NYCFC, Fire battle to scoreless draw

New York City FC overcame a commanding possession disparity, was not credited with a shot on goal until late in the second half and settled for a 0-0 draw with the host Chicago Fire on Saturday night.

NYCFC (11-9-3, 36 points) fell to 2-4-1 in its past seven matches and dropped at least three points behind the fourth-place New York Red Bulls, whose match at the Colorado Rapids started an hour after the start of NYCFC's first scoreless draw since Sept. 16.

NYCFC was blanked for the seventh time and salvaged the point despite holding possession for only 22.5 percent of the contest.

The visitors' best chance in the final minutes occurred after Santiago Rodriguez was awarded a free kick from about 28 yards out after Mauricio Pineda fouled him to prevent a breakaway. Rodriguez had a shot that barely reached the net and was easily stopped by Chicago goalkeeper Chris Brady. NYCFC could not capitalize on the subsequent corner kick.

Chicago nearly got the win in the fourth minute of the eight-minute stoppage time but Maren Haile-Selassie saw a right-footed shot from the middle of the box stopped by NYCFC goalkeeper Matt Freese.

Chicago (5-11-7, 22 points) fell to 1-3-1 in its past five matches and heard some boos after the final whistle following its third scoreless draw this season and its eighth scoreless match of the contest.

Before Rodriguez's free kick, Mita Ilenic had a left-footed shot clanged off the post from about six yards out in the 64th minute. Six minutes later, Chicago's Hugh Cuypers missed a clean look that hooked to the left.

Brady made one save while Freese stopped two shots.

Neither team recorded a shot in the first 15 minutes and Chicago held a whopping 90.8 percent of the possession at halftime.

New York missed two decent scoring opportunities in a span of 10 minutes when Strahinja Tanasijevic missed the net from the center of the box following a Rodriguez corner kick in the 26th, then Keaton Parks saw a right-footed try sail over the net.

After Chicago's Chris Mueller missed with a right-footed shot from slightly outside the box with about seven minutes before halftime, Cuypers saw his right-footed attempt miss to the left in the 43rd minute.

--Field Level Media