Coming off last weekend’s 3-0 demolition of Toronto that bodes well for next year, Chivas USA’s season hangs by a thread as it meets the Philadelphia Union today at 5 p.m. at Home Depot Center (live on Prime and KWHY).

The teams combined for five goals earlier in the season in a 3-2 Union win in Philadelphia. Chivas USA’s opponents are still in with a chance to leapfrong to the top the Eastern Conference with a win today after leaders Sporting Kansas City could only tie 1-1 Saturday at San Jose.

Final: Galaxy 2 Real Salt Lake 1

A come from behind win against a team that is one of the Galaxy’s closest rivals shortly before the regular season ends won’t hurt morale in the LA camp.

As a bonus, RSL are eliminated from the Supporters’ Shield race, while the Galaxy need just two more points after tonight to clinch a second successive regular season title.

More later.

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Landon Donovan was subbed out in the 89th minute for Michael Stephens after he went down, apparently untouched, and holding his head. Not sure what the issue was there.

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Noted: if the result stands the Galaxy will have pulled even in the win column with RSL with seven wins apiece. We’re in the 87th minute.

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Adam Cristman replaced Chad Barrett in the 74th minute for the Galaxy; Javier Morales exited the game for RSL in the 80th minute.

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Another weird goal has put the Galaxy ahead in the 72nd minute.

Todd Dunivant scored when a David Beckham free kick was headed on by Robbie Keane Landon Donovan to the far post. Dunivant’s innocuous looking touch at the end line bounced off Chris Wingert, then hit Nat Borchers and ended up in the back of the net for an own goal.

Not that Borchers or Wingert knew much about the goal; RSL will leave the stadium scratching their collective heads if they lose.

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That was David Beckham’s league-leading 15th assist of the season; the Galaxy assist record in a season is held by Mauricio Cienfuegos, who managed 17 in 1999.

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The Galaxy equalized with one of the strangest goals they’ve scored this year in the 59th minute. Chad Barrett ran onto a David Beckham free kick and with RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando apparently screened by Jamison Olave, the UCLA product poked the ball into the net with the outside of his left foot from a yard or two out.

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Yordany Alvarez received a yellow card in the 57th minute for bringing down Landon Donovan in full flight.

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Paulo Cardozo showed why he retained his place in the starting lineup after dispossessing Yordany Alvarez just outside the RSL box; the end product was quite as good, however – his shot ended up way high and wide of the mark.

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Javier Morales received a yellow card in the 48th minute for throwing the ball away after the referee awarded a free kick against him.

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Noted: the Galaxy are the only MLS team who remain unbeaten at home this season.

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Incidentally, the Angel City Brigade have renamed themslves the Hayden City Brigade for today’s game to recognize a little boy who is battling cancer. Read about Hayden here.

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Things got a little messy out there as the half drew to a close with the Galaxy’s Paolo Cardozo getting a yellow for a challenge on Will Johnson; then former Galaxy midfielder Ned Grabavoy received one for a nasty looking challenge on Landon Donovan near the Galaxy penalty box.

No one, however, was booked after a series of questionable challenges on a battling Beckham; he didn’t even get the call, but RSL was awarded a free kick.

A couple of questionable calls had Galaxy fans lustily booing the Kevin Stott-led officiating crew as they left the field at the half.

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RSL took the lead in the 45th minute from a Javier Morales corner kick that was turned into the net by a Fabian Espindola header at the near post. It was a relatively easy goal that left Josh Saunders shaking his head.

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David Beckham sent a 39th minute free kick from about 25 yards out skimming just past Rimando’s post.

Fabian Espindola received a yellow card presumably for the argy bargy with Chad Barrett that ensued after the free kick was awarded.

Moments later Omar Gonzalez received a yellow for leaving his feet in a challenge against Will Johnson at the other end of the field.

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RSL goalkeeper Nick Rimando required treatment in the 36th minute after colliding with the Galaxy’s Omar Gonzalez, who got his head on the end of a David Beckham free kick.

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Juninho shot over the bar from outside the penalty box in the 26th minute; there was an audible buzz from the crowd who knows that’s his sweet spot for a potentially spectacular goal.

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Goal hero Juninho went down around the quarter hour mark clutching hs leg after a challenge; he’s back on the field though.

Real Salt Lake playmaker Javier Morales, making his first start since a gruesome ankle injury in May, had a 17th minute free kick tipped over the bar by Josh Saunders.

It was the best goalscoring chance so far after a rather subdued start by both teams.

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Seattle’s 2-1 win over the New England Revolution earlier today means the Galaxy can’t clinch the Supporters Shield tonight, but a win or a draw would eliminate Real Salt Lake from contention for the regular season title.

The Galaxy need five more points from their four remaining games, including this evening’s contest, and the title will belong to them no matter what any other team does.

Donovan Ricketts is missing through injury yet again tonight, which means Josh Saunders has a shot at what would be a team-leading eighth shutout tonight (he’s tied with Ricketts with seven).

Robbie Keane is restored to the starting lineup for the first time the Sept. 17 visit of Vancouver when he scored twice; he will partner Chad Barrett up front.

Here’s the Galaxy XI: Josh Saunders-Bryan Jordan, Omar Gonzalez, A.J. DeLaGarza, Todd Dunivant-Paolo Cardozo, David Beckham, Juninho, Landon Donovan-Chad Barrett, Robbie Keane

Real Salt Lake is coming off back to back three-goal losses so will be out to redeem themselves tonight.

The RSL lineup; Nick Rimando-Chris Schuler, Nat Borchers, Jamison Olave, Chris Wingert-Yordany Alvarez, Will Johnson, Javier Morales, Ned Grabavoy, Fabian Espidola, Alvaro Saborio

Playmaker Kyle Beckerman is suspended.

The game is on FSN. Refresh this post for updates throughout the game.

The pink on the field tonight? It’s for breast cancer awareness.

In the wake of their most thrilling victory of the year, the MLS-leading Galaxy can wrap up the largely meaningless MLS regular season title tonight at Home Depot Center with a win over nemesis Real Salt Lake.

RSL, which beat the Galaxy in the 2009 MLS Cup final and was among the preseason favorites to repeat that feat, pounded the Galaxy earlier in the season, but things are looking a little different these days.