With first place in the Eastern Conference on the line, the Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew played to a scoreless draw before the Fire's largest crowd of the season.
A Toyota Park audience of 18,123 saw the Fire and Crew take 30 shots combined, and the Fire had 11 shots on goal, but neither team managed to score. As a result, the Fire raised their overall record to 6-3-7 (25 points) to take over first place in the East, one point ahead of D.C. United (5-3-9, 24 points) and the Crew, who raised their record to 5-3-9 (24 points).
Perhaps more importantly for the Fire, the game extended their league home winless streak to six games, during which they are 0-2-4. Their only home win this season was in their first game, Apr. 5 against New York. The Fire did win two home games in SuperLiga play two weeks ago.
Hamlett had to fill two defensive spots in his starting lineup, as Gonzalo Segares was with the Costa Rican team in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and Wilman Conde was out with a hamstring strain. Team captain C.J. Brown and Daniel Woolard took those spots, and Hamlett had Dasan Robinson and Austin Washington in reserve.
For the second game in a row, rookie Baggio Husidic moved into the midfield spot left open when Logan Pause was selected for the U.S. Gold Cup team.
There was a lot of activity in the first half but no scoring, but the Crew almost came through in the one minute of stoppage time. Off a clearance from goalkeeper William Hesmer, Jason Garey had the ball on the right side and brought it into the box. He sent a cross over two Fire defenders to Schelotto on the right side but Fire 'keeper Jon Busch punched the shot out. Ekpo's rebound shot went high.
The Crew actually had the better run of play in the first half, although the stats say otherwise. The Fire were credited with 10 shots, six on goal, while Columbus had six shots, two on goal.
Many of the Fire shots came on their eight corner kicks.
The best chance from the corner came when Cuauhtemoc Blanco sent the ball to the head of Brian McBride, whose shot went to the top left corner, where Hesmer punched it out.
Minutes later, in the run of play, Blanco sent a ball over the head of Columbus defender Frankie Hejduk to McBride on the outside left. McBride sent a cross toward Chris Rolfe, who fell down, but Marco Pappa collected the ball, dribble away from the goal, then turned and fired a shot that Hesmer saved.
In the 12th minute, the Fire got lucky when Scheletto corralled the ball with his back to the goal and C.J. Brown behind him. Schelotto turned and sent a pass through Brown's legs but Busch was there for the save.
The second half was much less active than the first. The Fire had a scoring chance in the 63rd minute with Hesmer out of position. Husidic, from the top of the box, sent a through ball toward Hesmer, but Rolfe got a touch on the ball, and Hesmer had to punch the ball out while sprawled on the ground. The ball popped out to Blanco right of goal 12 yards out, but his shot went way high.
In the 73rd minute, Crew reserve Steven Lenhart was offside in the area, but continued toward the ball and ran into Busch. Lenhart's touch ended up in goal but was disallowed.
Hamlett sent Patrick Nyarko into the game in the 75th minute for Husidic. In the 79th minute, Justin Mapp entered the game for Blanco. In the 84th minute, Calen Carr entered the game for Pappa.
The Fire's next match is Wednesday against New England in a semifinal match of SuperLiga 2009. Their next MLS match is at home against San Jose next Saturday. The Crew are also home next weekend, playing host to Real Salt Lake.
Kent McDill is a contributor to MLSnet.com
