By Ridge Mahoney

Dallas halts its slide; Columbus rolls on; New England rises and falls; Kansas City stumbles and recovers; and the Fire scorches D.C.

HAT TRICK HEROES: Pat Noonan scored all of his team's goals last Wednesday as the Revs rallied to stun Kansas City, 3-2, to break the Wizards' eight-game home unbeaten run.

Noonan opened the scoring with a header, tied the match with a left-footed rip from close-range following a frenzied goalmouth scramble, and nailed the winner with a right-footed half-volley in stoppage-time.

Damani Ralph destroyed D.C. with a hat trick Saturday as the Fire won, 3-0. He scored from a tight angle in the 15th minute with a nutmeg shot between the feet of United keeper Troy Perkins and added a pair of excellent goals in the second half for his second career hat trick.

QUICK STRIKES: Dallas and Kansas City hit on the break to record vital away wins. The Burn polished off its 2-0 win over the Metros with a breakaway Toni Nhleko goal set up by a clearance in the penalty area by Philip Salyer that was nodded on by Simo Valakari to Ronnie O'Brien, whose ball landed for Nhleko to outrace Joselito Vaca and round keeper Jonny Walker to score the clincher.

OBrien had already set up Eddie Johnson for the first goal with a return pass from the right flank after Johnson had stolen the ball in the Metros half of the field. Dallas's win snapped a four-match losing streak.

Kansas City stole a 2-1 victory over the Galaxy at Home Depot Center with a late winner after falling behind, 1-0. Diego Gutierrez slid in at the far post to drill his shot into the roof of the net on a ball sent across the goalmouth by Josh Wolff, who been released down the flank by Chris Klein's powerful run up the middle.

BEST ASSISTS: Chris Armas set up Damani Ralph for his second goal with a masterful ball played with the outside of his right foot from near the right touchline. Ralph ran onto the pass to tee up a rising shot that cleanly beat Troy Perkins, whose saves kept D.C. close despite being thoroughly outplayed.

Nate Jaqua, standing near the right touchline, chested a throw-win and then volleyed the ball over his head to the far post, where Ralph controlled it and nailed goal number three.

BIG SAVE: Jon Busch turned away Jose Cancela's chipped penalty kick in stoppage time in the Crew's 2-1 victory over New England on Sunday. Cancela had chipped an earlier penalty down the middle to tie the score, 1-1, but although he angled his second effort closer to the top corner, the athletic Busch was able to reach it.