Sporting Kansas City defeated Minnesota United 2-0 in MLS on Saturday to keep pace with FC Dallas in the Western Conference, as Real Salt Lake thrashed the Colorado Rapids.
Sporting KC opened the scoring at Children's Mercy Park in the 47th minute, when Yohan Croizet received a pass from Johnny Russell with his back to goal, before turning and firing a low finish past Bobby Shuttleworth.
Diego Rubio doubled the lead two minutes past the hour mark, Russell again supplying the assist as the pace and movement of the home side's attack proved too much for the Minnesota defense to cope with.
After Dallas dropped points in a 1-1 draw at Houston Dynamo, second-placed Sporting's win sees them close to within a point of their rivals.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Colorado had two players, Niki Jackson and Bismark Boateng, sent off in the first half of a match at home to Real Salt Lake, with RSL running rampant to win 6-0.
Jefferson Savarino netted a brace for the dominant visitors in the first half, adding to an early goal from Damir Kreilach to make it 3-0 at the half.
Joao Plata and Corey Baird netted in the second half before Albert Ruznak rounded out the scoring in the 86th.
A six-pack for @RealSaltLake.#COLvRSL // Heineken #RivalryWeek https://t.co/HeAGRpy6Ld
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) August 26, 2018
In the Eastern Conference, Sebastian Giovinco scored twice in the space of 15 first-half minutes as Toronto eased to a 3-1 win at home against the Montreal Impact, helping the defending MLS champion close the gap on the sixth-placed team in the East.
Cory Burke netted the only goal of the game early in the second half for the Philadelphia Union in a 1-0 victory over New England.
And in the final match of the day, the Vancouver Whitecaps made a stunning comeback.
Trailing 2-0 just ahead of the hour mark, Yordy Reyna started the comeback with Cristian Techera and Kei Kamara following on inside 10 minutes to turn the match on its head and give the Whitecaps a 3-2 win.