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Dominic Oduro scored two goals in the first half as the Chicago Fire won a preseason international friendly 3-1 over Real C.D. España on Saturday in New Orleans.

Fire goalkeeper Jay Nolly played the full 90 minutes in his preseason Fire debut, allowing one goal on a header by España’s Edder Gonzalez.

Orr Barouch iced the game for the Fire with a goal in the 88th minute.

Defenders Cory Gibbs and Gonzalo Segares missed the match after getting banged up on Wednesday in the Fire’s 3-0 win over Florida Gulf Coast University.

The Fire will return to Chicago on Sunday before a trip to Ventura, Calif. on Wednesday. While in California, the Fire will play preseason games against Chivas USA (Feb. 11), the Portland Timbers (Feb. 15) and the San Jose Earthquakes (Feb. 18).

The elements were not in the Chicago Fire's favor.

They had three suspended starters. They were playing on the road. They were playing down a goal heading into stoppage time. And anything less than a win would have officially spelled the end to Chicago's small, but lingering, playoff hopes.

Fire midfielder Sebastian Grazzini tallied an equalizer and second-half sub Diego Chaves netted the winner three minutes into stoppage time as Chicago posted a miraculous 2-1 come-from-behind victory over D.C. United on Saturday at RFK Stadium.

"It was an incredible five minutes, first for D.C. and then finally for us," Chaves said. "It was really, really intense."

Chaves' goal was his first since April 23, when the Fire played to a 1-1 draw against the Houston Dynamo. Chaves tallied four goals in the Fire's first six games to lead the team at the time, but he got out of his scoring funk at the right time as defender Gonzalo Segares assisted the game-winner.

"He was at the right place at the right time, and I'm glad he was there," Segares said of Chaves. "He's been working hard for a long time and I'm just happy that he got that goal. I'm sure that's going to motivate him."

With the victory, the Fire (8-9-16, 40 points) move to within three points of the New York Red Bulls in their fight for the final wild card spot. New York (9-8-16, 43 points) kept Chicago in the postseason picture when it fell to host Sporting Kansas City, 2-0, earlier on Saturday.

The playoffs still are a hefty task for the Fire as they need more elements to fall into place next week.

The Fire need the Red Bulls to also lose their final game of the season on Thursday when New York faces the Philadelphia Union (7 p.m., ESPN2). Chicago needs to win next Saturday's home finale against the Columbus Crew at Toyota Park. The Fire need the Portland Timbers and D.C. to earn minimal points during their final two games -- preferably a draw when Portland and D.C. face each other next Wednesday. And to top it all off, the Fire need to make up a five-goal differential with the Red Bulls (Chicago is even and New York is plus-five).

During Saturday's game-winning sequence, Segares timed his run perfectly to where he was even with D.C.'s back line when he received Orr Barouch's pass. Segares crossed the ball in from the left side and Chaves converged for the winner.

"I was worried about [being offside]," Segares said. "Orr's pass, I started screaming at him and it took a little bit longer. I took a glimpse and saw the linesman didn't have his flag raised, so I knew I was going to be able to get to the ball. I knew the ball was going to slow down and that I could catch up with it. After that, my only thought was to get the cross in."

D.C. looked like it minimally had a draw wrapped up. And then in the 89th minute, things turned toward United's favor when Santina Quaranta was fouled in the box by Segares. League scoring leader Dwayne De Rosario took the subsequent penalty kick in the 90th minute and gave D.C. a 1-0 lead. De Rosario shot toward the left side of the goal while Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson guess the opposite direction.

However, Grazzini pulled the Fire level one minute into stoppage time. Segares also assisted Grazzini's tally as the shot was struck toward the upper left corner of the goal.

The Fire entered the match with plenty of setbacks. Midfielder Pavel Pardo was serving a red card suspension after he was ejected during Chicago's 2-1 loss to FC Dallas on Wednesday. Right back Dan Gargan and center back Cory Gibbs also missed the D.C. match because of yellow card accumulation.

Michael Videira filled in for Gargan on Saturday, but he had to leave the match in the 19th minute because of a groin injury. Fire center back Josip Mikulic replaced the suspended Gibbs, but he picked up a yellow card and will be suspended for next Saturday's match against Columbus (yellow card accumulation).

Analysis: One thing is for certain -- Chicago is not going to go away as long as this miniscule postseason hope hangs around.

