Fire extend unbeaten streak to 10 games

EAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- The Chicago Fire extended their season-long unbeaten streak to 10 games and remained the lone undefeated team in Major League Soccer, beating the New York Red Bulls 1-0 at Giants Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

For the second consecutive game, Chris Rolfe scored for the Fire, tucking a left-footed shot inside the far post from 16 yards in the waning moments of the first half.

The play started with a long goal kick by Jon Busch. Brian McBride headed the ball back to Logan Pause, who nodded it to Rolfe. The forward scored his third goal of the year, and sixth in 13 career appearances against New York.

Busch made 10 saves to earn his third shutout of the year. His best save was his last, an acrobatic stop to rob Danleigh Borman's glancing header in second-half stoppage time.

Chicago (4-0-6) claimed sole possession of first place in the Eastern Conference with 18 points, two more than D.C. United and Toronto FC.

New York (2-6-3), which had its two-game unbeaten streak snapped, remained last in the Eastern Conference with nine points.

The Red Bulls brought on speedy midfielder Dane Richards in the 54th minute and switched from a 4-4-2 formation to a 3-5-2 in an attempt to tie it.

The move almost worked when Mac Kandji got around Chicago defender Bakary Soumare and found an open Juan Pablo Angel at the far post, but the captain fired wide in what was New York's best scoring chance of the second half until the closing seconds of stoppage time.