ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — Benji Michel scored in the 84th minute to help Orlando City beat the Columbus Crew 2-1 on Wednesday night.
Orlando City (11-3-8) broke a tie for third place with Columbus in the Eastern Conference standings with one game left. The Lions have lost just once in their last 16 games. The Crew (11-6-5) were eliminated from the Supporters’ Shield race for the regular-season title.
With Orlando City down a man after Nani received a red card in the 52nd minute, Michel headed the ball to himself and tapped it between goalkeeper Eloy Room’s legs for his fifth goal of the season. Chris Mueller scored his 10th goal in the 27th minute. Mauricio Pereyra assisted on both goals.
Harrison Afful scored his first goal of the season for Columbus, connecting from the 18-yard box in the 56th minute.
RAPIDS 1, TIMBERS 0
PORTLAND, Ore. (AP) — Kellyn Acosta scored in the 83rd minute and Colorado clinched a playoff spot with a victory over Portland.
The Rapids (7-6-4) had five games called off this season because of coronavirus cases. But instead of total points, Major League Soccer decided to use points per game for playoff position, boosting Colorado’s chances with fewer games played.
It is Colorado’s first trip to the playoffs since 2016.
Steve Clark made three saves for the Timbers (11-6-5), unbeaten in their previous four games — including wins in the past two.
Portland was hurt by the loss of Jaroslaw Niezgoda, who tore his left ACL in a victory over Vancouver last weekend. Niezgoda, who had eight goals, will miss the rest of the season.
EARTHQUAKES 3, LAFC 2
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Cristian Espinoza scored a goal and assisted on another by Chris Wondolowski, and San Jose beat Los Angeles FC 3-2 to lock up a playoff berth.
Wondolowski, whose 166 career goals are the most in MLS history, scored on a volley in the 37th minute to give the Earthquakes a 2-1 lead. Espinoza lobbed an entry from the left side to the far post where Wondolowski tapped it home.
San Jose (8-8-6) played a man down after Jackson Yueill was shown a second yellow card in the 61st minute.
LAFC (9-8-4) had its three-game unbeaten streak snapped.
Latif Blessing scored in the 23rd minute to give LAFC a 1-0 lead but an own goal by Eduard Atuesta tied it about five minutes later.
Espinoza took a cross from Shea Salinas and whipped in a side-netter to give San Jose a 3-1 lead.
Diego Rossi capped the scoring in stoppage time with his MLS-leading 14th goal of the season.
SOUNDERS 1, GALAXY 1
CARSON, Calif. (AP) — Javier “Chicharito” Hernández scored in the 78th minute, but LA was eliminated from playoff contention in the Western Conference despite a draw against Seattle.
Raúl Ruidíaz scored his 11th goal of the season in the third minute of injury time for the defending MLS Cup champion Sounders, who have won just once in their last six games while falling out of the top spot in the Western Conference.
The five-time MLS Cup champion Galaxy will miss the postseason for the third time in four years despite going unbeaten in the last two games under interim coach Dominic Kinnear.
Even a win over Seattle wouldn’t have saved the Galaxy’s hopes. Wins by the Colorado Rapids and San Jose Earthquakes on Wednesday night eliminated LA.
Chicharito converted his late strike off a good pass from Efraín Álvarez. Chicharito’s goal was just his second during the heralded Mexican forward’s injury-plagued first season in MLS.
FC DALLAS 1, NASVILLE 0
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Ryan Hollingshead scored in the 19th minute, Jimmy Maurer had his second consecutive shutout and FC Dallas beat Nashville.
On the counter-attack, Hollingshead beat a pair of defenders to the ball, momentarily lost control, and then slipped a left-footer inside the post.
Dallas (9-5-7) has won three in a row and is unbeaten in its last four.
Maurer had three saves and has seven shutouts this season, including four in the last six games.
Nashville (7-7-8) had a five-game unbeaten streak snapped.
FIRE 2, MINNESOTA UNITED 2, TIE
ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) — Jose Aja and Robin Lod scored in the second half and Minnesota overcame a two-goal deficit to tie Chicago.
Minnesota United (8-5-7) stretched its unbeaten streak to seven games.
Aja scored off a set piece from close range, tapping a shot to the near post that beat goalkeeper Bobby Shuttleworth in the 64th minute. Lod scored in a header off a cross from Romain Metanire in the 80th.
Robert Beric and Mauricio Pineda scored for Chicago (5-9-8).
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