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BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Here is a quick look at the Chicago Fire's 3-2 victory against the New England Revolution on Sunday at Toyota Park:

How it happened: Fire midfielder Sebastian Grazzini netted a penalty kick goal in the fifth minute for a 1-0 Chicago lead. The opportunity stemmed from Revs goalkeeper Matt Reis tripping up Fire forward Patrick Nyarko in the fourth minute. Grazzini then assisted a Dominic Oduro goal in the ninth minute for a 2-0 lead as Oduro notched his team-leading 11th tally of the season. In the 30th minute, Nyarko netted an easy goal for a 3-0 advantage as Reis made a casual attempt to clear the ball with his foot. The Revs made things interesting as Ryan Guy netted a 90th-minute goal and a stoppage-time goal to cut it to 3-2. But New England ran out of time and came up just short. Grazzini's day was cut short as he left the match in the 25th minute because of left hamstring tightness.

What it means: With the victory, the Fire improve to 6-8-15 (33 points) and the Revs fall to 5-13-12 (27 points). The Fire move to within six points of the New York Red Bulls, who currently hold the final wild card spot with 39 points following their 2-0 win over the Portland Timbers. Though New England is not mathematically eliminated from the playoff picture, the Revs' hopes for the postseason were basically erased as they sit in last place in the Eastern Conference.

Outside the box: The last time the Fire had a 3-0 halftime lead at home was on April 3, 2008, when Chicago topped the Revs, 4-0.

Up next: The Fire prepare for two road games in a four-day stretch. Chicago faces Real Salt Lake on Wednesday at Rio Tinto Stadium, followed by a 3 p.m. match against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday at Robertson Stadium.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The theme for the Chicago Fire will not change over the next several weeks. Chicago is in must-win mode with six regular-season matches remaining. And as long as the rest of the MLS field continues to oblige by keeping the Fire in the mix, that outside chance of a postseason berth remains.

The Fire (5-8-15, 30 points) host the New England Revolution (5-12-12, 27 points) this Sunday at Toyota Park, facing the only team remaining on Chicago's schedule that is in worse shape than the Fire.

"Now that we've put kind of a little run together, we've got to keep it going," Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson said. "We can't afford to take strides forward and then take steps back. We've got to keep pushing, pushing, pushing, until we get to where we want to be. And that's ultimately the playoffs."

Before Saturday night's match between the expansion Portland Timbers and the host New York Red Bulls, Portland was holding on to the final wild card berth with 37 points -- one point ahead of New York. Also heading into Saturday, the Fire were seven points behind the Timbers.

The Fire have won three of their past four matches, and Chicago's offense has been energized by the play of forward Dominic Oduro.

Oduro has been on a tear over the past month and a half, most recently notching a shorthanded, game-winning tally against Chivas USA last Saturday to up his season total to 10 goals. He became the first Fire player since Damani Ralph in 2004 to reach double digits. Oduro is now in the running for the Golden Boot, thanks to five goals over Chicago's past seven regular-season matches.

Defensively, Fire center back Cory Gibbs was issued a red card during Chicago's win over Chivas and will miss Sunday's match. Chicago right back Dan Gargan will be back in the fold after missing the Chivas match (yellow card accumulation).

Chicago has allowed four goals in its past two games, and the Fire will have to play again without a key defensive component in Gibbs. The Fire's back line has had to reconfigure itself every week, dating back to left back Gonzalo Segares missing the Sept. 10 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes (yellow card accumulation).

"When you change formations it's always difficult getting guys on the same page," Johnson said of the recent defensive adjustments. "No matter what team's on the field, I think everyone is capable of getting the job done."

Chicago's three victories over the past month have all come at home. The Fire have improved their Toyota Park record to 4-2-8.

The Revs are on the edge of elimination from postseason contention, and a loss to the Fire would surely represent the end to their season.

New England was dealt a significant hit up front when Danish striker Rajko Lekic sprained his left ankle during the team's 3-0 loss to the Timbers last Friday. Lekic, who is second on the team with six goals, is expected to miss most of the Revs' remaining games -- if not all of them.

Lekic helped New England salvage a 1-1 draw when the Revolution faced the Fire on June 18 at Gillette Stadium. Chicago had a 1-0 halftime lead thanks to an Oduro goal in the 32nd minute. But shortly after the break in the 48th, Lekic tallied the equalizer to come away with a point at home.

