ESPN

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Defender Hunter Jumper scored, Sean Johnson made four saves and the Chicago Fire beat Sporting Kansas City 1-0 on Friday night.

The Fire's win was their third in their past four matches and moved them to .500 (10-10-4) for the season with 34 points in the Eastern Conference.

Sporting K.C. fell to 11-9-6 and remains tied with New York on top of the East with 39 points.

Jumper, in only his second appearance of the season, found his way into the goal box and headed a pass from Mike Magee past Kansas City goalkeeper Jimmy Nielsen while on his knees.

Hunter was about a foot off the ground when he scored. The goal, in the 13th minute, finished off a furious offensive start for the Fire.

Kansas City, with striker Claudio Bieler on the bench after a five-match scoreless streak, failed to rally.

In earning his fourth shutout of the season, Johnson turned back midfielder Graham Zusi's bouncing shot from near the penalty kick spot in the 54th minute and defender Seth Sinovic's 5-yard kick in the 84th minute.

Chicago nearly had a second goal in the 72nd minute, but Nielsen got a fingertip on substitute Patrick Nyarko's hard shot and deflected it off the crossbar.

The Fire played with Mike Matkovich as acting head coach. Head coach Frank Klopas was serving a suspension for his ejection from last Saturday's loss at New England.

The Chicago Fire signed MLS SuperDraft pick Hunter Jumper, the team announced on Tuesday. Terms of the deal were not disclosed.

“Hunter brings strength, smarts and athleticism to the Fire,” coach Frank Klopas said in a statement. “Since seeing him at January’s combine and through preseason, he’s shown the ability to transition his game to the next level and adds depth to our backline heading into the 2012 MLS season.”

Jumper, 23, was selected 28th overall by the Fire in the 2012 MLS SuperDraft following a standout four-year career at the University of Virginia from 2008-11.