Rapid Reaction: Fire 1, D.C. United 1
August, 18, 2011
8/18/11
10:04
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Here is a quick look at the Chicago Fire's 1-1 draw against D.C. United on Thursday at Toyota Park:
How it happened: Fire midfielder Sebastian Grazzini netted an unassisted goal in the 59th minute to give the Fire a 1-0 lead. The Fire's Patrick Nyarko crossed the ball into the middle of the box and D.C.'s defense got a touch on the ball but could not completely clear. Grazzini was there to converge on the goal, and second-half D.C. goalkeeper Steve Cronin could not react in time to his right to stop Grazzini's attempt. But in customary Fire fashion, Chicago surrendered its lead when Josh Wolff netted an equalizer in the 73rd minute as the Fire defense tried to push up to get Wolff offside. Replays showed that Wolff was a hair offside on the sequence. It was D.C.'s only shot on goal.
What it means: The Fire established an MLS record with their 15th draw of the season, moving to 2-7-15 (21 points). The record surpasses last season's previous record of 14 draws by FC Dallas. Chicago continues to sit in last place in the Eastern Conference. D.C. moves to 7-6-10 with 31 points as United continues to fight for a playoff spot.
Outside the box: The Fire defense completely shut down D.C.'s offense in the first half. United did not record a single shot attempt until the 57th minute -- a Dwayne De Rosario strike that sailed high and wide of the frame. Chicago had a 7-0 shots advantage over D.C. in the first half. Not a bad effort against a team that had scored nine goals in its previous three matches.
Up next: The Fire have a quick turnaround when they host Toronto FC at 6 p.m. Sunday at Toyota Park. This is the second match of a three-game MLS homestand. Chicago has a fourth straight home match on Aug. 30 when it hosts the USL Pro's Richmond Kickers on Aug. 30 in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal.
How it happened: Fire midfielder Sebastian Grazzini netted an unassisted goal in the 59th minute to give the Fire a 1-0 lead. The Fire's Patrick Nyarko crossed the ball into the middle of the box and D.C.'s defense got a touch on the ball but could not completely clear. Grazzini was there to converge on the goal, and second-half D.C. goalkeeper Steve Cronin could not react in time to his right to stop Grazzini's attempt. But in customary Fire fashion, Chicago surrendered its lead when Josh Wolff netted an equalizer in the 73rd minute as the Fire defense tried to push up to get Wolff offside. Replays showed that Wolff was a hair offside on the sequence. It was D.C.'s only shot on goal.
What it means: The Fire established an MLS record with their 15th draw of the season, moving to 2-7-15 (21 points). The record surpasses last season's previous record of 14 draws by FC Dallas. Chicago continues to sit in last place in the Eastern Conference. D.C. moves to 7-6-10 with 31 points as United continues to fight for a playoff spot.
Outside the box: The Fire defense completely shut down D.C.'s offense in the first half. United did not record a single shot attempt until the 57th minute -- a Dwayne De Rosario strike that sailed high and wide of the frame. Chicago had a 7-0 shots advantage over D.C. in the first half. Not a bad effort against a team that had scored nine goals in its previous three matches.
Up next: The Fire have a quick turnaround when they host Toronto FC at 6 p.m. Sunday at Toyota Park. This is the second match of a three-game MLS homestand. Chicago has a fourth straight home match on Aug. 30 when it hosts the USL Pro's Richmond Kickers on Aug. 30 in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal.
Fire open long homestand with D.C. United
August, 17, 2011
8/17/11
5:25
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
Playing at home or on the road has been a wash for the Chicago Fire thus far this season -- 10 points at home and 10 on the road. But if Chicago had to choose one or the other, the team clearly prefers playing in front of its home base.
The Fire play their next four games -- three in MLS action -- at Toyota Park, beginning with D.C. United on Thursday (8 p.m., ESPN2).
"We want to be at home to put some wins in a row," Fire defender Gonzalo Segares said. "We're still alive."
The playoffs would be a miraculous thought at this point for the Fire (2-7-14, 20 points), who are sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference and need to post multiple wins on this homestand just to make a minimal climb in the standings.
Chicago has been king of the draw this year, matching an MLS record with their 14th draw against the New York Red Bulls last week.
"It seems we can't escape that part," Segares said. "It's all the time. It's sickening. We have the same amount of losses as [East-leading] Columbus, but the difference is the amount of ties that could have been wins."
The Fire are coming off a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls. Chicago had a 2-1 lead, but Patrick Nyarko had to come out of the match early in the second half with a migraine. The match changed from then on out, but the Fire had a positive stretch through much of the first half, netting back-to-back goals.
Nyarko's pairing with Dominic Oduro up top was a positive, with Nyarko assisting Oduro's team-leading seventh goal. The Fire might roll with that setup again against D.C.
"With their speed and Patrick's ability to dribble through guys, it helps us to get pressure off the defense," Segares said. "In the first half we were pretty compact defensively. We also had them on their heels for a couple of chances. It was a tough loss."
The Fire defense welcomes back Cory Gibbs, who had been out with a groin injury. The center back was injured in the opening minutes of a 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 3. In the two games without Gibbs in the lineup, Chicago gave up six goals -- four to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps on Aug. 7.
It is unclear if Gibbs will immediately be thrust into the starting lineup again.
"With such a quick turnaround, the starters haven't done much," Segares said. "I think the past couple days [Gibbs] has been participating harder with the guys that have gone for the entire sessions. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the [18-player roster]."
This is the first appearance between the two teams in league play. United (7-6-9, 30 points) topped the Fire in the preseason with a 1-0 victory in the Carolina Challenge Cup on March 9. Chicago fell behind within the first 10 minutes and had to play most of the match with 10 men because of Diego Chaves' red card ejection in the 37th minute.
D.C. has found some good form over the past two months, posting a 3-1-5 record in MLS action since mid-June and recently coming off a 4-0 win over Vancouver on Saturday. Midfielder Chris Pontius netted two goals and was named MLS Player of the Week. Teammate Dwayne De Rosario earned the previous two weekly honors as D.C.
De Rosario has been with three teams this season, and D.C. has benefited mightily since his arrival on June 27. De Rosario has six goals and three assists in seven games for United, while posting three goals and five assists in his other 15 games split between Toronto FC and New York. Charlie Davies has eight goals and Pontius has contributed seven for D.C. this season.
"It's going to be as tough as New York," Segares said. "We tried to limit [New York's Thierry] Henry, and we've got to do the same with De Rosario. He's the ring leader and they feed off of him. We have to close him out, and after that, every single line is good. They have a lot of speed and they like to go on the counter."
Pappa says Twente move is 'rumor': Dutch publication De Telegraaf reported earlier this week that FC Twente is interested in Pappa, with a reported offer of $2.1 million to attain his rights. But the 23-year-old Guatemalan dismissed the report on Wednesday.
"It's just a rumor," Pappa said to MLSSoccer.com. "I still have a contract with MLS for one more year."
A source familiar with the situation told ESPNChicago.com that the Fire organization has not had any formal discussions with FC Twente.
Pappa has had a difficult stretch of late, sitting on five goals since June 26. He also has two assists in 19 games.
The Fire play their next four games -- three in MLS action -- at Toyota Park, beginning with D.C. United on Thursday (8 p.m., ESPN2).
"We want to be at home to put some wins in a row," Fire defender Gonzalo Segares said. "We're still alive."
The playoffs would be a miraculous thought at this point for the Fire (2-7-14, 20 points), who are sitting in last place in the Eastern Conference and need to post multiple wins on this homestand just to make a minimal climb in the standings.
