Fire, FC Cincinnati settle for scoreless draw

Aleksandar Katai attempted four shots, but only one was on target, and the Chicago Fire settled for a 0-0 draw with host FC Cincinnati on Saturday night.

Chicago (9-12-11, 38 points) remained three points behind New England for the seventh and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, after the Revolution played to a 0-0 draw with Real Salt Lake.

Katai, who leads the Fire with 98 shots this year, missed a chance to give Chicago the win two minutes into stoppage time, as his attempt sailed high. He also missed a chance in the 88th minute.

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Katai's inability to find the back of the net came on a night which the Fire had 16 shots but only one on target. Nemanja Nikolic missed all four of his attempts.

It also continued Chicago's road struggles as the Fire dropped to 1-10-5 on the road. Chicago fell 0-2-2 in its last four road games since winning at Houston on Aug. 3.

FC Cincinnati (6-22-4, 22 points) had 10 shots (three on goal0 and had several quality scoring chances that were denied in the final minutes before stoppage time.

In the 87th minute, Emmanuel Ledesma's right-footed shot was stopped in the center of the box by Chicago goalkeeper Kenneth Kronholm. Minutes earlier FC Cincinnati's Roland Lamah and Leonardo Bertone missed the net.

FC Cincinnati dropped to 0-7-1 in its last eight home games, dating back to a July 6 win over Houston.

Kronholm made three saves and posted his fifth MLS shutout.

FC Cincinnati's Przemyslaw Tyton made one save, getting his second shutout of the year.

In the first half, the teams combined for nine shots but only one on target.

Chicago was unable to score after Francisco Calvo's header from a difficult angle on the left side was too high early on. Nikolic's right-footed shot from the center of the box was blocked right before halftime.