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Posted: Saturday September 15, 2012 6:33PM ; Updated: Sunday September 16, 2012 5:06AM

MLS: Williams helps Union garner tie with Toronto

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Sheanon Williams
Sheanon Williams' late goal helped Philadelphia frustrate Toronto.
For Getty Images

TORONTO (AP) -- Sheanon Williams scored in the 85th minute to lift the Philadelphia Union to a 1-1 draw with Toronto FC on Saturday.

Eric Hassli put Toronto (5-17-7), vying for its MLS win in nearly two months, ahead in the 58th minute. It was the French striker's second goal in two games and his third in six outings since joining Toronto from Vancouver.

Williams tied it 27 minutes later as Philadelphia (7-13-6) took advantage of some sloppy play. Toronto was unable to clear a low cross from Antoine Hoppenot through the penalty box, and the ball went through a sea of legs until Williams tapped it in for only his second goal in 63 career games.

Both teams remained in dire need of a win, as Toronto fell to 0-6-3 since defeating Colorado 2-1 on July 18 and Philadelphia dropped to 0-3-4 since beating New England 2-1 on July 29.

Toronto manager Paul Mariner had challenged his team to show its character after a 2-1 loss to visiting Chicago that eliminated the team from playoff contention for the sixth straight year.

Toronto responded Saturday, outplaying Philadelphia but unable to make that advantage pay until the 58th minute. Luis Silva, who was lively all game and set up the score, could have had two goals in the first half himself if he had been on target.

But any positives disappeared with the late goal from Philadelphia.

Earthquakes 2, Chivas USA 0

CARSON, Calif. -- Chris Wondolowski scored on a penalty kick in the first half and Alan Gordon added a goal in the second to lead the San Jose Earthquakes.

With the win, San Jose (17-6-5) extended its Western Conference lead over Seattle to eight points, while Chivas (7-13-7) is now tied with Portland for fewest in the conference.

Chivas coach Robin Fraser was ejected after the first half ended for arguing with a referee.

San Jose opened the scoring after a delayed penalty kick call. Gordon lay on the ground inside the penalty area for several moments while his teammates continued the attack. After play was stopped in the 19th minute, San Jose was awarded a penalty kick and Wondolowski converted it.

Gordon scored in the 49th off a pass from Wondolowski, who finished the night with 19 goals and seven assists on the season -- both career highs.

FC Dallas 1, Whitecaps 0

FRISCO, Texas -- Julian De Guzman scored in stoppage time to lift FC Dallas.

FC Dallas (9-12-9) now trails the Whitecaps (10-12-7) by one point with the two clubs battling for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference. Vancouver has played one less game this season than FC Dallas, which won the season series 2-0-1.

Guzman fired a left-footed volley from 20 yards away, finding the bottom left corner of the net in the sixth and final minute of extra time for his first goal of the season. Guzman was acquired from Toronto on July 13.

FC Dallas failed to capitalize on a penalty kick in the 16th after Vancouver goalkeeper Brad Knighton made a diving save to knock away David Ferreira's right-footed shot at the left corner of the goal.

Fire 3, Impact 1

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Alex and midfielder Alvaro Fernandez each scored in the second half as the Chicago Fire rallied.

The win pulled the Fire (15-8-5) within a point of Eastern Conference leader Sporting Kansas City. Chicago has 50 points and third-place New York is right behind with 49.

Montreal (12-15-3), playing its first match in two weeks, dropped its second straight after winning five in a row.

Alex took a pass from Fernandez, split a pair of defenders and beat goalkeeper Troy Perkins to break a 1-all tie in the 61st minute. The Brazilian sent his shot over Perkins and high to the far corner of the net.

Fernandez followed with a 15-yard right-footed shot in the 80th to put the game out of reach. Sherjill MacDonald had tied the match with a nifty header in the 34th, redirecting a pass from Jalil Anibaba into the lower left corner of the net.

United 2, Revolution 1

WASHINGTON -- Substitute Lewis Neal scored his first MLS goal in the 63rd minute, and D.C. United persevered in its first game without captain Dwayne De Rosario.

With reigning league MVP De Rosario likely to miss the rest of the season with a sprained left knee, United got its goals from a usual source as well as a new one. Chris Pontius netted in the 32nd then set up Neal's left-footed strike in the second half.

Kelyn Rowe scored in the 29th for the Revolution, who were eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. A diving save by United goalkeeper Bill Hamid kept Rowe from tying the game in the final minutes.

The win moved United back into playoff position in the Eastern Conference, overtaking Columbus for fifth place.

Red Bulls 3, Crew 1

HARRISON, N.J. -- Thierry Henry scored two goals and added an assist to lead the New York Red Bulls.

The victory enabled the Red Bulls (14-7-7) to remain unbeaten at home this season (10-0-3) and gave New York sole possession of second place in the Eastern Conference. With 49 points, the Red Bulls temporarily moved past Chicago, two points behind front-runner Sporting Kansas City. The Red Bulls are the only MLS club to remain undefeated at home.

The Red Bulls scored twice in the final 12 minutes to secure the win.

New York got the winner in the 79th after Henry had taken a shot that bounced off the crossbar, giving the Red Bulls a corner kick. Henry took the attempt and Dax McCarty leaped over the wall to head it home and past a diving Andy Gruenebaum, who viciously smacked into the goalpost with his face, forcing him to leave the game

Henry then capped the scoring with a corner kick in extra time from the left sideline that bent to the left and went past backup goalie Matt Lampson directly into the net.

Milovan Mirosevic opened the scoring in the third minute for Columbus (12-10-6), and Henry tied it six minutes later with his 12th of the season.

The Red Bulls almost scored first in the second minute, when Henry had a great shot that Crew net minder Gruenebaum made a diving save on.

Timbers 1, Sounders 1

PORTLAND, Ore. -- Rodney Wallace headed in a corner kick in the 78th minute and the Portland Timbers stalled the Seattle Sounders' playoff push.

The draw also kept the Timbers (7-14-7) in the driver's seat in the Cascadia Cup, the annual head-to-head competition between the Sounders, Timbers and Vancouver Whitecaps.

"We clawed ourselves back into the game," Portland general manager and interim coach Gavin Wilkinson said. "We gave the fans something to be excited about."

Freddy Montero scored for the Sounders (13-6-9), who are second in the Western Conference and could have punched their ticket to the postseason with a win over Portland and an Earthquakes win over Chivas USA later Saturday.

Seattle stretched its unbeaten streak to five games coming off a 2-1 win over Chivas last Saturday.

Copyright 2012 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

 
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