Chicago has been king of the draw this year, matching an MLS record with their 14th draw against the New York Red Bulls last week.
"It seems we can't escape that part," Segares said. "It's all the time. It's sickening. We have the same amount of losses as [East-leading] Columbus, but the difference is the amount of ties that could have been wins."
The Fire are coming off a 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls. Chicago had a 2-1 lead, but Patrick Nyarko had to come out of the match early in the second half with a migraine. The match changed from then on out, but the Fire had a positive stretch through much of the first half, netting back-to-back goals.
Nyarko's pairing with Dominic Oduro up top was a positive, with Nyarko assisting Oduro's team-leading seventh goal. The Fire might roll with that setup again against D.C.
"With their speed and Patrick's ability to dribble through guys, it helps us to get pressure off the defense," Segares said. "In the first half we were pretty compact defensively. We also had them on their heels for a couple of chances. It was a tough loss."
The Fire defense welcomes back Cory Gibbs, who had been out with a groin injury. The center back was injured in the opening minutes of a 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union on Aug. 3. In the two games without Gibbs in the lineup, Chicago gave up six goals -- four to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps on Aug. 7.
It is unclear if Gibbs will immediately be thrust into the starting lineup again.
"With such a quick turnaround, the starters haven't done much," Segares said. "I think the past couple days [Gibbs] has been participating harder with the guys that have gone for the entire sessions. I wouldn't be surprised if he's on the [18-player roster]."
This is the first appearance between the two teams in league play. United (7-6-9, 30 points) topped the Fire in the preseason with a 1-0 victory in the Carolina Challenge Cup on March 9. Chicago fell behind within the first 10 minutes and had to play most of the match with 10 men because of Diego Chaves' red card ejection in the 37th minute.
D.C. has found some good form over the past two months, posting a 3-1-5 record in MLS action since mid-June and recently coming off a 4-0 win over Vancouver on Saturday. Midfielder Chris Pontius netted two goals and was named MLS Player of the Week. Teammate Dwayne De Rosario earned the previous two weekly honors as D.C.
De Rosario has been with three teams this season, and D.C. has benefited mightily since his arrival on June 27. De Rosario has six goals and three assists in seven games for United, while posting three goals and five assists in his other 15 games split between Toronto FC and New York. Charlie Davies has eight goals and Pontius has contributed seven for D.C. this season.
"It's going to be as tough as New York," Segares said. "We tried to limit [New York's Thierry] Henry, and we've got to do the same with De Rosario. He's the ring leader and they feed off of him. We have to close him out, and after that, every single line is good. They have a lot of speed and they like to go on the counter."
Pappa says Twente move is 'rumor': Dutch publication De Telegraaf reported earlier this week that FC Twente is interested in Pappa, with a reported offer of $2.1 million to attain his rights. But the 23-year-old Guatemalan dismissed the report on Wednesday.
"It's just a rumor," Pappa said to MLSSoccer.com. "I still have a contract with MLS for one more year."
A source familiar with the situation told ESPNChicago.com that the Fire organization has not had any formal discussions with FC Twente.
Pappa has had a difficult stretch of late, sitting on five goals since June 26. He also has two assists in 19 games.
ESPNChicago’s Sarah Spain checks in with members of the Chicago Fire at the team’s Fire Foundation White Party.
Fire match MLS draws record, tie Red Bulls
August, 13, 2011
8/13/11
9:49
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Fire had a rare halftime lead on the New York Red Bulls. But as the trend has been all season, Chicago had to settle for a 2-2 draw on Saturday as the Fire tied an MLS record with their 14th stalemate of the season at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
The Fire (2-7-14, 20 points) matched the record set by FC Dallas last season, when Dallas posted a 12-4-14 mark in the regular season and advanced to the 2010 MLS Cup against eventual champion Colorado Rapids.
Chicago continues to lag behind in last place in the Eastern Conference, and in the grand scheme of things, the Fire clearly are disappointed that they could not hold onto their 2-1 lead in the second half.
"If we're being honest, coming into Red Bull Arena and getting a point is a positive," Fire captain Logan Pause said. "We'd only be doing ourselves a disservice if we had our tails between our legs and started writing games off. But tonight we needed three points."
The Fire are now one point behind the eighth-place New England Revolution, which fell to the East-leading Columbus Crew on Saturday. Toronto FC moved up to seventh in the East standings with a surprising 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake.
As for Chicago, Dominic Oduro and Sebastian Grazzini netted back-to-back goals in response to Thierry Henry's early tally to garner a 2-1 lead into the second half. But the Red Bulls' Joel Lindpere equalized in the 63rd minute to salvage a 2-2 draw.
New York had a clear possession advantage in the match, but the Fire orchestrated a strong run in the first half.
Oduro netted his team-leading seventh goal of the season in the 16th minute to tie the score at 1-1. Patrick Nyarko, who had an effective first half with some crisp passing and movement, dished the ball to Oduro from the left side to overcome Henry's ninth-minute goal.
Then in the 24th minute, Grazzini notched his first goal for the Fire, rebounding the ball from Red Bulls goalkeeper Chris Konopka. Konopka became the fifth Red Bulls player to man the net for New York (6-6-13, 31 points) this season.
It was a promising situation for the Fire to head into the second half with a one-goal lead, especially following their 4-2 loss to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps the previous week. But Chicago could not hang on at Red Bull Arena.
In the 63rd minute, the Red Bulls players were fuming that a hand ball was not called on defender Dan Gargan, who made his Fire debut. Lindpere was able to respond seconds later as he redirected a Dane Richards cross to the left side of the net to tie the match at 2-2.
A pivotal moment for the Fire came in the 56th minute. Forward Orr Barouch was brought into the match for Nyarko. The Fire said that Nyarko left the match because of a migraine.
The Nyarko and Oduro pairing up top, with Grazzini behind them, was effective on the offensive end. Oduro was dropped to the midfield when Nyarko was subbed out, and the match changed from that point on.
"When you lose a guy like Patrick, it definitely changes the dynamic of the game. He's such an effective and dynamic player. It's never an easy move [to make that type of substitution]."
"I think things changed when Patrick Nyarko came out," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "We had to change the way we play. Later in the game, we got tired a little bit, we dropped a little too deep and gave them space to operate. We gave away a lot of set pieces from corners."
Analysis: The Fire abandoned their one-forward formation at the start of the match, and pairing the two Ghanaians was effective in the offensive third. Nyarko's injury certainly affected the team's approach the rest of the way.
The Fire defense once again gave up multiple goals, so clearly some improvement can be made on that end. Chicago gave New York too much space to work with during stretches. At times, the Fire's back line compensated with some key deflections. Yamith Cuesta did not have a perfect match, but compared to the Vancouver game he had a remarkable difference.
Jalil Anibaba's play also was steady, and there really was not much he could do trying to get to Henry's goal. It was a solid, bending strike. However, the buildup of that play was a defensive setback because New York worked the ball with relative ease to set up Henry.
If the Fire were in the thick of a chase for the playoffs, this might have been a satisfactory outcome. But Chicago is in desperate need for victories, and nothing else.
The Fire have a three-game homestand in MLS play, though they have not posted a home win during Klopas' tenure.
The Fire (2-7-14, 20 points) matched the record set by FC Dallas last season, when Dallas posted a 12-4-14 mark in the regular season and advanced to the 2010 MLS Cup against eventual champion Colorado Rapids.
