June 28, 2006 (WEEK 14) -- MLS Game #85
The Chicago Fire officially opened their new stadium in the best possible fashion, knocking off the New York Red Bulls 2-0 last Sunday and putting an end to a five-game winless streak. The game started a nine-match run at their new home; the Fire won't go back on the road for nearly two months. They play host to Real Salt Lake, which earlier this year won for the first time ever on their travels - though that win at Los Angeles remains their only away victory. After a couple of losses put an end to a club-record unbeaten run - which ended with a 3-1 victory against the Fire in Utah - they played to a goalless draw with New England last weekend.
REFEREE: Baldomero Toledo. SAR (bench): Steven Taylor; JAR (opposite): Michael Salyers; 4th: Ricardo Salazar
MLS Career: 24 games; FC/gm: 28.0; Y/gm: 3.7; R: 5; pens: 4
MLS 2006: 4 games; FC/gm: 21.3 (avg: 29.6); Y/gm: 2.0 (avg: 3.73); R: 0 (MLS: 9); pens: 1 (MLS: 17)
Games involving Fire: P4 W1 L2 T1; FC/gm: 32.5; Y/gm: 4.0; R: 1; pens: 2
Games involving Real: P2 W1 L1 T0; FC/gm: 22.0; Y/gm: 2.5; R: 5; pens: 0
INJURY REPORT: CHICAGO FIRE - OUT: DF Jim Curtin (R foot fracture), FW Chris Rolfe (concussion); MF John Thorrington (R knee sprain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Tony Sanneh (R hamstring strain) ... REAL SALT LAKE - OUT: DF Eddie Pope (lower back inflammation); DF Paul Broome (L ankle internal derangement); MF Seth Trembly (L knee ACL tear); MF Christian Jimenez (L knee ACL tear); PROBABLE: DF Danny Torres (L popliteal strain)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS: RSL: Jeff Cunningham, Atiba Harris, Carey Talley (suspended next yellow card)
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (3 meetings): Fire 2 wins (0 shootout), 7 goals ... Real 1 win (0 shootout), 4 goals ... 0 draws
AT CHICAGO: (1 meeting): Fire 1 win (0 shootout), 3 goals ... Real 0 wins (0 shootout), 1 goal ... 0 draws
This is the second of two meetings between the clubs this season, the only one set for the new Bridgeview stadium.
A year ago, the Fire swept the season series in Real's inaugural campaign, winning at each club's home ground over the span of little less than a month. The Fire completed a clean sweep of the two expansion clubs, winning all four meetings against both Chivas USA and Real Salt Lake - along with D.C. United the only teams to run the table against the newcomers.
Coaches record: Dave Sarachan vs. RSL: P3 W2 L1 D0 ... John Ellinger v CHI: P3 W1 L2 D0LAST MEETING
6/3: RSL 3, CHI 1 (Cunningham 57, 77; own goal 69 - Plotkin 62)
Real extended their club-record unbeaten streak to four matches as the Fire's nine-game road trip to begin the campaign came to an end, RSL winning 3-1 on June 3 at Rice-Eccles Stadium.
Jeff Cunningham had four goals in his past three games -- all as a substitute -- but he was given the start with the suspension to Atiba Harris. In the 57th minute he showed it didn't matter, gathering a pass from Carey Talley curled in behind the Fire back four and turning home a low drive inside the far post from the left side of the area to give RSL the lead.
The Fire pulled level just five minutes later, Brian Plotkin running onto a loose ball every bit of 30 yards from the RSL goal and lashing a screaming drive inside Scott Garlick's left-hand post.
Cunningham created the go-ahead goal for the home side when he put a low rolling cross into the goalmouth that Fire rookie Dasan Robinson could only turn into his own goal (69). Then in the 77th minute he did complete his double, deftly chipping Zach Thornton from outside the right corner of the box to move into a tie atop the MLS Golden Boot standings.
