Jim Curtin scored a late equalizer as the Chicago Fire gained their first point of the season in a 1-1 draw with the Los Angeles Galaxy at The Home Depot Center on Saturday evening.
Curtin, who did a splendid job of marking Galaxy standout Landon Donovan throughout the match, knocked in a 15-yard header off a free kick in the 86th minute. Curtin's goal came eight minutes after the Galaxy's Chris Albright put the hosts ahead.
The Fire came from behind a week after squandering two one-goal leads at FC Dallas. Throughout the match, it was the visitors who were far more active than the hosts. While Galaxy players often stood still, apparently waiting for something to happen, the Fire pressured the Galaxy's four-man backline. Ivan Guerrero was a load to handle on the left side while Chris Rolfe did well to find space behind the Galaxy's defenders.
The Fire nearly broke through with an early flurry. Guerrero made a stellar run down the left flank and fed the ball to Chris Rolfe. The striker's first touch went sour but he quickly recovered and fired a shot on goal. Galaxy 'keeper Kevin Hartman stopped the ball and left a rebound, but Chad Barrett could not find the handle and the ball sailed wide of the goal.
Zach Thornton was tested fairly soon after and kept the hosts off the score sheet. At the quarter-hour mark, Herculez Gomez unleashed a 25-yard rocket on a free kick. Fully extended, Thornton dived to his right and stopped the shot from hitting the back of the net. Two minutes later, Donovan found space inside the area, eluded a pair of Fire defenders and sent the ball to the goalmouth where Thornton again denied Gomez.
The Fire stood up to Donovan and blanketed the Galaxy's star striker throughout the night. Fire defenders were physical with Donovan and it cost them two yellow cards in the first half. Guerrero was booked in the 35th minute after a hard challenge on Donovan. Moments earlier, Hartman apparently felt some pain as he remained sprawled out on the field while Guerrero was being shown yellow. Minutes from the end of the first half, Gonzalo Segares was booked after tackling Donovan from behind.
Barely 45 seconds into the second half, the Fire came close to scoring. Chad Barrett broke free inside the penalty area but could not get the ball to anyone's feet. Five minutes later, Thiago fired a shot on goal from 12 yards out but a Galaxy defender slid and knocked the ball over the crossbar. Thiago was again dangerous shortly after when he unleashed a 22-yard rocket that Hartman dived to stop.
The Fire got some help from the woodwork in the 62nd minute. Albright jumped high for a cross off a corner kick and smashed the ball on frame. It got past Thornton but slammed off the crossbar and Fire defenders cleared the ball safely out of harm's way.
The Galaxy defender then scored the game's first goal in the 78th minute when he knocked in a ball off a corner kick. Unlike the play some 15 minutes earlier, Albright's header hit the crossbar but did not bounce away from the goal line. Instead, the crossbar could not stop the ball from nestling into the back of the net.
The Fire's defense got into the scoring act in the 86th minute. Thiago swung a free kick some 20 yards out on the right side of the penalty area. Curtin rose to the ball and headed it into the back of the goal from 15 yards out to give the Fire a share of the points and keep the defending MLS champion winless on the 2006 campaign.
Luis Bueno is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
