MLS' Western Conference remains a tight squeeze for Minnesota United, everyone else

With four weekends and five games left in Minnesota United's MLS regular season, four points separate seven teams vying for the Western Conference's final six playoff spots.

Once in second place, United — and every team around it — is in danger of missing the playoffs by the time "Decision Day" and the regular-season finale on Oct. 6.

A listless 2-0 loss Wednesday at slumping Houston, one that followed an unexpected 2-0 road victory over runaway conference leader LAFC, kept the Loons from moving back into second place, ahead of Real Salt Lake and Seattle. They are in fourth, one point behind those two teams, a point ahead of San Jose and two points ahead of Portland and Dallas.

The Loons are three points ahead of L.A. Galaxy, which is in eighth and would be out of the playoffs if the season ended now. They got help Wednesday when 10th-place Colorado defeated the Galaxy and kept it from tying United's 45 points.

Sunday's game against Real Salt Lake at Allianz Field gives one team the chance to not only solidify a playoff spot, but create room in the chase for one of three home-field playoff spots.

"With how difficult the West is, the first goal should be qualifying," United veteran defender Ike Opara said. "Then we can try and set the goal of hosting a home game. Realistically, we want a home game, but we have to take care of game to game before we can even entertain that idea.

"We play nothing but Western Conference teams to finish out the year. Every game is a six-pointer from here on out."

Mason Toye and Hassani Dotson aimed themselves toward the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with what Loons coach Adrian Heath called their "really good" week together at a U.S. Under-23 national team camp.

"The fact they got away and made a good impression is terrific for them," Heath said. "If they were to be involved next year, it would be disappointing that they might be away from us for a long period of time. But for them to say they played in the Olympic Games would be incredible."

Toye scored a goal in a closed-door game against Japan on Monday, when both played only the first 45 minutes. They did so again for United two days later at Houston.

Houston's Christian Ramirez apologized to United supporters on Twitter for emotionally celebrating his goal Wednesday against his former team, saying he "didn't mean any disrespect."

"It would have been different if it had been in Minnesota," he said. "When they built the stadium, I always had a dream of scoring there and celebrating with fans because we had so many memories together."

Ramirez played nearly five seasons in Minnesota before United traded him 13 months ago to LAFC. Wednesday's game was his first against his former mates.

• Rookie left back Chase Gasper is suspended for Sunday's game because of yellow-card accumulations. He picked up another one in Wednesday's first half.

• Newcomer Wilfried Moimbe-Tahrat's first goal with United on last week's bending, direct free kick against CF Pachuca was as pretty a one as you'll see. His stationary celebratory dance afterward? "It might have been the worst I've ever seen, for the quality of the goal," Heath said. "He's going to have to do some work on that."