HOUSTON - The Chicago Fire continued their hot start to the 2007 season, defeating defending MLS Cup champions Houston Dynamo 1-0 on the road at Robertson Stadium on Sunday evening. The game's lone goal came from Chris Rolfe in the 60th minute, as the Fire remained unbeaten on the year, while Houston lost for the second time in four games.
A quiet match burst into life after the halftime break, but Rolfe's goal on the hour mark was the only shot to find the back of the net. Taking a pass from Gonzalo Segares on the right side of the area, Rolfe skipped into the box and faked a shot, which caused a sliding Wade Barrett to miss. Having moved more to the center, Rolfe hit a left-footed shot to the left of a diving Pat Onstad.
A welcome sight to many of the Dynamo faithful was Houston getting off to a quick start, getting its first shot on goal in the fourth minute when Dwayne de Rosario took a shot from outside the box that was saved by Pickens.
Rolfe took Chicago's first shot in the ninth minute, which went wide right. It was the first of only two shots Chicago took in the first half.
Chris Wondolowski, making just the fifth start of his MLS career in combination with Brian Ching in attack for Dynamo, thought he was clean through in the 12th minute, but the flag went up for offside, though he fired a late shot wide of the mark.
Dynamo went close in quick succession midway through the first half. First, from a free kick in the 22nd minute, Eddie Robinson's header was saved by Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens. Houston then had another great chance four minutes, but Brian Ching's header rattled off the crossbar.
The crossbar again saved the Fire just after the start of the second half, when Brad Davis ripped a drive from well outside the area that beat Pickens but crashed against the woodwork.
Then two minutes later referee Tim Weyland came to rescue when Houston had seemed to have scored from a corner kick through an own goal, but it was disallowed because of a foul by Ryan Cochrane. Pickens had knocked a Davis corner kick down, but it went off of C.J. Brown and in, only for the apparent goal to be ruled out.
After taking only two shots in the first half, Chicago took 10 shots in the second half, including all five shots on goal they had for the game.
The goal came after Rolfe had tested Onstad with a shot in the 48th minute, but Onstad made the save. Buoyed by the goal, the Fire continued to press the attack and Chris Armas had a good chance at goal in the 54th minute, but his shot from the middle of the box was knocked over by Onstad. Three minutes later, Dasan Robinson took a shot from the left side of the box that Onstad stopped as well.
Dwayne de Rosario tried to answer Rolfe's goal with a shot on goal in the 62nd minute, but his shot from outside the area was stopped by Pickens.
Rolfe nearly doubled the Fire lead in the 68th minute, but his attempt from the upper left corner of the area whistled just to the right of the upper corner.
Facing the chance of a first loss in three home games this season, Dynamo attacked with real urgency over the final 15 minutes as the Fire looked to protect their slim advantage. They had a quality chance in the 74th minute, but Ching's header attempt went high and wide left. Then in the 78th minute, Dwayne De Rosario again put a shot on target, but again it was stopped by Pickens.
After getting a pass from de Rosario, substitute Stuart Holden just missed hitting the upper left corner of the goal in the 82nd minute as his shot from the right went wide past the far post.
There was one final chance for Dynamo in the final seconds. Holden dribbled toward goal and was pulled down by Osei Telesford right on the edge of the penalty area. Telesford was booked, and while close, Weyland placed the kick just outside the box.
But after De Rosario stepped over the ball, Davis wasn't able to get off a clear shot at goal, the Fire cleared and with it celebrated beginning a three-game road swing with an opening victory.
Jeremy Rakes is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
