Draw a missed step in Fire’s playoff chase

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Updated: January 23, 2012 3:28AM

HOUSTON — Dominic Oduro scored against his former team to lift the Fire into a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo on Saturday.

Colin Clark scored for Houston (10-9-13, 43 points), which extended its unbeaten streak to three games but missed an opportunity to reclaim first place in the Eastern Conference. The Dynamo is tied with the Philadelphia Union in second, a point behind Sporting Kansas City.

The Fire (7-8-16, 37 points) extended its unbeaten streak to four games but failed to pick up ground in the playoff race. With three games left, the Fire is seventh in the Eastern Conference, three points behind the New York Red Bulls, who tied Toronto FC 1-1, for the final playoff spot.

Clark scored in the 33rd minute off a corner kick, picking up a loose ball left of the net after it had deflected off Jalil Anibaba and slipping it inside the far post.

Oduro tied it in the 43rd minute after taking a pass from Baggio Husidic on the upper right box, getting past Bobby Boswell and nailing a right-footed shot.

Boswell missed a chance to put the Dynamo up in the 13th minute, but his close-range header was saved by Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson, who had five saves. Tally Hall had four for the Dynamo.

AP