MLS Standings 2012: FC Dallas Sitting At Sixth In West After Big Win

FC Dallas is currently sitting just outside of the playoff picture now in Major League Soccer following a key 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake on Saturday night. It's a surprising place to see Dallas considering the awful form that they had been showing in the past several weeks prior to a recent surge since getting back 2010 MLS MVP David Ferreira.

Dallas is in sixth in the Western standings with 32 points, five behind the fifth-place Vancouver Whitecaps. Dallas plays the 'Caps once more during the remaining six league games, which should give them a chance to improve in the standings. It helps that they are also five points clear of Chivas USA and six points clear of the Colorado Rapids, the two teams closest to leapfrogging them. Chivas and Colorado drew 1-1 over the weekend.

Their hopes at taking the Supporter's Shield are essentially done and dusted, but with a couple more winnable games peppering the rest of their schedule they will have a great shot at making the MLS Cup playoffs as they seek their first trophy since 1997.

The full MLS standings for both the conferences and the Supporter's Shield race can be found over at MLSSoccer.com.

For more news and analysis on FC Dallas as the Major League Soccer playoff race starts to heat up, head over to Big D Soccer. More on the wide world of soccer can be found over at SB Nation's Dedicated Soccer Hub.