The final minutes of Saturday's match were almost unthinkable, but the Fire pulled off the comeback to make the upcoming week pertinent in their schedule.

People had every right to question when Chicago would make its desperate last-minute push against D.C. While the Fire did create some pretty good scoring opportunities, particularly in the first half, there just was not that swarm-the-goal burst in the final 10 to 15 minutes of regulation.

Segares said that the Fire were exhausted with about 15 minutes left. Chicago found just enough of a burst in stoppage time to force the boo birds to start chirping at RFK.

A postseason still is a long way off for Chicago considering the number of factors involved, but this team showed a tremendous amount of fight at D.C.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Now that the playoffs are more or less out of the picture, the Chicago Fire are simply looking to finish out their final two matches on a positive note.

But the Fire (7-9-16, 37 points) will be dramatically shorthanded when they face Eastern Conference foe D.C. United on Saturday at RFK Stadium.

Defenders Dan Gargan and Cory Gibbs are suspended because of yellow card accumulation, and midfielder Pavel Pardo is out because of a straight red card from Wednesday's 2-1 home loss to FC Dallas.

"We have to finish strong," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "Every time we have an opportunity to step on the field and train or play, it's all about improving as a team. We don't believe in excuses."

"We need to regroup and go over there in D.C. and look for the win," Fire defender Gonzalo Segares said. "[The Dallas loss is] definitely a big blow for us. We've been pushing really hard these past couple of months during the late run and it got us pretty close to being in the position in which we could have been fighting for the playoffs. But with the result [Wednesday], it's just really tough to swallow. We've got two more games to play and like every other game we've got to go out there and get a win."

Segares felt that the heavy dose of cards from that match was the result of last-second frustration in trying to disrupt a superior Dallas side.

"A lot of them were when [Dallas] was on the counter and somehow we had to stop the play," Segares said. "At the beginning of the game, that's how they got many chances. Sometimes you've got to stop those breakaways. Because so many guys got cards, it's definitely going to hurt us -- Gargan, Cory and Pavel with the red card. But we have guys who can step into the starting lineup and help us in the last couple of games."

The Fire have had their share of defensive suspensions already this season, but they have some options to make due in D.C. Segares will remain at left back, Jalil Anibaba could shift to right back, and Klopas might turn to a center back pairing of Josip Mikulic and Yamith Cuesta.

Pardo's absence in the midfield will be a crucial setback as he arguably has been the team's most valuable player during his short tenure. Fire midfielder Marco Pappa will return from international duty with Guatemala.

Several weeks ago it appeared that D.C. (9-11-11, 38 points) would work itself into the playoff picture, thanks mostly because of Dwayne De Rosario's heavy scoring dose. But United is now in the midst of a three-game losing streak, most recently posting a 2-1 loss to the Vancouver Whitecaps on Wednesday.

United does have three home matches left on the docket. But with a five-point deficit from the bottom of the wild card field, D.C.'s quest for a postseason has quickly faded.

The Fire played D.C. to a 1-1 draw on Aug. 18 at Toyota Park. Sebastian Grazzini had a 59th-minute goal for a 1-0 lead, but D.C.'s Josh Wolff found the equalizer in the 73rd minute.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire missed out on the Brimstone Cup yet again. But even worse, their postseason hopes virtually have been eliminated.

Sebastian Grazzini's late goal for the Fire was all Chicago could muster as FC Dallas gained a two-goal lead and held on for a 2-1 victory on Wednesday in front of 10,362 at Toyota Park. Dallas' Jackson and Daniel Cruz netted goals as the team retained the Brimstone Cup, which has been in its possession since 2002.

The Fire (7-9-16, 37 points) still are mathematically in the playoff picture, but they would need to win out, a couple of teams would need to lose out and Chicago would have to make a jump in goal differential.

Dallas (14-11-7, 49 points) was in control for the entire match, creating its share of scoring chances, while minimizing the Fire's attack. Chicago did not register a shot on goal during the first half, while Dallas lingered around the goal for many stretches, especially in the first 45 minutes.

"We were flat from the beginning," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "We weren't sharp. We were just a step behind everything. Give credit to Dallas. They came out and made it difficult for us."

The Fire eventually registered three shots on goal, but their offensive impact was minimal. Dallas contained forward Dominic Oduro and the rest of the Fire by dropping back so they would not get burned by Oduro's quickness.

