MLS Decision Day: San Jose Survives; Portland Takes 1st In West; NYCFC Earns Bye
There was one major item left to be decided across Sunday's 11 MLS season finales, and Marco Ureña made sure it went in the San Jose Earthquakes' favor.
The Costa Rican forward, who scored twice on the USA in World Cup qualifying in September, scored in the 93rd minute to snap a 2-2 draw vs. Minnesota United and send the Quakes to the playoffs as the six seed in the West. FC Dallas and Real Salt Lake were hoping for help from Minnesota, and it nearly came to fruition, but Ureña's finish, off an unselfish feed from Chris Wondolowski, burst that bubble to cap the MLS playoff picture.
Seeding was also at stake on Sunday, and Vancouver went from finishing first in the West and having a first-round bye to finishing third and having to play San Jose in a midweek wildcard game after losing 2-1 to Portland, which takes first in the conference. Rival and defending MLS Cup champion Seattle earned the second bye. The other wildcard matchup pits the fourth-seeded Houston Dynamo against the sixth-seeded Sporting Kansas City.
In the east, Toronto FC and NYCFC will be the ones resting this week, while the third-seeded Chicago Fire host the six-seed New York Red Bulls and fourth-seeded expansion team Atlanta United hosts the fifth-seeded Columbus Crew in the conference's two wildcard bouts.
The day also brought a number of farewells, with D.C. United playing its final match at RFK Stadium (a 2-1 loss to the rival Red Bulls), while Kaka played his last game with Orlando City (an embarrassing 6-1 defeat vs. Philadelphia) and Patrice Bernier (scored a PK in a 3-2 loss to New England) and Brian Carroll did the same for their respective teams before heading into retirement.
Here is how all 11 matches–which combined for a single-day MLS record of 46 goals–played out:
Atlanta United 2, Toronto FC 2
D.C. United 1, New York Red Bulls 2
Montreal Impact 2, New England Revolution 3
Portland Timbers 2, Vancouver Whitecaps 1
NYCFC 2, Columbus Crew 2
Philadelphia Union 6, Orlando City 1
FC Dallas 5, LA Galaxy 1
San Jose Earthquakes 3, Minnesota United 2
Real Salt Lake 2, Sporting Kansas City 1
Seattle Sounders 3, Colorado Rapids 0
Houston Dynamo 3, Chicago Fire 0
Watch all the highlights of key goals, moments and changes in the playoff picture from throughout the day below.
URENA HEROIC FOR SAN JOSE
Three minutes into stoppage time, Marco Ureña became a hero for the San Jose Earthquakes. His finish off Chris Wondolowski's unselfish pass in the 93rd minute put San Jose back into the playoff places and just over that fateful red line, breaking FC Dallas's heart in the process.
SENSATIONAL GIOVINCO TIES IT UP
Stop if you've heard this before: Sebastian Giovinco scored on a sensational free kick. It's a big one, too. The pinpoint rocket makes it 2-2 and takes the bye back off the plate from Atlanta United.
The match ended 2-2, and the point gave Toronto FC 69 points, marking a new single-season record in MLS. The 1998 LA Galaxy had the old mark at 68, which was accomplished in 32 games.
SAN JOSE CAPITULATES
All San Jose needed to do was hold off a Minnesota team with nothing to play for, but it couldn't manage to do that, not even on a simple set piece.
Francisco Calvo's header back across goal off a corner kick brought Minnesota level 2-2 with San Jose and brought FC Dallas back into the final playoff position in the West with less than 10 minutes to go in the season.
MARTINEZ FIRES ATLANTA BACK INTO SECOND
Josef Martinez responded to Toronto FC's goal with a clutch one of his own, sending Atlanta United back into second in the conference. AUFC's plans for the week have been in yo-yo status all day, with the club in and out of bye positioning, but a win and a NYCFC-Columbus draw would secure the bye.
COLUMBUS, TORONTO PULL EVEN, KEEP THINGS SAME ATOP EAST
Despite being robbed on an uncalled penalty, Columbus found an equalizer moments later on a flying header from Josh Williams on a corner kick, making it 2-2 just after the hour mark at Citi Field. That result was good news for Atlanta, which temporarily put the expansion side back into the No. 2 seed, but Jozy Altidore's finish brought Toronto FC level at 1-1, which helps out NYCFC.
That goal from Altidore, his 15th of the season, was followed by an idiot fan throwing a cup at the U.S. international. Altidore feigned heading the cup, only for Sebastian Giovinco to pick it up and drink out of it.
