks after severely injuring his ankle when he did a series of backflips on an early goal that was ultimately disallowed because of an offside call in last Saturday's 2-2 draw against the Los Angeles Galaxy.

"I had no solid footing when I came down," Espindola told reporters after the game. "They told me that it was possibly fractured and I knew that was probably what had happened."

While it turned out to be a sprain rather than a fracture, it doesn't offer much solace for RSL. Espindola's injury fits squarely in the pantheon of bizarre sports injuries. And it could not have come at a worse time for RSL.

The return of the Argentinean forward had given the Real offense a finishing boost it had lacked while he rehabbed an MCL strain for much of the summer. Now with Espindola sidelined once again, RSL must dig into its cadre of forwards to find yet another combination that will work.

It is a turn of events that leave both the club and its fans feeling frustrated. But RSL can take solace in knowing that its success or failure doesn't hinge on the status of a player or two.

Real coach Jason Kreis feels like he has a much bigger talent pool to compensate for the untimely loss of one player.

"Our top players are better than they have been in the past," Kreis said. "Also, I think we are really buying into the team mentality. Our guys really fight for each other, work hard for each other and have an understanding of what we are trying to do."

RSL will look to build on its draw against the Galaxy against the Red Bulls on Saturday, but it won't be easy. Los Angeles seemed to offer a golden shot at earning three points, simply because the Galaxy were missing a wide array of their top players coming into the match.

But things did not stick to the script Real hoped for. Los Angeles snatched an early lead after Espindola's ill-fated would-be goal and then successfully rallied from a 2-1 deficit midway through the second half when Edson Buddle cleaned up a loose ball and sent it home.

"He's a great player," midfielder Kyle Beckerman said. "If you give him an inch, he's going to bury it."

Buddle's goal undid all the progress RSL's offense had shown since its last pair of road outings. Yura Movsisyan, in particular, continued his late-season blossoming. Movsisyan came up with Real's first goal in the 21st minute and played a nice give-and-go to Will Johnson for the club's second tally in the 52nd minute.

Given all that it accomplished offensively, RSL felt disappointed by claiming just one point on the road. But, at the same time, it has become apparent to a player like Beckerman that Real have come a long way since he was first traded to the Utah-based club in 2007.

In the past, Beckerman said, teams could expect an automatic victory when RSL came up on the schedule. That is no longer true since Kreis took the helm.

"We've tried to clean that up right away," Beckerman said. "We seem to have done that at home so far. It's just a different mentality in the guys."

Now the next stage for RSL is to see that winning mentality finally translate into a road environment as well.

Tweaked lineup probable for Wizards

KANSAS CITY -- Last week at Houston, the Kansas City Wizards had to "improvise" when it came to their lineup after fullback Matt Marquess came down with cramps before the match and again when center back Aaron Hohlbein pulled up lame and was forced out at halftime. This Saturday against the Los Angeles Galaxy at Arrowhead Stadium, the lineup will be more planned but likely just as new.

Marquess continues to have intestinal difficulties and Hohlbein and veteran midfielder Sasha Victorine will likely both be held out by hip flexor strains.

Of the starting 11, Wizards' head coach Curt Onalfo said, "We're tinkering with some things and will make some final decisions [Friday]."

That tinkering also revolves around incorporating recent acquisitions Abe Thompson and Herculez Gomez into the attack, whether up front or wide in the midfield.

Onalfo said the chances were "very good" that each would be in the lineup and tried out the following lineup at training this week: Michael Harrington, Tyson Wahl, Jimmy Conrad and Jonathan Leathers across the back; Claudio Lopez, Jack Jewsbury, Davy Arnaud and Gomez in midfield; and Josh Wolff and Thompson up front.

One could wonder whether that offensively-loaded lineup will actually become a 3-4-3 formation as Kansas City played in the second half in Houston last Sunday in an eventual 3-1 loss. The possibility would fit with both the expected wet conditions and attacking a Galaxy defense that is statistically the most giving in MLS, while keeping the ball away from Beckham, Buddle, Donovan and company.

"[The forecasted rain] will make the game fast, and that makes for a good game to watch from a spectator perspective," said Onalfo.

Holding up the ball for others to get into the attack will be Thompson, who is very familiar with the Galaxy. With his former side, FC Dallas, Thompson felt the full brunt of L.A.'s attack in a 5-1 loss at home back in May and then taking them to task with a 4-0 table-turning in July.

"The first game we played them, we had a couple of chances early that we didn't put away that perhaps would have changed the outcome of the game," said Thompson. "The second time around, we were much more clinical with our finishing early on, then we were more alert in the back in stopping their chances: shutting down things earlier than we had before, putting pressure on them. We need to make sure that we're sharp, physical, alert, and that we don't give up anything soft."

Neither side has played a more important match this season as they look to make up six points on the teams each trails for a playoff spot. Hopefully, Onalfo will happen upon a lineup that can get the job done and earn three points.

"It's a pivotal [game]. We want to take the game to them and make sure that we do a good job of neutralizing their attack," said Onalfo. "[We're] going to put it all on the line Saturday."