Lekic's presence will be sorely missed as midfielder Shalrie Joseph represents the only big offensive threat to date. Joseph has provided 25 percent of the Revs' scoring this season with a team-leading eight goals.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Second-year Chicago Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson has looked more confident and more comfortable on the pitch.

Three victories in a four-game stretch also amplify Johnson's success. But even without those results, it has been apparent that Johnson's progression has made significant strides since the start of the season.

"The progression over last year to this year has gotten better, as a player and as a person," Johnson said. "Mentally and physically I've worked on my game, and I think it has been important for me to see different situations. Now I can kind of relate situations into my starting positions and things like that. I can only get better as I keep playing and get older."

Fire goalkeeper Aron Hyde is satisfied in Johnson's recent play. But Hyde is constantly trying to get even more out of the young goalkeeper.

"There's still a long way to go," Hyde said. "We talk about different things over the year -- managing the game, managing himself. His recent performances have been pretty good. He seems a lot better with crosses, and a lot of adjustments are sinking in. I would like to see a little bit more. That's obviously my job. I'm always striving for him to be perfect.

"That perfection is obviously a tall order. Even when he does have a good game, I'm still thinking of things he could do better. Win, lose or draw."

Johnson has put the Fire's April 14 loss to the Portland Timbers behind him. But that 4-2 defeat clearly marked a turning point. Johnson was briefly demoted and veteran Jon Conway was moved up to No. 1.

"People ask me about it countless times, and I just tell them it's part of the game we play," Johnson said. "You have your ups and downs. Luckily I was able to get back in and do the job for our team. It's something you go through as a young player, take away the experience and get better."

"The realization of being a No. 1 and managing all of those sorts of things is not as easy as it might seem," Hyde said. "I think last year is a prime example of how difficult it is for a young guy to step in, with the goalkeepers (Andrew Dykstra and Johnson) we had last year. I think sometimes people need to go through some down times to realize the things that maybe they need to tweak or modify, and maybe that helped him a little bit."

Johnson returned to regular starting duty in league play on May 28 against the San Jose Earthquakes. He has earned the No. 1 spot for good since then, posting six shutouts along the way.

There really is no big secret behind Johnson's improved play. Experience and self-analysis have gone a long way toward his successful run.

"It's always repetition, repetition, repetition -- try to beat it into him," Hyde said. "He's a player that's open to learning and will analyze mistakes and say I could have done this better. He's made those changes, and in the recent run a couple things we have been working on all year are finally starting to sink in. I'm pleased for him in that respect."

Hyde and Johnson have worked together since the start of the 2010 season. Johnson turned into a steal when the Fire selected him in the fourth round of the 2010 MLS SuperDraft in January. The following month, the Fire brought in Hyde to replace previous goalkeeper coach Daryl Shore.

"He's known me since I've come into the league and knows my tendencies on and off the field," Johnson said of Hyde. "We've developed that relationship over a year and a half that's gotten stronger. He pushes me to work hard in training and in games. Next to myself, he's my toughest critic."

While everyone can see the physical body of work, Hyde and Johnson have made the mental aspect of the game a pivotal focal point.

"Aron has done wonders not only on the field but off the field," Johnson said. "There's a mental aspect of the game, as well. Can you be checked in for 90 minutes? What are the things that I need to do to be successful on the field? That's what Aron and I have focused on this year -- making sure that I'm ready to get through 90 minutes and be the best that I can be."

"The one position that is affected by confidence more than anything is the goalkeeper," Hyde said. "Strikers miss open goals, they'll walk off the field and brush it off because they've got that sense of confidence that it doesn't matter -- I'm going to score again. Versus a goalkeeper, there's the direct influence involved. You're constantly working with them, making sure the guys walk off the field and they feel good about themselves. That's definitely important."

As the Fire (5-8-15) try to maintain some sort of run to keep the playoff picture in sight, Chicago has to feel some comfort in Johnson representing the last line of defense.

"I'm very optimistic that he can be very good," Hyde said. "He's got the right attitude and the right approach. It's up to him. It's all about him putting in performances, making saves and helping the team win games. That's what it comes down to at the end of the day."

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire are hanging around, and considering where this team was in mid-August, it is surprising that a postseason berth still is a slight possibility.

The odds for the playoffs are slim as only six games remain and three other teams are ahead of the Fire in the postseason picture.

