Only eight weeks remain in the 2013 MLS regular season, and both conferences are stuck in some of the tightest playoff races the league has ever seen. Following the Dynamo’s loss to Montreal over the weekend, let’s check in on results around the Eastern Conference and how they affect Houston’s position.
New England Revolution 5, Philadelphia Union 1
Entering the weekend, the Dynamo sat in the fifth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. New England’s win at home over the Union now has them level with the Dynamo at 36 points and in fifth place by virtue of tiebreakers. The Dynamo, though hold one game in hand over New England.
Philadelphia remains on 38 points, good for 4th place in the conference standings. The Dynamo have one game remaining against both New England and Philadelphia.
Chicago Fire 1, Sporting Kansas City 0
Chicago pulled out a win against their Midwest rivals to keep their name in the playoff race, while Sporting stay close to the pack after starting the weekend tied for the conference lead.
The Fire are two points behind the Dynamo in seventh place with the win, and have played the same number of games. The two teams match up this weekend at Toyota Park.
Kansas City stays just three points ahead of the Dynamo, while Houston holds two games in hand. Houston and Sporting still have one match remaining against each other.
Chivas USA 3, New York Red Bulls 2
Upset of the weekend. Co-Eastern Conference leaders New York drop a stunning result at Western Conference bottom dwellers Chivas USA. As with Kansas City, it keeps the Red Bulls within three points with two games in hand for the Dynamo.
The Dynamo face New York on September 8 at BBVA Compass Stadium (TICKETS) and then once more at home in their penultimate regular season match.
Real Salt Lake 4, Columbus Crew 0
Columbus has been hanging just on the edge of playoff contention for a while now, with back-to-back wins keeping them in the conversation. The Crew now are seven points adrift of the final playoff spot and have played 25 games, only giving them an advantage over New York, Kansas City and Philadelphia.
A mere five points separate top-seeded Montreal and the Dynamo with ten games left for both teams. All but one of the final ten matches for the Dynamo are against Eastern Conference opponents, with six of those against teams currently above them in the standings.
Despite the loss in Montreal, the Dynamo are tied with Kansas City and New York for the second best points per game (PPG) average in the conference. The Dynamo will look to capitalize down the stretch with games in hand and matches against teams in front of them as they aim for their seventh playoff appearance in eight seasons.
