CHICAGO FIRE vs. KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
TOYOTA PARK, Bridgeview, Ill.
April 20, 2008 | 2 p.m. CT (TeleFutura; My50 Chi;
MetroSports)
WEEK # 4 | GAME # 27
Long-time Midwestern rivals who have gotten off to impressive starts face each other at Toyota Park when the Chicago Fire take on the Kansas City Wizards. The Fire have won back-to-back matches and have yet to lose on the season, winning at San Jose in their last contest. The Wizards are playing on the road for the first time this season, kicking off a two-month road swing, after opening their new home with two victories and a draw in the first four games at CommunityAmerica Ballpark.
REFEREE: Jair Marrufo. SAR (bench): George Gansner; JAR (opposite): Nate Clement; 4th: Hilario Grajeda
MLS Career: 68 games; FC/gm: 28.5; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 15; pens: 25
INJURY REPORT: CHICAGO FIRE - DOUBTFUL: DF C.J. Brown (L hip tendonitis); DF Brandon Prideaux (R hamstring strain); QUESTIONABLE: DF Diego Gutierrez (R wrist sprain); MF Brian Plotkin (L hip strain); FW Chris Rolfe (R ankle sprain); PROBABLE: MF Logan Pause (L shoulder subluxation) ... KANSAS CITY WIZARDS - OUT: MF Davy Arnaud (hamstring strain); MF Ryan Pore (nose fracture); MF Lance Watson (foot fracture); DOUBTFUL: MF Carlos Marinelli (groin strain); PROBABLE: MF Sasha Victorine (ankle sprain); FW Eloy Colombano (groin strain), DF Jimmy Conrad (rib contusion)
INTERNATIONAL ABSENCES: none
SUSPENDED: none
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL-TIME (31 meetings): Fire 19 wins (1 shootout), 67 goals ... Wizards 8 wins (0 shootout), 39 goals ... Ties 4
IN CHICAGO (15 meetings): Fire 13 wins (0 shootout), 36 goals ... Wizards 1 win (0 shootout), 11 goals ... Ties 1
• This is the first of three meetings between the teams this season, the only one set for Toyota Park. The Fire will make their first trip to CommunityAmerica Ballpark on July 27, then returning for the final meeting this season on Oct. 5.
LAST YEAR (MLS):
4/21: CHI 2, KC 1 (Barrett 36; Rolfe 73 - Marinelli 90)
8/22: KC 3, CHI 2 (Victorine 54; Sealy 68; Burciaga 82 - Barrett 45; Robinson 83)
8/25: CHI 2, KC 0 (Blanco 44; Carr 86)
• The Fire won the season series last year as each team held serve on their home field, Chicago winning the two meetings at Toyota Park and Kansas City winning the final encounter at Arrowhead Stadium.
• The Fire own the most dominant record of any club against another at home in their matchup against the Wizards. Kansas City has won just once all-time in Chicago, in 15 meetings, that coming Aug. 10, 2005 at Soldier Field. The Fire had won each of the first 10 league contests between the teams in Chicago, dating back to the first encounter, June 24, 1998.
• Kansas City has won two of the last three meetings between the teams at their home, with one draw. The last Chicago win in Kansas City came Oct. 1, 2005.
• Coaches record: Denis Hamlett vs. KC: first game ... Curt Onalfo v CHI: P3 W1 L2 D0
CHICAGO FIRE
The Chicago Fire won for the second consecutive match, getting the game's only goal as they spoiled the return of the San Jose Earthquakes to the Bay Area on Saturday afternoon. The Fire have seven points from their first three matches.
LAST MATCH
• At McAfee Coliseum in Oakland, the Earthquakes were making their return to the Bay Area for the first time in two years after opening the season with a loss at the LA Galaxy, while the Fire had a draw and a win already to their credit.
• A very warm day in northern California saw the game's only goal come early. Cuauhtemoc Blanco's through ball played Tomasz Frankowski in alone on goal, but Joe Cannon stopped the initial shot. But Chad Barrett was quickest to it and slid the ball underneath the Quakes 'keeper.
