New-look New York, last year's worst club in MLS, had given new head coach and former Notts County boss Hans Backe a winning start to his tenure last Saturday with a 1-0 opening-day win over the Chicago Fire in the first league game at the soccer-specific Red Bull Arena.

With Backe confined to his hotel due to illness, the Red Bulls' recently-discovered defensive stability travelled intact from east coast to west to deny a Seattle side led by Kasey Keller and spearheaded by Freddie Ljungberg that had last week put three past MLS new boys the Philadelphia Union without reply.

Striker Macoumba Kandji grabbed the goal that gave New York their first away win in 28 starts and silenced a record 36,066 Seattle crowd at Qwest Field.

Kandji struck in the 21st minute as the Sounders failed to clear a cross from the left, the loose ball dropping to the Red Bulls striker who fired home from the six-yard line.

DC United's dire start to the 2010 campaign continued at RFK Stadium as the team from the American capital went down 2-0 to the Steve Nicol-coached New England Revolution.

Hammered 4-0 on the road by the Colorado Rapids last week, United did not give the 20,664 crowd much to cheer for at home either, Kenny Mansally grabbing both goals for the visitors.

The Rapids, meanwhile, found the visit of Chicago more challenging as they settled for a 2-2 draw with the Fire.

Omar Cummings had opened the scoring for the Rapids in the 13th minute before former Fulham striker Collins John got off the mark for his new side Chicago, levelling the scores in the 25th minute.

John's former Craven Cottage team-mate Brian McBride also got on the scoresheet to cancel out Conor Casey's 41st-minute goal, tying the game up at 2-2 after 51 minutes.