BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Midfielder Pavel Pardo scored on an early free kick and Chicago snapped a 221-minute scoreless streak on the way to a 1-0 victory over Vancouver on Saturday.
The Fire (9-6-4, 31 points) prevailed despite playing a man short for the final 21 minutes after defender Arne Friedrich was ejected with a second yellow card.
The Whitecaps (8-6-6, 30 points) suffered their second straight loss and third in a five-game road swing.
Chicago was awarded a free kick in the ninth minute when Whitecaps midfielder Jun Marques Davidson tripped Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko on a run outside the box.
Pardo then lined a 23-yard kick into the right corner for his first goal of the season in the ninth minute.
The Fire (9-6-4, 31 points) prevailed despite playing a man short for the final 21 minutes after defender Arne Friedrich was ejected with a second yellow card.
The Whitecaps (8-6-6, 30 points) suffered their second straight loss and third in a five-game road swing.
Chicago was awarded a free kick in the ninth minute when Whitecaps midfielder Jun Marques Davidson tripped Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko on a run outside the box.
Pardo then lined a 23-yard kick into the right corner for his first goal of the season in the ninth minute.
Despite a 2-0 loss to Los Angeles, the Chicago Fire held their spot in this week's ESPN.com Power Rankings.
Check out the complete Power Rankings here.
Check out the complete Power Rankings here.
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Robbie Keane scored two goals on his 32nd birthday and the Los Angeles Galaxy beat the Chicago Fire 2-0 on Sunday.
Keane's second multigoal game of the season helped the Galaxy (7-10-2) snap a two-match losing streak, and extended the Fire's winless streak to two games (0-1-1).
Keane scored on a penalty kick in the 24th minute after Chicago defender Jalil Anibaba blocked a pass with his right hand at the edge of the penalty area.
He beat goalkeeper Sean Johnson again in the 78th minute, making the most of midfielder Landon Donovan's pinpoint pass. Donovan's feed allowed Keane to break open on the left side.
Keane celebrated the second score with a pair of somersaults.
The Fire (8-6-4) managed only three shots, all in the second half, as Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders collected his third shutout of the season. Saunders made his best save on Chris Rolfe's low shot about a minute before Keane's last goal.
Los Angeles star David Beckham served a one-game suspension, imposed by the league office for kicking two balls at San Jose's Sam Cronin and subsequent involvement in a postgame scuffle with Cronin and other San Jose players on June 30. He also missed the Galaxy's match with Philadelphia on Wednesday because of the yellow cards awarded on the play.
What to watch for when the Fire host the Galaxy Sunday on ESPN at 2 p.m. CT.
A big win in Kansas City has the Chicago Fire moving up in this week's ESPN Power Rankings.
Check out the complete Power Rankings here.
Check out the complete Power Rankings here.
HOUSTON -- The Houston Dynamo remained unbeaten at home with a 0-0 draw against the Chicago Fire on Tuesday night.
The Dynamo (6-5-6) recorded two shots on goal and moved to 4-0-3 in their new downtown stadium, BBVA Compass Stadium. Houston played without star midfielder Geoff Cameron, who was a late scratch with a left hamstring injury.
Tally Hall stopped the Fire's lone shot on goal in the first half, and helped snap Chicago's season-high winning streak at three matches. Houston had more scoring chances in the game and missed an opportunity to pull within a single point of Chicago (8-5-4) in the Eastern Conference.
In the 76th minute, Brad Davis had a chance to win it for the Dynamo, but his shot from the left side of the box was blocked.
The Fire nearly opened the scoring in the 12th minute, but Hall stopped Marco Pappa's left-footed shot from just outside the box.
The Dynamo are 4-2-3 since losing back-to-back games on April 28 and May 9. That was Houston's only two-game losing streak of the season.
The Fire recorded their first draw since a scoreless tie against Real Salt Lake on May 9.
The Dynamo (6-5-6) recorded two shots on goal and moved to 4-0-3 in their new downtown stadium, BBVA Compass Stadium. Houston played without star midfielder Geoff Cameron, who was a late scratch with a left hamstring injury.
Tally Hall stopped the Fire's lone shot on goal in the first half, and helped snap Chicago's season-high winning streak at three matches. Houston had more scoring chances in the game and missed an opportunity to pull within a single point of Chicago (8-5-4) in the Eastern Conference.
