COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) - An off-duty firefighter went into cardiac arrest after a lightning strike in the Columbus Crew's stadium parking lot Saturday night, sending him to the hospital in critical condition and leading the Major League Soccer team to postpone its game against FC Dallas.
Firefighters said there was a lightning strike outside of the stadium, but it's not known if the off-duty lieutenant was struck directly, Columbus Fire Department Battalion Chief Tracy Smith said.
She said he was in critical condition in the intensive care unit at the Ohio State Medical Center and that it takes between two and three days to determine the total effects of a possible lightning strike.
Callers reported the lightning strike to emergency officials around 8 p.m., just before the Crew's scheduled start against Dallas.
"To all - we are sincerely sorry about tonight's postponement, but your safety is of the utmost importance," Crew owner Anthony Precourt said on Twitter. "We'll share more info as we can, but a member of our community was severely injured by the weather. Praying for him."
The Crew later said the match was postponed due to the "extenuating circumstances." The team said that rescheduling information will be available "in the near future" and that tickets from Saturday will be honored.
The game was scheduled to start at 8 p.m. The storm with heavy rain and lightning bursts rolled through about 15 minutes before kickoff. Fans were told to evacuate the stands and head toward the concourses of the double-decked stadium. The game was called at 9:12 p.m.
SOUNDERS 1, D.C. UNITED 0
WASHINGTON (AP) - Chad Barrett scored in the 39th minute to help Seattle beat D.C. United.
Gonzalo Pineda lofted a cross and Barrett headed the feed from the penalty spot past goalkeeper Bill Hamid. The goal was Barrett's third goal in four games and his fourth of the season.
Seattle (11-3-2) won its third straight and extended its undefeated streak to five games. United is 7-5-4.
RAPIDS 2, WHITECAPS 0
COMMERCE CITY, Colo. (AP) - Dillon Powers and Vicente Sanchez scored first-half goals and Colorado beat Vancouver to snap the Whitecaps' team-record undefeated streak at eight games.
Rapids goalkeeper Clint Irwin robbed Johnny Leveron with a diving save of a hard left-footed shot in the 83rd minute to preserve his sixth shutout of the season.
Colorado improved to 7-5-4, and Vancouver dropped to 5-3-7.
UNION 3, REVOLUTION 1
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. (AP) - Sebastien Le Toux scored in the 42nd and 78th minutes to lead Philadelphia past New England in Jim Curtin's first game as the Union's interim head coach.
Danny Cruz added a goal for Philadelphia (4-7-6), which has scored three goals in four of its last five matches. Saer Sene scored for New England (7-6-2).
GALAXY 1, EARTHQUAKES 0
SANTA CLARA, Calif. (AP) - Gyasi Zardes scored in the 62nd minute to give the Galaxy over San Jose in front of 50,006 fans at Stanford Stadium.
The Galaxy (5-3-5) extended their unbeaten streak to five games for the first time since the 2012 season and moved up to a tie for sixth place with the Portland Timbers.
The Quakes (4-6-4) had their best chance to draw even on a header by Steven Lenhart in the 88th minute. Galaxy goalkeeper Jaime Penedo blocked it safely over the top of the goal - the only save needed in his second shutout of the season.
CHIVAS USA 1, REAL SALT LAKE 0
CARSON, Calif. (AP) - Erick Torres scored his 10th goal of the season on a stunning volley, and Chivas USA edged 10-man Real Salt Lake.
Chivas USA (3-7-5) ended a four-game winless streak and recorded its first shutout of the season.
Real Salt Lake's Luke Mulholland was given a red card in the ninth minute for a studs-up tackle of Martin Rivero.
RSL (6-3-7) was already without central midfielder Kyle Beckerman and goalkeeper Nick Rimando, who are playing in the World Cup for the U.S.
The loss extended Real Salt Lake's winless streak to five matches.