• The Fire withstood a late rally, as two shots San Jose hit the woodwork in the closing seconds and Shea Salinas somehow put a rebound of the second over the bar from just a yard or two away from the goal.
• Fire head coach Denis Hamlett made three changes to the team that defeated the New England Revolution 4-0 the week before. Brandon Prideaux and Diego Gutierrez were both his by injury, so Dasan Robinson and Wilman Conde made their first starts of the season. Chris Rolfe was also injured, so Stephen King took his place on the right of midfield.
• Here's Hamlett's team (4-3-1-2): Jon Busch - Dasan Robinson, Bakary Soumare, Wilman Conde (Daniel Woolard 79), Gonzalo Segares - Stephen King, Logan Pause, Justin Mapp - Cuauhtemoc Blanco - Tomasz Frankowski (John Thorrington 73), Chad Barrett (Calen Carr 61). Substitutes Not Used: Mike Banner, Andy Herron, Nick Noble
• "We knew coming here was going to be a difficult game. As a group we defended well today, we got our three points and now we'll move forward," said Denis Hamlett.
LAST MATCH
• It was a second consecutive shutout for the Fire, who have allowed a league-low one goal on the season. Even that goal wasn't scored by the opposition - it was an own goal, as Bakary Soumare deflected in a driven cross.
• "The guys in front of me did an unbelievable job," said goalkeeper Jon Busch. "Everybody was sticking with their guys, getting a head on it, feet on it, blocking shots; whatever it took."
• The Fire are now carrying a shutout streak of 199 minutes into the Wizards match. A year ago, they posted shutouts in three consecutive games (July 29-Aug. 18), the 286-minute shutout stretch including those games the third longest in club history.
• "We definitely talk about it," Soumare said. "We want to be a hard team to play against, and defense is where it starts from. And, you know, we play defense from the front as well, with our forwards and midfielders. And you have to give a lot of credit to (goalkeeper Jon Busch) because he has done very well back there."
• The shutout came even with a couple of changes in the back four. Wilman Conde made his season debut, and Dasan Robinson was pressed into action when veteran right back Brandon Prideaux suffered a hamstring strain in pregame warm-ups.
• "It threw me for quite a big loop," said Robinson of his late insertion into the lineup. "As a pro, you always want to be prepared, but [usually] you know who is in and who is out. I just tried to get ready as quickly as possible."
• Busch's performance was just the latest in a series of solid outings to begin the 2008 season. Last year, Busch mostly sat on the bench for the Fire behind Matt Pickens, yet he credits that campaign for helping him get back to his best.
• "Last year turned out to be a blessing in disguise, because it allowed me to sit back and rebuild my game, and not force things too early," said Busch. "I didn't have to [think], 'I have to be ready for this game,' every weekend. At first it was hard to see that ... but it gave me the extra time with [goalkeeping coach Daryl Shore] to work with him and get back to where I was prior to my injury."
• In addition, the Fire felt it could be a turning point in grabbing the early lead and then protecting it to the end. "It's really helpful on the road when you get a lead early and hold on to it. At the end of last year we did it five times in a row, we lost the lead and ended up tying," Chad Barrett said. "Today all the credit goes to the defense. All four of them in the back and (Jon) Busch got us the win because they did a great job to preserve our lead."
KANSAS CITY WIZARDS
The Kansas City Wizards concluded their four-game homestand to begin the 2008 season with a scoreless draw against the Houston Dynamo last Saturday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. The Wizards ended the weekend still on top in the Eastern Conference, with seven points from four matches.
LAST MATCH
• The Wizards were playing their final home game for two months, with two wins and a loss thus far in their season-opening homestand, while Houston Dynamo were looking for a first league win of the season after being eliminated from the CONCACAF Champions' Cup at midweek with a 3-0 loss to Deportivo Saprissa in Costa Rica.