In the 76th minute, Brad Davis had a chance to win it for the Dynamo, but his shot from the left side of the box was blocked.
The Fire nearly opened the scoring in the 12th minute, but Hall stopped Marco Pappa's left-footed shot from just outside the box.
The Dynamo are 4-2-3 since losing back-to-back games on April 28 and May 9. That was Houston's only two-game losing streak of the season.
The Fire recorded their first draw since a scoreless tie against Real Salt Lake on May 9.
KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Marco Pappa scored his fifth goal of the season on a nifty give-and-go with Chris Rolfe in the 58th minute, giving the Chicago Fire a 1-0 victory over Sporting Kansas City on Friday night.
Pappa led a counter-attack the length of the field before giving it off to Rolfe, who deftly passed right back to Pappa for what turned out to be the deciding goal.
Chicago (8-5-3) has won three straight for the first time this season, and still hasn't lost to Sporting KC (9-5-2) on the road since the 2007 season.
Sporting KC had a 27-10 edge in shots, but couldn't convert them into goals.
The best opportunities came in stoppage time, when Teal Bunbury spun and fired wide of the net. Soony Saad had another chance from close range that Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson managed to save, and Chance Myers nearly netted the tying goal just before time expired.
Pappa led a counter-attack the length of the field before giving it off to Rolfe, who deftly passed right back to Pappa for what turned out to be the deciding goal.
Chicago (8-5-3) has won three straight for the first time this season, and still hasn't lost to Sporting KC (9-5-2) on the road since the 2007 season.
Sporting KC had a 27-10 edge in shots, but couldn't convert them into goals.
The best opportunities came in stoppage time, when Teal Bunbury spun and fired wide of the net. Soony Saad had another chance from close range that Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson managed to save, and Chance Myers nearly netted the tying goal just before time expired.
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Marco Pappa and Dominic Oduro scored in the first 26 minutes and the Chicago Fire earned a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday.
The victory moved the Fire (7-5-3) within three points of third-place New York in the Eastern Conference. Columbus, dominated from the start by the Fire, had entered the game with a six-match unbeaten streak (3-0-3).
The Crew's last loss was on April 28, 1-0 to Vancouver.
Pappa maneuvered to the edge of the penalty area, and using a screen, ripped a right-footed shot off the hands of diving goalkeeper Andy Gruenbaum in the second minute.
Oduro made it 2-0 in the 26th minute, outrunning a pair of defenders while in control of Sebastian Grazzini's pass before chipping the ball past Gruenbaum from 15 yards.
Columbus' Tony Tchani cut the gap to 2-1 in the 36th minute, taking a pass from fellow midfielder Chris Birchall and beating Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson from 10 yards.
Chicago's Gonzalo Segares was ejected in the 29th minute when his right foot clipped the right shin of Columbus' Kevin George while they slid for a loose ball. George remained in the match, while Segares will miss Chicago's match Friday at Kansas City.
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Gonzalo Segares and Chris Rolfe scored in the second half to lead the Chicago Fire to a 3-1 victory over the New York Red Bulls on Sunday.
Segares' goal came in the 68th minute on a short rebound of his pass to Dominic Oduro, who misfired. Segares followed up and put a point-blank shot past goalkeeper Ryan Meara to snap a 1-all tie.
The goal came four minutes after the Fire appeared to take the lead. Oduro's 15-yard shot clearly crossed the goal line before New York defender Wilman Conde slid and cleared the ball to the sideline, but neither referee Baldomero Toledo nor assistant referee Ian Anderson saw it. Replays showed the ball in the goal and Anderson well up the sideline, out of position to confirm the goal.
Rolfe made it 3-1 in the 81st minute, taking a low pass from Patrick Nyarko in the goalmouth and converting.
The victory snapped a two-game losing streak for the Fire. New York had been 5-0-1 in its last six MLS matches, but hadn't played a league match since May 23.
Nyarko had opened the scoring in the fourth minute, heading Sebastian Grazzini's pass to Meara's right as the goalkeeper lunged to the left.
New York's Dax McCarty tied the game on a set-piece header in the 55th minute. Lurking on the left side, McCarty headed in the long corner-kick cross from Mehdi Ballouchy. Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson failed to adjust for McCarty's header.
