THE WORST. The Columbus Crew is now winless in its last 12 games, having been thumped, 4-0, by the Kansas City Wizards, who snapped a nine-game winless streak. The Crew, which Coach Sigi Schmid took over this season, is in danger of finishing the season with the fewest goals and points in club history. Its 20 points and 16 goals scored are worst in MLS this season.
NOT MUCH BETTER. Playoff hopes for the Los Angeles Galaxy took a blow when it fell, 1-0, to Colorado Rapids, one of the teams it hopes to catch to prevent its first postseason absence in franchise history. The Galaxy, which is seven points out of the fourth-place playoff spot (occupied by Chivas USA) and eight points behind third-place Colorado, has scored only 17 goals in its 23 games. Argentine Nicolas Hernandez scored the Rapids' winner against the Galaxy. It was his team-leading sixth goal of the season.
ROAD SUPPORT. Chivas USA won its first game away from the Home Depot Center when it downed Chicago, 2-1, at the Fire's Toyota Park in front of 17,066 fans. The second largest crowd for a Fire game at its new stadium was heavily pro-Chivas USA, which hit the winner on Claudio Suarez's late penalty kick. The Fire, winless in its last five games, fell to fifth place with the loss and is two points out of a playoff spot. Juan Pablo Garcia struck Chivas USA's first goal, a long-range shot into the upper corner for his sixth strike of the season. Chivas USA, which finished last season with only 18 points, already has earned 30 this season.
TEXAS DUEL. The Houston Dynamo ended a four-game winless streak with a 1-0 win over FC Dallas on a Craig Waibel goal. Dallas, which had won four straight, remains first in the West, four points ahead of second-place Hosuton.
SALT LAKE STADIUM. Real Salt Lake owner Dave Checketts has agreed to a stadium-construction proposal by Utah government officials that would provide the 2-year-old team a new home for the 2008 season. Under the proposal, which must still be approved by Salt Lake County council, $55 million of government funds would go toward infrastructure and other improvements while Real Salt Lake would commit $100 million toward stadium construction.