MLS rankings: Wild-card shuffle

1. Columbus – The Crew will hope for better luck at the sharp end in Puerto Rico. (1)

2. Los Angeles – Gritty 0-0 draw in Houston won’t mean much if the Galaxy can’t take care of business at home against resurgent San Jose. (2)

3. Chivas USA – With a game in hand, the Goats know three points in Chicago on Thursday night would go a long way to sealing the Western Conference crown ahead of Sunday’s top-of-the-table clash with Houston. (3)

4. Houston – After Sunday’s draw with the Galaxy, it’s likely going to take a road victory to ensure home-field advantage in the first round of the playoffs. (4)

5. Seattle – The wait is over. Sounders FC is headed to the playoffs after a 3-2 win in Kansas City on Saturday night. (6)

6. Chicago – It would take a unique confluence of events, but the Fire could still find a way to miss the playoffs. Amazing, isn’t it? (5)

7. FC Dallas – Saturday’s 2-1 win over Colorado handed FCD its first four-match winning streak since July 8-29, 2006. (8)

8. Toronto FC – Can TFC overcome its shaky road record and wobbly late-game hand on the wheel to seal all three points in New York on Saturday night? (10)

9. Colorado – The Rapids enter a season-deciding match in Sandy with six goals and four points (0-2-4) in their past six matches. Not good. (7)

10. D.C. United – It wasn’t an aesthetic piece of workmanship, but United lives to fight another day with a 1-0 win over Columbus. (11)

11. New England – With most of the tiebreakers favoring other teams, the Revs will have to win in Columbus and hope for some luck elsewhere. Those are some difficult odds indeed. (9)

12. Real Salt Lake – Even with a home win over Colorado, RSL is going to need some serious help to reach the playoffs on 40 points. (12)

13. Kansas City – The Wizards could have folded after being eliminated from the playoff chase before the kickoff of Saturday night’s 3-2 loss to Seattle, but they didn’t. (13)

14. San Jose – Speaking of teams that won’t quit, the Earthquakes took yet another point by holding Chivas USA to a 2-2 draw in Carson. (14)

15. New York – A game and determined effort wasn’t enough in Wednesday night’s 2-0 loss at Real Salt Lake. (15)

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