BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire needed a win. Toronto FC needed a positive result. The Fire got what they needed when John Thorrington scored in stoppage time to give the Fire a 2-1 win Saturday evening at Toyota Park.
The outcome ended the Fire's five-game winless streak and gave them a 3-3-1 record at home. The loss extended Toronto's poor road record to 1-6-0.
Thorrington's goal came after he blocked a clearing kick by goalkeeper Greg Sutton as the Fire pressed to get the go-ahead goal. Chris Rolfe had put the Fire ahead just six minutes into the game, but Abdus Ibrahim scored his first MLS goal to pull Toronto into a 63rd-minute tie.
The Reds played the game without leading striker Danny Dichio, who is suffering headaches that the team believes is related to a concussion. Dichio has five goals to lead TFC.
With defenders Dasan Robinson out due to injury and regular starter Bakary Soumare out due to accumulation of yellow cards, Fire coach Denis Hamlett gave Daniel Woodard his first start. Woolard has been a second-half substitute in four games this season. Defender Wilman Conde also received his fifth start ahead of veteran Diego Gutierrez.
Fire midfielder Logan Pause returned for his first game in three weeks after suffering a right hip labral tear.
Toronto coach John Carver placed veteran goalkeeper Greg Sutton back between the posts, but started Julius James and Jarrod Smith in place of Rohan Ricketts and Dichio, respectively.
Toronto fans, known for being the best traveling fan base in the league after only two years, filled section 133 in the southeast end of Toyota Park and began chanting well before the start of the game.
Maintaining possession for all but a few seconds of the first five minutes, the Fire got on the board in the sixth minute when Chad Barrett found Rolfe alone above the penalty area. Rolfe took one dribble to center the ball, then fired a right-footed shot into the upper right corner past Sutton.
In the 12th minute, Toronto midfielder Maurice Edu and Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch collided going after a ball inside the box, as Edu tried to round him. The ball bounced out of bounds and Edu was given a yellow card for diving on the play.
The Reds got their first corner kick in the 15th minute but it turned into a great scoring chance for the Fire. The kick went far above the box to the foot of Justin Mapp, who dribbled hard on the counter and sent a cross to Thorrington on the left side. Thorrington found Barrett charging in the middle of the field but Barrett's shot was blocked by Sutton.
The Fire maintained dominance of possession time through the first 25 minutes, and missed a great scoring chance in the 23rd minute. Thorrington dribbled up the right side and sent a short pass to Chad Barrett at the corner of the box. Barrett passed back to Thorrington, who dribbled into the middle and tried a top shelf shot to the left corner but it was too high and went over the crossbar.
Thorrington received a yellow card in the 27th minute for interfering with Sutton as he tried to throw the ball out of the box.
Marvell Wynne had TFC's best scoring chance in the 29th minute when the ball bounced to his foot atop the box and he put his left footed shot over the bar.
TFC increased its offensive thrust after 30 minutes and Edu had a clear shot on goal in the 32nd minute off a sharp pass from Wynne but his shot hit the left post and bounced away.
Blanco received a free kick 25 yards out in the 39th minute but his kick went directly into Sutton's arms.
The Reds won a free kick of their own about 30 yards out in the 42nd minute. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch saved Robinson's attempt on one bounce.
Toronto coach John Carver subbed midfielders Ibrahim and Ricketts into the game in the second half for Julius James and Smith.
In the 53rd minute, Cuauhtemoc Blanco had a tremendous scoring chance, standing directly in front of Sutton when Segares sent a cross up and over the defense. But Blanco's soft touch hit the crossbar and settled on top of the net.
Toronto tied the game in the 63rd minute when Amado Guevera slotted the ball through three Fire defenders to Ibrahim, charging down the middle of the field into the box. Busch came off his line but Ibrahim made a touch past, then turned a slow roller that just crossed the goal line.
The Fire had three shots within about five seconds in the 86th minute, with Sutton on the ground and a crowd in the box, but they could not get the ball through, as one was also blocked by TFC defender Jim Brennan at close range.
In stoppage time, Thorrington deflected a Sutton clearance just outside the area, knocking it to Mapp. Mapp looped a header into the area and Thorrington ran onto the return pass, sliding the ball under Sutton and into the goal for his fourth on the season.
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