"It was really hard for me to get behind the defense," Oduro said. "I think they just dropped back the whole time, so we had to change tactics and play on the right. I was able to get a few balls on that side. But technically they did well by just sitting back."

"I think we were just too naive," Fire defender Gonzalo Segares said. "We've got to be smarter. I think they definitely knew what our strength was and that's our speed and getting behind defenses, and from the beginning they went back and dropped and made us play. That's when we tried to force balls and lost them in tough places. That's how they got so many chances in the beginning. We'd lose the ball easily and they'd counter with really fast guys, and it gave us a lot of trouble."

The Fire's lone offensive contribution came from Grazzini, who netted a goal in the 86th minute off of an Orr Barouch assist.

It took Dallas some time to get on the board, and Jackson finally provided the offense in the 41st minute with a shot aimed toward the right side of the frame past Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson for a 1-0 lead.

While Johnson should have done better on defending against Jackson's goal, he did come up with three saves in the first half, including a clutch stop in the 24th minute against Jackson. During that play, Jackson had a step on Fire defender Jalil Anibaba and looked like he had a sure goal, aiming to the left of the frame. But Johnson reached to his right and was able to corral the shot.

Dallas padded its lead in the 53rd minute with Cruz's volley for a 2-0 advantage. Ricardo Villar took the corner kick from the right side, and Dallas' Zach Loyd headed the ball to Cruz, who shot with his back turned to the goal.

The Fire will try to move forward in their final two matches, beginning at D.C. United on Saturday. But they will be without three of their starters. Defenders Dan Gargan and Cory Gibbs will be out because of yellow card accumulation. And midfielder Pavel Pardo was shown a straight red card on Wednesday in the 79th minute for harshly fouling Villar.

"It was a play where I was a little bit late," Pardo said. "I know it was a foul. But this is the referee's decision. There's no excuse. I got a red card and I apologize because of course when you are with 10 players it's difficult to play to try to win."

Analysis: After posting a four-game home winning streak and working their way back into the postseason picture a bit, the Fire played their worst match since falling to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps.

Whether or not they just did not fully recover from the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup loss to Seattle Sounders FC, Chicago was completely out-played by Dallas in every area on the pitch.

Klopas did not use the absence of Marco Pappa as an excuse. The Fire did not use their schedule as an excuse. Dallas was the team with far more energy and movement and better decision making than Chicago.

Two games remain, and while the Fire claim they will try to field the best team available, it really is time to start taking a look at the rest of their roster in gearing up for next year. Having three starters out for D.C. will assist that process to some degree.

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 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.

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.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire have found a rare winning stretch, so the team would prefer few to no changes toward its lineup now that it has a good thing going. Chicago posted back-to-back league wins, followed by a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal victory over the USL Pro's Richmond Kickers on Aug. 30.

But the Fire (4-7-15, 27 points) have no getting around a lineup adjustment this Saturday when they head out west to face the San Jose Earthquakes (5-10-11, 26 points). Left back Gonzalo Segares is not available because of yellow card accumulation.

That puts Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas on the spot as Chicago shoots for a third straight victory to continue its climb into the playoff picture. Will Klopas simply insert a bench player at Segares' left back position, or will he shift multiple players around within the defense and midfield?

"The whole thing is, who do you put there so you don't disrupt too many things?" Klopas said after Wednesday's training. "Because there's a good line of communication now with the group in the middle and stuff like that. It's just making a decision. Sometimes, that's why you sit around all night and you don't go to sleep, and you try to figure out -- is it this guy, is it this guy, is it this guy? But I have the confidence in any of the guys we put out there."

Purely based on the options that Klopas rattled off on Wednesday, it seems like he will not bring up a bench player and move him directly into Segares' spot. The team's left back options are limited, even more so now that midfielder Mike Banner -- who has some experience at left back -- suffered a right ankle sprain during the Fire's reserve game on Tuesday.

In terms of doing the least amount of lineup juggling, shifting center back Cory Gibbs to that slot would appear to be a logical move because of the team's depth at center back with rookie starter Jalil Anibaba, Josip Mikulic and Yamith Cuesta. Right back Dan Gargan also appears to be a frontrunner for Segares' spot.