WONDO PUTS SAN JOSE BACK INTO PLAYOFF POSITION
San Jose needed a goal badly, and you'll never guess who delivered it.
Chris Wondolowski tapped home from close range to put the Earthquakes up 2-1 and launch the club back into sixth place and the final playoff spot in the West, despite FC Dallas's 3-1 edge over LA.
The goal also let Wondo snap a tie with the great Jaime Moreno and brings him level with Jeff Cunningham for second on the all-time MLS regular season goals list with 134. Landon Donovan's record sits at 145.
PORTLAND JUMPS BACK INTO FIRST
Things are happening in Cascadia.
Darren Mattocks scored against his former team, Vancouver, to give Portland a 2-1 lead and a provisional place atop the Western Conference and put the 'Caps down to third.
Meanwhile, Seattle nearly conceded the equalizer to Colorado after a handball from Harry Shipp, but the ensuing penalty kick hit the post, keeping the Sounders in second position.
AT THE HALF
VILLA NETS HIS SECOND
It wasn't a masterclass in goalkeeping, but David Villa won't matter. His second goal of the day has NYCFC up 2-1 on Columbus and back into the No. 2 seed in the Eastern Conference, which comes with a first-round bye.
LAST OPENER AT RFK
Paul Arriola and Luciano Acosta combined for a gorgeous opener against the New York Red Bulls, with D.C. United on its way to shutting down RFK Stadium with a win by taking a 1-0 lead into halftime.
THIESSON STUNNER DROPS SJ OUT OF PLAYOFF PLACES, FCD INTO SIXTH
Jerome Thiesson curled a left-footed blast into the upper left-hand corner to rock San Jose and provisionally put the Earthquakes out of playoff positioning.
That goal put Real Salt Lake into the sixth and final playoff place in the West, but FC Dallas followed with two quick goals from Roland Lamah and Matt Hedges–even with RSL leading SKC 2-0 on a tally from Brooks Lennon.
REPLAY HELPS ATLANTA
A video replay confirmed penalty decision in favor of Atlanta United, and Yamil Asad made the most of the opportunity, putting the hosts up 1-0 on Toronto FC. With NYCFC and Columbus level, that provisionally puts the expansion side into position to secure a first-round bye.
CASCADIA CENTER BACKS SWAP GOALS
Kendall Waston gave the Vancouver Whitecaps a lead in Portland, only to have it canceled out by Liam Ridgewell moments later. It's 1-1 just over half an hour in, but Vancouver remains in position to earn the first seed in the West.
DEMPSEY SENT OFF
A video review helped the referee make his decision, and it's a big one: Clint Dempsey was sent off for a flying elbow, which not only sends Seattle down to 10 men against Colorado, but also ensures Dempsey will miss at least one playoff game.
HOESEN FIRES SAN JOSE BACK INTO PLAYOFF SPOT
After temporarily falling out of the playoff places, San Jose is back into sixth, with Danny Hoesen finishing on the breakaway to give the Earthquakes a 1-0 lead over Minnesota and the result necessary to fend off RSL for sixth.
KAMARA PUTS COLUMBUS IN BYE POSITION–UNTIL VILLA RESPONDS
Ola Kamara has had a sensational season for Columbus, and it continued with the opener against NYCFC which temporarily put the Crew into second place and a first-round bye.
That is, until David Villa responded with a headed off Maxi Moralez's corner kick for his 21st goal of the season and one that made it 1-1 within 19 minutes.
BRUIN HELPS SEATTLE CAMPAIGN FOR A BYE
Will Bruin's ninth-minute goal has the Seattle Sounders up 1-0 over Colorado and into second place in the Western Conference. Does anyone want to see the defending champions in the playoffs, especially with added rest?
HOUSTON GOES INTO HOSTING POSITION
An early goal from Leonardo has the Houston Dynamo up 1-0 on the Chicago Fire and provisionally into fourth place, which would see the club hosting a wildcard game midweek.
RSL DOES ITS PART
It gets even worse for FC Dallas. Real Salt Lake scored less than three minutes in vs. Sporting Kansas City, with Luis Silva pouncing on a loose ball in the SKC box and making the most of the opportunity.
That provisionally puts RSL into playoff positioning, but San Jose can seize it right back by taking a lead over Minnesota.
GALAXY DEAL FC DALLAS EARLY BLOW
FC Dallas needs some help from Minnesota United, but it's not taking care of its own business.
Michael Ciani's header off a corner kick not even 90 seconds into the match gave the LA Galaxy a 1-0 lead over FCD at Toyota Stadium.
It's been that kind of downward spiral for Dallas this season.
