First Impressions - Chicago Fire 1 : 1 D.C. United

I'm sure there are those that will be annoyed by United coming away with only a draw, but this is about as good as I think we have any right to expect. United entered the game without most of its starting midfield, and still managed a draw against a Chicago team that's playing pretty well. Those that are inclined to judge United harshly may say that the goal was something of a fluke, coming only because Moreno's cross was so bad it caught everyone, including Pickens, by surprise. You can go that way if you'd like, but United was generating some offense before then, and had done enough to earn the one goal they eventually received. It was a good draw, one that I'm happy to take. We're now down to four games remaining, and Chivas is three points back with a game in hand. Here's the stretch run:

DC: TOR, @KC, CHI, CLB
CHV: CHI, @RSL, @FCD, COL, HOU

Now, United has the tie breaker over Chivas from head-to-head, which means if United wins out, then they'll have the Supporter's Shield even if Chivas wins out as well. And it might come down to something like that. I see three tough games for Chivas, and United's schedule ends against teams all trying to jockey for playoff position while they fit in Copa Sudamericana.

While I wasn't pinning all of my hopes on a win today, the draw will mean that the season is going to be a bit tense from here on out. Take the point, come home, and come out firing against Toronto.