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Fire end in draw after late goal

A 90th-minute goal allowed, and not for the first time, cost the Chicago Fire on Sunday night, and coach Veljko Paunovic couldn't hide his disappointment.

"After losing these 2 points, for me (it) is tougher than any other defeat we had this year," Paunovic said after Bradley Wright-Phillips' goal helped the New York Red Bulls salvage a 2-2 draw at Toyota Park. "It's very difficult for us after a great response for us as a team and Matt (Polster) with a goal. When we tied the game and took the lead in the game was a great response. ... But we have to get better. It's still the same issue with conceding goals in the last minutes of the game."

"It's obviously disappointing," Polster added. "Going down a goal, giving up an own goal by myself, it's unfortunate. But I thought we did well to battle back and go up 2-1."

Polster's own goal gave New York a 1-0 lead in the 16th minute, but the Fire took a 2-1 lead into halftime on a blast from David Accam from 23 yards out and Polster's goal on a diving header. It looked like the last-place Fire (4-10-6, 18 points) might get a quality win against the second-place team in the Eastern Conference.

"It shows that things are starting to come together a little bit more on the offensive side," said veteran goalkeeper Sean Johnson.

"We did most of the things very well, but we have to learn how to win games," Paunovic added.

It was the Fire's first game since the trade Friday of forward/midfielder Kennedy Igboananike to D.C. United. Sources said the Fire is close to signing an Armenian forward and could sign another player before the summer transfer window closes Wednesday as well. The new forward would not be a designated player, unlike Igboananike.

Academy changes:

The Fire is expected to announce the hiring of a new director for its youth academy, a European coach who will replace Larry Sunderland. Sunderland left last winter to take over the Portland Timbers' academy.

Once he receives his visa, the new director will have his hands full finding new coaches and support staff following the departure the past few days of several key academy personnel.

Among the departures is former Fire defender Gonzalo Segares, an academy coach, and academy managing director John Dorn, who spent 15 years with the club and played a key role in helping Sunderland develop the academy.

Follow Orrin on Twitter @Orrin_Schwarz

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