WASHINGTON – Matt Besler scored in the 54th minute to lift Sporting Kansas City to a 1-0 victory over D.C. United on Saturday night, earning the top seed in the Eastern Conference.
Sporting (13-9-12), which closed the season with a five-match unbeaten run, will play a two-leg conference semifinal against the higher remaining seed from next week's wild card round.
United, eliminated from playoff contention with a draw against Portland last Wednesday, finished 0-5-1 in its last six matches.
Besler scored on a turnaround shot on a rebound effort following Kei Kamara's corner kick header off the post for the only goal of the match. Replays appeared to show that Omar Bravo tapped the rebound away from D.C.'s Austin Da Luz, and toward Besler, though Bravo was not credited with an assist.
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