Here's John Ellinger's team (4-4-2): Scott Garlick - Kevin Novak, Nelson Akwari, Daniel Torres, Willis Forko - Chris Klein, Kenny Cutler (Andy Williams 69), Carey Talley, Mehdi Ballouchy - Jason Kreis, Jeff Cunningham (Jamie Watson 88). [Substitutes Not Used: Nikolas Besagno, Chris Brown, Christian Jimenez, Ryan Johnson, Jay Nolly]
Here's Dave Sarachan's team (4-4-2): Zach Thornton - Logan Pause, C.J. Brown, Dasan Robinson (Nate Jaqua 76), Gonzalo Segares - Thiago (John Thorrington 80), Chris Armas, Brian Plotkin (Chad Barrett 80), Ivan Guerrero - Andy Herron, Chris Rolfe. [Substitutes Not Used: Leonard Griffin, Jared Montz, Matt Pickens, Jack Stewart]CHICAGO FIRE
The Chicago Fire put an end to their five-game winless streak and got their new home off to a proper start, rolling to a 2-0 victory against the New York Red Bulls on Sunday evening at Toyota Park. The Fire moved ahead of New York into fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 14 points from 13 matches, one ahead of the Red Bulls, one behind the New England Revolution and 18 out of first place.
LAST MATCH
Two weeks earlier the new stadium got a shakedown in a 3-3 draw between the Fire and the New England Revolution. But Sunday was the official grand opening -- and the home side made sure their attacking pyrotechnics matched pregame celebration.
Chris Armas put the Fire into a deserved lead in the 12th minute, racing forward to claim a poor clearance in the penalty area and firing a low shot home that Tony Meola got a hand to, but just couldn't keep from trickling over the line.
Then in the 69th minute the Men in Red doubled their advantage, Thiago taking control of the ball just outside the right corner of the area, dribbling across the top of the box and lashing a low shot just inside Meola's left-hand post.
The win snapped a five-game winless streak for the Fire and pulled them out of last place in the Eastern Conference as the Red Bulls lost for the first time this season on their travels after four draws in four contests.
Fire head coach Dave Sarachan made no changes to the team that lost 1-0 to D.C. United in Washington at midweek.
Here's Sarachan's team (3-4-1-2): Zach Thornton - Dasan Robinson, C.J. Brown, Gonzalo Segares - Justin Mapp (Calen Carr 66), Chris Armas (Diego Gutierrez 61), Logan Pause, Ivan Guerrero - Thiago - Andy Herron (Floyd Franks 81), Nate Jaqua. [Substitutes Not Used: Leonard Griffin, Matt Pickens, Brian Plotkin, Jack Stewart]
This was really a historic night and an exciting night for the Chicago Fire and it would have been a shame if we didn't reward the people that came tonight with three points," Sarachan said. "I felt from the opening whistle to the end that we were the team that took it to New York and should end the game with three points."TEAM NEWS
After 11 of 12 games on the road to begin the season, the Fire began a stretch of nine consecutive games at home with the victory against the Red Bulls.
"Our guys called this the new season tonight. And so we know that in a season, you don't make the playoffs and win championships in one game. This was one 3-point result that moves us just a little bit ahead and we know there's a lot of work to do," Sarachan said. "So we are literally looking at it one game at a time; the challenge now is getting our guys ready to turn right around.
Chris Armas nearly wasn't available for the starting lineup - then he scored the eventual match-winner just 12 minutes into the contest. He suffered a leg contusion against D.C. United.
"We've talked about this game. Chris has been carrying a knock and we weren't sure; he was a game time decision tonight to be frank. We were thrilled he was able to get through - he hadn't trained the last couple of days," Sarachan said. "We knew he probably wouldn't go 90 minutes and then at halftime we talked to Chris and he felt he could go another 15 minutes so that was the decision."
While Sunday was the official grand opening of Toyota Park, the Fire players certainly had the 3-3 draw in the first-ever game played in the new stadium, a "dress rehearsal" two weeks earlier against New England when the Revolution scored two goals in stoppage time for the draw.
"Fortunately we had kind of a second opportunity here for a real opener for the fans. It was a must-win for us. If we don't win, we really started having doubts around here," Armas said. :"We haven't really wavered our confidence. We still try to play we try to do the right things. We work relentlessly at practice at things. We're really working ourselves hard. Hopefully here, this is the first of more good games."
