Fire not home free

Revolution still have shot at 2d

Toronto FC kept its playoff hopes alive for a few hours yesterday and helped the Revolution in the process.

Rohan Ricketts scored twice and Amado Guevara also scored for host Toronto, which held on to edge the Chicago Fire, 3-2, before 20,294 at BMO Field.

Toronto FC was eliminated from playoff contention when New York and Kansas City won last night.

Justin Mapp and Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored for Chicago (43 points), which remained tied with the Revolution for second place in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference with one game to play. Had Chicago won, it would have clinched home-field advantage in its first-round series against New England.

If the Revolution, who host Kansas City Saturday, finish with more points than Chicago, they will host Game 2 of the two-game, total-goals series, the advantage being that if extra time or penalty kicks are needed to decide the series, they would take place after the conclusion of Game 2. If the teams finish tied in points, Chicago would have the advantage because it won the head-to-head tiebreaker, three games to none. The Fire wrap up their regular season Thursday at home against New York.

The Revolution had home-field advantage in Round 1 in each of the past three seasons and needed Game 2 victories to advance en route to the MLS Cup.

Red Bulls 3, Crew 1 - Danny Cepero became the first goalkeeper to score in an MLS game when his direct kick bounced about 20 yards in front of the goal and went in over the head of Columbus keeper Andy Gruenebaum in the 83d minute, Juan Pablo Angel had two goals, and host New York (10-10-9) won to move into a wild-card spot.

"I just wanted to put it in the general area of the goal, I had no intent of scoring," Cepero said. "I didn't even know it went in. I had to ask someone, 'Do I get credit for that?' It was kind of crazy. It's incredible to think that you can look at random stats many years from now and there I'll be."

Dynamo 3, Galaxy 0 - Brian Ching scored his 13th goal of the season for host Houston, which clinched first place in the Western Conference and eliminated Los Angeles from playoff contention. LA was without David Beckham, who was suspended for yellow-card accumulation.

Wizards 3, Earthquakes 2 - Herculez Gomez scored in the 93d minute as host Kansas City (10-10-9) maintained its hold on a wild-card spot.

Real Salt Lake 3, FC Dallas 1 - Javier Morales set up two goals for host Real Salt Lake, which solidified its hold on third place in the West and eliminated FC Dallas from playoff contention.