But does Chicago have one final gasp at making a realistic run for a playoff spot? Is there enough time to eliminate the current six-point gap that separates Chicago from a wild card berth?

"We've progressively been getting better, and the results have been getting better," Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson said following Chicago's shorthanded 3-2 victory against Chivas USA on Saturday. "But now is the time to turn it up and get three points every time out. We have six games and we need all six. That's our attitude."

The Fire host the New England Revolution this Sunday, and the Revs basically represent the only remaining team on Chicago's schedule that is outside of the playoff picture. D.C. United is on the outside, as well, but United also has played in three fewer matches than the Fire and is ahead in the standings.

Everybody else on the Fire's late-September through October schedule would advance to the playoffs if the season ended today.

Chicago (5-8-15, 30 points) cannot afford anything less than a win against the Revs, which have the second-lowest points total in the league (5-12-12, 27 points).

Can Pappa find his form?: The Fire midfield's midseason facelift has been a positive with the additions of Sebastian Grazzini and Pavel Pardo. But a continual setback has permeated with the play of Marco Pappa.

Pappa entered this season with the expectations that he would be a primal force on the offensive end. But Pappa is in the midst of a massive drought. He has not scored a goal since June 26 against the New York Red Bulls.

Pappa wore his frustration during the Chivas match, visibly upset that he did not receive the ball at certain moments.

"Sometimes he makes a lot of hard runs, and when he doesn't get the ball, it's normal," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "He wants to do well for the team and for himself. There were a couple of times I think we could have played the ball early, and he was in a better position.

"Marco's played a lot of games, with [Guatemala] national team duty and traveling. You can see it's catching up on him a little bit."

Defensive merry-go-round still spins: For a third straight week, the Fire's back line will be without one of its starting defenders this Sunday. Cory Gibbs was issued a red card for his challenge against Chivas' Michael Lahoud. From a contact standpoint, replays showed that Gibbs probably deserved a yellow, but the nature of the play was an unintelligent move on Gibbs' part.

Gonzalo Segares and Dan Gargan missed games for yellow card accumulation, and their recent yellows should have been avoided. Both players were carded for dissent, and if you are going to cross a line, it should at least be done in the run of play. Segares' infraction forced him to miss the team's road loss against the San Jose Earthquakes, and Gargan was out for the Chivas match.

The Fire found some continuity with the back line of Segares, Jalil Anibaba, Gibbs and Gargan, and in no way, shape or form did the Fire want to tinker with this combination. But yet again, Chicago's poor decisions on the defensive side are forcing Klopas to make some unnecessary adjustments.

Johnson playing big: Johnson's early-season struggles are a distant memory. The second-year goalkeeper has had to come up with some clutch saves in all types of fashions -- run of play, set pieces and penalty kicks.

"We know he has all the tools to be an unbelievable goalkeeper, but with his experience he's making game saving saves to keep us in games," Fire captain Logan Pause said.

"He's playing with a lot of confidence, which you need in that position," Klopas said. "He's got a lot of upside. He's getting better. I can't tell you where that upside is going to stop with him."

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire could not have drawn up a better start. The only question was whether Chicago could finish, especially playing down a man.

In an up-and-down match that included a two-goal lead followed by a level second half, the Fire's Dominic Oduro came to the rescue with a shorthanded, game-winning goal in the 85th minute to lead Chicago to a 3-2 victory over Chivas USA on Saturday in front of 15,246 at Toyota Park.

"These are the kinds of games that are very exciting, for sure," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "Memorable ones, things you can build on. You kind of feel that in the past, maybe the team would not have found a way to pull this one out."

The Fire had to play much of the match down a man when defender Cory Gibbs was issued a red card for fouling Chivas' Michael Lahoud in the 37th minute.

Chicago blew a two-goal lead for the first time this season. But the Fire found an opportunity to garner their third win in four league games when Oduro finished a strong buildup from Diego Chaves and Patrick Nyarko, who had the set-up pass from the left.

"I looked at first and saw that Dom was wide open," Nyarko said. "I had the other option of shooting, which the goal was a clear chance enough. But I made the easy play. Dom was wide open and he was onside. I laid the ball and he made it for an easy finish."

As for Gibbs' questionable red card, replays showed that the amount of contact looked like it was far less than Lahoud's body language showed during the live run of play.

