Toronto becomes first Canadian first regular-season title
TORONTO (AP) - An 80th-minute penalty from Victor Vazquez helped crown Toronto FC as the first Canadian team to win the Supporters' Shield as Major League Soccer's regular-season champion, sealing a 4-2 win over the New York Red Bulls on Saturday night.
Toronto wingback Justin Morrow sealed it in stoppage time with his third goal of the night before a sellout crowd of 28,979 at BMO Field.
Toronto players mobbed goalkeeper Alex Bono when the final whistle blew, marking TFC's official rise from league doormat to the MLS's best. They then posed for a photo in front of the south stand fans.
Toronto (19-5-8) has assured itself of home-field advantage throughout the playoffs, including the MLS Cup final if it gets back there. The Supporters Shield also means $130,000 will be deposited in the Toronto players' bonus pool.
New York's Daniel Royer tied it at 2 with a 77th-minute penalty after defender Drew Moor scythed down New York striker Gonzalo Veron in the box. But referee Allen Chapman pointed to the spot again minutes later when Aaron Long was caught all over Jozy Altidore in the box.
New York (12-12-7) is 0-3-5 in its last eight games.
CREW 2, D.C. UNITED 0
COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - Josh Williams and Justin Meram scored as Columbus clinched an Eastern Conference playoff spot with victory over D.C. United.
Williams opened the scoring in the 14th minute, finishing Federico Higuain's corner with a header from the middle of the area. Meram scored in the 56th with a blast from the left corner of the 18-yard box that hit under the crossbar.
The Crew (15-12-5) improved their unbeaten streak to eight games and finished the night alone in fifth place in the East. With two games remaining, they have an outside chance to move up into the top four and host a knockout round match.
UNITED 0, REVOLUTION 0
FOXBORO, Massachusetts (AP) - Brad Guzan made five saves, barely deflecting Lee Nguyen's free kick in the 87th minute, to give Atlanta the draw with New England.
Nguyen's long kick from the left side curved left, almost fooling Guzan, but the goalkeeper was able to leap and barely punch it into the crossbar. He made another save off a set piece in stoppage time.
New England (11-15-6), clinging to very slim playoff hopes, controlled possession but couldn't break through against Guzan, who recorded his seventh shutout of the season.
Brad Knighton made two saves and picked up his first shutout in three starts this season.
Atlanta United (15-8-8), which clinched a playoff berth with a win over Philadelphia on Wednesday, picked up a point in its bid to climb the standings and claim a first-round bye.
D.C. United fell to 9-18-5.
FC DALLAS 0, ORLANDO CITY 0, TIE
ORLANDO, Florida (AP) - Jesse Gonzalez made two of his four saves in second-half stoppage time to preserve FC Dallas' scoreless draw with Orlando City.
Gonzalez closed out his ninth shutout of the season, stopping Yoshimar Yotun's close-range attempt in the 94th minute and Yotun's right-footed shot from outside the box in the 96th. Gonzalez also punched away Seb Hines' point-blank header in the 76th minute.
Orlando City's Joe Bendik made five saves for his seventh shutout of the year.
FC Dallas is 10-9-12, and Orlando City 10-13-9.