DC United needed just one point to clinch top spot in the Eastern Conference, and they got all three in their matchup Saturday night with the Chicago Fire. United entered the night three points ahead of second place New England Revolution with two matches left to play and a game in hand and finished the night six points ahead. United got goals from Chris Pontius and Eddie Johnson to cancel out a late goal from Harry Shipp.
It is yet another disappointing result for the Fire, and they will be counting themselves lucky that we are still years away from a relegation/promotion system. They have set the MLS record for most draws this season, a record which they probably did not hope to set come the start of the season. Tonight's loss leaves them mired in 9th place in the East on 33 points, averaging just one point per game.
Chicago's biggest bright spot this year, Harry Shipp, was their brightest performer yet again. The Homegrown Player and Notre Dame graduate has seven goals and seven assists in 32 appearances this year spread across league and the US Open Cup.
The win tonight is yet another landmark moment in an incredible season for United. They've completed the turnaround from last-to-first, and have accrued 42 more points this season than last, an MLS record still with one more match to play. They should now be set to kick on and make a deep run into the MLS Playoffs.
Key Moments
23': SAVE! A United costless kick is only half cleared, and Sean Franklin picks the ball up and makes a run to the byline. He floats the ball back-post for an on-rushing Davy Arnaud, but he scuffs his shot right to Reynish.
28': SAVE! Chicago really should be opening the scoring here. Shipp floats a gorgeous through ball over the top to Quincy Amarikwa, but his touch lets him down and he's forced wide. He cuts the ball back to the onrushing Florent Sinama-Pongolle, who shoots right at Bill Hamid from just 14 yards out. The Frenchman should be scoring there.
31': GOAL! Nick DeLeon and Johnson interchange seamlessly, and Johnson is played in behind. He clips a delightful cross back across the face of goal, and picks out Pontius who calmly finishes.
53': GOAL! It's a goal for Eddie Johnson after a horrendous defensive mistake from Patrick Ianni. He couldn't decide whether he was passing to Segares or to Jeff Larentowicz, and instead found Johnson who was then in on goal. He beat Reynish easily, going back to the far post.
67': GOAL! And Harry Shipp has pulled one back! The Rookie of the Year candidate was played in behind after a great floated ball from Patrick Nyarko and Shipp coolly nutmegged Hamid for the goal. This one isn't over yet folks.
74': OFF THE POST! It's Shipp again nearly equalizing! Amarikwa is played in behind, but he gets too fancy and can't get a shot off. The ball is tackled away from him inside the box but it falls right to the feet of Shipp. His shot takes a deflection, skids past Hamid and comes back off the post. How close was that one?
75': SAVE! And now it's Reynish keeping Chicago in it. DeLeon is played in after Ianni falls asleep again. His angled shot is well kept out by the stand-in keeper.
90+1': SAVE! That surely was Chicago's last chance there. Shipp again plays in Amarikwa, and his touch lets him down again. The ball falls to Jeff Larentowicz, but it's just behind him and he can't get his whole body behind the ball. Hamid saves easily.