"It was a hard tackle," Gibbs said. "Would I have given a red? No. Definitely, probably a yellow. But that's the referee's discretion. It was just unprofessional of me at the time, and I hold responsibility for it. The call was made and it was a red. At the end of the day, I hold responsibility for the situation we were put into."

"I know he went hard -- maybe the studs were up," Klopas said. "But I didn't see something different than the one that Patrick was down [in the seventh minute against Chivas defender Michael] Lahoud, because the studs were up on that one, too. I thought it was a little bit harsh, the red, for sure. I thought it was maybe a yellow. But I'd have to see it. I haven't seen the play."

Gibbs will now have to serve a one-game suspension when the Fire host the New England Revolution on Sept. 25 at Toyota Park. On Saturday, Gibbs' provided a strong start for Chicago, heading home a Sebastian Grazzini corner kick in just the second minute for an early 1-0 lead against Chivas.

The Fire then benefited from a Juan Pablo Angel own goal in the 26th to gain a 2-0 lead.

However, Chivas worked its way back into the match with Angel's 61st-minute tally and Nick LaBrocca's 63rd-minute score to tie the score at 2-2.

"I felt we gave up those two goals really easily," Nyarko said. "It was up to us to show our will there, to gut it out. We were just waiting, sitting, waiting for our opportunity to pounce. Luckily we got it toward the end of the game."

The Oduro goal gives him 10 on the season, and he is the first double-digit scorer for the Fire since Damani Ralph in 2004. The goal also gave Gibbs something to cheer about away from the pitch.

"Seeing Oduro score that goal, it almost pulled me out of the grave," Gibbs said. "I was really down on myself."

Analysis: Anything less than a win would have further dampened the Fire's faint playoff chances, but Chicago rose to the occasion on Saturday.

Though the defense did surrender a couple of goals, the back line and, of course, goalkeeper Sean Johnson have to be commended on this one. The back line had to shuffle things around with Gibbs' red, and Johnson continues to impress with some huge saves. He had Angel's number on more than a few occasions en route to six saves on the night.

The loss of Gibbs for New England will be a bit of a setback, but Chicago seems to have things covered when right back Dan Gargan returns from his one-game suspension.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Here is a quick look at the Chicago Fire's 3-2 victory against Chivas USA on Saturday at Toyota Park:

How it happened: Fire scoring leader Dominic Oduro came through with a shorthanded, go-ahead goal for a 3-2 lead in the 85th minute that held up. Fire defender Cory Gibbs provided a dream start for Chicago, heading home Sebastian Grazzini's corner kick in the second minute for a 1-0 lead. In the 26th minute, Chivas' Juan Pablo Angel was responsible for an own goal to give the Fire a 2-0 cushion. Gibbs' day was cut short in the 37th minute when he was issued a red card for fouling Chivas' Michael Lahoud. The Goats made full use of their one-man advantage. Chivas' Angel and Nick LaBrocca netted goals in the 61st and 63rd minutes, respectively, to level the score at 2-2.

What it means: The Fire improved to 5-8-15 (30 points) and Chivas fell to 7-12-10 (31 points). Chicago has won three of its last four league games, with all three victories coming at Toyota Park.

Outside the box: For the first time this season, the Fire surrendered a two-goal advantage, but Oduro helped Chicago overcome that setback. ... Chivas erased its three-game goal-less streak. The Goats entered the match having been shut out against the Portland Timbers, Real Salt Lake and D.C. United by a combined 5-0 margin.

Up next: The Fire host the New England Revolution at 3 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 25, at Toyota Park.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- From Chivas de Guadalajara to Chivas USA, the latter opponent has a bearing on the Chicago Fire's distant postseason hopes.

Chicago hosts Chivas USA this Saturday at Toyota Park, and the team is coming off a 1-0 international friendly defeat to Guadalajara on Wednesday. The Fire (4-8-15, 27 points) enter the weekend in a three-way tie for last place in the Eastern Conference alongside the New England Revolution (which plays late Friday night against the expansion Portland Timbers) and Toronto FC.

The Fire are seven points out of the final wild card spot, and narrowing that gap will take some doing. D.C. United enters the weekend in that fourth wild card slot having played only 25 games to Chicago's 27.

"It's a huge match. It's a match we feel like we have to win," Fire captain Logan Pause said. "Our backs are up against the wall, and we need wins. I'm sure it's going to be an exciting game because Chivas also needs wins. They are on the outside looking in."