Chicago continues to lag behind in last place in the Eastern Conference, and in the grand scheme of things, the Fire clearly are disappointed that they could not hold onto their 2-1 lead in the second half.
"If we're being honest, coming into Red Bull Arena and getting a point is a positive," Fire captain Logan Pause said. "We'd only be doing ourselves a disservice if we had our tails between our legs and started writing games off. But tonight we needed three points."
The Fire are now one point behind the eighth-place New England Revolution, which fell to the East-leading Columbus Crew on Saturday. Toronto FC moved up to seventh in the East standings with a surprising 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake.
As for Chicago, Dominic Oduro and Sebastian Grazzini netted back-to-back goals in response to Thierry Henry's early tally to garner a 2-1 lead into the second half. But the Red Bulls' Joel Lindpere equalized in the 63rd minute to salvage a 2-2 draw.
New York had a clear possession advantage in the match, but the Fire orchestrated a strong run in the first half.
Oduro netted his team-leading seventh goal of the season in the 16th minute to tie the score at 1-1. Patrick Nyarko, who had an effective first half with some crisp passing and movement, dished the ball to Oduro from the left side to overcome Henry's ninth-minute goal.
Then in the 24th minute, Grazzini notched his first goal for the Fire, rebounding the ball from Red Bulls goalkeeper Chris Konopka. Konopka became the fifth Red Bulls player to man the net for New York (6-6-13, 31 points) this season.
It was a promising situation for the Fire to head into the second half with a one-goal lead, especially following their 4-2 loss to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps the previous week. But Chicago could not hang on at Red Bull Arena.
In the 63rd minute, the Red Bulls players were fuming that a hand ball was not called on defender Dan Gargan, who made his Fire debut. Lindpere was able to respond seconds later as he redirected a Dane Richards cross to the left side of the net to tie the match at 2-2.
A pivotal moment for the Fire came in the 56th minute. Forward Orr Barouch was brought into the match for Nyarko. The Fire said that Nyarko left the match because of a migraine.
The Nyarko and Oduro pairing up top, with Grazzini behind them, was effective on the offensive end. Oduro was dropped to the midfield when Nyarko was subbed out, and the match changed from that point on.
"When you lose a guy like Patrick, it definitely changes the dynamic of the game. He's such an effective and dynamic player. It's never an easy move [to make that type of substitution]."
"I think things changed when Patrick Nyarko came out," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "We had to change the way we play. Later in the game, we got tired a little bit, we dropped a little too deep and gave them space to operate. We gave away a lot of set pieces from corners."
Analysis: The Fire abandoned their one-forward formation at the start of the match, and pairing the two Ghanaians was effective in the offensive third. Nyarko's injury certainly affected the team's approach the rest of the way.
The Fire defense once again gave up multiple goals, so clearly some improvement can be made on that end. Chicago gave New York too much space to work with during stretches. At times, the Fire's back line compensated with some key deflections. Yamith Cuesta did not have a perfect match, but compared to the Vancouver game he had a remarkable difference.
Jalil Anibaba's play also was steady, and there really was not much he could do trying to get to Henry's goal. It was a solid, bending strike. However, the buildup of that play was a defensive setback because New York worked the ball with relative ease to set up Henry.
If the Fire were in the thick of a chase for the playoffs, this might have been a satisfactory outcome. But Chicago is in desperate need for victories, and nothing else.
The Fire have a three-game homestand in MLS play, though they have not posted a home win during Klopas' tenure.
Rapid Reaction: Fire 2, Red Bulls 2
August, 13, 2011
8/13/11
8:34
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
Here is a quick look at the Chicago Fire's 2-2 draw against the New York Red Bulls on Saturday at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.:
How it happened: Red Bulls star Thierry Henry gave New York the 1-0 lead in the ninth minute with a curling ball around Fire defender Jalil Anibaba and inside the right post past Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson. But Fire scoring leader Dominic Oduro netted his seventh goal of the season in the 16th minute to tie the score at 1-1. Chicago's Sebastian Grazzini netted his first goal for the Fire in the 24th minute off of a rebound to garner a 2-1 lead. Shortly after the Red Bulls were pleading for a Dan Gargan hand ball in the box, the Red Bulls' Joel Lindpere found the net in the 63rd minute to equalize at 2-2. Still fuming about the non-call, Lindpere received a yellow card for dissent.
What it means: The Fire tied an MLS record with their 14th draw of the season, moving to 2-7-14 (20 points). Chicago tied the draws mark set by FC Dallas last year. The Fire continue to stay alone in last place in the Eastern Conference as Toronto FC moved up in the standings with a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake. The New England Revolution is now in eighth place in the East ahead of Chicago after a 3-1 loss to the Columbus Crew. New York moves to 6-6-13 (31 points).
Outside the box: The Fire abandoned their lone-forward formation in previous matches by pairing Oduro with fellow Ghanaian Patrick Nyarko. Nyarko was effective, especially in the first half as he set up Oduro's goal and had several other strong connections. Nyarko came off the pitch in the 56th minute and replaced by Orr Barouch. With the one-goal lead, the Fire reverted back to one forward in Barouch and dropped Oduro back to right midfield. However, Chicago lost the lead less than 10 minutes later.
Up next: The Fire play their next three league matches at home, beginning with D.C. United at 8 p.m. Thursday at Toyota Park (ESPN2). Chicago has four matches in a 13-day stretch, capped off by a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal match against the USL Pro's Richmond Kickers on Aug. 30 at Toyota Park.
How it happened: Red Bulls star Thierry Henry gave New York the 1-0 lead in the ninth minute with a curling ball around Fire defender Jalil Anibaba and inside the right post past Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson. But Fire scoring leader Dominic Oduro netted his seventh goal of the season in the 16th minute to tie the score at 1-1. Chicago's Sebastian Grazzini netted his first goal for the Fire in the 24th minute off of a rebound to garner a 2-1 lead. Shortly after the Red Bulls were pleading for a Dan Gargan hand ball in the box, the Red Bulls' Joel Lindpere found the net in the 63rd minute to equalize at 2-2. Still fuming about the non-call, Lindpere received a yellow card for dissent.
What it means: The Fire tied an MLS record with their 14th draw of the season, moving to 2-7-14 (20 points). Chicago tied the draws mark set by FC Dallas last year. The Fire continue to stay alone in last place in the Eastern Conference as Toronto FC moved up in the standings with a 1-0 win over Real Salt Lake. The New England Revolution is now in eighth place in the East ahead of Chicago after a 3-1 loss to the Columbus Crew. New York moves to 6-6-13 (31 points).
Outside the box: The Fire abandoned their lone-forward formation in previous matches by pairing Oduro with fellow Ghanaian Patrick Nyarko. Nyarko was effective, especially in the first half as he set up Oduro's goal and had several other strong connections. Nyarko came off the pitch in the 56th minute and replaced by Orr Barouch. With the one-goal lead, the Fire reverted back to one forward in Barouch and dropped Oduro back to right midfield. However, Chicago lost the lead less than 10 minutes later.
Up next: The Fire play their next three league matches at home, beginning with D.C. United at 8 p.m. Thursday at Toyota Park (ESPN2). Chicago has four matches in a 13-day stretch, capped off by a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinal match against the USL Pro's Richmond Kickers on Aug. 30 at Toyota Park.
Struggling Fire, Red Bulls converge
August, 12, 2011
8/12/11
1:27
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Will the real Chicago Fire please stand up?
