MLS: Red Bulls Win Supporters Shield; Dynamo, Revs Punch Tickets For Playoffs; Impact In Too, Fire Out; Robbie Keane's Equalizer Carries Galaxy Into Conference Semis; Camilo Helps Caps Blast Rapids

Five games were played on Sunday as the Major League Soccer regular season concluded.

At Washington:

Giles Barnes scored the winning goal in the 39th minute as the Houston Dynamo clinched a playoff berth (their seventh in the eight seasons they've been based in Houston) with a 2-1 road win over DC United, whose three regular-season wins set a new record for the fewest victories in an MLS season.

At Columbus, Ohio:

Juan Agudelo scored the only goal of the match in the 28th minute as the New England Revolution locked up a playoff berth (their first since 2009) with a 1-0 road win over the Columbus Crew, who ended the contest with ten men.

At Harrison, New Jersey:

Thierry Henry (24'), Ibrahim Sekagya (49'), Lloyd Sam (56'), Eric Alexander (77'), and Jonny Steele (84') each delivered a goal as the New York Red Bulls won the Supporters' Shield (a berth in next season's CONCACAF Champions League as well as the chance to host the MLS Cup final) with their 5-2 home domination of the Chicago Fire.  The Red Bulls won the first major piece of silverware in their 18-year history.  The loss eliminated the Fire from playoff contention and put the Montreal Impact in the playoffs for the first time in their two-year MLS history (Toronto FC now becomes the only team in league history---the now-defunct Tampa Bay Mutiny and Miami Fusion included---to never make the MLS Cup playoffs).

At Vancouver, British Columbia:

Camilo Sanvezzo's natural hat trick (PK-43', 74', 84'; he scored 22 goals and won the MLS Golden Boot for being the league's top goal scorer this season) enabled the Vancouver Whitecaps to dominate the visiting Colorado Rapids 3-0, forcing Colorado to travel to Seattle for a one-match playoff on Wednesday (with the winner to take on the Portland Timbers in a Western Conference two-match semifinal series).

At Seattle:

Robbie Keane's equalizer in the 78th minute lifted the Los Angeles Galaxy to a 1-1 road draw with the Seattle Sounders----and a third-place finish in the Western Conference, enabling them to avoid the fourth-place vs. fifth-place one-game playoff, which the Sounders (whose Clint Dempsey scored in the 30th minute) will host against Colorado.

FINAL MLS STANDINGS:

EASTERN CONFERENCE:

1.   sc-New York (GP: 34; GF: 58; GD: +17; PTS: 59)
2.    x-Kansas City (GP: 34; GF: 47; GD: +17; PTS: 58)
3.    x-New England (GP: 34; GF: 49; GD: +11; PTS: 51)
4.    x-Houston (GP: 34; GF: 41; GD: 0; PTS: 51)
5.    x-Montreal (GP: 34; GF: 50; GD: +1; PTS: 49)
6.        Chicago (GP: 34; GF: 47; GD: -5; PTS: 49)
7.        Philadelphia (GP: 34; GF: 42; GD: -2; PTS: 46)
8.        Columbus (GP: 34; GF: 42; GD: -4; PTS: 41)
9.        Toronto FC (GP: 34; GF: 30; GD: -17; PTS: 26)
10.      DC United (GP: 34; GF: 22; GD: -37; PTS: 16)

WESTERN CONFERENCE:

1.      c-Portland (GP: 34; GF: 54; GD: +21; PTS: 57)
2.      x-Real Salt Lake (GP: 34; GF: 57; GD: +16; PTS: 56)
3.      x-Los Angeles (GP: 34; GF: 53; GD: +15; PTS: 53)  
4.      x-Seattle (GP: 34; GF: 42; GD: 0; PTS: 52)
5.      x-Colorado (GP: 34; GF: 45; GD: +7; PTS: 51)
6.           San Jose (GP: 34; GF: 35; GD: -7; PTS: 51)
7.           Vancouver (GP: 34; GF: 50; GD: +5; PTS: 45)
8.           FC Dallas (GP: 34; GF: 48; GD: -4; PTS: 44)
9.           Chivas USA (GF: 34; GF: 30; GD: -37; PTS: 26)


s-Won Supporters Shield

c-Won regular-season conference title

x-Clinched playoff berth

2013 MLS Cup Playoff Schedule:

Knockout Round:

Wednesday:

Colorado @ Seattle, 7:30 PM, Pacific Time

Thursday:

Montreal @ Houston, 5:00 PM, Pacific Time

Conference Semifinals:

Eastern Conference:

New York Red Bulls vs. Montreal-Houston winner

The opening game would be at Houston or Montreal next Saturday or Sunday with the return match at Harrison, New Jersey on November 6 or 7.

Sporting Kansas City vs. New England

The series will open at Foxborough, Massachusetts next Saturday with the return match at Kansas City, Kansas on November 6.

Western Conference:

Portland vs. Colorado-Seattle winner

The series will open at the home of the Colorado-Seattle winner next Saturday or Sunday with the return match to be played at Portland, Oregon on November 6 or 7.

Real Salt Lake vs. Los Angeles

The series will open next Sunday at Carson, California, with Sandy, Utah the site for the return match on November 6 or 7.