"We have some different options," Klopas said. "You can put Gargan on the left side, you can put Cory, who's played with the national team on the left side when he grew up, as a left back for one game. There's no issue. I think he's more than ready. But you can put Logan [Pause] at right back and put Gargan on that side, you can put Jalil [Anibaba] at right back. So we do have options. We've been working with different scenarios throughout the week, and we've just got to see what's the best for us for that game."

The Fire have not had a match in more than a week, most recently coming off a 2-1 win over Richmond in the Open Cup semifinals on Aug. 30. Before that, Chicago posted back-to-back MLS victories against Toronto FC and the Colorado Rapids.

In the Rapids match, midfielder Pavel Pardo injured his calf and was subbed out at halftime. Pardo said Wednesday that he is 100 percent for Saturday's match against San Jose.

"I didn't play in the [Open] Cup against Richmond, but that week I rested," Pardo said. "I feel good to get in the game."

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire have reached a double-digit winless streak for a second time this season. They are in dire need of a positive outcome when they host Toronto FC on Sunday at Toyota Park.

The Fire are in the midst of a 0-3-7 stretch -- the longest winless streak since they posted a 0-4-7 record from April 9 through June 9.

Chicago is coming off a 1-1 draw against D.C. United, establishing an MLS record with its 15th draw after conceding a second-half lead.

"We've got to keep coming back. I don't think it can get any lower than this," Fire defender Gonzalo Segares said. "We've just got to get up and keep pushing."

Chicago faces a Toronto team that is tied for the second-worst points total on the road with six, posting a 0-7-6 mark away from BMO Field. But the Fire have not earned a win at Toyota Park since their home opener on March 26 against Sporting Kansas City.

Chicago has not lost complete hope on this season as long as the mathematical playoff possibility continues to linger. Besides, the Fire's rostered players have plenty to play for regarding their own futures within the organization.

"We've got to be realistic -- at the point we're at, right now we're all playing for jobs next year," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said.

As the Fire (2-7-15, 21 points) prepare for their final 10 games of the season, many eyes will be on midfielder Sebastian Grazzini, who tallied Chicago's lone goal against Toronto on Thursday.

Grazzini was brought in to be the stable presence in a center midfield position that has needed an able body all season. Following Thursday's draw, the focus was on why Grazzini was taken out in the 72nd minute. One minute after Grazzini's exit to the bench, D.C. tallied its equalizer.

Klopas and Grazzini had contradicting remarks regarding the substitution. Klopas said it was because Grazzini was tiring, but Grazzini said to reporters that the move was purposely made so he could rest up for Toronto.

The Toronto match is now here, and Grazzini has yet to play in a full match with the Fire. Grazzini has two goals and an assist in four games, but he has averaged only 65 minutes per appearance. Defensive midfielder Pavel Pardo, on the other hand, has played the full 90 minutes in all four matches since his midseason arrival.

The substitution should have been a non-issue, because like most Fire matches this season, Chicago could not capitalize on its scoring chances against D.C.

"It all has to do with us building the mentality of not conceding goals when we're up, and trying not to fall behind and having to fight back," Fire midfielder and forward Patrick Nyarko said. "It's been like that throughout the season, and I don't think we're that kind of team yet. ... We need to concentrate and play a 90-minute game for once."

Two defenders are going up against their former teams Sunday. Fire right back Dan Gargan goes against his former Reds, while Evanston-born Dasan Robinson is on the Toronto side after being traded in late July.

Toronto (4-11-11, 23 points) is coming off a Thursday match, but not in league play. The Reds posted a 2-1 victory against Tauro FC in the CONCACAF Champions League Group C opener for both squads in Panama City, Panama. Ryan Johnson and Julian de Guzman netted first-half goals for Toronto.

Toronto has started to turn things around since its four-game losing streak in July. The Reds are in the midst of a 1-0-2 stretch in MLS action, posting a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake on Aug. 13.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire enjoyed a lead for less than 15 minutes against D.C. United on Thursday. Then in typical Fire fashion this season, Chicago allowed a second-half equalizer and played to a 1-1 draw in front of 15,818 at Toyota Park.

The Fire established an MLS record with their 15th draw of the season, surpassing the previous mark of 14 draws set by FC Dallas last season.

"It's not a record we're proud of," Fire defender Gonzalo Segares said. "We've had plenty of chances to win those games and be in a different position."

Fire midfielder Sebastian Grazzini gave Chicago a 1-0 lead in the 59th minute. But D.C.'s Josh Wolff netted an equalizer in the 73rd minute as the Fire tried to push up to get Wolff in an offside position.

