BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (AP) — Marco Pappa and Dominic Oduro scored in the first 26 minutes and the Chicago Fire earned a 2-1 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday.
The victory moved the Fire (7-5-3) within three points of third-place New York in the Eastern Conference. Columbus, dominated from the start by the Fire, had entered the game with a six-match unbeaten streak (3-0-3).
The Crew’s last loss was on April 28, 1-0 to Vancouver.
Pappa maneuvered to the edge of the penalty area, and using a screen, ripped a right-footed shot off the hands of diving goalkeeper Andy Gruenbaum in the second minute.