Fire, Wizards end in 1-1 draw

KANSAS CITY, Kan. -- Michael Harrington atoned for a first-half mistake with a second-half goal, salvaging a 1-all draw for the Kansas City Wizards against the Chicago Fire on Sunday.

Harrington's handball in the area allowed Chicago to take a 1-0 lead on Cuauhtemoc Blanco's penalty kick in first-half stoppage time.

Harrington's equalizer just after the half kept Chicago (12-9-6) from clinching a playoff spot in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference.

The Fire, sitting in third in the East -- one point behind New England -- will clinch a postseason berth if fourth-place New York loses Thursday at Real Salt Lake.

Kansas City (8-10-9), which would have moved into the second wild-card spot with a win, instead moved into a fifth-place tie in the East with D.C. United. The Wizards are 0-9-2 this year when giving up the first goal.

In the 45th minute, Chicago's John Thorrington sent a cross into the area for Brian McBride. Harrington, who was defending McBride on the play, put up his arms and was called for a handball. Blanco stepped to the spot and put the ball to the left of goalie Kevin Hartman.

But in the 48th minute, Harrington took a long cross from Josh Wolff, settled the ball at the edge of the area and fired past Chicago's Jon Busch from 20 yards.

Thorrington will be suspended for next week's game against Columbus after drawing a yellow card in the fifth minute for a reckless foul.