FC Dallas ends Chicago Fire’s 11-game unbeaten run with 3-0 victory

FC Dallas blanks Chicago Fire 3-0

CHICAGO — Jeff Cunningham and Kenny Cooper scored and FC Dallas handed the Chicago Fire their first loss of the season with a 3-0 victory on Sunday.

The Eastern Conference-leading Fire’s franchise-record unbeaten streak ended at 11.

The Fire (5-1-6) were trying to match the league-record 12-game streak set by Los Angeles in 1996 and matched by Kansas City in 2000. However, Chicago had trouble against Dallas (2-6-3), which entered the match with the fewest points in the league.

Cunningham’s goal in the 15th minute was enough to end the Fire’s run while giving Dallas a 1-0 lead.

The forward jumped over a group of players to get his head on the end of a corner kick by Dave van den Bergh. The goal was Cunningham’s first of the season and 19th in 30 career games against the Fire — his highest total against any club.

Dallas also scored when Fire defender C.J. Brown had a cross from Dallas’ Dax McCarty skim off the top of his head and float into the top-right corner.

Cooper capped off the win by hitting a free kick from 25 yards that slammed off the crossbar and came down just over the goal line.

The free kick was awarded when Fire defender Bakary Soumare was issued a red card for pulling down Brek Shea on a breakaway.

Shortly after that, Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman was ejected for arguing with officials.

Story from: STATS LLC, www.stats.com.

(This version CORRECTS FC Dallas 3, Fire 0; corrects scoring on 2nd goal.)