Chivas (7-11-10, 31 points) is in the midst of a significant drought. Not only have the Goats lost three straight, but they also have not scored a goal during this stretch.

The Fire had found some momentum in August, earning back-to-back league wins and a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal victory over the USL Pro's Richmond Kickers to close out the month. But last week's 2-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes was a critical blow as the Quakes moved two points ahead of Chicago in the wild card race.

"The three-game winning streak helped ease some of the tension," Pause said. "But at the end of the day we are where we are. It's not where we want to be and it's not where we think we deserve to be."

The bulk of the Fire's roster played for only one half during the midweek loss to Guadalajara. In the first half, the Fire possibly went with this Saturday's starting defensive line in anticipation of Dan Gargan's one-game suspension (yellow card accumulation). Jalil Anibaba played at Gargan's right back position, with Cory Gibbs and Josip Mikulic teaming up at center back, and Gonzalo Segares returning to left back after his one-game suspension.

"It's always tough because I think we're gelling pretty well, especially the four in the back," Segares said of the team playing without a starting back for a second straight week. "We were starting to get to know each other better and we were pretty sharp with our communication. When you're missing a key player, it's always tough to try to bring in somebody else. It definitely takes a couple of sessions or weeks to get it back together.

"It was tough for us, for me to miss [the San Jose match]. We're going to have to do the same with Dan missing."

The Fire defense should feel confident matching up against a Chivas offense that has not scored since Laurent Courtois' 86th-minute goal during a 2-2 draw against Colorado on Aug. 20. Chicago also has improved on the home front, posting a 3-2-8 record and 17 points at Toyota Park -- 10 points better than its road mark.

Still, the Fire need an enormous amount of help to go along with their own issue of stringing together several wins to get back into the race.

"We have a massively important seven games ahead and we will see what we're made of," Pause said. "We can only control things on our end."

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The game had no implications, but the Chivas de Guadalajara fandom came out in full force in the loudest environment at Toyota Park this year.

Chivas' Jorge Mora scored a 61st-minute free kick goal and Guadalajara defeated the Chicago Fire, 1-0, in front of 18,224 at Wednesday's international friendly. It marked Chicago's second international loss this year, having fallen to Manchester United, 3-1, on July 23 at Soldier Field.

"It's one of those things where you don't like to lose," Fire defender Cory Gibbs said. "It's just unfortunate losing on a free kick. We just have to keep pressuring. For morale, it's not good."

Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas utilized this simply as another preparation tool toward Saturday's league match against Chivas USA. And for the first 45 minutes, the bulk of the Fire's first team held a significant possession advantage against Chivas' first team.

Chicago held a 4-1 shots on goal advantage in the first half, with an occasional chance at the goal.

Of Chicago's early scoring chances, Fire forward Diego Chaves had a fifth-minute attempt that was batted over the frame by Chivas goalkeeper Luis Ernesto Michel. In the 37th, Michel stopped a Marco Pappa attempt at the near right post.

The Fire brought in nine subs to open the second half, and about 15 minutes in Guadalajara gained the upper hand. Mora's free kick from about 25 yards out found the right side of the frame past Fire second-half goalkeeper Jon Conway.

In the grand scheme of things, the Fire wanted to get some reps for the younger bench players such as midfielder Victor Pineda and defender Pari Pantazopoulos, and forward Kellen Gulley who will not be involved in league play until the 2012 season. All three made their Toyota Park debuts.

"For the young guys, it's great for them, for their experience, for their development and for their growth," Klopas said. "It's a good opportunity for all the players to get in."

Heading into Saturday's home match against Chivas USA, the Fire will be without right back Dan Gargan (yellow card accumulation). Against Guadalajara, Chicago moved Jalil Anibaba to the right side and started Josip Mikulic at center back alongside Gibbs.

Though Mikulic had an incredibly shaky opening -- including one moment where he simply tripped on the grass -- he improved during the run of play and played the entire match. Mikulic also had one of Chicago's closest scoring chances in the second half, hitting the wrong side of the right netting in the 68th minute.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Here is a quick look at the Chicago Fire's 1-0 loss against Chivas de Guadalajara on Wednesday in an international friendly at Toyota Park:

How it happened: Chivas' Jorge Mora scored on a free kick in the 61st minute to give Guadalajara a 1-0 lead. His shot from about 25 yards out found the right side of the frame past Fire second-half goalkeeper Jon Conway. The Fire and Guadalajara touted the bulk of their starters for the first 45 minutes, and during that span Chicago held a 4-1 shots on goal advantage and the brunt of the possession.

