MLS Roundup: Castillo sends FC Dallas into playoffs, D.C. United eliminates Houston
FC Dallas 2 – LA Galaxy 1
Houston 1 – D.C. United 3
New York 3 – Toronto FC 1
The home side moved closer to the postseason and pushed the Reds to the brink after a first-half outburst at Red Bull Arena. Bradley Wright-Phillips opened the scoring with his 25th goal of the season in the 26th minute. Ruben Bover and Dax McCarty increased the advantage before halftime. Jonathan Osorio threw TFC a lifeline with his goal after 55 minutes, but the Reds could not claw their way back into the game. Nick Hagglund procured a suspect dismissal in the waning moments as the visitors watched their playoff hopes essentially disappear.
Philadelphia 2 – Columbus 3
Columbus produced a stunning response to take a massive step toward the postseason and usher the Union out of the postseason picture at PPL Park. Danny Cruz and Andrew Wenger staked the home side to a two-goal lead with a quarter of an hour to play. The visitors produced a furious reply to procure three goals in five minutes and turn the result in their favorr. Ethan Finlay and Justin Meram struck in consecutive minutes to restore parity before Jairo Arrieta ended the Union’s postseason hopes with the winner eight minutes from time.
Real Salt Lake 2 – San Jose 0
RSL claimed its place in the postseason for a seventh consecutive season with a straightforward victory over the Earthquakes at Rio Tinto Stadium. Ned Grabavoy placed the home side in front after 24 minutes. Sebastian Velasquez doubled the advantage four minutes later to keep RSL on pace for the third seed in the Western Conference.
Montréal 2 – New England 2
Lee Nguyen fired the Revolution into the playoffs for the second consecutive year with his second-half equalizer at Stade Saputo. Marco Di Vaio continued his swansong with another potent display against the Revs to give the home side the upper hand. Di Vaio pounced either side of a Kelyn Rowe equalizer to cobble together an advantage heading into the second half. Nguyen received a fortunate deflection on his shot from distance after 69 minutes to grab the point required to confirm the Revs’ postseason berth.
Chivas USA 2 – Colorado 1
Felix Borja gave Chivas USA its second win on the trot with his late winner at StubHub Center. John Neeskens instilled some hope for the downtrodden Rapids with his first MLS goal on the half-hour, but Kristopher Tyrpak responded just after the hour to equalize for the home side. Borja decided the affair in the late stages to lift the Red-and-White off the bottom of the Western Conference and prolong the Rapids' winless run to 12 matches.
Seattle 0 – Vancouver 1
Vancouver boosted its postseason hopes and retained the Cascadia Cup with a gritty victory at CenturyLink Field on Friday. Kekuta Manneh separated the sides by capping off a counter moments before halftime. The triumph moved the Whitecaps one point ahead of Portland in the race for the fifth and final postseason spot in the Western Conference.
Sporting Kansas City 2 – Chicago 0
The home side produced a late show to dispatch the Fire and guarantee a postseason berth at Sporting Park on Friday. Graham Zusi broke the deadlock 10 minutes from time with his solo effort and then prompted Dom Dwyer for the killer second in stoppage time. The win ensured Sporting kept its chase for second spot in the Eastern Conference on course.