Diego Gutierrez was a second-half substitute after missing five games with a hamstring injury. He returned more quickly than anticipated. "It feels great to be back with the team. The medical staff has done a good job at getting aggressive in treating this injury, to give me a realistic chance to come back sooner rather than later. I felt extremely good tonight," he said.REAL SALT LAKE
Real Salt Lake returned home but weren't able to get back on the winning track, playing to a scoreless draw with the New England Revolution on Saturday evening in Utah. RSL is in fifth place in the Western Conference with 12 points from 13 matches, six points behind the third-place tie between Chivas USA and Colorado Rapids and 11 points out of first place.
LAST MATCH
Real were returning home where they last extended their club-record unbeaten streak to four games before losing two games on the trot on their travels. The Revolution were winless in their last six games, but had played to draws in three consecutive matches, including at midweek in Columbus.
Chances were few and far between on a hot night, but RSL's Jeff Cunningham twice could have broken the deadlock. In the first half he somehow saw the ball roll through his legs when he tried to get on the end of a rolling cross in front of an open net; in the second he saw a blistering drive come back off the face of the crossbar.
It was just the second shutout of the season for Real, while for New England, it was the Revolution's first since May 6.
Real head coach John Ellinger made one change to the team that lost 2-1 to Houston Dynamo the weekend before at Robertson Stadium. Jason Kreis moved to a wide midfield role as Atiba Harris returned to the starting lineup. Kenny Cutler was the odd man out. While Ellinger talked to the team before the match, he was suspended after comments following the Dynamo match, and assistant coach Peter Mellor handled the touchline coaching duties.
Here's Ellinger's team (4-4-2): Scott Garlick - Kevin Novak, Nelson Akwari, Daniel Torres, Willis Forko - Chris Klein, Carey Talley, Mehdi Ballouchy, Jason Kreis - Jeff Cunningham, Atiba Harris (Andy Williams 73). [Substitutes Not Used: Chris Brown, Kenny Cutler, Cameron Knowles, Jay Nolly, Douglas Sequeira, Jamie Watson]
"We created some clear chances - some sitters, I guess you'd call it - and we just have to put them away," Ellinger said.TEAM NEWS
While Ellinger said he didn't necessarily like the view from a private box atop the stadium, from where he watched the game with his suspension, he did say there were some advantages.
"You definitely pick up your opponent's shape," he said. "We were playing well right from the start, and I felt, from where I was sitting, that New England had to make a change right away, from a 3-5-2 to a 4-5-1, because we were playing right through them."
Real used Jason Kreis in a wide role with Cunningham and Atiba Harris as the nominal forwards. Chris Klein attacked from the other flank, with Mehdi Ballouchy and Carey Talley in the center. It left Kenny Cutler, a regular starter, on the bench.
"The whole objective was to get [Kreis] the ball more," Ellinger said. "The guy has 104 goals, and we wanted to find ways to get him the ball more. We felt like that was working. Our wide play was better than it has been for a while, and we created some clear chances, some sitters, but we just didn't put them away."
That also put Ballouchy into a playmaking role in the center of the park. "I feel more competitive over there," he said. "I like running around, passing, getting the ball. I like controlling the tempo. I enjoy that."
Going a third consecutive game without scoring a goal after a five-game run, Cunningham took the responsibility for not getting a goal upon himself.
"Sometimes I'm the hero, tonight I'm the goat," Cunningham said. "You guys want somebody to point a finger at, I'll accept that responsibility. All right? Nobody else on this team wants to accept it, I'll accept it. I had plenty of chances tonight, and I didn't put it away. That's my job, that's what I get paid to do, and I'll do better next time."
Said Mellor: "You just felt like it was going to come. A lot of balls went across the face of the goal, and in those type of situations you've got to sacrifice everything to get that touch on the ball and put them away."
Ellinger credited his back four with doing a better job of playing out of the back rather than just launching long balls. "That's been our point pretty much all season," Ellinger said. "We know that when we put it down, and we have the confidence to play out of the back, then we can play pretty well."
But it could be last match for that group, which has started seven consecutive matches. Eddie Pope and Douglas Sequeira have both rejoined the team from World Cup duty, though they weren't considered for inclusion Saturday. Sequeira is expected to be in the team on Wednesday, but Pope will be out with back trouble.
