By Ridge Mahoney, Senior Editor

Dallas soars on the road and stumbles at home; the Quakes and Fire get back on track; the Metros go overtime again; and the Revs are reeling once more.

HEROES: Two men stood above all the rest in their team's victories.

Tony Meola rekindled memories of his astonishing 2000 season by winning several showdowns to lead Kansas City past Columbus, 1-0. He recorded his MLS record 46th career shutout by snuffing Brian Maisonneuve and Jeff Cunningham one-v-one and tipping over a looping shot by Kyle Martino.

Rookie Damani Ralph set up two goals with sweet through balls and added another (his seventh of the season) from the penalty spot to lead Chicago past New England, 3-1.

STATS: The Revs have not won in their last four games. In Naperville, which will be the Fire's home until late September, Chicago has outscored opponents, 15-6.

BEST GOAL: Brad Davis cracked a sensational goal against his former team in the Burn's 2-1 overtime loss to the Metros.

Davis, lurking on the left side of the penalty area, controlled a crossfield ball from Joselito Vaca and without letting the ball touch the ground smacked a left-footed shot from a sharp angle that nestled just inside the far post.

BEST SAVES: In addition to those made by Meola, Jonny Walker pulled off a fancy flying stop on Ronald Cerritos in his Metros debut and Quakes rookie forward Jamil Walker preserved his team's victory by heading a Galin Ivanov effort off the goal line.

WORST GOAL: Burn keeper D.J. Countess fumbled a benign long ball from Mike Magee, allowing John Wolyniec to tap into the overtime winner.

STAT: The Metros played in their fifth consecutive overtime game. They have won two of them and are unbeaten in the last four (two wins, two ties).

BEST ASSIST: San Jose's Brian Ching set up the winning goal for Manny Lagos in the Quakes' 2-1 win over D.C. United with a supreme effort.

He beat Brandon Prideaux to a Jeff Agoos long ball up the left wing and scraped through Mike Petke's weak tackle to push a square pass Lagos drilled into the net.

STAT: The Quakes have the best road record in MLS at 4-1-3.