United Secures First Place, But Isn't Celebrating Yet

United 0, Fire 0

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D.C. United Ties Chicago Fire, 0-0
Action from D.C. United's Oct. 13 game at RFK Stadium against the Chicago Fire. The teams tied, 0-0.

D.C. United clinched first place in MLS's Eastern Conference last night with a 0-0 tie against the Chicago Fire, but you hardly would have known it from the club's reaction. No champagne bottles, no cigars, barely an acknowledgment that it had secured home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.

D.C.'s sluggish performance before 25,404 spectators at RFK Stadium -- the biggest turnout other than for David Beckham's appearance in August -- had a lot to do with the subdued reaction. But the fact that United is still in pursuit of the Supporters' Shield, awarded to the team with most overall points in MLS, was the biggest reason.

"Yeah, we won the conference, but not one guy is mentioning it in there," Coach Tom Soehn said, referring to the quiet locker room. "We've got something out there that is very important to us. They are very focused on that. They are actually pretty disappointed right now."

In extending its unbeaten streak in league play to 13, United (16-6-7) moved three points ahead of Western-leading Chivas USA, which will host Colorado today. A Chivas loss would seal it for United, but if D.C. were to defeat Columbus in its regular season finale Saturday at RFK, the club would clinch the overall trophy for the second consecutive year regardless of Chivas's last result because it holds the tiebreaker over the California team. The winner of the Supporters' Shield is rewarded with a berth in an international tournament next spring.

"We never even talked about the Eastern Conference championship, really," defender Greg Vanney said. "It was just one of those things that was out there, but I guess we just did enough to pick up the point we needed."

On a night when United was outplayed in the first half and its attack silenced for the first time in league action in almost three months, goalkeeper Troy Perkins came to the rescue. Perkins made a career-high nine saves, including three in one-on-one situations, to register his eighth shutout and help United stretch its unbeaten streak at home in MLS games to 13.

"He saved us," said midfielder Ben Olsen, who served as team captain in the absence of Jaime Moreno (Bolivian national team duty). "He was big. Goalkeepers do that every now and then -- they just save the team -- and today was one of those days for us."

The Fire (9-10-10) pulled even with Kansas City -- a 2-1 loser at New York -- for fourth place in the conference and increased the likelihood of a first-round playoff series with United starting in two weeks. Chicago will close the regular season against visiting Los Angeles next Sunday.

If United does end up playing the Fire, it will have to make marked improvement against a club that played with passion and pace. Chris Rolfe, Chad Barrett and Mexican superstar Cuauht¿moc Blanco found space between and behind United's defenders.

Barrett tested Perkins from seven yards after just four minutes and had three other quality opportunities by the midway point of the half.

"It wasn't our best day in the part of the game that we usually do a good job with, and that's possession," Soehn said. "And when you don't do a good job with possession, it's going to be a harder day for you, and we made it hard for ourselves."

United's best chance of the opening half came in the 16th minute when rookie Guy-Roland Kpene, still searching for his first goal, hit the left post. "I need to go to church," the exasperated forward said.

In the 37th minute, Rolfe split two defenders and ran onto Blanco's long ball. His shot was blocked by the desperately advanced Perkins, whom the Fire claimed was outside the penalty area when he handled it. Referee Kevin Stott disagreed.

Soehn adjusted at the break, replacing Kpene with defensive midfielder Brian Carroll and moving playmaker Christian Gomez up front. But a rare mistake by left back Marc Burch almost handed Chicago the lead in the 53rd minute when his poor clearing attempt deflected to Barrett for a short burst at Perkins. Once again, Perkins was up to the task, blocking the clear shot with his foot.

United was bending and in danger of breaking under pressure, but its possession improved a bit and the defense held its ground.

"We just didn't keep the ball very well," Perkins said. "We have to be able to do that now, and there are games like that in the playoffs where you are just going to have to battle and battle and battle."