When playing against the best team in Major League Soccer, the Chicago Fire had to play an almost mistake-free game Sunday if they wanted to tally a huge three points against visiting D.C. United in their attempt to gain advantage in the chase for the MLS Cup Playoffs.
For the first 83 minutes, the Fire were up to the challenge. Chad Barrett scored in the 18th minute, and the Fire had made it stand up.
But then Jaime Moreno made Chicago pay in the 84th minute. The Bolivian international -- on Hispanic Heritage Day at Toyota Park -- capitalized on a misplayed ball deep in Chicago territory which led to his sixth goal of the season, but more importantly for United, a 1-1 draw.
The game left United three points clear at the top of the table as they try to win the MLS Supporters' Shield for the second consecutive season. But of more interest is the other end of the table; the Fire's single point moved them a point ahead of the Columbus Crew for eighth place in the overall standings and the final playoff spot.
Chicago's offense wasted little time putting the visitors on their heels when Cuauhtémoc Blanco attempted a shot from 25 yards that sailed high of the United net in the first minute of play.
Six minutes later, United's Luciano Emilio took an attempt from outside the restraining arc but Fire 'keeper Matt Pickens (five saves) stopped the ball with his chest for his first save of the contest.
Chicago remained on the attack and had two corner opportunities with its best chance in the 14th minute. Blanco sailed a corner to the far post and Wilman Conde was there for the header, but D.C. goalkeeper Troy Perkins responded to the attempt and grabbed it for the save.
In the 18th minute, the finally broke through. Possessing the ball five yards behind the halfway stripe, Blanco lofted a pass 35 yards in the air that led a sprinting Barrett down the center of the field. The Fire forward then corralled the ball and shielded D.C. defender Bryan Namoff to possess the ball on the right side of his body.
Barrett raced inside the D.C. penalty box and hit an angled shot, beating Perkins inside the left post from 12 yards out to give Chicago the lead. With the goal, it was Barrett's sixth tally of the season while Blanco collected his sixth assist.
The Fire continued possessing the ball for a majority of the first half as they recorded five shots and also had five corner kick opportunities during that time span. However, D.C. United would not go quietly into the break.
D.C. midfielder Domenic Mediate and Moreno had shots on goal in the 34th and 42nd minutes respectively but both attempts resulted in diving saves by Pickens. In the 45th minute, Emilio took his second shot of the game but Conde was able to block the 10-yard header from almost on the goal line which maintained Chicago's lead going into halftime.
Namoff came out of the game for D.C. in the 43rd minute when he collided with a Chicago player near the Fire sideline that resulted in an ankle injury. The defender was replaced with midfielder Clyde Simms.
Chicago came out firing to open the second half, with Calen Carr forcing an attempt in the 49th minute that sailed wide right of the D.C. goal.
United picked up its first yellow card of the match in the 50th minute when Brian Carroll was called for a reckless foul. The D.C. midfielder was then replaced three minutes later by forward Nicholas Addlery.
Chicago had a great opportunity to double its lead in the 60th minute. Lined up 35 yards out and to the right of the United goal, Blanco won a direct free kick after he was fouled by D.C. defender Bobby Boswell. Conde lined up three yards to Blanco's right side and then dashed toward the United goal when Blanco touched the ball.
Blanco fed Conde a beautiful leading pass that the Chicago defender took into the penalty area. As Conde geared up to take the shot, Perkins came to meet him. Conde's first attempt was blocked by diving Perkins in the chest and the ball found Conde for a rebound opportunity. However, Conde was met by D.C. defenders and was unable to find the back of the net on the second chance effort.
Simms recorded his first shot of the game when he blasted a shot 25 yards in front of the Chicago goal but Pickens continued his masterful play as he dove to his right to stop the chance in the 66th minute.
D.C. made another substitution, this time in the 69th minute, when Mediate was replaced fellow midfielder Stephen deRoux.
United did not give up and had a great chance in the 75th minute. Simms crossed a pass lofting toward Josh Gros that the winger headed just to the right of the Chicago goal but Pickens once again was able to get himself in perfect position to stop the effort.
But all of United's pressure paid off when they showed why they are the best team in MLS in the 84th minute.
As he tried to clear the ball out of his own area, Chicago forward Chris Rolfe lost the ball and it ended up by the feet of Moreno inside the penalty area. The United captain took a quick second, settled and then placed a tremendous shot that went high, hugging the inside of the right post where even Pickens could not reach, tying the game at 1-1.
Chicago was unable to recover after the goal as its opponents forced the Fire to play at a breakneck pace but the host squad could not beat Perkins again in the game. Rolfe forced one more save out of Perkins at one end, while in the dying moments, Emilio saw his shot tipped over the bar for a corner, but the teams ended with a share of the points.
Tim Hilton is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
