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After a weekend off for international play, MLS returns this week to begin the final two weeks of the regular season. D.C. United are currently in third place in the Eastern Conference standings, just two points out of second place but only one ahead of fourth.
United will have their own destiny in their hands as the final two games pit them against other Eastern Conference contenders. This Saturday, D.C. wil host the sixth-place Columbus Crew, who are fighting to get one of the five playoff spots. In the final game of the season, on Oct. 27, D.C. will face the team currently ahead of them by two points, the Chicago Fire.
Chicago and first-place Sporting Kansas City are the only teams in the Eastern Conference to clinch playoff berths thus far.
In the Western Conference, the playoff picture is all but set, with the top four teams already clinching their spot in the postseason. The Vancouver Whitecaps will try, in the final two weeks, to hold off sixth place FC Dallas for the last playoff spot.
Aside from the final spot, the last two weeks in the West will be a battle for seeding. San Jose Earthquakes have locked up the top seed, but Real Salt Lake, the Seattle Sounders and the LA Galaxy could all finish anywhere from second to fourth.
The full standings are below. The top five teams from each conference make the playoffs.
Eastern Conference
1) Sporting Kansas City (59 points)
2) Chicago Fire (56)
3) D.C. United (54)
4) New York Red Bulls (53)
5) Houston Dynamo (50)
6) Columbus Crew (49)
7) Montreal Impact (41)
8) Philadelphia Union (36)
9) New England Revolution (29)
10) Toronto FC (22)
Western Conference
1) San Jose Earthquakes (64 points)
2) Real Salt Lake (55)
3) Seattle Sounders FC (52)
4) LA Galaxy (50)
5) Vancouver Whitecaps (42)
6) FC Dallas (38)
7) Colorado Rapids (31)
8) Portland Timbers (30)
9) Chivas USA (29)