The Chicago Fire (8-10-8, 32 points) take to the road to face Western Conference leader Chivas USA (14-6-5, 47 points) on Saturday at The Home Depot Center in Carson, Calif., in a contest filled with playoff implications. The Fire still hold onto the eighth and final playoff spot after netting two points of a possible six last week with 1-1 draws at FC Dallas last Thursday and Sunday against D.C. United at TOYOTA PARK. Chivas USA are on an eight-game unbeaten tear, a streak that included Saturday's 2-1 win over the Kansas City Wizards to take top place in the West and clinch a spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs. Kickoff for Saturday's match is at 9:30 p.m. CT and will be televised live on Comcast SportsNet and broadcast over the airwaves on Chicagoland radio station WRTO-AM 1200 (Spanish).
Fire History vs. Chivas USA
The Chicago Fire and Chivas USA meet for the second of a two-game, home-and-away regular season series this Saturday with the Men in Red looking to even the all-time season series currently set at 2-3-0. In the previous meeting this season, Chicago dropped a 1-0 decision to Chivas USA on June 9 at TOYOTA PARK. The Fire are searching for their first win against the California-based club since the 2005 campaign. They have since dropped both 2006 contests, losing a 1-0 decision on May 27 on the road and falling 2-1 in the first-ever TOYOTA PARK-based meeting between the two clubs on Aug. 12. Chicago swept the 2005 season series with an emphatic 5-2 win at Soldier Field on June 4 in the first game ever played between the Fire and Chivas USA. The Men in Red posted a 1-0 result away at The Home Depot Center on July 2 of 2005.
Chivas to Date
First year coach and MLS veteran Preki has guided Chivas USA from an early 3-3-2 mark through the months of April and May to late-season success, streaking not long after the California-based club last met the Fire for a 1-0 win on June 9 at TOYOTA PARK. The Goats won three of four total contests in June and went 1-1-1 in July games heading into the All-Star break. Much like the Fire, Chivas USA improved their play after the break, falling just once in a 3-2 decision at the hands of the Kansas City Wizards on July 29. From there, Chivas USA has been a force in league play, riding an eight-game unbeaten streak heading into Saturday's match. Led by former Fire forward Ante Razov's two-goal, Player of the Week performance on Sept. 22 to take a 2-1 win over Kansas City, Chivas USA have clinched the club's second-ever playoff berth and look to secure the team's first Supporters' Shield for the best overall regular-season record.
No Introductions Needed
Chicago's Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Chivas USA's Claudio Suarez, 1998 World Cup teammates for Mexico, collide Saturday in Carson, Calif. "Temo" and Suarez will renew a club rivalry hotly-contested in the late nineties as Blanco's Club América side played against Suarez's CD Guadalajara, their arch rival. Former Fire head coach Bob Bradley brought two "Fire Originals" to Chivas USA before leaving for the U.S. National Team post, first trading with Chicago to acquire midfielder Jesse Marsch on Jan. 24, 2006, before trading with the then-MetroStars a week later to obtain the services of the Fire's all-time leading scorer, forward Ante Razov. Marsch and Razov aren't the only former Men in Red donning Chivas USA's red and white stripes these days, as defender Orlando Perez played for Chicago from 2002-04. Chivas USA goalkeeper Brad Guzan is also familiar with the "Men in Red," as the Homer Glen, Ill., native played for the Premier Development League's Chicago Fire Juniors in 2003-04, alongside Matt Pickens (2002-03), Brian Plotkin (2003-04), Dasan Robinson (2003-04), and Chris Rolfe (2003-04).
Rolfe's rocket takes Sierra Mist Goal of the Week" honors
Fire forward Chris Rolfe scored his fifth goal of the season in spectacular fashion against FC Dallas last Thursday, drilling a long-range strike from more than thirty yards out past FCD goalkeeper Dario Sala and into the upper right corner netting in the 56th minute of play. Rolfe's impressive score was Chicago's lone goal in the 1-1 tie with the Hoops and earned the 24-year-old the Sierra Mist Goal of the Week award for Week 25, beating Chivas USA forward Ante Razov's game-winning strike against Kansas City.
Quick Kicks vs. Chivas USA
• Chicago have allowed eight goals total in 10 games played since the All-Star break, or .80 goals per game, compared to 26 goals allowed in 16 games played before the break for a 1.63 goals per game average.
• Chicago have tied their last three games, setting a new team record.
• Fire defender Gonzalo Segares will be available to play this Saturday after serving a one-game suspension Sunday against D.C. due to yellow card accumulation.
• Goalkeeper Matt Pickens can tie the Fire regular season shutout record with nine if he records a clean sheet Saturday night. Former netminder Zach Thornton set the original record through the 2001 campaign.
• Forward Chad Barrett is the only Fire player to appear in all 26 regular season games this season.
• Forward Chris Rolfe's goal on Thursday, Sept. 20, at FC Dallas was his first tally since May 12 at Toronto FC.
• Half of Chivas USA' all-time goals against the Fire have been scored in the final 15 minutes of play.
• The Fire own a 4-3-6 regular season mark at TOYOTA PARK for 2007, while posting a 4-7-2 record on the road.
• Blanco has three one-goal, one-assist performances, most recently against New York in a 2-2 tie (Sept. 15), with the last two occurring at Real Salt Lake (Aug. 18) in a 2-0 win and against Kansas City (Aug. 25) in another 2-0 victory.
• Caution Watch: Chad Barrett (3c), C.J. Brown (7c), Calen Carr (4c), Diego Gutierrez (7c, 1e), Dasan Robinson (3c), Gonzalo Segares (6c, 1e), Bakary Soumare (5c, 1e).
