Canouse goal lifts D.C. to win, ‘playoff’ position

Rapids beat Minnesota United

WASHINGTON, Oct 14, (AFP): Russell Canouse’s 86th-minute header lifted D.C. United to a 1-0 victory over FC Dallas on Saturday and into the MLS Cup playoff position with three matches remaining.

D.C. United stretched their unbeaten streak to seven matches and moved a point ahead of Montreal into sixth place in the Eastern Conference standings. They have a game in hand over the Impact.

Dallas remained atop the tight Western Conference despite seeing their six game unbeaten run end.

Dallas lead second-place Los Angeles FC by one point, and both teams will play third-placed Sporting Kansas City over their final two games.

Wayne Rooney, the former England captain whose arrival in July has sparked D.C.’s late-season surge, had perhaps the best of the team’s chances prior to Canouse’s goal.

But his shot in the opening minutes went wide, and his curling, longrange

Russell Canouse

free kick just over an hour in was saved by diving Dallas goalkeeper Jesse Gonzalez.

Rooney’s free kick from the sideline in the 86th led to a shot by Canouse that bounced off the crossbar. The midfielder got a second chance and his header made it over the line for his first Major League Soccer goal.

In Minneapolis, Yannick Boli and Niki Jackson scored second-half goals and the Colorado Rapids beat Minnesota United 2-0 on Saturday to snap a seven-game losing streak.

Colorado (7-19-6) entered a loss shy of tying a club record for consecutive losses – set this season. Minnesota (11-18-3) was eliminated from playoff contention last week after losing to Philadelphia.

Boli opened the scoring in the 61st minute by heading Marlon Hairston’s curling cross into the upper corner of the goal. It was Boli’s second goal of the season.

Jackson capped it in stoppage time by intercepting a back-pass and chipping it over goalkeeper Matthew Lampson, who had come out of his area.

After Jackson’s goal, there was a skirmish on the sideline. Colorado defender Tommy Smith and Minnesota midfielder Harrison Heath both received red cards, and Minnesota goalkeeper coach John Pascarella was also dismissed.

Minnesota midfielder Darwin Quintero scored in the 51st minute but it was taken away after a video review for being offside. Ibson tied it at 1 in second-half stoppage time but it was overturned again for an offside.