A topsy-turvy five-day stretch last week brought out the Fire's best efforts (1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union) and easily the team's worst performances (4-2 loss to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps) of the season. Which version shows up this Saturday remains to be seen as Chicago faces the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
"It's amazing, because you go from playing the [second-place team in the East] and dominating that game and playing really well, and then going on the road where for me it was a very poor performance," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "Not the fact that we lost. I just felt the discipline and the stuff that we worked on, we gave up opportunities too, too easy. When you do that and give up four goals, it's difficult to win any game."
The Fire (2-7-13, 19 points) currently own an eight-game winless streak (0-3-5), but they are catching the Red Bulls (6-6-12, 30 points) in the midst of their own struggles. New York is winless in its past five matches (0-3-2) and enters the weekend tied for third in the Eastern Conference with Sporting Kansas City.
The Fire have touted a 4-5-1 formation with Dominic Oduro as the lone man up top in their past couple of matches. Klopas was not ready to say whether the team would stick with that formation or make some tweaks heading into the Red Bulls match.
"When we played Portland and Philly, I felt that both center backs were not really quick," Klopas said. "... When [midfielder Sebastian] Grazzini gets the ball, he needs options and the mobility. We have a guy now that when you do that, he's able to find them. You can see the [first] goal that we scored in Vancouver, it was a fantastic play -- a through ball, a great run by Dominic. This game might be a little bit different."
"I think we've come to believe in the 4-5-1," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said. "The last game wasn't good keeping possession, but we've shown in the past that we can do that. I don't know what Frank is thinking at this point, but I think we stick to that and try not to give stuff away like we did in the first half in the last game."
With only one match to worry about this week, Klopas is hopeful that Grazzini will be able to provide some quality minutes. Grazzini was taken out in the 66th and 56th minutes against Philadelphia and Vancouver, respectively.
Fire forward Diego Chaves (knee) should be an available option as he has been training this week. Defender Cory Gibbs (groin strain) was limited to light jogging during the midweek and the Fire confirmed that he is out for Saturday against New York. That means some two-player combination of Josip Mikulic, Yamith Cuesta and Jalil Anibaba will be team up at center back. Against Vancouver, Mikulic and Cuesta had the start, and Cuesta particularly had some costly mistakes in his first game back from a one-match suspension.
The Fire have faced the Red Bulls on more occasions than any other MLS team this year. Chicago played to a 1-1 draw on June 26 in regular-season play, aided by a Marco Pappa equalizer that got past goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul. The Fire opened the 2011 preseason with a 1-1 draw against the Red Bulls on Feb. 23. And on July 12, the Fire earned an easy 4-0 win over New York in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play as the Red Bulls brought a mostly reserve squad to Toyota Park.
New York is coming off a 3-0 loss to Real Salt Lake last Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium. The Eastern Conference continues to lag far behind the West performance-wise this year. The first-place Columbus Crew's 34 points entering the weekend would put them in sixth place in the West, giving struggling teams such as Chicago a flicker of hope.
"The Eastern Conference has been kind to us," Nyarko said. "Luckily we're still in it. We just need a little bit of a run and we're right back in the mix."
A topsy-turvy five-day stretch last week brought out the Fire's best efforts (1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union) and easily the team's worst performances (4-2 loss to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps) of the season. Which version shows up this Saturday remains to be seen as Chicago faces the New York Red Bulls at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J.
"It's amazing, because you go from playing the [second-place team in the East] and dominating that game and playing really well, and then going on the road where for me it was a very poor performance," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "Not the fact that we lost. I just felt the discipline and the stuff that we worked on, we gave up opportunities too, too easy. When you do that and give up four goals, it's difficult to win any game."
The Fire (2-7-13, 19 points) currently own an eight-game winless streak (0-3-5), but they are catching the Red Bulls (6-6-12, 30 points) in the midst of their own struggles. New York is winless in its past five matches (0-3-2) and enters the weekend tied for third in the Eastern Conference with Sporting Kansas City.
The Fire have touted a 4-5-1 formation with Dominic Oduro as the lone man up top in their past couple of matches. Klopas was not ready to say whether the team would stick with that formation or make some tweaks heading into the Red Bulls match.
"When we played Portland and Philly, I felt that both center backs were not really quick," Klopas said. "... When [midfielder Sebastian] Grazzini gets the ball, he needs options and the mobility. We have a guy now that when you do that, he's able to find them. You can see the [first] goal that we scored in Vancouver, it was a fantastic play -- a through ball, a great run by Dominic. This game might be a little bit different."
"I think we've come to believe in the 4-5-1," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said. "The last game wasn't good keeping possession, but we've shown in the past that we can do that. I don't know what Frank is thinking at this point, but I think we stick to that and try not to give stuff away like we did in the first half in the last game."
With only one match to worry about this week, Klopas is hopeful that Grazzini will be able to provide some quality minutes. Grazzini was taken out in the 66th and 56th minutes against Philadelphia and Vancouver, respectively.
Fire forward Diego Chaves (knee) should be an available option as he has been training this week. Defender Cory Gibbs (groin strain) was limited to light jogging during the midweek and the Fire confirmed that he is out for Saturday against New York. That means some two-player combination of Josip Mikulic, Yamith Cuesta and Jalil Anibaba will be team up at center back. Against Vancouver, Mikulic and Cuesta had the start, and Cuesta particularly had some costly mistakes in his first game back from a one-match suspension.
The Fire have faced the Red Bulls on more occasions than any other MLS team this year. Chicago played to a 1-1 draw on June 26 in regular-season play, aided by a Marco Pappa equalizer that got past goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul. The Fire opened the 2011 preseason with a 1-1 draw against the Red Bulls on Feb. 23. And on July 12, the Fire earned an easy 4-0 win over New York in Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play as the Red Bulls brought a mostly reserve squad to Toyota Park.
New York is coming off a 3-0 loss to Real Salt Lake last Saturday at Rio Tinto Stadium. The Eastern Conference continues to lag far behind the West performance-wise this year. The first-place Columbus Crew's 34 points entering the weekend would put them in sixth place in the West, giving struggling teams such as Chicago a flicker of hope.
"The Eastern Conference has been kind to us," Nyarko said. "Luckily we're still in it. We just need a little bit of a run and we're right back in the mix."
Mental lapses adding to Fire's demise
August, 11, 2011
8/11/11
1:03
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire so often have had to quickly put the past behind them to rebound from a poor effort. But Sunday's road loss to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps appears to have lingered just a bit more than usual.
"We just didn't come mentally prepared that day and it showed," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said Wednesday following training. "It cost us big time. We had a series of meetings [this week], and the guys reminded themselves that it wasn't good enough."
Chicago is preparing for a road match against the New York Red Bulls this Saturday, and mental preparation clearly is an area where the Fire turned in a failing grade against the Whitecaps.
"The mentality at this level is the difference maker," Fire defender Logan Pause said. "You give up a goal 30 seconds in, it doesn't feel good. You're starting off with a massive hill to climb. You even it up and you do it right again. Sean [Johnson] makes a huge save on a penalty to keep us in it, and within five minutes of the second half [we give up a goal]. So it's one of those things where we kept taking punches, and I think how we fought back, or the lack of energy and commitment, was frustrating to be a part of."
Nyarko said there might have been a passive element in their preparation for Vancouver.
"I think we let their turf field get into our heads a little bit," Nyarko said. "We watched tape and guys slipping, and stuff like that. I think guys were paying more attention to the field as opposed to trying to play. The field was bad, but I hate giving excuses. We just weren't good enough that day, and mentally we weren't ready."
