• Fire Closes Out Homestand This Week With Crucial Contests Against Kansas City Wizards and Los Angeles Galaxy
• Fire Hopes to Fend Off Surging Wizards Wednesday Night at Soldier Field
• "Men in Red" to Host Superstar Landon Donovan and Rest of the Galaxy on Saturday
• Injuries Befall Second Year Midfielders Scott Buete and Leonard Griffin
• Goalkeeper David Mahoney Loaned to USL2's Western Mass Pioneers
Fire to End Short Homestand This Week Against K.C. and L.A.
The busiest stretch of the Chicago Fire's season to date will conclude with another pair of contests at Soldier Field this week, with the Fire (11-8-3, 36 pts.) hosting the Kansas City Wizards (8-5-8, 32 pts.) on Wednesday, Aug. 10 at 7:30 p.m. CT in a crucial Eastern Conference clash before ending its three-game, eight-day homestand against the Los Angeles Galaxy (8-8-5, 29 pts.) on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. CT (HDNet). Fans can follow both contests on Chicagoland radio stations WRTO-AM 1200 (Spanish) and WNVR-AM 1030 (Polish) and the Fire's official website, www.Chicago-Fire.com (English), where links for the Spanish and Polish radio broadcasts can also be found.
Fans can purchase tickets for this week's Fire matches, and all remaining home contests, by visiting the Fire's official website, www.Chicago-Fire.com. Fans can also secure individual or group tickets through the Fire office by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE or by visiting the Fire's headquarters at 980 N. Michigan Ave., Suite 1998, from 9:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Fire and Soldier Field Remind Fans About Prohibited Items at Stadium
With a pair of home contests this week, the Chicago Fire and Soldier Field would like to remind fans about the list of items that are prohibited at the Lakefront venue. Fans are reminded that they will not be allowed to bring in the following items in Soldier Field under any circumstances: Alcoholic beverages; Backpacks; Bags and purses larger than 8"x11"x12"; Balloons and beach balls; Cans, bottles or other beverage containers; Confetti; Coolers; Fireworks and smoke bombs; Ice chests; Illegal drugs; Laser pens and pointers; Noise-making devices (i.e./horns, whistles, etc.); Poles to display banners or flags; Umbrellas; Video or movie cameras; Weapons; Strollers; and any other items deemed to be dangerous or inappropriate. The list can also be found on the Fire's official website in the "STADIUM" section or directly at the following link: http://chicago.fire.mlsnet.com/MLS/chf/load.jsp?section=stadium&content=fanguide.
Series History vs. Kansas City
The series between the Fire and Wizards has been all Chicago, as the "Men in Red" have rolled up a 14-4-3 record during regular season play against their new Eastern Conference rivals entering their second match-up of the 2005 campaign on Wednesday evening. The Fire is still undefeated at home against the Wizards with a 9-0-1 record, but Kansas City was able to take its first-ever point out of the Windy City in this year's first meeting on June 18, as a late Preki goal would help produce a 1-1 draw at Soldier Field. The Fire and Wizards will round out their 2005 series with a pair of contests at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, MO on Aug. 19 and Oct. 1.
Series History vs. Los Angeles
Saturday's contest at Soldier Field will mark the first of two meetings this season between the Galaxy and Fire. Los Angeles is the only team in MLS that can claim supremacy over the "Men in Red" in Chicagoland, as the Fire enters this weekend's match with a 5-6-0 record at home against the Galaxy and an all-time regular season mark of 8-12-2 against the Western Conference side. The Fire could gain only one point out of its three meetings with Los Angeles last season, with the Galaxy notching a 3-2 victory at The Home Depot Center on June 12 and a 1-0 win at Soldier Field on June 27 before the two sides fought to a 1-1 draw in Carson, CA on Aug. 21. The two clubs will finish off their season series over the Labor Day weekend when the Fire visits The Home Depot Center on Sunday, Sep. 4.
Surgeries Force Midfielders Scott Buete and Leonard Griffin From Action
The Fire will be without two of its best young players, as midfielders Leonard Griffin and Scott Buete have suffered injuries in recent weeks that require surgery. Griffin has already underwent surgery to repair an athletic pubalgia condition, with the successful operation being performed last Wednesday by Dr. Richard Cattey at St. Mary's Hospital in Mequon, WI. Griffin is expected to miss the next six weeks after the surgery. Buete suffer a break of his fifth metatarsal in his right foot during the Fire Reserves' 4-1 defeat of D.C. United on Sunday, and the subsequent surgery scheduled for this Wednesday will force the Maryland product to sit out the next 2-3 months.
AthletiCo Injury Report
Buete, Scott - R 5th metatarsal fracture - Out
Capano, Craig - L torn ACL surgery - Out
Griffin, Leonard - abdominal strain - Out
Herron, Andy - R toe sprain - Out
Jaqua, Nate - L ankle bone bruise - Questionable
Goalkeeper David Mahoney Loaned to Western Mass Pioneers of USL's Second Division
The Fire has announced that goalkeeper David Mahoney has been sent on loan to the Western Mass Pioneers of the United Soccer Leagues Second Division for the remainder of the Pioneers' 2005 season. The 24-year-old Mahoney has not seen any time with the Fire's first team during his rookie campaign this season, but the Cornell University product and Wellesley, MA native has registered a 5-1-0 record and 2.00 goals against average in seven contests (four starts) in MLS Reserve Division play with Chicago. Mahoney reported to the Western Mass today and will be available for the Pioneers' final game of the regular season this Wednesday against the Long Island Rough Riders at Lusitano Stadium in Ludlow, MA, where Mahoney has been the Fire's back-up netminder in its two victories in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play over the last month. Western Mass (12-3-4, 40 pts.) currently sits one point behind the Charlotte Eagles for the lead in the USL Second Division standings. Mahoney will report back to Chicago upon completion of the Pioneers' run in the USL-2 postseason next month.
