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.LAST MEETING
The teams last met on Sept. 3 at Toyota Park and the Fire again grabbed a victory, this time by a 2-1 scoreline as the Fire extended their unbeaten streak to six games in league play and nine games in all competitions
The visitors gifted the Men in Red goals in each half through nearly identical circumstances. In the 13th minute, Chris Rolfe picked off a pass between Red Bulls defenders and raced in at goal, firing a low shot from just outside the area past Tony Meola for his fifth goal on the campaign.
Then on the hour mark, it was nearly a mirror image. This time Diego Gutierrez claimed a pass sent back toward goal and raced in alone, powering a low drive home from outside the box to double the lead.
The Red Bulls pulled a goal back in the 78th minute. A cross from the right was met by Dema Kovalenko, but Zach Thornton turned aside his first-time effort at full stretch. But John Wolyniec nipped in to tap home the rebound for his third goal in as many games; still it wasn't enough.
Here's Sarachan's team (3-4-1-2): Matt Pickens - C.J. Brown, Tony Sanneh, Gonzalo Segares - Nate Jaqua,, Chris Armas, Diego Gutierrez, Ivan Guerrero (Brian Plotkin 53) - Justin Mapp (Jim Curtin 75) - Calen Carr, Chris Rolfe (Logan Pause 64). [Substitutes Not Used: Thiago, Leonard Griffin, Andy Herron, David Mahoney]
Here's Arena's team (4-4-1-1): Tony Meola - Marvell Wynne, Carlos Mendes, Jeff Parke, Todd Dunivant - Joe Vide (Blake Camp 89), Dema Kovalenko, Seth Stammler, Chris Henderson (Edson Buddle 59) - Amado Guevara - John Wolyniec. [Substitutes Not Used: Jordan Cila, Jon Conway, Taylor Graham, Steve Jolley, Jerrod Laventure]NEW YORK RED BULLS
The New York Red Bulls remained on the outside looking in at the MLS Cup Playoffs picture, falling 4-3 to D.C. United in a wild match at RFK Stadium last Saturday evening. The Red Bulls are still in fifth place in the Eastern Conference with 32 points from 29 matches, now two points behind the Kansas City Wizards for the final playoff spot in the division, though leading sixth-place Columbus by five points.
LAST MATCH
The game was played in a celebratory air as the 1996 MLS Cup champion D.C. United -- coached by current Red Bulls boss Bruce Arena -- were honored before the match. United still held the best record in MLS despite just one win since July 15, while the Red Bulls had lost three of their last four games.
The teams traded goals over the opening 20 minutes. A Christian Gomez free kick was deflected into his own goal by Red Bulls defender Carlos Mendes (9), but after Facundo Erpen was adjudged to batted down a cross, Amado Guevara finished off from the penalty spot for the 20th-minute equalizer.
The match then burst to life over the final half hour. Minutes after coming on as a substitute, Jaime Moreno played a delightful one-two with Gomez to release the playmaker behind the Red Bulls back line, and Gomez made no mistake with a cheeky finish between the advancing Tony Meola's legs.
Then barely a minute later, Erpen was given his marching orders by referee Kevin Stott after clashing with New York striker John Wolyniec and elbowing and stomping on him.
Yet United doubled their lead in the 73rd minute. Moreno and Gomez linked to send Ben Olsen in all alone racing down the center of the park, and despite having Meola at his mercy, Olsen selflessly squared for the trailing Moreno to slot home his 105th career MLS goal.
The Red Bulls pulled back to within one nine minutes later. From nearly on the edge of the area, Guevara swung a viciously swerving free kick over the United wall and into the upper corner of the net. Perkins desperately threw himself to his left and got a hand to the shot, but could not keep it out.
However, D.C. produced yet another wonder goal one minute from full time, this time courtesy of Matias Donnet. Drifting in from the right flank, he took possession from Moreno and found ample space 25 yards out from goal before uncorking a knuckling blast with movement that befuddled Meola as it flew past.
Still, the evening's fireworks were not over as Guevara ran at the D.C. back line 90 seconds into injury time and poked a well-weighted through ball into the box for Jozy Altidore to stroke past Perkins - but the final whistle came before there could be any more last-second heroics.
Red Bulls head coach Bruce Arena made two changes to the team that lost 2-0 to the New England Revolution at midweek. Markus Schopp made his first MLS start, coming in for Chris Henderson, while Danny O'Rourke returned from suspension, coming in for Edson Buddle.
