Download the game guide >Sun., Oct. 30
RFK Memorial Stadium
4:30 p.m. ET; ESPN2
LEAGUE HEAD-TO-HEAD: CHI 10 wins, 40 goals; DC 10 wins, 40 goals, 4 ties
2005 HEAD-TO-HEAD: DC 2 wins, 11 goals; CHI 1 win, 10 goals; 1 tie
AT RFK MEMORIAL STADIUM:
4/9: DC 1 - CHI 1 (Petke 40 - Rolfe 50)
6/15: DC 4 - CHI 3 (Moreno 43 pen; Gomez 47, 73; Boswell 86 - Rolfe 30; Jaqua 38; Segares 62)
MLS CUP PLAYOFFS: CHI 3 wins, 6 goals; DC 0 wins, 0 goals; 1 tie
REFEREE: Kevin Stott. SAR (bench): Tom Supple; JAR (opposite): Rick Eddy; 4th: Abbey Okulaja
MLS Career: 119 games; FC/gm: 26.7; Y/gm: 3.5; R: 31; pens: 19
2005: 10 games; FC/gm: 27.7; Y/gm: 2.8; R: 2; pens: 0
INJURY REPORT: D.C. UNITED - OUT: FW Alecko Eskandarian (concussion), DF David Stokes (ankle surgery), DF Kenny Arena (first metatarsal), FW Jason Thompson (ankle sprain); DOUBTFUL: FW Matt Nickell (hamstring strain); PROBABLE: MF Ben Olsen (calf strain) ... CHICAGO FIRE - OUT: MF Scott Buete (R 5th metatarsal fracture); MF Craig Capano (L torn ACL surgery); DF Leonard Griffin (R knee surgery); DOUBTFUL: MF Chris Armas (L knee sprain); QUESTIONABLE: MD John Thorrington (L groin strain): PROBABLE: GK Matt Pickens (L ankle sprain)
SUSPENDED: none
WARNINGS: DC: Brian Carroll (5 CP), Dema Kovalenko (5 CP), Santino Quaranta (4 CP) ... CHI: C.J. Brown (5 CP)
UNITED TEAM NEWS
After the scoreless draw in the first leg, to ensure advancement to the Eastern Conference Championship, D.C. United needs two things that have lately been in short supply - goals and a win. United have scored just three goals in their last three games, with two draws and a loss over that time. "It does not concern me," head coach Peter Nowak said to The Washington Post. "We know we have enough difference-makers in our team and everybody can change the game and score the goals."
But United feel a return home to RFK Stadium will help. "They had a game plan to not let us get comfortable and they did a good job," forward Santino Quaranta said to the Post. "I think they are going to play the same way this weekend, but there's no way they can sustain it for 90 minutes because of the way we attack at home. We're going to go at them a lot more than we did last week."
Another key could be Quaranta's re-integration into the United attack. After playing just the first half of United's 4-1 win against the MetroStars, he did not play in the final three regular season matches, returning to partner Jaime Moreno in attack for the playoff opener. "We don't really play with a target striker too much, so we need him to flow around," said Nowak to Soccer America. "Sometimes he's the playmaker, sometimes he's up top, this is what we expect of him, to flow with the game. At the end of the day when he ends up on the right wing and he needs to deliver the ball, that's fine with me, but we try to play on the ground, not in the air."
Ben Olsen's status is still in doubt, after a calf strain held him out of the first leg. He was not able to return to full training early in the week leading to the return match.
However, Freddy Adu has been participating in full training and should be in the squad for Sunday. "Freddy is back in the group, preparing for this game, and we believe that with the right mind-set he can be helpful for us," Nowak said. "We all know he's a great player, a great team player."
Nowak is still undefeated in the postseason as a head coach. In his rookie year, leading United to the MLS Cup, his club recorded three victories and a draw - from which they then advanced on penalties (vs. New England).FIRE TEAM NEWS
Days after the first-leg draw at home, the Fire were still frustrated with referee Brian Hall's call in the final minute of normal time that disallowed a potential winning goal on a corner kick. "We watched the replay of it the next morning at practice," forward Chris Rolfe said to the Chicago Tribune. "We focused in on everybody in the box, and there's nothing - no foul whatsoever. How could [the referee] call a foul in such a crucial situation in the playoffs?"
The rookie striker was encouraged by the play of the Fire rearguard, which continually thwarted United's attempt to generate any sort of flowing attack. The Fire had just the 10th-best defense in the league, the worst of any of the playoff teams. "It gives me confidence that our defense played that well," Rolfe said. "I had two or three chances in the game. Usually, that's all I need. If we get the same opportunities on Sunday, we're going to get a goal or two."
In some ways it's been difficult for the Fire to face United in the MLS Cup Playoffs - former captain and Fire icon Peter Nowak is in charge of United for the second season. "He's family," said Fire defender C.J. Brown. "He's the guy that got me my championship rings; he's the one I learned from. His desire of the game is something I try and emulate."
Still, said Jesse Marsch: "There's an extra bit of competitive vigor when it comes to playing someone you are close with. We are in this business because we are competitive people. So whether it's Peter and Dema [Kovalenko] in D.C. or Ante [Razov] and Bob [Bradley] in New York, they are your friends, people you respect and people you love, but at the end of the day you want to have a few more notches on your belt than they have in theirs."
In the opening moments of the first leg, Fire captain Chris Armas suffered a knock to his left knee that left him limping, though he was able to finish the match. He is however listed as doubtful for this weekend, with a sprain to the knee. Armas underwent surgery on his right knee in 2002 that cost him a place on the U.S. World Cup team.DISCIPLINARY INFORMATION:
All players will start the Playoffs with zero caution points. A players who then accumulates EIGHT (8) or more caution points in the first TWO (2) Playoff Games in which he appears will be suspended for his team's next Playoff Game (Conference Championship game or MLS Cup) and fined $250. Any suspension for caution points received in a player's last Playoff Game will not carry over into the next League Season. A player who receives a yellow card in THREE (3) consecutive Playoff Games in which he appears, where the caution points attributable to such yellow cards equal TEN (10) or more caution points, shall be suspended for his team's next Playoff Game (MLS Cup) and fined $250. A player who receives yellow cards during the playoffs (including MLS Cup), where the caution points attributable to such yellow cards equal TWELVE (12) or more caution points shall not be suspended from his team's next regular season game in the upcoming year. However, a player accumulating TWELVE (12) points throughout the playoffs shall be fined $250. The only way to accumulate TWELVE (12) or more caution points in the playoffs would be by being awarded a caution in MLS Cup.
