Nyarko helps Fire net 1-1 tie with D.C. United

WASHINGTON - Patrick Nyarko scored in the 53rd minute to lift the Chicago Fire to a 1-1 tie with D.C. United on Saturday night.

Luciano Emilio gave D.C. United a 1-0 lead in its home opener with an unassisted goal in the seventh minute. Emilio brought the ball down the center of the field and fired a shot from just outside the penalty box.

United (0-0-2) controlled the first half, winning nearly every contested ball. After halftime, the Fire (1-0-1) was the team in charge. The Fire had 7 shots on goal in the second half after they didn't record any in the first half.

"That's all we talked about at halftime - we should replicate what they did to us in the first half," Nyarko said.

Nyarko's tying score came in the 53rd minute when he took a pass on the right side of the penalty area and shot past charging United goalkeeper Josh Wicks.

"I knew I had a step on my defender and I lifted my eye to see where the goalie was. Luckily for me he was coming full speed ahead," Nyarko said. "As soon as I hit it I knew if it got past him it was going to go in."

Fire captain C.J. Brown left the game in the 14th minute with a right quadriceps injury, and coach Denis Hamlett said he didn't know how long the injury would keep Brown out. The defenseman also battled a variety of injuries last season, playing only three games for the Fire.

"It's disappointing," Hamlett said. "You feel for the guy."