What it means: The Fire fell to 5-2-0 this year in non-MLS matches. Their other defeat was a 3-1 loss to Manchester United. The five victories are Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in and tournament matches.

Outside the box: The Fire defense went with perhaps their projected Saturday defense against Chivas USA. With right back Dan Gargan set to serve his suspension (yellow card accumulation), Jalil Anibaba was moved to right back and Josip Mikulic got the start at center back alongside Cory Gibbs. ... The Fire made nine of their 10 subs entering the second half. In the 76th minute, forward Kellen Gulley made his first-team debut for the Fire, replacing Diego Chaves. Gulley will not see the pitch in league play until the 2012 season.

Up next: The Fire return to league action when they host Chivas USA at 3 p.m. Saturday at Toyota Park.

The Chicago Fire barely saw what midfielder Marko Maric could bring to the table this season.

Maric was released by the Fire on Wednesday as the team made the announcement before its international friendly against Chivas de Guadalajara.

The 28-year-old Maric was one of the highest-paid players on Chicago's roster, and the Fire hardly got their money's worth from him on the pitch. The Croatian's lone game with the Fire was on April 14 during an ugly loss against the Portland Timbers. Maric was a halftime replacement for Michael Videira, but then Maric had to come out of the match less than 20 minutes later because of an injury.

Maric suffered a left deltoid sprain from that Timbers match. Then for the past couple of months Maric has been listed on the injury report with left ankle posterior capsulitis (inflammation).

Maric's base salary of $150,000 ($200,000 guaranteed compensation) made him one of the highest-paid players on Chicago's roster.

Chicago Blackhawks chairman Rocky Wirtz, Chicago Cubs president Crane Kenney and NASCAR star Kurt Busch will help ESPN Chicago open the new ESPN Chicago Cadillac State Street Studio at 190 North State St. on Wednesday.

Read the entire story.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire more or less are approaching Wednesday's international friendly against Chivas de Guadalajara as a high-profile training session. Midweek typically marks Chicago's hardest training to prepare for a weekend match, and Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas plans to use his lineup significantly when it hosts Chivas at Toyota Park.

"You get better by playing," Klopas said. "You can do certain things out here [in training]. The stuff we want to do out here, it's better to be doing against a very good opponent."

There will be plenty of caution thrown into this match. Fire forward Dominic Oduro hurt his ankle during the Fire's 2-0 loss to the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday, and Sebastian Grazzini's hamstring still is tight, Klopas said.

"I don't see them playing," Klopas said.

Pretty much everyone else will get some time on the pitch. Klopas said following Tuesday's training that he wants to get everyone about 45 minutes of playing time. One unknown is forward and Chicago Fire Juniors-Mississippi product Kellen Gulley. Gulley will not play in a league match for the first team until 2012, but he has been training, playing for the reserve squad and is an eligible option if Klopas decides to put Gulley on his 10-player bench for Wednesday.

Chivas certainly is a team that Fire midfielder and Guadalajara native Pavel Pardo is familiar with. Pardo played for Guadalajara-based Atlas and Club America -- the latter being the bigger competitive rival.

"When I went to America, it was huge because the whole country and everybody knows about America-Chivas," Pardo said.

Pardo also will face one of his former coaches, Jose Luis Real Casillas, who briefly headed Atlas during Pardo's tenure.

"Their coach was in Atlas when I was there, and he built the youth system in Atlas that is working -- U-17, U-16, U-15, and all the young players," Pardo said. "Chivas has developed its youth [players]."

Fire defender Gonzalo Segares returns to the pitch after serving his one-game suspension (yellow card accumulation) against San Jose. Chicago had to play without its left back against the Quakes, moving Dan Gargan into Segares' position.

"I definitely wanted to be there to help my team, especially because it was such an important game," Segares said. "The motivation was high and it was a good opportunity to keep climbing up. Unfortunately we couldn't get the points, but now for me [Wednesday] on the field, I can get some minutes to try to be in a rhythm for Saturday, which is going to be a key for us."

Saturday's Chivas USA match is the ultimate focus as Chicago needs to make up some further ground as it sits in a three-way tie for last place in the Eastern Conference with 27 points and a 4-8-15 record.

