A CERTAIN U.S. ICON played his last international match on Friday, and apparently it was kind of a big deal. But MLS stops for no one (sorry Landon), and neither does ASN’s MLS 10. This week, we’re breaking it down by conference.

EASTERN CONF.

1. Oh, Philadelphia

It was all going so well for the Union, which was leading the Crew 2-0 at home with just 12 minutes left on the clock. The seemingly inevitable win would have left Philadelphia just one point behind Columbus for fifth place in the East, but then, disaster struck. Quick-fire goals from Ethan Finlay and Justin Meram drew Columbus level, and within minutes Jairo Arrieta completed the remarkable comeback.

It was heartbreak of a rare kind for the Union, which also blew a late lead at home last week on a brutal Rais M’Bolhi error.

2. Toronto Freefall

Toronto FC seemingly kept its playoff hopes alive with a stunning two-goal comeback against Portland a few weeks back, but three straight losses have followed and now the Canadians are all but eliminated after losing to the Red Bulls on Saturday. When GM Tim Bizbatchenko fired Ryan Nelsen as coach on August 31, the Reds were 9-9-6 and solidly in fourth place. Since then, the team has gone 2-5-1 and is below the red line.

3. Red Bulls Safe

Toronto’s loss is New York’s gain, as the Red Bulls clinched a playoff spot behind its impressive 3-1 win. It’s been a good run for the Red Bulls, who have won three of four en route to playoff qualification. Also of note from Saturday’s contest, Bradley Wright-Phillips scored his 25th goal of the season, leaving him just two shy of record holders Chris Wondolowski and Roy Lassiter.

4. Houston Eliminated

Despite making two of the last three MLS Cups, the Houston Dynamo could not manage to make this year’s playoffs, eliminated following a sobering 3-1 home loss to East leaders D.C. United. The dagger was provided by Fabian Espindola, who capped his lengthy run with a circus chip on a D.C. jailbreak.

5. Revs Run Halted

Following a stunning streak of seven wins in eight games, the New England Revolution only managed a 2-2 draw in Montreal. It’s unlikely to slow down the team’s huge momentum, though, as confidence is running high with Jermaine Jones in great form and Lee Nguyen continuing to make his MVP case. The U.S. national team snub was on target for the 15th time this season, netting a second-half equalizer via a sizeable deflection that resulted in a truly outrageous finish.

WESTERN CONF.

6. Caps Shock Sounders

Few saw this one coming. Needing a win to stay in the playoff picture in the West, the Vancouver Whitecaps got exactly that, stunning the Seattle in its own house. Electric teenager Kekuta Manneh scored the game’s only goal, cutting up Chad Marshall in space before finishing nicely in the last minute of the first half.

7. L.A. Stumbles in Dallas

The Galaxy blew its chance to take a huge lead on Seattle in the Shield race, falling 2-1 to FC Dallas after taking a 1-0 lead on Stefan Ishizaki’s wonder-chip, a Robbie Keane impression that probably edged Espindola’s for goal of the week.

Dallas would fight back, though, getting the winner through a rebounded header from Fabian Castillo. The win keeps Dallas in the hunt for third place in the West, as it sits just one point behind Real Salt Lake with two games to play.

8. Shield Deciders Loom

Because both L.A. and Seattle lost, the Shield will be decided in the last two games of the season, which pit the two Western superpowers against each other in a home-and-home series that may well be a preview of the Western Conference Finals. L.A. needs a win and a draw to claim the regular season title, as L.A. has two fewer wins despite an equal point total.

9. RSL Cruises

Real Salt Lake provided a reminder of its class with a convincing 2-0 win over the reeling San Jose Earthquakes, which now sit in dead last in the West—yes below Chivas USA. Ned Grabavoy opened the scoring with a guided long-range effort, and Sebastian Velasquez sealed the win just five minutes later. To clinch third place in the West, RSL will need to win in Portland before picking up a presumptive win at home against Chivas on the final day of the season.

10. Portland Keeps the Heat on Vancouver

Speaking of Portland, the Timbers won’t go down without a fight—it too smoked San Jose this week, doing so on Wednesday. Rodney Wallace opened the scoring before the in-form Diego Valeri provided a pair of second-half goals.

Portland has a tough end to the season, with RSL visiting next weekend and a trip to Dallas the following weekend. But the Timbers Army will maintain hope of a Vancouver slipup, even though the Whitecaps finish with bottom-dwelling San Jose and Colorado.

What stood out to you the most from the MLS weekend that was? Who do you see winning MLS Cup? Let us know in the comments section below.

Blake Thomsen is a frequent ASN contributor. Follow him on Twitter.