Mihailovic goal boosts Fire above playoff line

Djordje Mihailovic scored on the final play of the game to help the Fire tie Sporting Kansas City 2-2 at Soldier Field on Saturday.

Mihailovic beat goalkeeper Tim Melia to an arching, lastchance cross by Mauricio Pineda from just beyond midfield, cut back to evade a defender and rolled in an empty-netter in the fifth minute of stoppage time.

The Fire (5-8-5, 20 points) have just one loss in their last six games and moved above the playoff line, one point past Atlanta United, into 10th place in the Eastern Conference standings.

Kansas City’s Erik Hurtado held off defender Wyatt Olmsberg — who gave Hurtado a little shove at the last minute — and slipped home a sliding right-foot shot to open the scoring in the 35th minute. Robert Beric tied it in first-half stoppage time when his goal — which was nearly stopped by defender Amadou Dia — was awarded after video review.

Gadi Kinda slammed home a header from point-blank range in the 83rd minute to give Sporting (9-6-3, 30 points) a 2-1 lead. Ilie Sánchez redirected a corner kick from Johnny Russell from the near side of the 6-yard box to the far post, where Kinda put away the empty-netter.

It was Kansas City’s seventh goal off a corner this season, tied with Real Salt Lake for most in MLS.

The Fire next play Saturday when they host the New York Red Bulls.