The Chicago Fire continued its 2006 preseason preparations Saturday with a pair of 70-minute exhibition contests at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. In the day's opener, Fire forward Will Johnson scored on either side of the half to help the "Men in Red" to a 2-0 victory over the USASA Select Team, while the afternoon contest saw midfielder Floyd Franks' first half tally equaled in a 1-1 draw against the University of Central Florida.
Game One - Fire 2, USASA Select 0
It took the Fire a little while to settle in during the morning contest, but the MLS side would soon take control of the match, Johnson's 20-yard blast that forced a diving save in the 7th minute serving as a sign of things to come. Johnson continued his offensive attack by serving fellow midfielder Justin Mapp a cross to the right post, the Mississippi native's header on goal forcing another save that trickled out of bounds. Mapp would return the favor on the ensuing corner kick, serving the ball towards the arc to Johnson, who cut back to his right and fired a low, right-footed shot that snuck inside the right post to give the Fire the 1-0 advantage. The Fire defense would rarely be tested in the first half, the USASA squad's best chance coming on a low 25-yard free kick from midfielder Michael Uremovich that was smothered by Fire netminder Zach Thornton.
The second half was a more even affair, with the USASA side coming out the aggressors and just missing back-to-back chances in the 40th and 41st minutes. The action would pick up in the final 10 minutes beginning with USASA midfielder Zico Veiga's breakaway on goal in the 61st minute, but Fire back-up goalkeeper David Mahoney would thwart the chance by waiting back on his line and making a crucial kick save that maintained the lead. The Fire countered immediately and forward Calen Carr nearly doubled the advantage for Chicago, but he pushed a shot from 15 yards out just wide of the right post. Johnson would find the insurance goal two minutes from time when he collected a pass inside the penalty area from rookie midfielder Floyd Franks, turned to his right and hit a 12-yard shot across his body that easily beat Zimmerman to the left side of the goal.
Scoring Summary:
CHI - Will Johnson 1 (Justin Mapp 2) 20
CHI - Will Johnson 2 (Floyd Franks 1) 68
Fire lineup (3-5-2): Zach Thornton (David Mahoney 50); C.J. Brown (Dasan Robinson 50), Jack Stewart, Gonzalo Segares (Jordan Russolillo 50); Justin Mapp (Floyd Franks 36), Logan Pause, Diego Gutierrez (Scott Buete 50), Will Johnson, Ivan Guerrero (Leonard Griffin 50); Calen Carr, Andy Herron.
USASA lineup (3-5-2): Devin Zimmerman; Justin Dugena, Chris Marshburn, Daniel Smith; Zico Veiga (Marquis Muse 25), Scottie Estrada (Matt Williams 25), Hugh Van Wagenen, Michael Uremovich (Shamu Mandafu 25) (Michael Bock 58), Michael Bock (Mark Rowland 36) (Shamu Mandafu 59); Terrance Johnson (Rogerio Oliveria 10), Kellen Zindel (Nick DeMeuse 25) (Zico Veiga 59).
Discipline Summary:
CHI - Jack Stewart (caution) 15
USASA - Daniel Smith (caution) 49
Game Two - Fire 1, University of Central Florida 1
The Fire would field a much younger squad in its afternoon match against Central Florida, its starting 11 featuring five of the team's ten 2006 SuperDraft and Supplemental Draft selections. The squad would come out firing, as midfielder Brian Plotkin would threaten in the 3rd minute with a low-angle shot from close to the left endline that hit the outside netting. It would be the Fire's first round pick in the Supplemental Draft, midfielder Floyd Franks, that would put Chicago ahead in the 15th minute. Following a poorly cleared Chicago corner kick, forward Andy Rosenband would collect the ball and chip a pass 10 yards in front of goal for Franks, who was easily able to send a header into the back of the net to put the Fire up 1-0.
Franks would have another chance just two minutes later, but his close range shot from the right side of the penalty area was smothered at the right post by the UCF goalkeeper. Fire midfielder Scott Buete would be the distributor for two more chances in the following minutes, but defender Dasan Robinson's flashing header in the 19th minute and Rosenband's effort one minute later would both miss the goal just wide of the right post. With the Fire's firm control of the contest beginning to slip away towards the end of the half, UCF would find the equalizer at the half hour mark thanks to a kind bounce off the woodwork. A Panther attacker did well to hit a 35-yard blast that beat Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens but pounded off the crossbar. However, UCF's Bill Judino immediately pounced on the rebound and scored past a scrambling Pickens to even the match at 1-1, resulting in the Fire's first goal allowed of the preseason.
The second half would be a sluggish one for the Fire, as UCF was able to hold possession much better than in the first half and create some chances of their own. Chicago's attack would wake up in the 56th minute thanks in part to a favorable free kick just outside the right side of the penalty area, but Plotkin's curling shot would be headed away from danger. Seconds later it would be forward Richard Mupfudze with a chance of his own, but his rising shot from 16 yards out sailed just high of the crossbar. A Panthers build up with under two minutes remaining would prove dangerous, but a curling shot from 15 yards out would be saved by second half Fire substitute goalkeeper Ryan McIntosh to keep the score level at ones. The Fire put together one last rush in the 70th minute when forward Chad Barrett sent midfielder Jeremy Ashe into space deep down the right flank, but an offside call ended the opportunity and the Fire's chance to grab the game-winner.
After a day off on Sunday, the Fire will return to action on Monday when the squad takes on the Trinidad & Tobago Under-21 Men's National Team at the IMG Academy at 3:00 p.m. ET.
Scoring Summary:
CHI - Floyd Franks 1 (Andy Rosenband 1) 15
UCF - Bill Judino (unassisted) 30
Fire lineup (3-5-2): Matt Pickens (Ryan McIntosh 50); Dasan Robinson (Idris Ughiovhe 36), Jeff Curtin, Jordan Russolillo (Ezra Prendergast 36); Floyd Franks (Jeremy Ashe 36), Jared Montz, Scott Buete (Richard Mupfudze 36), Brian Plotkin, Leonard Griffin; Chad Barrett, Andy Rosenband.
UCF lineup unavailable.
Discipline Summary:
CHI - Jared Montz (caution) 35
Rolfe Earns Third "Cap" in U.S. Win:
It was better late than never for Fire forward Chris Rolfe, who earned his third career appearance for the U.S. Men's National Team in a 3-2 victory over Japan Friday evening at SBC Park in San Francisco, CA. As in his first two international contests Rolfe came off the bench, this time replacing Pat Noonan in the 87th minute with the U.S. holding a 3-1 advantage. Rolfe will remain with the U.S. senior squad as it wraps up its six-week camp at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA this week. The U.S. MNT will finish out the camp with its fourth friendly contest of 2006 next weekend against Guatemala at the site of the Fire's MLS season opener, Pizza Hut Park in Frisco, TX.