"It's always exciting to play in situations like this for sure," Klopas said of Wednesday's match. "For us, we have a big game against Chivas USA -- not Chivas Mexico -- coming up on Saturday, and this is going to be an opportunity where we're still continuing to build and make sure everyone gets a good run so they're staying sharp."

The Chicago Fire's recent success hit a significant bump in the road as they fell to the San Jose Earthquakes, 2-0, on Saturday at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.

Chris Wondolowski had a goal and an assist and Ramiro Corrales also added a goal for San Jose, which ended a 13-game winless streak. The Fire's recent four-game unbeaten run came to a close, and what had been a positive stretch run took a wrong turn on Saturday.

"Dropping points now is not something we can afford," Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson said.

Having won back-to-back games, the Fire (4-8-15, 27 points) wanted to maintain some momentum to keep pushing for the playoffs. But the Quakes (6-10-11, 29 points) were the ones who quickly found the surge to take control of the game.

Wondolowski struck in the 10th minute after he got behind Fire left back Dan Gargan to take a 1-0 lead. Gargan was part of a significant set of lineup juggling by Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas to compensate for the absence of regular left back Gonzalo Segares (suspended for yellow card accumulation).

Gargan moved from right back to left back. Fire captain and midfielder Logan Pause was dropped to right back. And Baggio Husidic made his eighth start of the season in the midfield.

The Fire had their chances to swing the momentum heading into halftime. But former Fire and current Quakes goalkeeper Jon Busch kept his team in front by making two saves in first-half stoppage time. Busch saved a Dominic Oduro shot with his leg, then batted away a deep Pavel Pardo strike.

Chicago had more than doubled its shot attempts over San Jose in the first half, but the Fire were kept off the scoreboard.

The Quakes, meanwhile, pushed their lead to 2-0 in the 70th minute when Corrales chipped in a goal at close range past Johnson.

"We weren't good enough with the ball in the second half," Klopas said. "We weren't forcing the ball. There were turnovers in the middle of the field. We weren't doing enough in the final third. When we did get there, our plays were kind of predictable and we weren't moving the ball well enough."

Johnson did as much as he could to keep Chicago in the match. Wondolowski was a regular nuisance to the Fire defense, but Johnson stepped up on several occasions against him. He stopped Wondolowski's 53rd-minute penalty kick, bailing out Fire defender Jalil Anibaba who had a hand ball in the box. Johnson also stopped Wondolowski strikes in the 62nd and 69th minutes.

The Fire's best scoring chance came from Gargan, who hit the near left post in the 17th minute. Gargan made a good run after feeding to Nyarko, who played it back to Gargan. Instead of aiming to the far right post, Gargan tried to sneak his shot to the near left past Busch, but he was just off the mark.

Analysis: It is easy to say after the fact, but there is some curiosity on how the match might have worked out if the Fire didn't shift so many players around in the absence of Segares. With taking Pause out of the midfield and putting Husidic into the starting lineup, it changed the Fire's design considerably.

Husidic has not shown anything significant on the pitch this year to warrant a start during this stretch run.

This will be an issue next Saturday, as well, now that Gargan is suspended because of yellow card accumulation (he picked up a yellow in the 57th minute for dissent). Do the Fire once again drop Pause to right back? Do they move Anibaba to the right, where he has seen some significant playing time but has not looked as strong as his center back awareness?

While the Fire did have some strong possession late in the first half against San Jose, the Fire could not sustain an attack or some sense of fluidity out there. Oduro and Nyarko did not touch the ball a whole lot, though Oduro did have that strong scoring chance in first-half stoppage time.

Chicago had looked like it turned a corner during its four-game unbeaten run, but the Fire find themselves with a steeper hill to climb with only seven matches remaining.

Here is a quick look at the Chicago Fire's 2-0 loss against the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.:

How it happened: San Jose forward Chris Wondolowski gave the Quakes a 1-0 lead in the 10th minute, getting behind Fire left back Dan Gargan for his 10th goal of the season. Ramiro Corrales then pushed the San Jose lead to 2-0 with a 70th-minute goal from up close. Earlier in the 53rd minute, Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson made a huge penalty kick save against Wondolowski, diving to his right to maintain a one-goal deficit. Former Fire and current Quakes goalkeeper Jon Busch came up with two big saves in first-half stoppage time to maintain a 1-0 lead heading into halftime.

