COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 25 (UPI) -- Jeff Larentowicz scored on a free kick in the 79th minute Sunday, giving the New England Revolution a 1-0 victory over Columbus.
In the final regular-season game of the MLS campaign, New England clinched a playoff berth for the eighth consecutive year. The New England victory means the MLS playoff bracket will feature three teams from the Eastern Conference and five from the West.
New England will play Chicago in the opening round of the playoffs. Columbus, which had the best regular-season record in the league, will take on Real Salt Lake in the Eastern bracket.
In the West, Los Angeles will play Chivas USA and Houston will face Seattle.
New England needed only one point Sunday to reach the playoffs and a scoreless draw seemed likely late in the contest. Larentowicz, however, blasted a free kick from 20 yards out over the defensive wall and just under the crossbar for his first goal of the season.
