Wanchope scores lone goal

Posted September 08, 2007 11:00 pm

Associated Press

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Paulo Wanchope scored in the 65th minute, leading the Chicago Fire to a 1-0 victory over the Columbus Crew on Saturday night in a game delayed 32 minutes due to lightning.

Wanchope ran onto an arcing, 50-yard pass from defender Wilman Conde and scored from 15 yards after Crew goalkeeper Will Hesmer appeared to lose his footing on the soaked field.

The win moved the Fire (8-10-5) past Columbus (6-8-10) in the Eastern Conference standings and closer to a spot in the MLS Cup playoffs. The Crew, winless in six games, saw its postseason hopes slip further away with only six matches remaining.

Nearby flashes of lightning forced referee Jozef Batko to suspend play for 32 minutes beginning in the 39th minute.

The Crew nearly scored in the game's first minute, but Rusty Pierce's header from close range passed just over the crossbar.

Columbus striker Alejandro Moreno took a well-placed crossing pass from Jacob Thomas inside the box in the 32nd minute, but Moreno's right-footed shot was deflected past the goalpost.

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