Sun Oct 12 17:08:06 2008

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McBride helps Fire clinch playoff berth

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Bridgeview, IL (Sports Network) - Brian McBride scored two goals, including the equalizer in the 79th minute, as the Chicago Fire clinched a playoff berth with a 2-2 draw against the Columbus Crew on Sunday at Toyota Park.

McBride opened the scoring in the 13th minute, but Columbus answered with goals from Eddie Gaven and Guillermo Barros Schelotto two minutes apart in the second half. However, McBride found the net for a second time to give Chicago the point it needed to clinch a spot in the MLS playoffs.

The Crew, which has already secured the top spot in the Eastern Conference, needed a win claim their second Supporters' Shield in team history, but they can still lock it up on Sunday if Houston fails to beat D.C. United later on.

The Fire provided the lone bright spot in a lackluster first half from a corner kick in the 13th minute.

Justin Mapp swung the ball into the middle of the box and it skipped through to McBride at the back post. He took it down off his chest and fired a left- footed shot that skimmed the fingertips of goalkeeper Will Hesmer and settled inside the right post.

The second half started slowly as well, but things picked up near the hour mark and both teams began to find space.

Pat Noonan made a mess of a free header from seven yards after a cross from Robbie Rogers, but Chicago also missed out on a good opportunity minutes later, with Chris Rolfe firing over an open net from close range.

The miss would prove costly for Chicago as the visitors found the equalizer just one minute later.

The ball was played into the box from the left wing but Chicago defender Wilman Conde tried to clear it back up the middle, and it fell to Gaven at the top of the box. He then sent a strong right-footed volley sailing past Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch.

Two minutes later, the Crew went in front as Danny O'Rourke started a counter attack by finding Rogers on the right wing. He carried the ball towards goal and floated a perfect cross to Schelotto, who nodded the ball back across the face of goal from close range to put his team ahead.

However, Chicago made the most of another set piece to level the match with 11 minutes to play.

Cuauhtemoc Blanco chipped the ball into the area from the right flank for Conde, and he flicked the ball on for McBride at the back post. The former Fulham man once again brought the ball down and he fired a low shot through traffic into the bottom right corner.

The hosts then had two great chances to win the game as Blanco smashed a shot off the bottom of the crossbar from eight yards, and Gonzalo Segares rolled a shot just inches wide of the right post in the final minutes.