What it means: The Earthquakes improved to 6-10-11 and 29 points, moving ahead of the Fire in the playoff bid for a wild card spot. San Jose ended a 13-game winless streak. Chicago falls to 4-8-15 and 27 points. The Fire's four-game unbeaten run of 2-0-2 comes to a close.

Outside the box: Heading into Saturday, the Fire's defensive focus was on how Chicago interim head coach Frank Klopas would approach the back line with left back Gonzalo Segares out because of yellow card accumulation. Klopas shifted typical right back Gargan to the left, moved captain Logan Pause from the midfield to right back, and inserted Baggio Husidic into the midfield. Gargan lost track of Wondolowski on the Quakes' 10th-minute goal, and he picked up a yellow card for dissent in the 56th. Gargan will now miss next Saturday's Chivas USA match. However, Gargan lost track of Wondolowski as the Quakes gained the early goal. The Fire's defensive maneuvering continues next week.

Up next: The Fire host Chivas de Guadalajara at 8 p.m. Wednesday at Toyota Park for an international friendly. Chicago then returns to league play against Chivas USA at 3 p.m. Saturday at Toyota Park.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- One month ago the playoffs looked like an inconceivable destination for the Chicago Fire, especially following a 4-2 loss to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps on Aug. 7.

But a 2-0-2 record since that match and eight points later, and all of a sudden the Fire are knocking on the postseason door, though they still have some work to do.

The Fire are shooting for their third straight victory when they face the San Jose Earthquakes on Saturday at Buck Shaw Stadium. Chicago (4-7-15, 27 points) is slightly ahead of San Jose (5-10-11, 26 points) as both teams attempt to close the gap for the final position in the wild card race. Heading into the weekend, that final spot is held by the New York Red Bulls (32 points).

"It's a big game coming up in San Jose this weekend, because they're a team also that's desperate for points, and we're playing away," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "So our mentality, our approach, our focus, concentration and intensity for 90 minutes has to be there. It's going to be a difficult match, but we're in it."

San Jose is in a position that Chicago had felt for much of the season, posting a long winless streak that has now reached 13 games (0-7-6). Before the Quakes' current skid, which started on mid-June, San Jose had pieced together a 4-0-1 stretch and had a modest 5-4-4 record.

"We know that they are also out of the playoffs looking in, trying to get wins," Fire captain Logan Pause said. "They've had a little bit of a winless streak for quite some time, so they're going to be flying. We need to match that intensity, and hopefully we'll create some chances and score some goals."

The tide has turned a bit for Chicago. Dominic Oduro is finding the goal on a regular basis with his team-leading nine tallies. The defense has posted back-to-back shutouts. And the breaks and bounces have started to shift toward the Fire's direction, such as Toronto FC hitting the frame on two shots and Chicago earning the 2-0 win on Aug. 21.

"At some point our season had to open up," Fire defender Cory Gibbs said. "We've had a lot of bad luck, of things just not going our way early in the season. A lot of those ties, especially. At some point you get a run going."

Chicago cannot slow down with only eight matches remaining and five points separating the team from the current postseason cut.

The last time the Fire posted three straight league wins was from May 16-28, 2009. The May 28 win over Chivas USA capped off a 5-0-6 start to the season before Chicago lost the next three and could not post back-to-back wins the rest of the way. The Fire would fall to eventual MLS champion Real Salt Lake in the Eastern Conference title match.

But as Chicago stumbled in the win column in the latter half of its 2009 campaign, this year's Fire have found some life at the most critical juncture of the season.

The Fire do have to overcome a defensive hurdle for Saturday. Left back Gonzalo Segares is suspended because of yellow card accumulation, so some things will need to be shuffled around on the back line. Based on Klopas' remarks this week, the top two options appear to be shifting right back Dan Gargan or center back Gibbs to that left side.

The team reiterated this adjustment should not have any bearing on the way the Fire approach Saturday.

"What our team is about and how we've gone about our business, that doesn't change," Pause said. "Our style of play is not going to change. I think Gonzalo will be missed, but that's why we have guys knocking on the door to come in and step up."

San Jose coincidentally is in a similar position with midfielder Bobby Convey out of the lineup because of yellow card accumulation.

Quakes forward Chris Wondolowski leads his side with nine goals. San Jose and former Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch has played in every minute this season, posting 90 saves, six shutouts and a 1.35 goals allowed average in 26 matches. Busch's counterpart, Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson, has six shutouts in 20 matches, saving 50 shots and posting a 1.25 goals allowed average.