The bottom line is that this was no ordinary loss. The Western Conference's worst club was upbeat and energetic, while the Fire had more lapses during Sunday's match than in just about every previous game this season. What had been a fairly stable defense under interim head coach Frank Klopas gave up more goals Sunday than it had in Klopas' first seven matches at the helm after replacing Carlos de los Cobos.
"Losing is part of the game, and I can accept it and face it head-on," Pause said. "But there's an element of how you lose, and I think Sunday was a sour taste in terms of how we lost. I think we lost with no fight and no urgency, energy, commitment and attitude, which are especially things that when you're bottom-of-the-table, those have to be musts."
With the Fire sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 2-7-13 record, Pause has taken responsibility for the team's woes in his first season as Fire captain.
"I accept and wear the responsibility of being a leader on this team," Pause said. "And I feel like a big portion of letdowns are from my end in terms of leadership and trying to funnel things -- some of the key concepts and principles that we're about, and what it takes. It's been hard. It's an ongoing learning process. But I do take the responsibility of where we are and the mentality of the group, which has been struggling."
Fire sign Gulley, will be added to 2012 roster: The Fire announced Thursday that they have signed 17-year-old Clinton, Miss., native and forward Kellen Gulley as the club's second homegrown player. Bolingbrook native Victor Pineda was the team's first homegrown signing. Gulley is a homegrown player for his recent play with the Chicago Fire Juniors of Mississippi.
Gulley will not be added to the Fire's first team roster until the 2012 season.
Gulley earned eight caps with the U.S. U-17 national team, netting four goals during his 2009-2010 stretch with the squad. The Fire said Gulley will arrive in Chicago on Sunday and train with the first team on Monday.
"We just didn't come mentally prepared that day and it showed," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said Wednesday following training. "It cost us big time. We had a series of meetings [this week], and the guys reminded themselves that it wasn't good enough."
Chicago is preparing for a road match against the New York Red Bulls this Saturday, and mental preparation clearly is an area where the Fire turned in a failing grade against the Whitecaps.
"The mentality at this level is the difference maker," Fire defender Logan Pause said. "You give up a goal 30 seconds in, it doesn't feel good. You're starting off with a massive hill to climb. You even it up and you do it right again. Sean [Johnson] makes a huge save on a penalty to keep us in it, and within five minutes of the second half [we give up a goal]. So it's one of those things where we kept taking punches, and I think how we fought back, or the lack of energy and commitment, was frustrating to be a part of."
Nyarko said there might have been a passive element in their preparation for Vancouver.
"I think we let their turf field get into our heads a little bit," Nyarko said. "We watched tape and guys slipping, and stuff like that. I think guys were paying more attention to the field as opposed to trying to play. The field was bad, but I hate giving excuses. We just weren't good enough that day, and mentally we weren't ready."
The bottom line is that this was no ordinary loss. The Western Conference's worst club was upbeat and energetic, while the Fire had more lapses during Sunday's match than in just about every previous game this season. What had been a fairly stable defense under interim head coach Frank Klopas gave up more goals Sunday than it had in Klopas' first seven matches at the helm after replacing Carlos de los Cobos.
"Losing is part of the game, and I can accept it and face it head-on," Pause said. "But there's an element of how you lose, and I think Sunday was a sour taste in terms of how we lost. I think we lost with no fight and no urgency, energy, commitment and attitude, which are especially things that when you're bottom-of-the-table, those have to be musts."
With the Fire sitting at the bottom of the Eastern Conference with a 2-7-13 record, Pause has taken responsibility for the team's woes in his first season as Fire captain.
"I accept and wear the responsibility of being a leader on this team," Pause said. "And I feel like a big portion of letdowns are from my end in terms of leadership and trying to funnel things -- some of the key concepts and principles that we're about, and what it takes. It's been hard. It's an ongoing learning process. But I do take the responsibility of where we are and the mentality of the group, which has been struggling."
Fire sign Gulley, will be added to 2012 roster: The Fire announced Thursday that they have signed 17-year-old Clinton, Miss., native and forward Kellen Gulley as the club's second homegrown player. Bolingbrook native Victor Pineda was the team's first homegrown signing. Gulley is a homegrown player for his recent play with the Chicago Fire Juniors of Mississippi.
Gulley will not be added to the Fire's first team roster until the 2012 season.
Gulley earned eight caps with the U.S. U-17 national team, netting four goals during his 2009-2010 stretch with the squad. The Fire said Gulley will arrive in Chicago on Sunday and train with the first team on Monday.
Marsch named Impact head coach
August, 10, 2011
8/10/11
9:59
AM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
Jonathan Daniel/MLS/Getty ImagesFormer Fire midfielder Jesse Marsch will lead the Montreal Impact in its inaugural season."It's an honor to be named the first head coach of the Montreal Impact in MLS," Marsch said in a release. "It's a great opportunity to establish something special. There are good soccer people in this organization that are committed to doing things the right way. My time in MLS and with the U.S. National Team exposed me to this game at the highest level. We will be committed to the process of becoming a winning team."
The Racine, Wis., native played for the Fire from 1998 to 2005, tallying 19 goals and 29 assists in 200 regular-season games. He was a part of all four of the Fire's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup-winning teams and the team's 1998 MLS Cup squad. Marsch was most recently an assistant with the U.S. National Team.
"That is fantastic," Fire captain Logan Pause said after first hearing of the news after Wednesday's Fire training. "I had the privilege of playing alongside Jesse and getting to know him as a teammate and a really good friend, and spent a brief moment with him with the national team. I'm so happy for him, and [wife] Kim and his family. I just think it's great. It's a great signing by Montreal coming in as an expansion team. He's a guy that's been around the league for a long time and really knows what it takes, and what it takes to win."
"I know that's what he always wanted to do, and he came into a great situation," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "Perfect timing for him."
Klopas says Fire not focused on coaching search: With Montreal taking care of its coaching situation for next year and the Vancouver Whitecaps announcing this week the hiring of Martin Rennie, all eyes are on what the Fire's coaching situation will be for 2012.
Klopas said following Wednesday's training that it is not even a topic of discussion right now as the Fire are looking to dig out of its last-place position in the Eastern Conference with a 2-7-13 record.
"We need to focus on the next 12 games and the [Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup] semifinal here," Klopas said. "Obviously that's our main focus. When that's over, then we'll look at the next step, the next thing."
Pause said he is not looking at the Fire's coaching search and the type of manager that eventually will be brought into the picture.
"It's not really my job or my role -- that's management and ownership," Pause said. "At the end of the day, and I take responsibility, the coaches are responsible for the organization and bringing in players. We're the guys out there. The coaches are not playing the game. We're either out there making plays or not making plays. We know that with the 12 games we have left we're going to scrap and fight for wins."
Fire's payoff minimal under coaching switch
August, 8, 2011
8/08/11
1:26
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
Chicago Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas and former head coach Carlos de los Cobos have been at the helm for 11 games apiece this year. So this is an opportune moment to take a look at how things have changed -- or not changed -- under their leadership this season.
De los Cobos was fired on May 30 after 11 matches and a 1-4-6 record (nine points). He was dismissed following a 0-4-5 stretch that included a winless May against teams such as the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and the San Jose Earthquakes.
Klopas has not fared much better. As the interim head coach for the Fire's past 11 matches, the team is 1-3-7 (10 points). His club is dead last in the Eastern Conference with a 2-7-13 record and 19 points. And with a double-digit points deficit separating Chicago from a playoff position based on the current standings, the Fire likely will miss the postseason for a second straight year.
