2008 HOME OPENER SET FOR THURSDAY
The Chicago Fire (0-0-1, 1 pt.) host their 2008 home opener against New England (1-0-0, 3 pts.) on Thursday, April 3 at TOYOTA PARK. Kickoff for the re-match of the 2007 Eastern Conference Championship is set for 7:30 p.m. (CDT). The Fire are coming off a 1-1 road draw at Real Salt Lake while the Revolution enter the game after winning their first match over Houston 3-0. The game will be televised by ESPN2 and ESPN Deportes and broadcast on Chicagoland radio stations WRTO 1200-AM (Spanish) and WNVR 1230-AM (Polish).
FIRE AND REVOLUTION TO WEAR BLACK ARMBANDS FOR NORTHERN ILLINOIS UNIV. TRAGEDY
All players and referees on Thursday will be wearing black armbands embroidered with "February 14, 2008" on them in memory of the NIU campus tragedy which occurred that day.
OPENING DAY EVENTS
Members from the Northern Illinois University Choir will sing the national anthem. At halftime, a donation from the Fireworks for Kids Foundation will be presented to Joe Matty, Executive Director of the NIU Alumni Association, and Jack Tierney, President of the NIU Alumni Association. Also during halftime, the Chicago Fire will recognize members of the Illinois Men's Select team. The team recently defended their 2007 Donnelley Cup title by winning the 2008 edition of the USASA National Select Team Championship. Following the game there will be a post-game fireworks show.
BLANCO BLAST UP FOR SIERRA MIST GOAL OF THE WEEK
Fire midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco's game-tying goal in the 92nd minute at Real Salt Lake has been nominated for the Week 1 Sierra Mist Goal of the Week.
FIRE ACADEMY TO PLAY U.S. YOUTH NATIONAL TEAM SUNDAY AT TOYOTA PARK
The Chicago Fire Academy U-16 and U-18 teams will take on the U.S. Youth National teams on Sunday, April 6, at TOYOTA PARK at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. CDT. Admission for both games is free and gates at TOYOTA PARK open at 10:30 a.m. An optional $5.00 donation to support the Academy can be made at the gate. For more information please contact the Fire's Player Development Hotline at 708-496-6577.
THREE CHICAGO FIRE PREMIER PLAYERS SIGN 2008 MLS CONTRACTS
Three Chicago Fire Premier (PDL) products taken in the 2008 MLS SuperDraft have signed MLS contracts for the 2008 season. Rauwshan McKenzie (CFP 07, Michigan) signed with the Kansas City Wizards, David Roth (CFP 06/07, Northwestern) signed with the New York Red Bulls, and Cesar Zambrano (CFP 06/07, UIC) signed with the Colorado Rapids. This brings the total number of Fire Premier Alums who have played or still are playing professionally to 63 in only seven seasons of existence.