Replays showed that Wolff was in fact offside, and Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas was not hesitant to point that out following the match.

"Unfortunately it comes down to an offside goal that the referees missed to tie the game," Klopas said. "... It's frustrating sometimes when you put so much into it. I've never said anything about the refs on a call like this that's been missed. It's disappointing."

The Fire dominated pretty much every phase of the match. Chicago in fact held D.C. without a shot attempt until Dwayne De Rosario's shot attempt in the 57th minute. The Fire had a 14-6 shots advantage and a 7-1 shots on goal advantage. Wolff's goal was United's only shot on goal.

Despite Grazzini's goal and his strong play on the pitch, Klopas took him out in the 72nd minute and inserted Daniel Paladini, who has not scored a goal this season. Klopas said he made that move because Grazzini was tiring.

"I wanted to push him more today, but he couldn't go," Klopas said. "He told me that he needed to come out."

However, Grazzini expressed a different sentiment afterward, stating that Klopas wanted him to rest up for Toronto FC this Sunday.

"Game after game I'm feeling better," Grazzini said. "I'm getting back in rhythm and I think I did better tonight, and the coach had told me he would take me out so I'll be available for the next match."

With the match even in the 86th minute, Klopas made two more subs, putting Orr Barouch in for Patrick Nyarko and Diego Chaves for Marco Pappa. Nyarko particularly had a strong match and created regular chances, and he was surprised that he did not go the whole way.

"I wanted to play through," Nyarko said. "Once the first 20 minutes passed in the second half, I thought I was going to go the full way. When I was being substituted, I didn't even realize it. I didn't think I was coming off. Logan [Pause] kept yelling at me to run [off the field]."

The major setback for Chicago was scoring leader Dominic Oduro, who had four strong chances to garner a goal -- three high-percentage opportunities in the first half, including a 14th-minute shot that hit the right post.

"I'm not really happy right now," Oduro said. "Those are chances that I should have put away. It's just an unfortunate part of the game. It happens. I just have to keep my head up. I should have done better."

Analysis: The missed opportunities are nothing new. Chicago has been doing this all season. What was surprising was the revelation that Grazzini was purposely being rested for Toronto.

For what purpose does that serve? The Fire's season is on the brink and they need maximum points the rest of the way.

It is clear-cut to everyone watching this Fire team -- Grazzini needs to be out there for a full-game contribution, or awfully close to a full match. The Fire do not have a midfielder who matches his repertoire.

Even if Klopas stands by his claim that Grazzini was tiring, wouldn't a Grazzini at 60 percent be more valuable than some of his other bench options?

Klopas' use of player personnel in this match was confusing, only adding to the frustration and struggles of this 2011 campaign.

Playing at home or on the road has been a wash for the Chicago Fire thus far this season -- 10 points at home and 10 on the road. But if Chicago had to choose one or the other, the team clearly prefers playing in front of its home base.

The Fire play their next four games -- three in MLS action -- at Toyota Park, beginning with D.C. United on Thursday (8 p.m., ESPN2).

"We want to be at home to put some wins in a row," Fire defender Gonzalo Segares said. "We're still alive."

The playoffs would be a miraculous thought at this point for the Fire (2-7-14, 20 points), who are sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference and need to post multiple wins on this homestand just to make a minimal climb in the standings.

Chicago has been king of the draw this year, matching an MLS record with their 14th draw against the New York Red Bulls last week.

"It seems we can't escape that part," Segares said. "It's all the time. It's sickening. We have the same amount of losses as [East-leading] Columbus, but the difference is the amount of ties that could have been wins."

The Fire are coming off a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls. Chicago had a 2-1 lead, but Patrick Nyarko had to come out of the match early in the second half with a migraine. The match changed from then on out, but the Fire had a positive stretch through much of the first half, netting back-to-back goals.

Nyarko's pairing with Dominic Oduro up top was a positive, with Nyarko assisting Oduro's team-leading seventh goal. The Fire might roll with that setup again against D.C.

"With their speed and Patrick's ability to dribble through guys, it helps us to get pressure off the defense," Segares said. "In the first half we were pretty compact defensively. We also had them on their heels for a couple of chances. It was a tough loss."

The Fire defense welcomes back Cory Gibbs, who had been out with a groin injury. The center back was injured in the opening minutes of a 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 3. In the two games without Gibbs in the lineup, Chicago gave up six goals -- four to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps on Aug. 7.

