Game of the week

D.C. United at Columbus

First place in the East will be on the line in this ESPN2 game of the week. The defending MLS champion Crew started the season a bit shaky but they've been virtually impossible to beat ever since. D.C. United has had a week off since its brutal 3-0 loss at Colorado.

1. Houston (8-3-4): Unbeaten streak had to end sometime, but to the Galaxy?

2. Chivas USA (8-4-3): Will take a week off to try to recover from a brutal SuperLiga.

3. Columbus (5-3-7): Got the job done in last week's 1-0 victory over New York.

4. D.C. United (5-3-8): Heads to Columbus this week hoping to hang onto first in the East.

5. Chicago (5-3-6): Did well to advance out of group play in SuperLiga.

6. Seattle (6-3-7): Stagnant offense came to life in a 3-0 whipping of Colorado.

7. Colorado (5-3-6): Loss at Seattle was just the Rapids' third loss of the season.

8. Kansas City (5-5-4): Like Chivas, it failed to advance out of SuperLiga group play.

9. Real Salt Lake (5-6-4): Is on a four-game unbeaten streak, and starting to find its groove.

10. Toronto FC (6-6-4): With so many road games remaining, making the playoffs will be tough.

11. New England (4-4-4): Won its SuperLiga group to advance to the semifinals.

12. Los Angeles (3-3-9): Did well to snap Houston's 11-game unbeaten streak.

13. FC Dallas (3-7-5): For this team, tying Colorado was a respectable result.

14. San Jose (3-8-3): At the midpoint of the season, San Jose is nine points out of a playoff spot.

15. New York (2-12-4): Perhaps New York is trying to finish with the worst record in MLS history.

Friday, July 3

San Jose at Real Salt Lake, 8 p.m. (KUTV2.2)

Saturday, July 4

D.C. United at Columbus, 5 p.m. (ESPN2)

Chicago at Colorado, 7 p.m. (DirectKick)

Houston at Kansas City, 7 p.m. (DirectKick)

New York at FC Dallas, 7 p.m. (DirectKick)

New England at Los Angeles, 9 p.m. (FSC)

Saturday, June 20

Chicago 2, San Luis 1

Tigres UANL 2, Chivas USA 1

Tuesday, June 23

Chicago Fire 1, Chivas USA 0

San Luis 3, Tigres UANL 1

Saturday, June 27

Tigres UANL 2, Chicago 1

Chivas USA 1, San Luis 1

Sunday, June 21

Kansas City 0, Atlas 0

New England 4, Santos Laguna 2

Wednesday, June 24

New England 1, Kansas City 1