Quick review of a very busy Round 23 in Major League Soccer

Chicago was 20 minutes from being on serious life support. With players and coaches brawling in the locker room and things generally going all sideways, Denis Hamlett’s side was 20 minutes from being shut out at home for the second time in four nights. Then magic happened in Bridgeview as Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Mike Banner and Dasan Robinson scored in what could be a defining moment for the Fire, an improbable 3-2 win.

Kheli Dube struck for a hat trick as New England stays on an upswing with a 3-1 win over fading Real Salt Lake. I was among those who thought Real Salt Lake was a legit title contender this year. Now the Lakers may not so much as make the playoffs. When assessing where it all went wrong in 2009, that 1-8-2 mark on the road is a great place to start.

In California, we see that Sacha Kljestan lives! He struck for two – his first two this year – as Chivas USA made it two in a row.

Without the Juan Carlos Osorio anchor to drag around, Red Bull New York won for the first time since May, downing FC Dallas at Giants Stadium (3-2) to ensure a happy debut for interim manager Richie Williams. Making the win even more impressive: Red Bull played the final 30 minutes (and found the game-winner) while playing a man down, following Kevin Goldthwaite’s fourth career ejection.

The most important thing to know about that match, however, considering that both of these sides are deader than ? in terms of the playoffs: There are just four matches inside Giants Stadium remaining for the club. Yesterday, fans were treated to the whole shebang in terms of those dizzying football lines, with NFL logo and all. Matches on that stuff are simply unwatchable.

Is the knucklehead department: Which was more ridiculous, Goldthwaite’s ejection for slapping a Dallas player, or Dasan Robinson sucking a little bit of the life out of Chicago’s amazing rally? Robinson, carrying a yellow card, had just supplied the winning goal when he decided life just wouldn’t be complete unless he stripped off his jersey in celebration. Referees have no discretion in this matter. Second yellow. Red. And now Chicago is even more short on defenders, as Robinson will sit and watch the next Fire outing.

I'm reading a lot of the LA Galaxy comments about their side’s weekend, and I don't get it. The Galaxy did not play well in a 0-0 result at RFK. On the other hand, United is a team that likes to attack. LA was playing its second road match in four days, having just taken all the points in a mid-week match in Chicago. To come out of RFK with a point -- and to earn four points off two road matches -- is an achievement. Teams simply cannot be at their best every time out. To recognize those moments and to dig in and earn the point says something.

Finally, managers are angry these days: After a recent rash managers being sent into MLS version of "timeout" for naughtiness, now we’ve even got assistant coaches being shown to the stadium tunnels. Revolution assistant manager Paul Mariner was sent off during his team’s match with Seattle. (He joined Steve Nicol up in the crow’s nest; Nicol was there as part of his suspension.) And later in Round 23, San Jose assistant Ian Russell was kicked out of the match. I certainly understand that MLS officiating can drive people bat-shit crazy. But, fellas, you’re setting a pretty poor example.

MLS team of the week:

GK Joe Cannon, San Jose

DF Bryan Namoff, D.C. United

DF Omar Gonzalez, LA Galaxy

DF Jay Heaps, New England

DF Leo Gonzalez, Seattle

MF, Osvaldo Alonso, Seattle

MF, Albert Celades, Red Bull NY

MF, Sacha Kljestan, Chivas USA

MF, Fred, DC United

FW Kheli Dube, New England

FW Mike Banner, Chicago