New York was without the services of star forward Thierry Henry, out with a calf strain in his right leg. That allowed Chicago defender Jalil Anibama to shadow forward Kenny Cooper tightly.
About 10 minutes from opening a comfortable lead in its semifinal group of World Cup qualifying, the United States stumbled.
Marco Pappa scored on a free kick in the 83rd minute, giving Guatemala a 1-1 tie with the Americans on Tuesday night
Clint Dempsey put the U.S. ahead in the 40th minute, but Fabian Johnson pulled down Carlos Ruiz just outside the penalty area to set up the late free kick in a dangerous position. Pappa, a Chicago Fire midfielder, froze goalkeeper Tim Howard with a 24-yard shot that went just under the crossbar.
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AP Photo/Moises CastilloMarco Pappa's free kick in the 83rd minute tied the game at 1-1.
AP Photo/Moises CastilloMarco Pappa's free kick in the 83rd minute tied the game at 1-1.The 28th-ranked Americans were outshot 13-11 by 85th-ranked Guatemala, a team that has never qualified for the World Cup.
Seeking its seventh straight appearance in soccer's showcase, the U.S. (1-0-1) tops Group A of North and Central America and the Caribbean on goal difference over Jamaica (1-0-1), which tied 0-0 tie at Antigua and Barbuda. Guatemala (0-1-1) and Antigua (0-1-1) have one point each.
The top two teams advance to next year's six-nation regional finals, which will produce three qualifiers for the 2014 tournament in Brazil.
"I think it's an open group, and it will be a competition until the very last game," Klinsmann said. "We wanted three points but we're OK with the one point that we take away leading the group."
The Americans extended their unbeaten streak against Guatemala to 18 games (12-0-6) since 1988 and improved to 6-0-5 against the Guatemalans in World Cup qualifying.
Dempsey scored his 27th international goal off a play that started with a short pass from Johnson on the left. Dempsey cut across to his right, taking two touches as he sidestepped slipping defenders Carlos Gallardo and Erwin Morales, then wrong-footed Ricardo Jerez Jr. with a right-footed shot from 16 yards to the goalkeeper's right.
It was Dempsey's 28th goal of the season for club and country, including 23 for England's Fulham.
Just before the goal, Howard made a diving save on Carlos Figueroa's open 10-yard shot from an angle. Ruiz nearly tied the score in first-half injury time, hooking just wide on a left-footed shot from the top of the arc.
Johnson returned to left back after missing Friday's game because of a strained calf muscle.
Klinsmann gave Geoff Cameron his World Cup qualifying debut, bringing him in to start the second half in place of Clarence Goodson, who had gotten a yellow card in the 23rd.
Guatemala coach Ever Hugo Almeida used all three substitutes to start the second half, just as he did Friday. Pappa, Manuel Leon and Dwight Pezzarossi replaced Figueroa, Jose Contreras and Mario Rodriguez.
When the second half started, Pezzarossi just missed with a header that went narrowly over the crossbar following a corner kick.
Guatemala argued unsuccessfully for a penalty kick after American defender Carlos Bocanegra kicked a clearance up off his own hand. Jozy Altidore entered at forward for Herculez Gomez in the 64th minute.
Howard made a diving stop on Rodriguez's 5-yard in shot in the 69th after a corner kick was headed in front of the goal. Then, with the net wide open, Ruiz skied the rebound over the crossbar.
Altidore was open and put the ball in the net in the 79th, only play had been whistled by referee Joel Aguilar of El Salvador.
Notes
The game was shown on pay-per-view in the U.S. after the Guatemalan federation, which owns the rights, sold them to Traffic Sports. ... The U.S. next plays in an exhibition on Aug. 15, most likely at Mexico. The Americans resume qualifying Sept. 7 at Jamaica, then host the Reggae Boyz four days later at Columbus, Ohio. ... Johnson received a yellow card for the foul that led to the tying goal. Michael Bradley and Maurice Edu also received yellow cards.FOXBOROUGH, Mass. -- Second-half substitute Kelyn Rowe broke a scoreless game in the 70th minute to lift the Revolution to a 2-0 win over the Chicago Fire on Saturday night.
Rowe, who came on in the 64th minute, gave the Revolution the advantage while Benny Feilhaber added another in the 73rd minute. Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis made three saves to preserve the shutout, his second of the season.
