By Ridge Mahoney, Senior Editor

NEW STARTS: Hristo Stoitchkov made his first MLS start in nearly a year last Wednesday in the Fire's 5-1 demolition of Kansas City.

Not since Aug. 18, 2001 had Stoitchkov been in Chicago's first 11. He scored a goal and an assist in the first league game he started alongside Ante Razov and Josh Wolff.

Stoitchkov will be needed down the stretch to replace Wolff, who suffered an ACL tear in his right knee and is out for the season.

Midfielder Ben Olsen came back for his first start in nearly two years in United's 2-2 tie with San Jose.

His last appearance in an MLS starting 11 was against the Quakes at RFK Stadium Aug. 19, 2000.

NEMESIS: Ante Razov scored one goal and harassed defender Leo Cullen into scoring an own goal on Sunday as Chicago beat New England, 2-0.

Razov has scored five goals in three games against the Revs this season. He leads the team with 13 goals and leads the league in shots with 92.

CLOCK IS TICKING: New England's loss to the Fire pushed it further into the postseason dungeon. United kept its flickering playoff hopes alive with that 2-2 tie at San Jose.

The Revs (22 points) and D.C. United (23 points) trail the Metros (29) in the chase for the final playoff spot.

All three teams have only six games remaining. United has a critical encounter with the Metros Sunday in the Meadowlands and anything less than three points probably shuts D.C. out of the playoffs for the third straight year.

QUAKES TIED! San Jose's perfect record at home this season was blemished, sort of, by D.C. last Saturday.

The 2-2 tie ended a run of 12 straight regular-season games the Quakes had won at home dating back to last season.

Teenage striker Eliseo Quintanilla and Danish veteran Ronnie Ekelund scored all four goals in the match. Quintanilla's first goal ended a 536-minute scoreless streak for United.

Ekelund scored on a penalty kick and a spectacular free kick; with five goals he is second on the team in that category. He had zero goals in 16 games last year.

SIEVE WEEK: Kansas City's defense imploded in its two games last week, surrendering nine goals in losses to Chicago and Columbus.

The Wizards conceded five against the Fire with Tony Meola in the nets; he received a second yellow card during a stoppage-time tirade at referee Erich Simmons, so Bo Oshonyi stepped in against the Crew in a 4-0 defeat.

Kansas City's goals-conceded mark ballooned to 39 in 24 games. Only the Revs (46) and Rapids (41) have given up more goals.

SHARPSHOOTERS: Dallas beat the Metros, 3-1, last Saturday in a test case of how finishing can decide a match.

The Burn held a narrow edge in total shots, 15-13, and possession percentage, 51-49. It had just three shots on goal. All three of them went in.

Midfielder Antonio Martinez scored his first two league goals of the season for Dallas. To clinch victory in the final minutes he nicked the ball past a pair of defenders and tapped it past keeper Tim Howard.

The Metros had six shots on goal and two others hit the woodwork.

BACK ON THE FIELD: In the loss to Dallas, Metros attacker Clint Mathis made his first appearance since suffering a torn meniscus and sprained medial collateral ligament in his right knee July 6.

Mathis had two shots on goal and hit the post after keeper Matt Jordan had saved his initial shot.