MLS

• Wizards fighting for playoff spot vs. Fire

  
  

  Kansas City, KA (Sports Network) - The Chicago Fire will try to jump into the top two in Major League Soccer's Eastern Conference table with a favorable result at Kansas City on Sunday.

  The Fire are coming off a 3-1 win over the Los Angeles Galaxy that snapped a two-gamelosing streakand willlook totake thatmomentum into CommunityAmerica Ballpark.

  "In big games we put big players on the field," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said. "We stepped up [vs.

  L.A.]. We created great chances and finished them. We believed in ourselves. And we put it together in front of a great crowd." The Wizards have a little more at stake on Saturday. They have won their last two at home and are just two points out of playoff spot with just four games to go. Saturday's fixture kicks off a three-game home stand in which K.C. can jump right back into the thick of the race.

  "Our destiny is in our hands with three games at home," K.C. coach Curt Onalfo.

  "We can't worry about this game, it's over and done with. It's going to take nine points to get into the playoffs. It's not an easy task but we're up to the challenge." "Three of our last four are at home so we're pretty excited about that, but it doesn't mean anything unless we get three points in those games," Wizards forward Josh Wolff.

  After the Chicago match, two of the Wizards' final three matches are against Eastern power New England, meaning the road to the playoffs will be a rocky one.

  "I've been there before, and the playoffs is where it's all about grit, it's all about character, it's that experience," Wizards forward Herculez Gomez said.

  "Games like [last Saturday's 2-1 loss at Chivas USA] is what the games are going to be like; hard-fought matches where one play, something like that is going to change the game." The Fire (12-9-5) have no reported injuries while Claudio Lopez is listed as questionable with an ankle sprain for the Wizards (8-10-8).

  10/04 19:28:09 ET