In the 2005 Major League Soccer season, the Chicago Fire finished third in the Eastern Conference with a 15-13-4 record, accumulating 49 points. Coached by Dave Sarachan, the team returned to the postseason after missing out the previous year. In the playoffs, they defeated D.C. United in the Conference Semifinals, highlighted by a 4-0 second-leg victory. However, their campaign ended with a 1-0 loss to the New England Revolution in the Eastern Conference Final. Chris Rolfe led the team with 8 goals.