It is unclear if Gibbs will immediately be thrust into the starting lineup again.

"With such a quick turnaround, the starters haven't done much," Segares said. "I think the past couple days [Gibbs] has been participating harder with the guys that have gone for the entire sessions. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the [18-player roster]."

This is the first appearance between the two teams in league play. United (7-6-9, 30 points) topped the Fire in the preseason with a 1-0 victory in the Carolina Challenge Cup on March 9. Chicago fell behind within the first 10 minutes and had to play most of the match with 10 men because of Diego Chaves' red card ejection in the 37th minute.

D.C. has found some good form over the past two months, posting a 3-1-5 record in MLS action since mid-June and recently coming off a 4-0 win over Vancouver on Saturday. Midfielder Chris Pontius netted two goals and was named MLS Player of the Week. Teammate Dwayne De Rosario earned the previous two weekly honors as D.C.

De Rosario has been with three teams this season, and D.C. has benefited mightily since his arrival on June 27. De Rosario has six goals and three assists in seven games for United, while posting three goals and five assists in his other 15 games split between Toronto FC and New York. Charlie Davies has eight goals and Pontius has contributed seven for D.C. this season.

"It's going to be as tough as New York," Segares said. "We tried to limit [New York's Thierry] Henry, and we've got to do the same with De Rosario. He's the ring leader and they feed off of him. We have to close him out, and after that, every single line is good. They have a lot of speed and they like to go on the counter."

Pappa says Twente move is 'rumor': Dutch publication De Telegraaf reported earlier this week that FC Twente is interested in Pappa, with a reported offer of $2.1 million to attain his rights. But the 23-year-old Guatemalan dismissed the report on Wednesday.

"It's just a rumor," Pappa said to MLSSoccer.com. "I still have a contract with MLS for one more year."

A source familiar with the situation told ESPNChicago.com that the Fire organization has not had any formal discussions with FC Twente.

Pappa has had a difficult stretch of late, sitting on five goals since June 26. He also has two assists in 19 games.

The Chicago Fire struggled mightily against Major League Soccer's expansion clubs this season. And unless there is a miraculous stretch somewhere within this Fire roster, Sunday's effort against the Vancouver Whitecaps likely spelled the end toward any playoff aspirations.

The Fire fell to Vancouver, 4-2, at Empire Field and were winless this season against MLS's two new clubs, posting a 0-3-1 record against the Whitecaps and Portland Timbers. The lone point was a scoreless draw against Vancouver.

Up to this point, Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas' squad had done its job on the defensive side. But Chicago (2-7-13, 19 points) posted its worst performance in the defensive third this season in a battle between the two last-place teams in their respective conferences.

"I don't know what happened," Fire left back Gonzalo Segares said. "We've been strong defensively in our last games, and today we were just terrible. We made mistakes, we didn't concentrate. It's just tough because we went down so quickly, we tried to fight back, and immediately we were down again. It takes a toll on you."

Eric Hassli netted two goals for Vancouver (3-11-9, 18 points), and teammates Gershon Koffie and Camilo also found the back of the net. The Fire's Dominic Oduro and Orr Barouch provided the scoring for Chicago, but those scores could not make up for the season-high four goals surrendered in the defensive third.

"There wasn't much said," Segares said of the Fire locker room. "Everybody's heads were down. Going into this we were talking about how important it was to make a run, and in the first minute we were down, 1-0, and it was an uphill battle."

The Fire suffered a horrific start as Hassli scored in the first minute to give the Whitecaps a quick 1-0 lead. Shortly after the Fire's Patrick Nyarko attacked following the opening kick, Vancouver responded with Jordan Harvey's deep send from the left side. Fire defender Yamith Cuesta, back from his one-game suspension, attempted to intercept the ball but was unsuccessful. Hassli got the ball and found the upper right corner of the net past Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson.

Oduro netted an equalizer in the 23rd minute, utilizing his speed and deception to beat Whitecaps defender Alain Rochat and tie the score at 1-1. But that tally was short-lived.

In the 24th minute, the Whitecaps' Koffie responded with a shot that bounced over Johnson for a 2-1 lead. Johnson dove to his right to attempt to stop the shot, but the ball went over Johnson's left shoulder and into the back of the net.

