MLS playoffs: Fire burns foe, reaches conference final

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. — John Thorrington and Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored as the Chicago Fire advanced to the Eastern Conference final with a 2-0 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday night.

Chicago entered the match trailing in the two-game, total-goal semifinals series after a 2-1 defeat at New England on Sunday.

Thorrington scored in the 35th minute of Game 2, with Marco Pappa and Brandon Prideaux getting assists. Blanco sealed the win with six minutes remaining in regulation.

It's the second consecutive season in which Chicago has eliminated New England from the playoffs, and fourth in eight all-time postseason matchups. Chicago will host Real Salt Lake, which beat Columbus 4-2 on aggregate two days ago, next Saturday.

This will be the Fire's third consecutive appearance in the conference final, where they've lost each of the previous two.

Chicago outshot New England 17-12, but also had 10 shots on net compared to just four for the Revolution.