Fire hold off FC Dallas to enter playoff fray
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Frisco, TX (SportsNetwork.com) - The Chicago Fire thrust themselves into the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race on Saturday after holding on for a nervy 3-2 victory over FC Dallas at Toyota Stadium.
Coming off a comfortable 3-0 win over D.C. United last week, Chicago was on the front foot from the outset and grabbed the lead 25 minutes into the proceedings when Mike Magee whipped a corner kick into the area where Juan Luis Anangono nodded it home to put the visitors up.
Three minutes before the break Chicago got some good fortune to make it 2-0 when Alex ripped a shot from distance that deflected off the back of Magee and rolled past FC Dallas goalkeeper Chris Seitz.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The Fire made it a three-goal margin in the 52nd minute when Jalil Anibaba collected a loose clearance by Jackson and curled a beautiful strike into the top right corner.
But, playing for their playoff lives, FC Dallas had some life when Kenny Cooper brought a ball down in the box and fought off Gonzalo Segares to power it home in the 63rd minute to bring the hosts within two.
Copper completed a brace in the 75th minute after he converted a penalty kick for his sixth goal of the season, but FCD was unable to find an equalizer as Chicago took three points.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The result sees the Fire into fifth place in the East on 46 points, while FC Dallas sees their playoff dreams come to an end with the defeat.