That notion cannot be sitting well with the Fire brass -- the likelihood of being one of only eight teams on the outside of MLS's expanded playoffs system.
Klopas' side had a modest stretch in June and July where the Fire posted a 1-0-6 mark. Since then, though, Chicago has a 0-3-1 record and has shown an extreme lack of consistency. This past week included a positive effort (albeit a 1-1 draw) against the Philadelphia Union last Wednesday, followed by their worst defensive performance of the season against Vancouver in a 4-2 loss on Sunday.
Fire captain Logan Pause dismissed any fatigue factor from having to play two matches in a five-day stretch.
"I don't think anyone would or should say that was the reason [for Sunday's loss]," Pause said. "We came off a pretty solid performance on Wednesday, and then [Sunday] we definitely played like the last-place team."
From a results standpoint, there really is only one clear-cut category where the Fire had shown improvement during Klopas' tenure, and that is the defense. This might not be the best time to state this considering Chicago's horrendous four-goals-allowed effort against Vancouver. But despite that match, the Fire have allowed only 11 goals in 11 games under Klopas. Chicago gave up 19 goals in De los Cobos' first 11 matches this season.
Other than that, Chicago has not made any positive strides in the standings. The offensive output has taken a massive hit under Klopas, with the team posting only eight goals during his tenure versus 15 goals under De los Cobos this year. The Fire also have not earned a victory at Toyota Park with Klopas at the helm.
Chicago has created its share of scoring chances, and the Fire have had some stretches of possession. But those traits gloss over the reality that this team has not had a consistent finisher.
The Fire have talked all season about the difficulties of trying to gel with a revamped group and a young roster. But MLS's newest teams have quickly adjusted and shown stretches of success.
The second-year Philadelphia Union has turned into one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and Peter Nowak's club has led the East standings on several occasions. Third-year Seattle Sounders FC currently is in the top third of the Western Conference and is the league's top spectator draw. And this year's two expansion teams, the Portland Timbers and Vancouver, posted a combined 3-0-1 record against the Fire.
Coaching changes aside, when the Fire's 2011 season is in the books, the focus has to be on the organization's handling of its personnel. And that falls on Klopas and his staff's technical side of the job.
The Fire dropped the ball in the offseason when they did not address their glaring central midfield need. Now Chicago has Sebastian Grazzini, and he is rushing to gain full fitness in a matter of several weeks.
The Fire did come out on the positive end by trading Calen Carr for Dominic Oduro, who netted his team-leading sixth goal Sunday. But Oduro's final touch still is an issue, and he was not Chicago's original attacking option in the first place.
The Fire were touting their Uruguayan tandem of Diego Chaves and Gaston Puerari heading into the season. Puerari showed promise but netted only one goal and was transferred to Club Atlas. Chaves had four goals in the Fire's first six games. But he has yet to find the back of the net since his April 23 tally against the Houston Dynamo. Klopas also publicly talked about fitness being an issue with Chaves in late June.
The tone of the Fire's season would be drastically different if Chicago turned some of its league-leading 13 draws into wins. Things would be different if Orr Barouch and the Fire did not hit the woodwork so frequently.
But close does not cut it in this results-driven business, and the Fire have not delivered for a second straight campaign.
De los Cobos was fired on May 30 after 11 matches and a 1-4-6 record (nine points). He was dismissed following a 0-4-5 stretch that included a winless May against teams such as the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps, Toronto FC and the San Jose Earthquakes.
Klopas has not fared much better. As the interim head coach for the Fire's past 11 matches, the team is 1-3-7 (10 points). His club is dead last in the Eastern Conference with a 2-7-13 record and 19 points. And with a double-digit points deficit separating Chicago from a playoff position based on the current standings, the Fire likely will miss the postseason for a second straight year.
That notion cannot be sitting well with the Fire brass -- the likelihood of being one of only eight teams on the outside of MLS's expanded playoffs system.
Klopas' side had a modest stretch in June and July where the Fire posted a 1-0-6 mark. Since then, though, Chicago has a 0-3-1 record and has shown an extreme lack of consistency. This past week included a positive effort (albeit a 1-1 draw) against the Philadelphia Union last Wednesday, followed by their worst defensive performance of the season against Vancouver in a 4-2 loss on Sunday.
Fire captain Logan Pause dismissed any fatigue factor from having to play two matches in a five-day stretch.
"I don't think anyone would or should say that was the reason [for Sunday's loss]," Pause said. "We came off a pretty solid performance on Wednesday, and then [Sunday] we definitely played like the last-place team."
From a results standpoint, there really is only one clear-cut category where the Fire had shown improvement during Klopas' tenure, and that is the defense. This might not be the best time to state this considering Chicago's horrendous four-goals-allowed effort against Vancouver. But despite that match, the Fire have allowed only 11 goals in 11 games under Klopas. Chicago gave up 19 goals in De los Cobos' first 11 matches this season.
Other than that, Chicago has not made any positive strides in the standings. The offensive output has taken a massive hit under Klopas, with the team posting only eight goals during his tenure versus 15 goals under De los Cobos this year. The Fire also have not earned a victory at Toyota Park with Klopas at the helm.
Chicago has created its share of scoring chances, and the Fire have had some stretches of possession. But those traits gloss over the reality that this team has not had a consistent finisher.
The Fire have talked all season about the difficulties of trying to gel with a revamped group and a young roster. But MLS's newest teams have quickly adjusted and shown stretches of success.
The second-year Philadelphia Union has turned into one of the top teams in the Eastern Conference, and Peter Nowak's club has led the East standings on several occasions. Third-year Seattle Sounders FC currently is in the top third of the Western Conference and is the league's top spectator draw. And this year's two expansion teams, the Portland Timbers and Vancouver, posted a combined 3-0-1 record against the Fire.
Coaching changes aside, when the Fire's 2011 season is in the books, the focus has to be on the organization's handling of its personnel. And that falls on Klopas and his staff's technical side of the job.
The Fire dropped the ball in the offseason when they did not address their glaring central midfield need. Now Chicago has Sebastian Grazzini, and he is rushing to gain full fitness in a matter of several weeks.
The Fire did come out on the positive end by trading Calen Carr for Dominic Oduro, who netted his team-leading sixth goal Sunday. But Oduro's final touch still is an issue, and he was not Chicago's original attacking option in the first place.
The Fire were touting their Uruguayan tandem of Diego Chaves and Gaston Puerari heading into the season. Puerari showed promise but netted only one goal and was transferred to Club Atlas. Chaves had four goals in the Fire's first six games. But he has yet to find the back of the net since his April 23 tally against the Houston Dynamo. Klopas also publicly talked about fitness being an issue with Chaves in late June.
The tone of the Fire's season would be drastically different if Chicago turned some of its league-leading 13 draws into wins. Things would be different if Orr Barouch and the Fire did not hit the woodwork so frequently.
But close does not cut it in this results-driven business, and the Fire have not delivered for a second straight campaign.
Fire's defense 'terrible' in loss to Whitecaps
August, 7, 2011
8/07/11
9:27
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Fire struggled mightily against Major League Soccer's expansion clubs this season. And unless there is a miraculous stretch somewhere within this Fire roster, Sunday's effort against the Vancouver Whitecaps likely spelled the end toward any playoff aspirations.
The Fire fell to Vancouver, 4-2, at Empire Field and were winless this season against MLS's two new clubs, posting a 0-3-1 record against the Whitecaps and Portland Timbers. The lone point was a scoreless draw against Vancouver.