Here's Arena's team (4-4-1-1): Tony Meola - Marvell Wynne, Jeff Parke, Carlos Mendes, Seth Stammler (Chris Henderson 84) - Markus Schopp (Blake Camp 68), Amado Guevara, Danny O'Rourke, Dema Kovalenko - Youri Djorkaeff - John Wolyniec (Josmer Altidore 76). [Substitutes Not Used: Edson Buddle, Peter Canero, Jon Conway, Taylor Graham]
"It's just a lack of concentration," Red Bulls defender Carlos Mendes said. "We didn't defend particularly well. It's not that we defended badly, we just made some mistakes that led to some bad goals."TEAM NEWS
Arena was concerned by the team his team wilted down the final half hour, when United scored three goals. "One thing that was obvious to me when I came in is that we have a very poorly conditioned team," Arena said. "You see at the end of these games they break down. They can't think because they're fatigued and that's something we know we can't deal with now. It's something we have to deal with in the offseason and certainly next year."
Guevara overcame the flu to take his place in the Red Bulls team, but while he was a part of all three New York goals, his defensive performance drew Arena's attention.
"Amado was part of all three goals, but he was also part of the big goal that D.C. United scored. But out of a player like Amado, those are plays he's got to make," Arena said. "I know you don't see that from the stands or the press box - you'll see the two goals he scored, but we want Amado to make that other play as well where he got beat by Gomez and it resulted in their second goal, which hurts us. Some good moments from Amado, but a couple plays that he needs to do better at."
Former Austrian international Markus Schopp made his first start since coming to the Red Bulls, playing 68 minutes in a wide right-sided midfield role.
"You have inexperienced players who don't have good habits as professionals in terms of being able to talk and sort things out," Arena said. "That's all part of the process. You see the difference with a veteran player like Schopp, when he gets on the field. A lot of those plays don't happen on his part of the field because he's experienced, he can talk and he can help sort things out."
16-year-old Jozy Altidore scored his second goal in three games, after coming on as a substitute for the final 14 minutes of the match.
"It's good to see the young kid get in again and score a goal," Arena said. "He's someone that we're certainly going to give some more thought and time to. Some good performances, some not-so-good performances. The name of the game today was how inconsistent we were and our inability to sort some things out in the second half."
If New York loses at home to the Chicago Fire, and Kansas City win at home against Real Salt Lake, the Red Bulls will have to win their final two games and hope for a Chivas victory against the Wizards on Oct. 7 (or a draw) in order to claim a playoff spot.
"I'll be honest with you. It's likely that this thing is going to go down to the last day. We hope we can get better. I think we've improved. We're actually improving in every game. Even though we don't have the results, we're improving," Arena said. "But there's no point in saying we're improving - we need to get points. Whether we play poorly or we play well, we need to get some points."
Said Mendes: "If we figure out how to put it together for 90 minutes and we can defend for 90 minutes and the back four can do better, then we can definitely be in the playoffs. We just need to concentrate more and we can definitely be in the playoffs. We need to concentrate better and play for 90 minutes."CHICAGO FIRE
The Chicago Fire became the second team to book its ticket for the MLS Cup Playoffs, getting a late penalty for a 2-1 victory against the Los Angeles Galaxy at Toyota Park last Saturday evening. The Fire now have 44 points from 29 matches, safely in the top four, and with a victory and the failure of New England to win (or a tie and a New England loss) will guarantee home-field advantage in the Eastern Conference Semifinal Series.
LAST MATCH
The teams were meeting for the first of two encounters over five days, with the U.S. Open Cup Final ahead at midweek at the same stadium. The Fire had lost just once in eight league games, while the Galaxy had just one win in their last four as they tried to maintain their record of reaching the postseason in every season in MLS history.
Chicago got off to a dream start, striking after just 33 seconds. Tony Sanneh flighted a long ball down the left flank, and Justin Mapp looped a cross to the back post where Chris Rolfe came sliding in to knock it home. It was the second-fastest goal in Fire history, and equaled the ninth-fastest in MLS history.
Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens was called upon to make 10 saves on the evening, and he kept the Galaxy off the board until the 78th minute when Landon Donovan collected a pass at the edge of the area and lashed home the equalizer. The Galaxy had lost just once in six previous league matches when Donovan scores.
