For his first goal in more than two months, Brian Ching struck one of the shots of the season to highlight a Saturday during which every team with a reasonable chance of reaching the MLS postseason kept those hopes alive.

Ching's 11th goal of the season downed D.C. United, 1-0, and clinched a playoff spot for Houston.

Also clinching was New England, which belted Colorado, 3-1, while Mexican Jose Manuel Abundis scored on his Revs' debut.

Victories by Red Bull New York and Los Angeles kept them in the playoff chase, andáa point apieceáto Real Salt Lake and Kansas City in their wild 3-3 tie did likewise.

The Crew is out, despite beating FC Dallas, 3-1, on goals by Jason Garey, Joseph Ngwenya and Jacob Thomas. By losing, Dallas surrendered any chance of overtaking United for the league's best record.

Ching'ságoal ended a drought that extended back to July 15 and included a month-long layoff because of a knee injury. In the 85th minute, Ching slashed a bicycle kick from 16 yards powerfully into the net to move the Dynamo back into second place, five points behind Western Conference leader Dallas.

The 16-year-old Josmer Altidore celebrated his first professional start by scoring his third goal in four games as the New York Red Bulls downed Chicago, 1-0, and moved alongside Kansas City in fourth place with 35 points.

The Wizards overcame a 2-1 deficit and squandered a 3-2 advantage against Real Salt Lake, for which Atiba Harris scored twice in nine minutesáand Jason Kreis pounced on the rebound of his own shot for a late equalizer. Josh Wolff scored the first goal for Kansas City, set up the second for Scott Sealy, and started the sequence from which Jose Burciaga Jr. scored the third.

The Galaxy finally responded to a must-win situation by winning big: a 3-0 dismantling of Chivas USA with goals by Pete Vagenas, Landon Donovan and Alan Gordon. Los Angeles moved to within three points of fourth-place Colorado.

Still, LA has only five wins at home, second-worst in the league behind Columbus, and faces a daunting home-and-away series with Dallas in its final two games.

MLS, WEEK 27 RESULTS
Columbus 3 FC Dallas 1.
New York 1 Chicago 0.
New England 3 Colorado 1.
Houston 1 D.C. United 0.
Kansas City 3 Real Salt Lake 3.
Los Angeles 3 Chivas USA 0.