Up to this point, Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas' squad had done its job on the defensive side. But Chicago (2-7-13, 19 points) posted its worst performance in the defensive third this season in a battle between the two last-place teams in their respective conferences.
"I don't know what happened," Fire left back Gonzalo Segares said. "We've been strong defensively in our last games, and today we were just terrible. We made mistakes, we didn't concentrate. It's just tough because we went down so quickly, we tried to fight back, and immediately we were down again. It takes a toll on you."
Eric Hassli netted two goals for Vancouver (3-11-9, 18 points), and teammates Gershon Koffie and Camilo also found the back of the net. The Fire's Dominic Oduro and Orr Barouch provided the scoring for Chicago, but those scores could not make up for the season-high four goals surrendered in the defensive third.
"There wasn't much said," Segares said of the Fire locker room. "Everybody's heads were down. Going into this we were talking about how important it was to make a run, and in the first minute we were down, 1-0, and it was an uphill battle."
The Fire suffered a horrific start as Hassli scored in the first minute to give the Whitecaps a quick 1-0 lead. Shortly after the Fire's Patrick Nyarko attacked following the opening kick, Vancouver responded with Jordan Harvey's deep send from the left side. Fire defender Yamith Cuesta, back from his one-game suspension, attempted to intercept the ball but was unsuccessful. Hassli got the ball and found the upper right corner of the net past Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
Oduro netted an equalizer in the 23rd minute, utilizing his speed and deception to beat Whitecaps defender Alain Rochat and tie the score at 1-1. But that tally was short-lived.
In the 24th minute, the Whitecaps' Koffie responded with a shot that bounced over Johnson for a 2-1 lead. Johnson dove to his right to attempt to stop the shot, but the ball went over Johnson's left shoulder and into the back of the net.
Camilo pushed the Whitecaps' lead to 3-1 in the 48th minute, spinning past Fire defender Josip Mikulic and shooting toward the far right post. Camilo got his shot off before the Fire's Daniel Paladini and Cuesta could catch up to get in the path of the shot.
Hassli scored his second goal in the 72nd minute off of a rebound off the left post to extend the Whitecaps' lead to 4-1. Chicago's defense was flat-footed and unresponsive during the sequence.
Fire second-half sub Orr Barouch did cut into the Whitecaps' lead in the 80th minute. Nyarko had the deep send to Barouch, who muscled his way past Harvey and shot toward the far left post to cut it to 4-2.
The Fire face Eastern Conference foes the New York Red Bulls on Saturday at Red Bull Arena. With Chicago's next three matches coming against fellow East teams, the club is not losing hope just yet.
"The team is pretty upset, but we're not going to give up," Segares said. "We're going to come back this week again because there is a mathematical opportunity [for the playoffs]. We've taken pride in our work since the preseason. You can't throw that out."
Analysis: The Fire have had plenty of low points this year, but posting an embarrassing match against MLS's worst team probably takes the cake. The Fire also extended their winless streak to eight games and have not posted a victory since June 12 at the Columbus Crew.
Cuesta returned from his one-game suspension, and suffice to say he had an incredibly disappointing effort. Johnson bailed him out late in the first half shortly after Cuesta fouled Camilo in the box. Hassli took the penalty kick, but Johnson guessed correctly to his right and batted the ball away.
It was surprising that Cuesta stayed in for the remainder of the match. Jalil Anibaba had a good game at center back during the Fire's 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union, and the back line needed a jolt Sunday. Hassli's second goal was the defining moment for the Fire's poor work rate, because four Vancouver players were in the box fighting for the ball in that sequence. Chicago's defense was dormant.
The mathematical outside chance of a postseason exists for the time being, but Sunday's lackluster effort basically was the final straw as the Fire likely will miss out on the playoffs for a second straight year.
All the Fire can do from here on out is play for pride in their MLS schedule and make a valiant run toward winning a fifth Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
The Fire fell to Vancouver, 4-2, at Empire Field and were winless this season against MLS's two new clubs, posting a 0-3-1 record against the Whitecaps and Portland Timbers. The lone point was a scoreless draw against Vancouver.
Up to this point, Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas' squad had done its job on the defensive side. But Chicago (2-7-13, 19 points) posted its worst performance in the defensive third this season in a battle between the two last-place teams in their respective conferences.
"I don't know what happened," Fire left back Gonzalo Segares said. "We've been strong defensively in our last games, and today we were just terrible. We made mistakes, we didn't concentrate. It's just tough because we went down so quickly, we tried to fight back, and immediately we were down again. It takes a toll on you."
Eric Hassli netted two goals for Vancouver (3-11-9, 18 points), and teammates Gershon Koffie and Camilo also found the back of the net. The Fire's Dominic Oduro and Orr Barouch provided the scoring for Chicago, but those scores could not make up for the season-high four goals surrendered in the defensive third.
"There wasn't much said," Segares said of the Fire locker room. "Everybody's heads were down. Going into this we were talking about how important it was to make a run, and in the first minute we were down, 1-0, and it was an uphill battle."
The Fire suffered a horrific start as Hassli scored in the first minute to give the Whitecaps a quick 1-0 lead. Shortly after the Fire's Patrick Nyarko attacked following the opening kick, Vancouver responded with Jordan Harvey's deep send from the left side. Fire defender Yamith Cuesta, back from his one-game suspension, attempted to intercept the ball but was unsuccessful. Hassli got the ball and found the upper right corner of the net past Chicago goalkeeper Sean Johnson.
Oduro netted an equalizer in the 23rd minute, utilizing his speed and deception to beat Whitecaps defender Alain Rochat and tie the score at 1-1. But that tally was short-lived.
In the 24th minute, the Whitecaps' Koffie responded with a shot that bounced over Johnson for a 2-1 lead. Johnson dove to his right to attempt to stop the shot, but the ball went over Johnson's left shoulder and into the back of the net.
Camilo pushed the Whitecaps' lead to 3-1 in the 48th minute, spinning past Fire defender Josip Mikulic and shooting toward the far right post. Camilo got his shot off before the Fire's Daniel Paladini and Cuesta could catch up to get in the path of the shot.
Hassli scored his second goal in the 72nd minute off of a rebound off the left post to extend the Whitecaps' lead to 4-1. Chicago's defense was flat-footed and unresponsive during the sequence.
Fire second-half sub Orr Barouch did cut into the Whitecaps' lead in the 80th minute. Nyarko had the deep send to Barouch, who muscled his way past Harvey and shot toward the far left post to cut it to 4-2.
The Fire face Eastern Conference foes the New York Red Bulls on Saturday at Red Bull Arena. With Chicago's next three matches coming against fellow East teams, the club is not losing hope just yet.
"The team is pretty upset, but we're not going to give up," Segares said. "We're going to come back this week again because there is a mathematical opportunity [for the playoffs]. We've taken pride in our work since the preseason. You can't throw that out."
Analysis: The Fire have had plenty of low points this year, but posting an embarrassing match against MLS's worst team probably takes the cake. The Fire also extended their winless streak to eight games and have not posted a victory since June 12 at the Columbus Crew.
Cuesta returned from his one-game suspension, and suffice to say he had an incredibly disappointing effort. Johnson bailed him out late in the first half shortly after Cuesta fouled Camilo in the box. Hassli took the penalty kick, but Johnson guessed correctly to his right and batted the ball away.
It was surprising that Cuesta stayed in for the remainder of the match. Jalil Anibaba had a good game at center back during the Fire's 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union, and the back line needed a jolt Sunday. Hassli's second goal was the defining moment for the Fire's poor work rate, because four Vancouver players were in the box fighting for the ball in that sequence. Chicago's defense was dormant.