Camilo pushed the Whitecaps' lead to 3-1 in the 48th minute, spinning past Fire defender Josip Mikulic and shooting toward the far right post. Camilo got his shot off before the Fire's Daniel Paladini and Cuesta could catch up to get in the path of the shot.

Hassli scored his second goal in the 72nd minute off of a rebound off the left post to extend the Whitecaps' lead to 4-1. Chicago's defense was flat-footed and unresponsive during the sequence.

Fire second-half sub Orr Barouch did cut into the Whitecaps' lead in the 80th minute. Nyarko had the deep send to Barouch, who muscled his way past Harvey and shot toward the far left post to cut it to 4-2.

The Fire face Eastern Conference foes the New York Red Bulls on Saturday at Red Bull Arena. With Chicago's next three matches coming against fellow East teams, the club is not losing hope just yet.

"The team is pretty upset, but we're not going to give up," Segares said. "We're going to come back this week again because there is a mathematical opportunity [for the playoffs]. We've taken pride in our work since the preseason. You can't throw that out."

Analysis: The Fire have had plenty of low points this year, but posting an embarrassing match against MLS's worst team probably takes the cake. The Fire also extended their winless streak to eight games and have not posted a victory since June 12 at the Columbus Crew.

Cuesta returned from his one-game suspension, and suffice to say he had an incredibly disappointing effort. Johnson bailed him out late in the first half shortly after Cuesta fouled Camilo in the box. Hassli took the penalty kick, but Johnson guessed correctly to his right and batted the ball away.

It was surprising that Cuesta stayed in for the remainder of the match. Jalil Anibaba had a good game at center back during the Fire's 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union, and the back line needed a jolt Sunday. Hassli's second goal was the defining moment for the Fire's poor work rate, because four Vancouver players were in the box fighting for the ball in that sequence. Chicago's defense was dormant.

The mathematical outside chance of a postseason exists for the time being, but Sunday's lackluster effort basically was the final straw as the Fire likely will miss out on the playoffs for a second straight year.

All the Fire can do from here on out is play for pride in their MLS schedule and make a valiant run toward winning a fifth Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- After going eight straight games without a defeat, the Chicago Fire find themselves in a bit of a skid, posting a second straight loss to the Portland Timbers, 1-0, on Saturday in front of 16,419 at Toyota Park.

The expansion Timbers swept the season series against Chicago this year, and Saturday marked Portland's first road victory after going 0-5-2 in its previous seven road matches. Chicago (2-6-12) has lost back-to-back games after falling to the Los Angeles Galaxy the weekend before.

"We knew it was a must-win game for us in terms of just mental preparation," Fire defender Cory Gibbs said. "We're not saying that our season is over. But mentally it was a game that we ... not had to win, but we wanted to win for our fans. It didn't go our way."

The difference was a questionable penalty kick call and ultimate PK goal by the Timbers' Jack Jewsbury in the 25th minute to give Portland (6-9-3) the 1-0 lead.

The Timbers' opportunity stemmed from Fire defender Gonzalo Segares who referee Elias Bazakos called for bringing down Portland's Jorge Perlaza in the box. Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson guessed correctly and dove to his right on Jewsbury's PK, but the ball was out of his reach.

"When I saw the ball coming in I tried to poke it away," Segares said of the foul, which he felt did not include any incidental contact. "I know I felt it. I know I kicked it. The trajectory of the ball, I went inside when Perlaza was trying to come inside. The referee decided to call the PK. I'm very frustrated."

"Am I happy about it? No, but there's nothing I can do about it at that point," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "You live with that. Obviously I thought we could have done better before the opportunity got there."

The Fire nearly found the equalizer before halftime when a Gibbs header hit the far right post in the 44th minute. Fire midfielder Daniel Paladini took the corner from the left side and found Gibbs on the near side, but Gibbs' header was just off the mark and the Timbers' defense cleared the ball away.

"We set the play and Jalil [Anibaba] did well setting the pick on my man," Gibbs said. "I headed it far post, and I hit the post. Just unlucky."

The Fire had to play down a man for the final 30 minutes as Yamith Cuesta picked up two yellow cards in a span of six minutes and a subsequent red card ejection in the 63rd minute. Despite playing down a man, Chicago tried to push. Second-half sub Orr Barouch even hit the frame in the 68th minute.

But following the match, some boos were heard as Chicago could not pull even with Portland.

