BRIDGEVIEW, IL - The Chicago Fire earned a 4-0 win over the University of Illinois - Chicago through light steady rain at Flames Field in downtown Chicago, Ill. Fire forward Chad Barrett opened scoring in the 30th minute, followed by a brace from midfielder Floyd Franks in the 56th and 60th minutes. A UIC own goal in the 75th minute would be the game's final tally. The exhibition match raised over six thousand dollars for the Chicago SCORES, a non-profit after school program serving the North Lawndale and Little Village communities.
"A lot of guys did well tonight, and took the game very seriously," said Fire Head Coach Dave Sarachan. "I think it was a very good exercise to see a lot of our players in an environment where the crowd is into it and the goals count."
The Flames had its best opportunity of the first half in the 5th minute, as a ball whipped into the box by Flames midfielder Baggio Husidic forced Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens to make the game's first save. The Fire opened scoring in the 30th minute as forward Chad Barrett received a pass 25 yards from goal, shook three UIC defenders and broke free inside the 18-yard box and to take a low rip past UIC goalkeeper Jovan Bubonja to go ahead 1-0. Barrett nearly doubled the Fire's lead in the in the 45th minute, collecting a pinpoint cross from midfielder Logan Pause and forcing a diving save from Bubonja to go into halftime with a one goal advantage.
At halftime, Head Coach Dave Sarachan made a complete change to his line-up, bringing on ten new men for the second half. A Fire corner kick from midfielder Brian Plotkin in 54th minute landed to the feet of Fire defender Osei Telesford, whose shot from just outside the box was tipped over the crossbar by Bubonja for a second corner kick. Plotkin's subsequent short corner went to midfielder Thiago, who laid it off right back to Plotkin for a cross into the box and to the right foot of forward Floyd Franks, who one-timed the service into the net from point-blank range in the 56th minute to give the Fire a 2-0 lead. Franks doubled his pleasure just four minutes later, collecting a pass out of midfield from Thiago and finishing from five yards out for a 3-0 lead. UIC's Robert Younger would be called for an own goal after Fire midfielder Mike Banner's header on frame deflected off the Flames defender for the game's fourth and final goal.
Tonight's win over the UIC Flames readies the "Men in Red" for this Sunday, April 29, when the Fire travel to the "Lonestar State" to take on the defending MLS Champion Houston Dynamo (1-1-1, 4 pts.) at Robertson Stadium (6:00 p.m. CT, Comcast SportsNet).
Fire Lineup (3-5-2): GK-Matt Pickens (Jon Busch 30) (Nick Noble 67), D-C.J. Brown (Osei Telesford 45), D-Jim Curtin (Jeff Curtin 45), D-Dasan Robinson (Daniel Woolard 45), M-Gonzalo Segares (Jordan Russolillo 45), M-Pascal Bedrossian (Thiago 45), M-Logan Pause (Erik Hort 45), M-Chris Armas (Bakary Soumare 45), M-Ivan Guerrero (Brian Plotkin 45) (Muner Hussan 80), M-Chad Barrett (Floyd Franks 45), F-Chris Rolfe (Mike Banner 45).
Substitutes Not Used: None.
Flames Lineup (4-4-2): GK-Jovan Bubonja, D-Brandon Bilbrey (Eric Lee 45), D-Pat McMahon, D-Robert Younger, D-Mike Giffin (Nate Downing 71), M-Baggio Husidic, M-Pavle Dundjer, M-Cesar Zambrano, M-Ian Sarachan, F-Matt Spiess (Dan Simek 67), M-Stevan Jovcic (Pawel Ligas 25) (Stevan Jovcic 45).
Substitutes Not Used: Cedomir Micic, Jeff Engelbrecht, Gerardo Solis.
Scoring Summary
CHI - Chad Barrett (unassisted) 30
CHI - Floyd Franks (Brian Plotkin) 56
CHI - Floyd Franks (unassisted) 60
CHI - Robert Younger (own goal) 75
Misconduct Summary
UIC - Robert Younger (caution) 54
CHI - Floyd Franks (caution) 74
Referee: Jose Gesundheit
Referee's Assistants: Peter Balciunas, George Ghawi
4th Official: Russ Doszak
Attendance: N/A
Weather: Light Rain, 48 Degrees
All statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.
