The Chicago Fire played to a 1-1 draw with Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City, Utah in front of 20,272 fans Saturday afternoon. RSL went up a goal in the 71st minute off a Chicago defender misclearance that resulted in an own-goal, but the Fire came back with a late 20-yard strike from midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco in the game's final moments to gain an important point on the road.
"I think as the second half went on we didn't create many chances, but we made it hard for them," said Fire head coach Denis Hamlett. "We made some changes and I think our subs made a good push, and we finished with a great goal by Cuauhtémoc. I've been around long enough and I've been a lot of games like this where you just believe in your guys and hope that you make the right moves. Tonight we did."
Real Salt Lake nearly scored the game's first goal in the sixth minute when forward Fabian Espindola sent a left-footed cross into the 18-yard box. Espindola's service connected with forward Yura Movsisyan for a header that went a foot over the crossbar. Six minutes later, Blanco received a pass from Fire midfielder Logan Pause inside the penalty area, took a touch, and placed a left-footed shot just left of the frame.
In the 14th minute, Espindola broke free from a Soumare tackle and from eight yards out chipped a shot over Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch and over the goal for a goal kick. Fire forward Tomasz Frankowski was fouled 31 yards from goal in the 24th minute of play, and Blanco took the curling free kick around the wall and just high over the goal.
29 minutes into the match, Espindola juked past Fire defender Gonzalo Segares and took a rip from eight yards that was caught in the chest by Busch. After 45 minutes of play, the score remained 0-0.
Neither team made a substitution during the halftime break. In the 52nd minute, RSL midfielder Andy Williams took a right-footed shot from 16 yards out that went high and right of the goal. Three minutes later, Movsisyan almost doubled Salt Lake's lead with a bicycle kick attempt on a corner kick service from 10 yards out that skipped just right of the frame.
A hard cross into the box by midfielder Salt Lake midfielder Dema Kovalenko gave his team the lead in the 71st minute after it deflected off the leg of Fire defender Bakary Soumare and into the back of the net. In the 82nd minute, Kovalenko looked to double the lead with a strike from just inside the right side of the penalty box that landed right into the chest of Busch.
Through the last 10 minutes of play, Chicago put heavy offensive pressure on Salt Lake to defend in their own half of play. Fire forward Calen Carr came on for Soumare in the 83rd minute and nearly tied the game four minutes later when he flicked a ball behind him with his head from six yards out and it went a just foot over the frame.
In the 92nd minute, Blanco gave Chicago a share of the spoils when he one-timed a loose ball from just outside the 18-yard box with his left foot into the upper left corner of the net to knot the game at 1-1 until the final whistle.
Chicago Fire Lineup: GK-Jon Busch, D-Gonzalo Segares, D-Bakary Soumare (Calen Carr 84), D-Diego Gutierrez, D-Brandon Prideaux, M-Justin Mapp (Stephen King 54), M-Logan Pause, M-Cuauhtémoc Blanco (captain), M-Chris Rolfe, F-Chad Barrett, F-Tomasz Frankowski (Andy Herron 76).
Subs Not Used: G-Nick Noble, D-Dasan Robinson, M-John Thorrington, D-Daniel Woolard.
Real Salt Lake Lineup: GK-Nick Rimando, D-Chris Wingert, D-Nat Borchers, D-Matias Mantilla, D-Ian Joy, M-Andy Williams (Dema Kovalenko 69), M-Javier Morales, M-Carey Talley (captain), M-Kyle Beckerman, F-Fabian Espindola (Kenny Deuchar 73), F-Yura Movsisyan (Robbie Findlay 62).
Subs Not Used: GK-Chris Seitz, D-Tony Beltran, D-Jamison Olave, M-Nathan Sturgis.
Scoring Summary
RSL - Bakary Soumare (og) 71'
CHI - Cuauhtémoc Blanco (unassisted) 92+'
Misconduct Summary
RSL - Ian Joy (caution, tackle from behind) 51'
RSL - Robbie Findlay (caution, tackle from behind) 78'
RSL - Kyle Beckerman (caution, pushing/holding) 87'
CHI - Logan Pause (caution, tackle from behind) 89'
Referee: Terry Vaughn
Referee's Assistants: Fabio Tovar, Chris Strickland
4th Official: Tim Weylance: 20,272
Weather: Cloudy, 43 degrees
