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Wizards hold on to MLS lead

By José Alfredo Flores
USA TODAY

The race for the best record in Major League Soccer tightened in games Saturday.

In a battle pitting the two top teams in the Western Division, the Kansas City Wizards held on to MLS' top spot by tying Los Angeles 1-1 one week after losing to the Galaxy 5-1.

The Wizards (13-6-6, 45 points) hold a three-point lead on Los Angeles in the Western Division and a one-point lead on Central-leading Tampa Bay and Eastern-leading New York/New Jersey.

Wizards defensive midfielder Matt McKeon received the team's first red card of the season for a tackle on the Galaxy's Mauricio Cienfuegos.

Diallo's back: Tampa Bay Mutiny forward Mamadou Diallo wasted no time making his presence felt in his return after a two-game suspension, scoring his league-leading 19th goal in the ninth minute in a 2-1 win against San Jose. Tampa Bay improved its road unbeaten streak to a league season-high five games.

Mutiny midfielder Richie Kotschau scored the game winner, his first goal of the year, in the 77th minute off Carlos Valderrama's league-leading 23rd assist.

Giovanni Savarese, a Venezuelan national team forward making his Earthquakes debut as a temporary replacement for injured Ronald Cerritos, assisted on the San Jose goal by Khodadad Azizi.

Savarese, who scored 51 goals in four years in MLS, is the fifth-leading scorer in MLS history. He was reacquired Monday from Viterbese of Italian third-division Serie C1.

Dramatic turn: MetroStars forward Adolfo Valencia scored the game's final two goals, including a golden goal in overtime, in a 2-1 win against Eastern Division rival New England. Midfielder Clint Mathis assisted twice and Lothar Mattaeus, in his first MLS regular-season action in six weeks (back injury), had his third assist of the season.

The MetroStars (14-9-2, 44 points) improved to 3-1-2 in overtime play and hold an 11-point lead in the Eastern Division on second-place New England (9-11-6, 33 points).

Rapids can't get over .500: The Colorado Rapids (11-12-3) failed for the ninth time this season to go over .500 (0-8-1), losing to the Miami Fusion 4-1.

The Rapids also remained winless at Miami's Lockhart Stadium (0-4). Roy Lassiter scored and assisted and Diego Gutierrez had two assists for Miami, which has won three in a row against Colorado.

The Fusion (9-11-5, 32 points) moved into ninth place, three points from the eighth and final playoff spot.

United falls: D.C. United's playoff hopes took another blow as the team lost its second in a row in a 1-0 loss at Dallas. United is 11 points from the final playoff spot with five games left.