Despite a late push, the Columbus Crew ended knotted up with the Chicago Fire as the teams played to a scoreless draw Saturday night at Toyota Park. With the draw, the Crew (5-3-9, 24 points) remain in second place in the Eastern Conference, now tied with D.C. United, one point behind the Fire (6-3-7, 25 points).
The Crew were without one of their leading scorers, as Alejandro Moreno was out with a hamstring injury. Columbus looked to Guillermo Barros Schelotto and Emmanuel Ekpo to pick up the slack. The duo combined for four shots, out of the Crew's six in the first half.
Crew goalkeeper William Hesmer started off the match busy as Cuauhtemoc Blanco sent an attempt toward goal in just the fourth minute. Hesmer easily made the save. Two minutes later Ekpo blasted an attempt wide right.
Schelotto took the Crew's first dangerous attempt in the 13th minute. Columbus midfielder Eddie Gaven headed the ball into the box. Guarded closely by Brown, Schelotto spun and shot. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch barely got his fingers on it, but managed to grab it for the save.
Six minutes later Chicago defender Daniel Woolard missed on a clearance attempt. Gaven found an open Jason Garey in the box. Garey sent a short, but firm ball toward goal. But Busch grabbed it to end the threat.
Brown broke up a Schelotto run in the 21st minute, lifting his right leg high and blocking the ball.
Hesmer came up huge for the Crew in the first half with six saves. In the 39th minute, Chicago had one of its best chances of the half. Fire forward Brian McBride beat Crew defender Frankie Hejduk, while running toward goal. McBride crossed the ball into the box. Chicago midfielder Marco Pappa got to the ball, found some space and drilled the ball into the center of goal and Hesmer's arms.
Columbus almost tallied just before halftime as Schelotto rocketed the ball off the left post. Ekpo sent the rebound back toward goal, only to have it deflect off the Fire's defense.
Chicago dominated play to begin the second half. But the Crew brought in second-half substitute Steven Lenhart in the 64th minute for Garey, and he helped spark the Crew's offense.
In the 67th minute, Hejduk forwarded the ball to Lenhart. Lenhart tapped it back to Hejduk, who shot the ball toward goal. Busch grabbed it for the save.
Lenhart then nearly tallied in the 73rd minute. He headed it into the net and collided with Busch, but was called offside.
Lenhart beat both Woolard and Brown and blasted a shot just wide right in the 77th minute. Chicago's John Thorrington broke up a Crew run in the 90th minute.
With three minutes of stoppage time, Columbus didn't let up the pressure. Ekpo blasted a shot wide right in stoppage time, but they couldn't find a way past Busch and past the Fire to the top of the East.
The Crew return to action next Saturday, July 18, when they play host to Real Salt Lake.
Kathryn L. Knapp is a contributor to MLSnet.com