But just six minutes later the Fire again nosed in front. Tyrone Marshall pulled down Andy Herron inside the area, and referee Hilario Grajeda pointed to the spot. Herron neatly converted for his sixth goal in his last eight games for the Fire, ensuring Chicago would be the second team in the East to reach the postseason.
Fire head coach Dave Sarachan made one change to the team that defeated D.C. United at home the previous Sunday afternoon. With Nate Jaqua sidelined with a concussion, Justin Mapp came back into a wide midfield role.
Here's Sarachan's team (3-4-1-2): Matt Pickens - C.J. Brown, Tony Sanneh, Dasan Robinson - Justin Mapp (Leonard Griffin 88), Chris Armas, Diego Gutierrez, Gonzalo Segares - Thiago (Logan Pause 81) - Chris Rolfe (Jim Curtin 91+), Andy Herron. [Substitutes Not Used: Calen Carr, Ryan Johnson, David Mahoney, Brian Plotkin]TEAM NEWS
The goal after 33 seconds was second in the Fire books to Jamar Beasley's goal against Kansas City on July 4, 2001, which set the Fire on their way to a 7-0 victory. It was one of two goals scored in the opening minute this season, among the 29 first-minute goals in MLS history.
''It wasn't pre-planned,'' Sarachan said, ''but we had talked about trying to isolate Justin. It was to Tony's credit to recognize it and get a big ball over the top.''
It was a fourth victory in the five league games for the Fire since Matt Pickens has stepped in between the posts for Zach Thornton. "I can feel it every game, I'm taking a step forward," Pickens said to the Northwest Herald. "You don't start out with a lot of confidence, you have to prove yourself."
Still, there could be a decision ahead for Sarachan, as Thornton is nearly ready to return to duty. In the six matches before the 32-year-old went down with his hamstring injury, he recorded four clean sheets.
"There's slight loyalty," Sarachan said to the Chicago Sun-Times. "You develop a comfort level when you know a player so well, but that loyalty is also a result of trust and experience." Said Thornton: "He's taken full advantage of the opportunity. Even before I got injured, Matt was making some saves in practice that showed he was capable of being a starter."
On Wednesday evening, the teams met again at Toyota Park, this time in the U.S. Open Cup Final, and again the Fire got off to a brilliant start, scoring twice in the opening 16 minutes on their way to a 3-1 victory against the holders. It was the fourth U.S. Open Cup for the Fire, most among MLS clubs.
The Fire opened the scoring the 10th minute. Justin Mapp swung in free kick that C.J. Brown challenged for, the ball falling at the feet of Andy Herron. His shot across the face of goal bounced off a defender, and Nate Jaqua was well positioned to merely nod it over from almost on the line.
The home side doubled their lead six minutes later, and again Mapp was the provider. After quickly cutting back on the right flank, he drove in a cross and found Herron among three defenders, and his glancing header nestled inside the far post.
The Galaxy pulled a goal back just five minutes after the halftime break. After Chris Rolfe's was deflected onto the post, Matt Pickens made two tremendous saves, one on Santino Quaranta, the second on Alan Gordon. But he was powerless to control the rebound from the second, and Gordon hammered it into the back of an empty net.
But the Fire finished off the match two minutes from the end. Set completely on the left flank, Tony Sanneh delayed while Thiago stormed down the inside-right channel, and Sanneh slipped a pinpoint pass between Kevin Hartman and a sliding defender for Thiago to tap in and give the Fire the Dewar Trophy.
It was the third time in four Open Cup titles the Fire won on their home ground. They joined an elite group of five clubs that have won the 93-year-old national championship at least four times, and it was the ninth victory for a Chicago-based club.
"We've made it a priority this year to try and win a couple championships and you saw tonight the guys put everything into it tonight," said Sarachan. "L.A. didn't make it easy. We knew even with 2-0 at halftime that we were going to be in for a fight, and sure enough they get that goal, and yet the poise that we showed and the confidence to keep playing and withstand their barrage ... you just keep your fingers crossed and maybe we catch them on the counter, which we did, and game, set, match."
Here's Sarachan's team (3-4-1-2): Matt Pickens - C.J. Brown, Tony Sanneh, Gonzalo Segares - Nate Jaqua, Diego Gutierrez, Logan Pause, Ivan Guerrero - Justin Mapp (Thiago 85) - Chris Rolfe (Jim Curtin 91+), Andy Herron (Dasan Robinson 82). [Substitutes Not Used: Calen Carr, Leonard Griffin, David Mahoney, Brian Plotkin]
