Major League Soccer Roundup, Sep. 18

Published Sep. 19, 2010 10:12 a.m. ET

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Landon Donovan scored twice in a five-minute span late in the second half to give the Los Angeles Galaxy a 2-1 victory over D.C. United in Major League Soccer on Saturday.

David Beckham made his second appearance of the season, entering in the 53rd minute for the Galaxy, who maintained their three-point lead over second-place Real Salt Lake in the Western Conference and overall standings. Before returning to the field last week in a victory over Columbus, Beckham had been out of action since March 14, when he tore his left Achilles' tendon while playing for AC Milan.

In other matches, Real Salt Lake beat Chicago 1-0, the Seattle Sounders thrashed the Columbus Crew 4-0, Toronto edged the Houston Dynamo 2-1 and the Colorado Rapids downed the New England Revolution 3-0.

Andy Najar, 17, scored in the 60th minute for D.C. United, which has lost eight of its past 10.

Donovan equalized with on 14-yard shot in the 81st minute after stealing the ball from defender Dejan Jakovic and drawing goalkeeper Troy Perkins away from the net. He scored the winner in the 86th minute, heading Tristan Bowen's right-wing cross into the upper-right corner of the net.

Galaxy goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts kept D.C. United from moving ahead in the 85th minute by blocking Branko Boskovic's 13-yard shot off a breakaway.

Alvaro Saborio scored from a penalty in first-half injury time at Sandy, Utah for as Salt Lake extended its regular-season home unbeaten streak to a league-record 23 games.

Defending champion Salt Lake, unbeaten at home since May 16, 2009, broke the record of 22 set by the Columbus Crew in 2008-09. Salt Lake is unbeaten in nine games overall.

Already without injured forward Brian McBride, the Fire played the second half a man down after defender Wilman Conde was sent with his second yellow card. He pulled down Salt Lake's Ned Grabavoy in the box in the 44th minute, denying a scoring opportunity.

Zaire-born Swiss international Blaise Nkufo scored the first three goals of his MLS career to lead Seattle past Columbus.

Nkufo, playing his sixth MLS game, scored in the fourth minute, struck again in the 39th and completed the hat trick in the 75th. Nathan Sturgis converted a penalty in the 42nd minute for his first MLS goal.

At Houston, Dwayne De Rosario scored his second goal of the match in injury time to lift Toronto past Houston.

Toronto kept its playoff hopes alive with its first win in seven games, while Houston lost its third straight.

Houston's Brian Ching opened the scoring in 18th minute, and de Rosario equalized it in the 60th.

Conor Casey equaled a Colorado team-record with his 39th goal as the Rapids extended their home unbeaten streak to nine wins, beating New England.

Casey has 10 goals this season for the Rapids, .

Omar Cummings also scored his 10th goal, while Wells Thompson added his first goal.