BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Veljko Paunovic insisted he and his players are focused on the Chicago Fire’s remaining “nine finals” as the coach refuses to give up the fight to lead his team into the postseason for the second year running.
The Fire’s narrow 1-0 defeat to the high-flying New York Red Bulls (15-6-2) — their seventh straight in league play — took their record to 6-14-5 and leaves them in 10th spot in the Eastern Conference, seven points below the playoff line with just nine games to play.
The Men in Red saw their hopes of hosting this year’s U.