"We've not been delivering for them," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said. "We owe everything to them. They have the right to boo us or whatever it is. We know we're putting our all out there, trying to get the result. In this circumstance it's tough with a man down and dubious calls like that."

Analysis: Gibbs' sentiment of it being a must-win moment certainly rings true to where Chicago stands at this stage of the season. The Fire had an expansion club that had not posted a road victory, and the Fire did not deliver at Toyota Park.

Gibbs and Barouch had their chances, and Marco Pappa was denied twice by Timbers goalkeeper Troy Perkins in the 90th minute and stoppage time. The Fire came close.

The Fire started relatively flat on the offensive side in the first half, and there just was no flow to their attack. Dominic Oduro's decision making was off the mark -- hesitating to shoot in situations where he should pass, and shooting when he had other options close by. Pappa was guilty of the same on a couple of occasions.

One positive for Chicago was Johnson's play in the net. He posted six saves in a dramatic difference from the first time the Fire played the Timbers and lost 4-2.

Since taking over the Chicago Fire's coaching duties, interim head coach Frank Klopas has preached about strengthening the defense on set pieces.

The Fire had not allowed a set-piece goal during Klopas' first seven games at the helm. But David Beckham and the Los Angeles Galaxy put an end to that trend, as the Galaxy scored twice on set pieces en route to a 2-1 victory over Chicago on Saturday at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif.

Beckham scored directly off of a corner kick for the game-winner, and he provided a corner kick assist on a Landon Donovan header. Cristian Nazarit scored the Fire's lone goal in between Beckham's corners, with all three goals coming in an eight-minute span.

"We got too comfortable against the wrong team," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said. "We lost concentration on a couple of goals, and that's unacceptable. A lapse of concentration against a team like this, they'll take advantage of it."

The Fire (2-5-12) suffered their first loss under Klopas (1-1-6). It also marks Chicago's first defeat since a 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union on May 21. The Western Conference-leading Galaxy (10-2-9) extended its unbeaten run to 12 games.

On Saturday, the Galaxy offense came to life in the second half, highlighted by Beckham's 66th-minute corner kick goal. Beckham took a low, driving corner from the left side and found the net. The ball eluded several players, including Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson and Nyarko who was trying to cover the back right post.

"It went through Jalil [Anibaba], Sean, and I couldn't see the ball until it was in the net," Nyarko said. "It was bad defending on our part."

In the 58th, Beckham sent the corner kick in from the right side and found Donovan on the back left post for a 1-0 lead. Donovan rose above Fire defender Gonzalo Segares and headed the ball into the right side of the net.

The Fire quickly recovered from Donovan's goal. In the 62nd minute, Nyarko sent a right-footed cross from the left side of the pitch and connected with Nazarit. Nazarit drove his header underneath Galaxy goalkeeper Josh Saunders and into the net to tie the score at 1-1.

The match ended on an ugly note when Nyarko was taken out by the Galaxy's Chris Birchall in second-half stoppage time. Birchall was shown a yellow card, and the Fire took exception to a harsh challenge that could have been ruled a red. Fire forward Diego Chaves immediately rushed in, and multiple players left their respective benches. Fire defender Josip Mikulic, who was a reserve, was shown a red card.

Analysis: The end result certainly did not paint the picture of how the match went in the early going.

The Fire's game plan was effective throughout the first half and the early stages of the second half. Donovan's 58th-minute goal was the first attempt the Galaxy had on net, so the Fire had a positive impact during this difficult road match. Once Chicago allowed some Galaxy set pieces on a regular basis, that played into the host team's hands.

Chicago had some good chances to put some momentum in its corner. Fire defender Anibaba had a scoring chance in the 45th minute. Anibaba appeared to be squared up to put his header on frame, but he pushed it wide right of the net. Early in the first half, Nyarko worked his way into the box from the left side, but the Galaxy's Gregg Berhalter slid in to deflect Nyarko's 14th-minute chance away from the goal.

Fire midfielder Marco Pappa could have had a stronger performance. He missed a glaring chance to level the match in the 72nd minute. Nyarko made a quick move to get around the Galaxy's Bryan Jordan on the left side. He provided a perfect setup for Pappa, but he sent his shot over the crossbar.

The Fire have had plenty of draws -- as well as a win -- that were poorer performances than Saturday's loss. But there is no question that Klopas will reiterate his set piece emphasis moving past this game.