SALT LAKE CITY - The man with the impressive soccer resume and the million-dollar salary made the biggest impact in the game Saturday at Rice-Eccles Stadium. With a world-class goal and an assist to his credit, Cuauhtemoc Blanco was too much for Real Salt Lake to handle as the Chicago Fire extended their undefeated streak to three games with a 2-0 victory Saturday night.
Both teams came in desperate for a victory if they are to make a late-season charge toward the MLS Cup Playoffs, and the Fire claimed a huge three points with the win. But on the other side of the field, Real continued to look like the unluckiest team in all of Major League Soccer with a shot off the post in the first half by Robbie Findley, and a pair of shots by Fabian Espindola in the second half, just could not net a goal for the home team.
Blanco created a nice opportunity for the Fire in the 15th minute, right after Real's Nathan Sturgis was shown the first yellow card of the game. Blanco shrugged off the RSL defender and streaked into the penalty area, but Real were able to knock the ball out.
Then, in the next minute, Findley had the crowd gasping with anticipation and sighing in disappointment when he deflected a Kyle Beckerman cross from the right against the left post. The ball bounced back and across the mouth of the goal, but never crossed the line.
Chicago created another couple of chances with the play of Paulo Wanchope. The Fire crossed the ball through the penalty area from the right and always had another player ready to take a shot. Real's Eddie Pope, however, showed his experience by being perfectly placed to clear the ball out of the area and keep the match scoreless.
Beckerman received the second yellow card of the game after a cross from the right by Jean-Martial Kipre that went into the box. Beckerman tried for a header, but instead punched the ball up and over the crossbar. Beckerman argued that his jersey was pulled on the play, but the referee sided with Chicago goalkeeper Matt Pickens, who won the debate and the Fire got the free kick.
Real made their first substitution in the first half after Sturgis was kicked in the left calf and sustained a painful contusion. Real coach Jason Kreis put Atiba Harris into the game in the midfield, a move that led to a decent free kick look at the goal by Blanco.
Predictably, Harris (Real's enforcer) committed the foul on Blanco (the league's record holder in fouls suffered in a game) that gave Chicago the ball 25 yards away and to the right. Blanco took the shot that went right to RSL 'keeper Nick Rimando.
But just moments later, in the 44th minute, Blanco scored his first goal for Chicago in league play by trapping the ball with his right, switching feet 20 yards out beyond the left corner of the penalty area, and ripped a shot inside the upper-right corner of the goal for a 1-0 Fire lead.
Chicago had the mastery in the opening minutes of the second half. Thanks to Real defender Ritchie Kotschau, Chicago could not put the ball into the net.
In the 48th minute, Kotschau sprinted back to disrupt the ball away from Paulo Wanchope, then used the second effort to deflect a point blank shot by Blanco away from the goal area.
With the game getting physical and Real finding no answers, Kreis put Fabian Espindola into the game in exchange for Alecko Eskandarian in the 58th minute. Real began to find some looks at the goal, and Andy Williams took a fine shot from 30 yards out that brought a tremendous save from Pickens, who dove to his left and touched the ball just wide.
Beckerman also gave it a try from distance in the 66th minute, shooting from 35 yards out and just missing above the crossbar by a foot.
Real again came close in the 76th minute when Kipre created a chance from the right side, Pickens racing off his line to try and smother the ball, but the RSL defender pulled the ball back into the heart of the area. Espindola wound up taking a pair of 15-yard shots, both of which were blocked in the six-yard box by Bakary Soumare.
Kreis put Chris Brown into the game in the 78th minute, but before the clock ticked twice, Wanchope headed home a corner kick from Blanco that gave the Fire a 2-0 lead that lasted to the final whistle.
Peter Richins is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
