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DC United and Fire play to tie

Sep 24, 2007 - 12:01 AM By Joe Cosentino PA SportsTicker Contributing Writer

BRIDGEVIEW, Illinois (Ticker) -- Chicago Fire coach Juan Carlos Osorio put his entire offensive weapons on the field against the MLS's best team - DC United.

Chad Barrett and Jaime Moreno each scored a goal for their respective club as the Fire and DC United played to a 1-1 tie on Sunday afternoon.

Osorio put Chris Rolfe and Chad Barrett on the forward line backed up by Cuauhtemac Blanco, Calen Carr, Chris Armas, and Logan Pause at midfield.

The only forward not in the lineup was Paulo Wanchope, who is out with a right knee inflammation. DC was forced to play without three starting players - Ben Olsen, Christian Gomez and Fred due to yellow card accumulations.

DC United (15-6-4) leads the MLS in points and is perched on top of the Eastern Conference and is currently holding the top seed in the playoffs. The Fire (8-10-7) is trying to protect a slim hold on the last playoff spot.

DC defeated the Fire, 3-1, in their last meeting on June 16 at RFK Stadium.

The Fire were aggressive early in the game. In the 14th minute, the Fire's Wilman Conde directed a header towards the DC net, but goalkeeper Troy Perkins saved it.

However, in the 18th minute, Blanco sent a pass to the streaking Barrett, who was heading towards the DC goal. Barrett fought off DC's defender Bryan Namoff and sent a shot on the run into the net past Perkins for his sixth goal of the season.

"(Blanco) played a curling ball right in my path," Barrett said. "It was such a good ball that I could actually hold off my defender. I got it on the right foot. Perkins came out, and I just slid it to the left in the net."

Later in the half, DC's Domenic Mediate broke in with a shot at the Fire net but a diving Matt Pickens deflected it to the left - away from harm. The first half ended with the Fire ahead 1-0.

Things began to get physical in the 72nd minute as Chicago's Rolfe was given a yellow card.

In the 76th minute, Barrett broke free on the right side and sent a cross pass to the streaking Blanco on the left. However, Blanco's shot went high and to the right of the crossbar.

DC fought back in the 83rd minute as Jaime Moreno lofted a shot just inside the near side of the net past the leaping Pickens to tie the score at 1-1. It was Moreno's sixth goal of the season.

The Fire made a last thrust at DC's net during the four minutes of stoppage time. Bakary Soumare and Conde took good shots, but Perkins made both saves and the game ended 1-1 at Toyota Park.

"I am extremely disappointed," Fire coach Juan Carlos Osorio said. "The last three games individual errors have cost us six additional points in the standings."

The Fire has four games remaining against Chivas on the road, New England at home, DC again in RFK Stadium, and finally with the Los Angeles Galaxy at home.

"There's a lot of pressure on these guys. Two months ago, they didn't have a chance for the playoffs, but now they have a chance. Their backs are against the wall," Osorio said.