Club Deportivo Chivas USA have caused an upset in the Western Conference by winning 1-0 away at Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium.
The away side shaded the first half and should have gone ahead after 16 minutes but Peter Vagenas failed to convert a gilt-edged chance from six yards after an inch-perfect cross from Laurent Courtois.
Rauwshan McKenzie had the chance to atone for his teammate's error seconds later, as he was put through one-on-one, but 25-year-old was denied his first goal for the club by a sprawling save by Nick Rimando.
Salt Lake improved after the break but, after Luis Gil and Fabian Espindola had narrowly fallen victim to the Chivas offside trap and Chris Schuler had fired agonisingly wide, they fell behind.
With 18 minutes remaining, Casey Townsend manufactured a yard of space on the edge of the Real penalty area and unleashed a vicious strike that flew beyond Rimando into the roof of the net.
The win gave Robin Fraser's team their first points of the season, while it ended Salt Lake's perfect record.
