Rolfe's strike keeps Fire unbeaten

Chicago earns fifth consecutive victory over Red Bulls

Jon Busch came up with a plethora of big saves for the Fire late in the match. (B. Kersey/Getty)

The Fire are now 4-0-6 on the year and move into sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with 18 points, two points clear of D.C. United and Toronto FC. New York, which saw its modest two-game unbeaten streak snapped, remain in the Eastern Conference basement with nine points from 11 games.

On the decisive play, Chicago striker Brian McBride won a header near the top of the Red Bulls penalty area. Logan Pause pushed forward to knock the bouncing ball through to Rolfe, who slipped past New York's backline to hook a left-footed shot past 'keeper Jon Conway on the stroke of halftime.

The home side had the game's first chance in the fifth minute. New York midfielder Sinisa Ubiparipovic made a slick move to get free of two Fire defenders on the touchline near midfield. Ubiparipovic played Juan Pablo Angel into the Chicago box, where he won a corner kick off defender (and fellow Colombian) Wilman Conde. However, Angel sent his header over the crossbar off the ensuing set piece.

The Fire got an early scare 10 minutes in when Cuauhtemoc Blanco crumbled to the turf after a collision inside his own half. Blanco stayed down for two full minutes while trainers tended to him, but after gingerly walking to the sideline, the Mexican international was able to shake off the knock and return to the game.

In the 18th, New York forced Fire 'keeper Jon Busch into his first save. Red Bulls striker John Wolyniec turned defender Bakary Soumare and unleashed a powerful half-volley on goal, but Busch was well-positioned to fight it off the shot with both fists.

Seconds later, on the other end of the field, Marco Pppa tested Conway with a tailing cross from the left side that the Bulls' backstop had to tip over.

The home team had another excellent chance to open the scoring in the 32nd, but this time Busch grabbed Angel's eight-yard header off Ubiparipovic's cross.

Overall, the Red Bulls probably had the better of the play during a mostly lethargic first half, but the Fire went into the intermission ahead thanks to Rolfe's late strike.

And although the opener came against the run of play, the visitors displayed some pretty possession towards the end of the initial frame. But even more impressive was their defensive work; even frontrunner McBride, who came into the match as the league's joint top scorer, was often back inside his own 18-yard box, helping to keep the hosts off the scoreboard.

Ten minutes after the break, Angel, clearly New York's danger man throughout the match, squandered another golden opportunity by left-footing wide Mac Kandji's square pass from a dozen yards out.

Meanwhile, McBride was at the center of everything for Chicago, posting up defenders, looking to shoot when outlets failed to present themselves and earning double-teams from the Red Bulls rearguard at times.

With 10 minutes to play, Rolfe could have notched his second of the game and doubled his squad's advantage with a curling, goal-bound effort from the left side. But Conway dove to his left to swat the drive away at the far post.

The Red Bulls came close to equalizing three times in the final five minutes through substitute Danleigh Borman, but the second-year South African was snuffed by the Fire backline on the first two occasions and by Busch's sensational save, off a glancing header, on the third.

Then, in stoppage time, Conway got his head on a corner kick after joining the scrum in the box. But the 'keeper's effort was off the mark and the Fire persevered the full three points.

Chicago also defeated New York in the teams' first meeting this season, a 1-0 home decision April 5, as Red Bulls head coach Juan Carlos Osorio has seen his former club defeat his current in all five meetings since moving to New York.

The Fire, whose 10-game unbeaten streak to open the season is now the third-longest in MLS history and two games shy of the league record, visit MLS-leading Chivas USA in a nationally televised game on Thursday night (ESPN2, 10:30 p.m. ET). The Red Bulls remain at home next weekend, entertaining the Colorado Rapids at Giants Stadium.

Doug McIntyre is a contributor to MLSnet.com.

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