Bradley Wright-Phillips moved a step closer to the MLS Golden Boot as the New York Red Bulls pulled clear of New York City FC in the race for the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
Wright-Phillips scored twice to lead the Red Bulls to a 3-2 victory over the Columbus Crew on Sunday, taking his tally to 23 goals for the season.
The Englishman is one ahead of David Villa, whose NYCFC slumped to a 3-1 loss at D.C. United.
BW#dare2BWP#NYvCLB#REDTogether#RBNY pic.twitter.com/PwIB7iCdYS
— New York Red Bulls (@NewYorkRedBulls) October 16, 2016
Despite Villa scoring a late penalty, NYCFC could not deny a rampant D.C. outfit the win and a playoff berth in the penultimate round of the season, leaving the former three points adrift of the Red Bulls.
The Montreal Impact also booked their spot in the postseason following a 2-2 draw against third-place Toronto FC, albeit with some help from the New England Revolution.
Ignacio Piatti's brace had the Impact on track for all three points until Tosaint Ricketts' 86th-minute equalizer but the draw was still enough after the Revolution — who sit three points behind the sixth and final playoff spot in the East — lost 2-1 at the Chicago Fire.
The Philadelphia Union occupy the remaining postseason position, despite going down 2-0 to Orlando City.
FC Dallas leapfrogged the Colorado Rapids atop the Western Conference after seeing off the Seattle Sounders 2-1.
What a return to Toyota Stadium!#FCDvSEA pic.twitter.com/nIMTgHw2Zy
— X - FC Dallas (@FCDallas) October 16, 2016
Goals from Maximiliano Urruti and Carlos Ruiz canceled out Nicolas Lodeiro's opener as Dallas moved to the summit at the expense of Colorado, which was beaten by the playoff chasing Portland Timbers 1-0.
The reigning champion Timbers are seventh in the West but level on points with sixth-place Sporting Kansas City, which drew 0-0 at Real Salt Lake — a result that left both teams sweating on their postseason hopes.
The Sounders are only a point better off in fifth.
The LA Galaxy — third in the West standings — edged the lowly Houston Dynamo 1-0, while the San Jose Earthquakes and Vancouver Whitecaps played out a goalless stalemate.