Losses continue to pile up for Chicago Fire

The perfect storm of bad news for the Chicago Fire shows no signs of letting up.

• Losing streak? Now at seven MLS games after Saturday night's 1-0 loss to the New York Red Bulls at Toyota Park.

• Chances of making the playoffs? Slim with nine games left in the season and the Fire (6-14-5, 23 points) in 10th place in the Eastern Conference.

The team probably would have to win at least seven of those final nine games to make the playoffs.

"We're certainly not in a great position," Fire captain Dax McCarty said. "We all understand that. High level of frustration with the way things have gone for us, not just the past couple of months but the whole season."

Not that anyone is giving up.

"We had a meeting where we all committed that we will play all the games until the end, giving our best, no matter what happens," said coach Veljko Paunovic, whose job may be in jeopardy with his contract expiring after the season.

• The feud with the Fire's supporters groups? Still going, with both sides seeming to dig in for a long fight.

• And the ability to improve the roster? Much more limited after the summer transfer window closed Wednesday.

The Fire didn't make a big splash during the window, adding MLS veterans Raheem Edwards and Nicolas Hasler, as well as Argentine defender Nicolas Del Grecco, who was loaned out this week to Tulsa Roughnecks of the USL.

The team also marked the end of the transfer window by severing ties with sometime-starters Kevin Ellis and Tony Tchani, plus defender Rafael Ramos, getting nothing in exchange. Rookies Elliot Collier and Diego Campos also were loaned out, going to Indy 11.

There was some good news for the Fire. Michael de Leeuw and Djordje Mihailovic, who both suffered a torn ACL toward the end of the 2017 season, were available for selection for the first time Saturday, and de Leeuw made his season debut in the 73rd minute.

"It felt great in that moment to step on the field again and just get those minutes," de Leeuw said. "This is what I worked for for 10 months."

The Fire did play with energy, hanging with New York throughout. But Chicago only managed 1 shot on goal.

"I just thought it was a really great performance from the guys," McCarty said. "Good attitude, good fight, good heart. Battled. Won second balls."

McCarty took the blame for the Red Bulls' goal, which Bradley Wright-Phillips scored in the 55th minute.