Chicago, New England win to boost MLS chances

FRISCO, Texas (AP) Chicago and New England boosted their Major League Soccer playoff hopes with victories on Saturday, while Montreal, Dallas and Philadelphia failed to gain the victories they sought to improve their own postseason ambitions.

Chicago won 3-2 at Dallas to move into fifth place the last playoff spot in the Eastern Conference while Dallas remained seven points adrift of the top five in the West.

New England also pulled off a vital away win, beating Montreal 1-0 to creep within a point of the three teams including the Impact who occupy fourth through sixth in the East.

Philadelphia would have been budgeting on a win at lowly D.C. United but was held to a 1-1 draw in Washington, and remained one of those three teams locked on 46 points in fourth to sixth.

Chicago opened the scoring at Dallas in the 25th minute when Mike Magee swung in a corner from the left and Juan Luis Anangono headed home.

Magee then scored his 19th goal of the season tying the league lead with Montreal's Marco di Vaio in the 42nd minute when Alex's shot deflected off Magee's right shoulder.

Defender Jalil Anibaba put Chicago up 3-0 in the 52nd minute with his first goal of the season.

Dallas fought back with two second-half goals from Kenny Cooper, but the home defeat left the Texan club's campaign on the brink.

New England's Jose Goncalves scored the sole goal in the 31st minute, extending Montreal's winless streak to five games.

The Revolution's win was tarnished by the loss of forward Saer Sene to a broken leg in the 19th minute.

Philadelphia needed a 90th minute goal from substitute Jack McInerney to salvage a point at D.C. United.

The Washington club looked like recording only its fourth win of the season after taking the lead via a Nick DeLeon long-range swerver in the 36th minute and creating ample opportunities to score more.

However McInerney scored a rare goal when he headed in a Kleberson cross from close range.