On Sunday, the Chicago Fire seized the seventh seed in the 2007 MLS Cup Playoffs by defeating the Los Angeles Galaxy 1-0 in front of a record-breaking crowd of 21,374 at TOYOTA PARK. Surging into the playoffs on an eight-game unbeaten streak (3-0-5), the Fire will host D.C. United this Thursday at TOYOTA PARK. The Fire play a home-and-away series with United, who suffered 3-2 loss in their regular season finale against the Columbus Crew last Saturday. Kick-off for Thursday's game is at 7:30 p.m. CT and will be televised nationally on ESPN2 and broadcast over the airwaves on Chicagoland radio station WRTO-1200 AM (Spanish).
Thursday, Oct. 25 @ 7:30 p.m. CT :: TOYOTA PARK - BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.
TV: ESPN2 (Glenn Davis, Eric Wynalda, Allen Hopkins, Rob Stone, Julie Foudy)
Satellite: C-Band, Galaxy 16, TR. 10, D/L: 3900(V), Symbol Rate: 29.27, FEC: ¾
Audio: WRTO-1200 AM (Oscar Guzman, "Batata" DaSilva, Enrique "Tico" Fernandez)
Game Guide: CLICK HERE
CHICAGO FIRE/ATHLETICO "RECOVERY ROOM" :: OCT. 23
Curtin, Jeff - R groin strain - OUT
Curtin, Jim - R shoulder labral tear - OUT FOR SEASON
Guerrero, Ivan - L ankle sprain - QUESTIONABLE
Mapp, Justin - R ankle sprain - DOUBTFUL
Russolillo, Jordan - R hip labrum tear - OUT FOR SEASON
Telesford, Osei - L groin strain - OUT
FIRE HISTORY VS. UNITED
The Chicago Fire will meet D.C. United for the fourth time of the 2007 campaign on Thursday, as the "Men in Red" played the "Black and Red" to a 0-0 draw on Oct. 13 in their last meeting in the nation's capital. A month earlier the Fire tied United 1-1 at TOYOTA PARK on Sept. 23. Chicago fell 3-1 at RFK Stadium on June 16,marking the six loss out of the previously played eight games played and feature the last game with former head coach Dave Sarachan at the helm. The Fire own a 12-12-7 record against D.C. United in regular season matches played, and are 8-3-4 in games contested in Chicagoland.
Chicago has also done exceptionally well versus D.C. in the playoffs, boasting an undefeated 4-0-1 record and outscoring their opponent 10-0 across five all-time postseason match-ups. Last year the Fire took the season series from D.C. United, notching a 3-1-1 mark in the 2006 overall series across all MLS regular season and U.S. Open Cup play. Chicago dropped its first road test at D.C. on June 21, dropping a 1-0 decision at RFK Stadium, but would bounce back with a 1-1 draw on July 22 in the first-ever meeting at TOYOTA PARK. The Fire evened the 2006 overall series on Sept. 6, with an emphatic 3-0 win over United in the U.S. Open Cup Semifinals at TOYOTA PARK, and notched another home victory 1-0 over D.C. just a few weeks later on Sept. 17. In Chicago's 2006 regular season finale on Oct. 15, the Fire came back from a 2-0 deficit to pull out a 3-2 win on D.C. soil.
QUICK KICKS VS. D.C. UNITED
• Since the Fire's 4-0 loss to Houston on July 12 in Juan Carlos Osorio's coaching debut, the team has lost just twice (Aug. 22 at KC, Sept. 1 at NY).
• Sunday's win over Los Angeles helped the Fire reach double-digits in wins with 10. Only once in club history has the Fire failed to reach 10 wins in a season - in 2003 with 8.
• Despite committing the fourth fewest fouls in the league this season with 393, the Fire will end the season with at least 60 yellow cards - a total surpassed in a season only once - 71 in 2000.
• Chicago's 31 goals in 30 games (1.03 goals a game) is sixth fewest in MLS history for a season.
• Last year D.C. won the Supporters Shield (MLS' best regular-season record) and the Fire beat United, 4-0, in game two of the 2006 Eastern Conference Semifinal Series to advance to the Conference Championship game.
• Chicago has allowed ten goals total in 14 league games played since the All-Star break, or .71 goals against per game, compared to 26 goals allowed in 16 games played before the break for a 1.63 goals against per game average.
• Chicago's all-time regular season record in MLS play against United is 12-12-7, including a 8-3-4 mark in Chicagoland.
• Five of the Fire's league-leading 10 ties on the season have come in the last seven games.
• Fire rookie midfielder Mike Banner is a Washington, D.C. native.
• D.C. United forward Emilio's 20 goals is tied for fifth (Taylor Twellman, 2002) all-time in MLS history.
• Oct. 21 vs. the Galaxy marked the latest regular season home date in franchise history. Previously, the latest the Fire played at home was Oct. 18, 2003. Only once before have the Fire played a later regular season game. On Oct. 26, 2003 the Fire played the Crew in Columbus.
• Chicago midfielder Justin Mapp made three appearances (7/24, 8/17, 9/14) for United during his 2002 rookie season. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch was part of the D.C. United roster during the 1999 campaign, but did not play.
• D.C. rookie forward Jerson Monteiro makes his second trip to TOYOTA PARK since being traded to United from Chicago on Sept. 14 in exchange for a conditional 2008 MLS SuperDraft pick.
• Forward Chad Barrett is the only Fire player to appear in all 30 regular season games this season.
• The Fire own a 6-3-6 regular season mark at TOYOTA PARK for 2007, while posting a 4-7-4 record on the road.