Fire to Host Second Annual "Kids Night Out" This Wednesday Against Kansas City
The Chicago Fire and local contributors, sponsors and businesses have teamed up to help celebrate the club's second annual "Kids Night Out," a special evening of soccer organized by the Fire and the team's charitable arm, the FireWorks for Kids Foundation, to benefit underprivileged children in Chicagoland. This year's "Kids Night Out" will take place this Wednesday, Aug. 10 at Soldier Field as part of the Fire's contest against the Kansas City Wizards, which kicks off at 7:30 p.m. CT. The more than 150 businesses, organizations and individuals that have purchased donated tickets for "Kids Night Out" will have their contributions doubled by the Fire organization, giving the FireWorks for Kids Foundation a total of approximately 8,000 tickets to distribute to its charitable partners. Last year's first annual "Kids Night Out" event on Aug. 11 helped bring more than 6,000 children out to Soldier Field to see a 2-1 win over the San Jose Earthquakes.
Fans Can Meet Landon Donovan With Purchase of Exclusive "4-Pack" for Saturday's Match vs. Galaxy
The Chicago Fire has announced a special "4-Pack" of tickets that is now available for this weekend's contest at Soldier Field against the Los Angeles Galaxy on Saturday, Aug. 13 at 7:30 p.m. CT. The special ticket package will give Fire fans some of the best seats in the house for the Aug. 13 match and access to one of the country's most talented homegrown products, Galaxy and U.S. National Team forward Landon Donovan. The $140 package includes: four Premier tickets to the Fire-Galaxy match; four passes to a special private, post-game autograph session at Soldier Field's Gate 0 featuring Donovan; and four complementary $10 tickets to the Fire's second to last home contest of the regular season on Wednesday, Oct. 5 against the MetroStars at 7:30 p.m. CT. Fans can purchase this special "Landon 4-Pack" by clicking on the "TICKETS" link on the Fire's official website, www.Chicago-Fire.com, or by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE.
Barrett's Four-Goal Day Lifts Fire Reserves to 4-1 Win and Reserve Division Lead
Fire forward Chad Barrett put on a finishing clinic Sunday afternoon, scoring all four of Chicago's goal in the second half to lift the Fire Reserves (5-2-2, 17 pts.) to a 4-1 win over the D.C. United Reserves (5-4-0, 15 pts.) at Lake Forest Academy in Lake Forest, IL. The rookie striker entered the match at the halftime break and would proceed to score his four goals in a 27-minute span, beginning with a 57th minute penalty kick and ending with an 84th minute tally to ice the game away for Chicago. The mammoth effort moved Barrett atop the Reserve Division scoring lead with seven goals, while the win pushed the Fire past United for the top spot on the Reserve Division table with just three games remaining. Four members of the "Men in Red" who have missed various amounts of time due to injury - goalkeeper Matt Pickens, midfielder John Thorrington and defenders Tony Sanneh and Gonzalo Segares - supported the victory, with all four earning places in the Fire starting 11. The Fire Reserves will next see action when they travel to California for a Labor Day clash on Monday, Sep. 5 against the Los Angeles Galaxy Reserves (4-2-1, 13 pts.).
Fire, Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago and Alderman Gene Schulter Teaming Up to Host Youth Clinic
The Chicago Fire and the Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago will join up with the Chicago Park District and Alderman Gene Schulter in sponsoring a Chicago Fire Youth Clinic and Sports Medicine Screening on Saturday, Aug. 27 from 10:00 a.m.-12:00 p.m. CT at Winnemac Park, located at 5101 N. Leavitt St. in Chicago. The event is open to Alderman Schulter's Kids Club members from ages 8 to 16, who will join Fire players in learning and testing new soccer skills. Sports medicine experts from the Neurologic & Orthopedic Institute of Chicago - a focused hospital on the city's North side - will also be on-hand to evaluate and discuss training, injuries, injury prevention, therapeutic options and strengthening. Kids on hand will be able to the meet the Chicago Fire mascot, get autographs from the Fire players in attendance and play games for prizes. To join the Alderman's kids club and register for this special event, please contact Garrett Fitzgerald at 773-348-8400 or garrett.fitzgerald@cityofchicago.org.
Etc.
• The FireWorks for Kids Foundation, the charitable arm of the Chicago Fire, would like to thank everybody who participated in the second annual "Cruise With the Fire" event, which took place yesterday on Lake Michigan.
• The Fire's Mexican League sister team, Monarcas Morelia, has kicked off their 2005 Apertura campaign, with the "Monarchs" falling 2-1 in its season opener at Cruz Azul on July 30 before gaining a point in their home opener last Saturday, Aug. 6 thanks to a 2-2 draw with Monterrey. Morelia (0-1-1, 2 pts.) will take to the road in search of this season's first win this Sunday, Aug. 14 when it takes on Pachuca (1-0-1, 4 pts.) at Hidalgo Stadium in Pachuca, Hidalgo, Mexico at 4:00 p.m. CT.