• There were no goals on the night, but goalkeeper Kevin Hartman of Kansas City and Houston's Tony Caig were called upon for their share of heroics.
• The closest either team came was early in the second half when Brad Davis was sent through by Dynamo playmaker Dwayne De Rosario. Hartman's could only turn Davis' blast onto his own post, but was able to scramble back and smother the rebound.
• Wizards head coach Curt Onalfo made two changes to the team that lost 3-1 to the New England Revolution at midweek. Chance Myers was given his first professional start, at right back in place of Jonathan Leathers, and Roger Espinoza also made his first MLS start, instead of Kerry Zavagnin.
• Here's Onalfo's team (4-4-2): Kevin Hartman - Chance Myers, Jimmy Conrad, Tyson Wahl, Michael Harrington - Jack Jewsbury (Davy Arnaud 65), Carlos Marinelli (Kerry Zavagnin 26), Kurt Morsink, Roger Espinoza (Ivan Trujillo 79) - Claudio Lopez, Scott Sealy. Substitutes Not Used: Eloy Colombano, Aaron Hohlbein, Eric Kronberg, Jonathan Leathers
• "I thought it was a hard-fought game between two very good teams. It was two very solid efforts defensively from both sides," said Onalfo. "... I think there's a lot of positives to take from this game, and now we have some weeks where we can continue to improve as a group."
TEAM NEWS
• Both Myers and Espinoza, the first and 11th overall picks respectively in the 2008 SuperDraft, had made their full professional debuts on Wednesday against New England. "Some of our young players I was really pleased with. Roger Espinoza had an excellent game in his debut. Chance Myers got better and better as the game went along," said Onalfo.
• It was a young lineup with second-year players Michael Harrington and Kurt Morsink also in the side. "We've got an extremely good, young crew. We've drafted very well over the last two years and we've got to continue to develop them," Onalfo said. "Often in games like this with young players you can get burned. The fact that they found a way to stay in it and didn't have any letdowns is a real positive. We're going to continue to build on it and it's only going to get better."
• The Wizards did face an issue when Carlos Marinelli was forced from the field in the 26th minute with a hamstring strain. "It was unfortunate that we had to make a sub early due to an injury to [Carlos] Marinelli. That always changes things, because I would have liked to get even another attacking player in," Onalfo said.
• But Claudio Lopez played the full 90 minutes for the third consecutive game, and has been on the field for all but one minute on the season. "The fact that Claudio Lopez was able to play three games in a week [was good for his fitness]. I think you'll see some great stuff out of him coming next week and the following week because he'll be in form," Onalfo said.
• The Wizards now face six consecutive games on the road, with their return to CommunityAmerica Ballpark not until June 14. Kansas City will face four Eastern Conference opponents in a row (Chicago, Toronto, Columbus, New York) before traveling to the LA Galaxy and Real Salt Lake.
• "I guess you look at it as ambitiously as you can. When you are on the road you want to do whatever you can. We're going to go out and try to win games. It's not necessarily a league that rewards ties, so you want to get points where you can," said Hartman. "We play with the attacking mentality that we want to go out and try to win every game. It's a big challenge on the road but it's a challenge I think we're ready for."
• The Wizards have talked about making their new home a "fortress", and Onalfo said he had hoped to take 10 points from the opening homestand. They settled for seven after winning the first two matches.
• "Our fans have been great for these first four matches at CommunityAmerica Ballpark. When you know that your fans are going to be getting on the other players and supporting you throughout the entire match, it makes coming to the stadium each day that much more fun," Hartman said. "This venue provides a great home field advantage. I'm just glad I'm not a visiting goalie."
• But the Wizards are most happy to have an extra day of training this week, and no midweek games scheduled for anytime during the road stretch.
• "We need weeks of training. We have not had our full group of players together very long. This past week we couldn't do any training to try and improve on the things that I want to improve on," Onalfo said. "I'm looking forward to getting down and dirty and helping this team progress and get a little bit better ... because we have a very good team that is only going to get better."
