MLS Review: Zlatan hits 500 in loss, Houston dominates Portland

Zlatan Ibrahimovic brought up a bit of history with his 500th career goal on Saturday night, while the Houston Dynamo got a much-needed win in dominant fashion against the Portland Timber. 

Ibrahimovic rang up number 500 in style , his roundhouse kick pulling a goal back for a Galaxy side that still trailed by two goals even after his brilliant strike. 

The Galaxy did make a comeback, leveling matters briefly before Toronto FC netted twice in the final 15 minutes to take a 5-3 win on the night, leaving LA in need of some positive results to have any shot at a playoff place. 

Toronto has plenty of work to do as well, with the defending MLS Cup champion still nine points back of the sixth and final playoff spot in the East. 

Another team looking to make a late playoff push got a big boost on Saturday, as the Houston Dynamo took a dominant 4-1 win over the Portland Timbers. 

Alejandro Fuenmayor's own goal had the Timbers in front early on, but Alberth Elis pulled the Dynamo level before a Mauro Manotas brace put the match away. Fuenmayor even atoned for his early mistake with a late goal to give the game its final scoreline. 

A brace from Raul Ruidíaz kept the Seattle Sounders streaking as the club took a 2-1 win over the Vancouver Whitecaps.

The win makes it nine on the trot for the defending Western Conference champions, who are still not safely in the playoffs but have risen fifth in the Western Conference table. 

Two goals in eight minutes for Miguel Almiron sparked Atlanta United to a 3-0 win over the struggling Colorado Rapids. 

For Atlanta, the win takes the club back to the top of the league table, while the Rapids were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. 

After falling behind early on the Montreal Impact took a 4-1 win over Philadelphia, pulling the Canadian outfit within one point of the Union. The clubs sit fifth and sixth respectively in the Eastern Conference table and are fighting with the Columbus Crew for the fourth spot, which would mean a playoff game at home. 

Speaking of the Crew, they took a respectable 0-0 draw with Western Conference leader FC Dallas on the night to leave themselves just in front of the chasing pack. 

Minnesota United did the chasing pack a favor in the West, holding fourth-placed Real Salt Lake to a 1-1 draw. The result leaves RSL just one point up on Seattle and Portland, while the two Cascadia clubs both hold at least one game in hand on the Lakers. 

Sporting Kansas City made easy work of the San Jose Earthquakes, running to a 5-1 win to stay in second place out West, while the Earthquakes have already been knocked out of playoff contention. 

LAFC, the team directly chasing SKC, was held to a 1-1 draw by the New England Revolution. Marco Urena put LAFC out in front just after the break, but rookie Brandon Bye was on hand to score his first MLS goal and earn a draw for the Revs, who are fighting for a playoff spot in the East but still sit outside the top six.