MLS: Sporting KC struggles, draws with Impact

MONTREAL (AP) -- Sporting Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen punched away Matteo Ferrari's header in added time as Montreal struggled to a 0-0 draw Saturday to keep the Impact in the MLS playoff hunt.

Montreal picked up its first point in three games since ending its team-record five-game winning streak. Sporting KC, which leads the East with 56 points, is 8-4-3 on the road this season.

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"This was a massive point for us, for sure," Kansas City coach Peter Vermes said. "A huge opportunity for us to not necessarily separate ourselves immensely, but every one of those points adds up at the end of the season."

The Impact claimed their 40th point with the draw, which kept them unbeaten in their last seven at home. Montreal, which is seventh in the Eastern Conference, had won its six previous home games since a 3-1 loss to Sporting KC on July 4.

"At the end of the day, until somebody tells me that we're mathematically out of it, we're still in it," Impact captain Davy Arnaud said. "The only thing we can now go do is win our next three games and hope that it's enough. We know it's going to be difficult because teams already have close to the points that we can possibly get, but until we're out of it we're going to keep on pushing."

Montreal goalkeeper Troy Perkins made a point-blank stop on Kei Kamara 14 minutes into the game. Justin Mapp had the Impact's best opportunity in the first half, but his shot went wide of the left post.

Sporting KC midfielder Jacob Peterson was on the bench after coming out of the game when he was shown a red card by referee Jorge Gonzalez in the 90th minute.

Earthquakes 2, Sounders 1

SEATTLE -- Chris Wondolowski scored his MLS-leading 22nd goal, and his 10th game-winner -- to lead the San Jose Earthquakes.

Simon Dawkins scored his eighth goal of the season in the second minute for the Earthquakes (18-6-6), who won all three matchups against Seattle this season, including two on the road.

Steve Zakuani tied the score for the Sounders (13-7-9) in the 14th minute with his first goal since returning to action in early July after a year-long recovery from a broken leg.

Wondolowski then got the winner in the 30th minute, converting after a corner kick was settled by Victor Bernardez, who passed it into the 6-yard box for Wondolowski's easy tap-in past goalkeeper Michael Gspurning.

No other player in the league has more than 14 goals.

Galaxy 4, Toronto FC 2

CARSON, Calif. -- Juninho had two spectacular first-half goals and Robbie Keane also scored twice Saturday night as the Los Angeles Galaxy clinched a playoff spot.

The Galaxy (15-11-4) won its fourth consecutive match, though its shutout streak ended at five matches - including two in CONCACAF Champions League play.

Terry Dunfield and Luis Silva scored for Toronto (5-18-7), which lost for just the third time in 12 games.

Juninho, taking set pieces with David Beckham sidelined by a sprained ankle, curled a free kick from just outside the box toward the upper-right corner in the 11th minute, then struck a 32-yard rocket to the upper-left corner in the 33rd.

Keane finished a sequence to give Los Angeles a three-goal lead three minutes later. Keane added another, his 13th of the season, deep into second-half stoppage.

Real SL 2, Timbers 1

SANDY, Utah -- Javier Morales and Fabian Espindola both scored in the first half to lead Real Salt Lake.

Real Salt Lake (15-11-4) became the second club in MLS history to get at least 15 wins in three straight seasons and secured a spot in the playoffs for the fifth straight year.

Bright Dike scored in the 61st minute for the Timbers (7-15-8), who remained winless on the road.

Espindola put Salt Lake on the board in the 14th minute, taking a free kick just outside the penalty area and slicing a left footer past the Timbers' defensive wall.

Salt Lake goalkeeper Nick Rimando prevented Portland from tying it up in the 21st as Jack Jewsbury used a corner kick to send a perfect cross to Rodney Wallace in the center of the box. Wallace sent a header forward and Rimando denied him in the center of the goal.

Morales made it 2-0 in the 36th on another free kick as he fired the ball over the wall and out of reach of the outstretched hand of Timbers goalkeeper Joe Bendik

Fire 2, Crew 1

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Chris Rolfe scored two goals in a little more than 3 minutes in the first half to lead the Chicago Fire.

Chicago (16-8-5) won its fourth straight and seventh in the last eight to move two points behind first-place Sporting Kansas City in the Eastern Conference.

Jairo Arrieta took advantage of a miscue by Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson to score in the 15th minute for Columbus (13-11-6).

Rolfe then scored twice in a span of 3:16, tying the score in the 23rd minute with a ground-hugging, left footed drive from 16 feet out. He put the Fire ahead with the game's last goal, a 15-yard that went over goalkeeper Andy Gruenebaum high into the left corner of the net.

Revs 1, Red Bulls 1

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Darrius Barnes scored his first career goal five minutes into stoppage time to give the New England Revolution a 1-1 draw.

The Revolution (7-15-8) have just one win in 13 matches (1-8-4) since beating New York 2-0 on July 8.

Barnes' tying goal came shortly after Loel Lindpere put the Red Bulls (14-8-8) ahead in the first minute of stoppage time.

Revolution backup goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth earned the start in place of Matt Reis, and stopped three shots. Red Bulls goalkeeper Bill Guadette made four saves.

New York defender Conor Lade was ejected after he picked up his second yellow card in the 74th minute, and left the Red Bulls short-handed for the final 16 minutes.

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