A goal from Andy Herron in the 61st minute gave the Chicago Fire a wild 1-0 victory against D.C. United on Sunday afternoon at Toyota Park in a game played for the most part in a driving rain -- that also caused a 25-minute weather delay -- and one that saw the visitors reduced to nine men by the end.
Herron's goal, finishing off a pass from rookie Brian Plotkin that sent him clean through on goal, was the only strike in a game played with playoff-like atmosphere where every ball was contested for by both teams and each side tried to knock the other off their game from the start.
As has been the recent custom in games between Chicago and D.C., the fierce tackles started early, and after only 11 minutes, referee Terry Vaughn had already brandished his yellow card. After a hard challenge on Thiago, Bobby Boswell received the first caution of the game. On the same play, after vigorously disputing the call, Jaime Moreno was also booked.
The first real dangerous chance came in the 14th minute on a Fire corner kick, when United 'keeper Troy Perkins came off his line to grab the ball but couldn't come up with it. It allowed Chris Armas to shoot, but the ball sailed high over the crossbar.
Minutes later the D.C. response when Moreno tried to dribble past C.J. Brown in the left of the area. Just after he pushed the ball past near the end line Moreno went down under Brown's sliding attempt to stop the ball, but Vaughn ruled it a clean play.
The home side had another good chance to open the scoring in the 21st minute when Chris Rolfe got up for a header from a freekick that was crossed in, but the effort sailed wide in the best chance for Chicago to that moment.
United's Christian Gomez had a good look at putting his side ahead in the 27th minute, after receiving a pass from Matias Donnet, who was very effective in combining with his fellow Argentinean in a new role in the center of midfield. After carrying the ball upfield, Donnet slid the ball to Gomez, but just as he shot, Brown was able to close the space and force the shot wide.
In the 35th minute Herron anticipated a pass and picked it off before centering a chance for Fire captain Chris Armas. While Armas lost the opportunity when he lost his balance in the area, it was another side of how the pace of Herron gave the Fire the advantage in the contest.
Three minutes later the Fire had a penalty claim of their own not given. Gonzalo Segares raced forward on the left and got in behind United midfielder Josh Gros. As he tried to shoot, he began to fall as Gros tried to track him down, and while he made contact and the ball rolled past Perkins, again Vaughn waved play on.
In the opening minutes of the second half, under a light shower, United came out the stronger. Gomez let fly from outside the area and the ball was headed for the goal, but the reaction of Fire 'keeper Matt Pickens was precise and he dove across the goal to palm it away for a corner kick.
Chicago then opened the scoring in the 61st minute. Plotkin, who had come on in the first half for Nate Jaqua, forced off after a clash of heads, sent a perfect through ball for Herron. The Costa Rican found the gap between the United back three and carried in alone on goal before sending a low shot underneath Perkins as he came off his line to challenge.
The rain began to get stronger, and after bolts of lightning were seen nearby, the game had to be suspended for 25 minutes in the 70th minute. When play resumed, the Fire came out with the intentions of re-establishing their dominance. Just four minutes after the restart, Bryan Namoff came in late in a challenge on Herron, and Vaughn sent him off, showing him his second yellow card of the match.
The pace of Herron, and then substitute Calen Carr, who replaced the Costa Rican in the 81st minute, continued to cause the United defense difficulty and brought a number of hard fouls.
D.C. was then reduced to nine men in the 87th minute when Gros was sent off after coming in late on Thiago and catching the Brazilian's foot with his cleats.
Although they were chasing the tying goal -- and had a few corner kicks -- United's play was imprecise over the final minutes as they also weren't able to overcome the man disadvantage.
With the win, the Fire didn't quite secure their place in the MLS Cup Playoffs, but still have a commanding hold on second place in the Eastern Conference with 41 points, six ahead of the New England Revolution, while United were also denied in their bid to guarantee home-field advantage throughout the postseason.
Raquel Ortiz is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
