Bridgeview, IL – The Chicago Fire put the brakes on a four-match winless run in league play on Sunday after posting a 2-0 result over struggling D.C. United at Toyota Park.
Chicago got off the mark quickly with a bit of luck in the ninth minute when Jeff Larertowicz fired a free kick from outside the area into the mixer and the ball deflected off the leg of United midfielder Nick DeLeon and wound up in behind goalkeeper Joe Willis for the early 1-0 lead.
D.C. United had trouble generating quality scoring chances for most of the first half, but their best opportunity came in the 36th minute when midfielder Dwayne De Rosario ripped a shot on target from well outside the box, but it smashed off crossbar and stayed out.
After the break, United still could not do much in the way of offensive chances and Chicago finally put the match away in the 85th minute.
Patrick Nyarko ran onto a loose ball on the right wing and floated it into space for Mike Magee, who took a quick touch and ripped it past Willis for his seventh goal of the season and first in a Chicago kit.
The result lifts the Fire to 11 points from 12 matches, while D.C. United continues to struggle as the club is winless in 11 consecutive games and has not won since a 1-0 result over Real Salt Lake on March 9.
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