The win snapped the Revolution's two-game winless streak and upped their record to 5-7-1 (16 points). Meanwhile, the Fire dropped their second straight and fell to 5-5-3 (21 points).
The Revs and Fire struggled to find scoring chances in the first half, as Reis and Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson were rarely tested.
Chicago nearly got on the board in the 48th minute when Orr Borouch sent it to Dominic Oduro, who's header ricocheted off the post.
Four minutes later, Sebastian Grazzini hit one from outside the box and forced Reis to the dive before Patrick Nyarko put a foot on it at the near post.
But the Revolution attack came to life in the second half. Six minutes after he entered the match, Rowe took a hold of pass from Feilhaber and flicked it through to put the Revolution on top.
Rowe returned the favor in the 73rd minute when he played a diagonal ball to Feilhaber, who redirected it past Johnson to cap the scoring.
The Revolution return to action in two weeks when they face the Columbus Crew on June 16 at home. The Fire head home to face the New York Red Bulls on June 17.
PONTIAC, Mich. -- Nermin Crnkic's extra-time goal gave the Michigan Bucks a 3-2 victory Tuesday night over the Chicago Fire of the MLS in the third round of the U.S. Open Cup.
The Bucks of the USL Premier Development League took a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute when Tommy Catalano beat Chicago goalkeeper Paolo Tornaghi. Michigan outplayed Chicago for most of the first half, but the Fire tied the game on Corben Bone's goal in the 28th minute.
Federico Puppo's shot from the edge of the box in the 51st minute gave the Fire a 2-1 lead, but Nate Boyden's header forced extra time in the 78th minute.
Crnkic hit the winning goal in the third minute of extra time.
The Bucks of the USL Premier Development League took a 1-0 lead in the ninth minute when Tommy Catalano beat Chicago goalkeeper Paolo Tornaghi. Michigan outplayed Chicago for most of the first half, but the Fire tied the game on Corben Bone's goal in the 28th minute.
Federico Puppo's shot from the edge of the box in the 51st minute gave the Fire a 2-1 lead, but Nate Boyden's header forced extra time in the 78th minute.
Crnkic hit the winning goal in the third minute of extra time.
COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Eddie Gaven scored Columbus' first goal and assisted on the second by Emilio Renteria as the Crew defeated the Chicago Fire 2-1 on Saturday night.
Gaven scored from 19 yards in the 9th minute with a low shot inside the left post for Columbus (5-4-3), which has won two straight and is 3-0-2 in its last five.
Gaven helped make it 2-0 in the 43rd by passing to a posting Renteria, who shirked defender Austin Berry and put the ball into the left corner of the net.
Berry got a measure of revenge when he headed in a service by Daniel Paladini in the 72nd minute for Chicago (5-4-3).
The Fire's Sean Johnson made saves on Renteria in the 80th and Nemanja Vukovic in the 81st minutes to keep the match close.
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Sebastian Grazzini and Marco Pappa scored and goalkeeper Sean Johnson stopped a penalty kick as the Chicago Fire rallied for a 2-1 victory over FC Dallas on Wednesday night.
The Fire (5-3-3) won for the third time in five matches to remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference.
Defender Matt Hedges scored in the 41st minute to put FC Dallas (3-7-4) on the board first. Dallas extended its winless streak to eight matches (0-5-3) and remained winless on the road (0-5-1).
Grazzini tied the score in the 45th minute, lofting a 25-yard left-footed shot over Dallas goalkeeper Kevin Hartman's right shoulder.
Johnson stopped Blas Perez's penalty kick in the 52nd minute, diving to his right to get a hand on the low shot. The attempt was ordered when Fire forward Dominic Oduro tripped Bruno Guarda from behind near the goal line.
Pappa got the tiebreaker in the 63rd on rebound off a penalty kick by Grazzini. Pappa was three steps into the penalty area before Grazzini launched his kick, but no infraction was detected by referee Hilario Grajeda, and Pappa converted the rebound with goalkeeper Kevin Hartman on the turf. The penalty kick resulted from Dallas defender Zach Loyd pulling Pappa down as they chased a loose ball into the penalty area.

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Doug McIntyre and Luke Cyphers explain why, despite getting a draw in a hostile road environment in Guatemala City, the Yanks should be disappointed with their second World Cup qualifier.
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