Chicago Fire striker Brian McBride is grateful to his defence. The former Fulham and Everton centre-forward said: "They're just solid, they're winning balls. Not giving players time and space in the box and around the box. They're picking up second balls and then breaking out. We certainly would have loved to have taken three points but today was a bit of a scrappy game. It is what it is: it's a tie, it's a point. It could have been worse or it could have been better."

Should New York Red Bulls lose on Thursday at Real Salt Lake, Chicago Fire will secure their 2008 play off spot with three games to go in their Eastern Division.

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