The mathematical outside chance of a postseason exists for the time being, but Sunday's lackluster effort basically was the final straw as the Fire likely will miss out on the playoffs for a second straight year.
All the Fire can do from here on out is play for pride in their MLS schedule and make a valiant run toward winning a fifth Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup.
Rapid Reaction: Whitecaps 4, Fire 2
August, 7, 2011
8/07/11
7:59
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
Here is a quick look at the Chicago Fire's 4-2 loss to the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday at Empire Field:
How it happened: Whitecaps scoring leader Eric Hassli netted two goals, including the game's first tally in the first minute to give his home side an early 1-0 lead as Vancouver capitalized on Fire defender Yamith Cuesta's failed interception attempt. Fire forward Dominic Oduro tied the score at 1-1 in the 23rd minute, but less than one minute later in the 24th, Gershon Koffie's deep strike bounced over diving Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson to give the Whitecaps a 2-1 lead. Camilo pushed the Whitecaps' lead to 3-1 in the 48th minute, spinning past Fire defender Josip Mikulic and shooting toward the far right post. Hassli scored his second goal in the 72nd minute off of a rebound for a 4-1 lead. Fire second-half sub Orr Barouch netted a goal in the 80th minute to cut it to 4-2, but the damage already had been done.
What it means: The Fire are alone in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-7-13 record. The Whitecaps improve to 3-11-9, but they still are well behind the rest of the Western Conference field. The Fire posted a 0-3-1 record against this year's MLS expansion clubs Vancouver and the Portland Timbers. Chicago's only point came from a scoreless draw against the Whitecaps.
Outside the box: Whitecaps midfielder John Thorrington, who frequently was injured during his Fire tenure, was healthy enough to go against his former Chicago club on Sunday. But he only lasted for the first half before Davide Chiumiento replaced him to start the second half. Thorrington was selected by the Whitecaps in last November's expansion draft.
Up next: The Fire stay on the road and face the New York Red Bulls at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. Chicago's next three matches are against fellow Eastern Conference squads.
How it happened: Whitecaps scoring leader Eric Hassli netted two goals, including the game's first tally in the first minute to give his home side an early 1-0 lead as Vancouver capitalized on Fire defender Yamith Cuesta's failed interception attempt. Fire forward Dominic Oduro tied the score at 1-1 in the 23rd minute, but less than one minute later in the 24th, Gershon Koffie's deep strike bounced over diving Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson to give the Whitecaps a 2-1 lead. Camilo pushed the Whitecaps' lead to 3-1 in the 48th minute, spinning past Fire defender Josip Mikulic and shooting toward the far right post. Hassli scored his second goal in the 72nd minute off of a rebound for a 4-1 lead. Fire second-half sub Orr Barouch netted a goal in the 80th minute to cut it to 4-2, but the damage already had been done.
What it means: The Fire are alone in last place in the Eastern Conference with a 2-7-13 record. The Whitecaps improve to 3-11-9, but they still are well behind the rest of the Western Conference field. The Fire posted a 0-3-1 record against this year's MLS expansion clubs Vancouver and the Portland Timbers. Chicago's only point came from a scoreless draw against the Whitecaps.
Outside the box: Whitecaps midfielder John Thorrington, who frequently was injured during his Fire tenure, was healthy enough to go against his former Chicago club on Sunday. But he only lasted for the first half before Davide Chiumiento replaced him to start the second half. Thorrington was selected by the Whitecaps in last November's expansion draft.
Up next: The Fire stay on the road and face the New York Red Bulls at 6:30 p.m. CT Saturday at Red Bull Arena in Harrison, N.J. Chicago's next three matches are against fellow Eastern Conference squads.
Fire look to turn tide against Whitecaps
August, 6, 2011
8/06/11
5:25
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The theme around the Chicago Fire locker room during the midweek was toward forging ahead in the midst of a disappointing outcome.
The players certainly have had to cope with quite a few, and their most recent effort was out-playing the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday, only to manage a 1-1 draw.
Now the Fire hit the road to take on the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday at Empire Field.
"We cannot dwell on it," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said. "We've got to look forward. Every point dropped hurts, but we've got to move on."
"It seems like it's been a little bit of a recurring theme this year," Fire captain Logan Pause said. "We don't have enough time to hang our heads and get upset and worry. ... At this stage, ties aren't really helping. We know we need to get three points."
The Fire have not fared well against MLS's two expansion sides this year. Chicago's best result was a scoreless draw against Vancouver on May 7. The Fire dropped both matches against the Portland Timbers -- a 4-2 loss at Portland on April 14, and a 1-0 home defeat on July 16.
The Fire (2-6-13, 19 points) are in the midst of a seven-game winless streak (0-2-5) and in last place in the Eastern Conference. The Whitecaps (2-11-9, 15 points) are in last place in the West. Both of Vancouver's victories have come at home.
Vancouver is in the midst of a six-game winless streak (0-5-1) and is coming off its worst defeat of the season -- a 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy last Saturday.
The Fire defense has represented one of the few bright spots on the team this season, and the match against Philadelphia represented Chicago's depth in the back.
Pause dropped to right back with the debut of Pavel Pardo at defensive midfield. Typical right back, rookie defender Jalil Anibaba, was brought into the match after center back Cory Gibbs got injured in the opening minutes. Josip Mikulic also stepped in at center back for Yamith Cuesta, who had to sit out Wednesday's match for a red card suspension.
Mikulic and Anibaba both had solid efforts teaming up at center back.
"We've got a deep team," Pause said. "Josip is more than capable and played a fantastic game. You see a young and up-and-coming player who's hopefully here for a long time in Jalil step in and do a great job. You just hope that Cory has a quick recovery. That's one of the reasons why you have to count on all 30 players."
Cuesta returns, but Gibbs will miss Sunday's game with a left groin strain. As for Pause, he has adjusted to his new defensive duties.
"It's just a completely different role," Pause said. "Playing holding mid, you're kind of just the anchor. Right back allows me to get up and down a little bit."
The ongoing problem for Chicago is the inability to finish chances this year. The Fire have netted only six goals in their past 10 matches. Chicago's leading goal scorers Marco Pappa and Dominic Oduro have been sitting on five tallies apiece for more than a month.
The Whitecaps' offense clearly rests with Frenchman Eric Hassli, Vancouver's first designated player. Hassli leads the Whitecaps with eight goals this season. He has three multi-goal games, and his most memorable performance was a two-goal effort against Seattle Sounders FC on June 11. His second tally was a superb right-footed strike from the right side that was driven past Sounders goalkeeper Kasey Keller and just inside the left post to salvage a 2-2 draw.
The players certainly have had to cope with quite a few, and their most recent effort was out-playing the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday, only to manage a 1-1 draw.
Now the Fire hit the road to take on the expansion Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday at Empire Field.
"We cannot dwell on it," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said. "We've got to look forward. Every point dropped hurts, but we've got to move on."
"It seems like it's been a little bit of a recurring theme this year," Fire captain Logan Pause said. "We don't have enough time to hang our heads and get upset and worry. ... At this stage, ties aren't really helping. We know we need to get three points."
The Fire have not fared well against MLS's two expansion sides this year. Chicago's best result was a scoreless draw against Vancouver on May 7. The Fire dropped both matches against the Portland Timbers -- a 4-2 loss at Portland on April 14, and a 1-0 home defeat on July 16.
The Fire (2-6-13, 19 points) are in the midst of a seven-game winless streak (0-2-5) and in last place in the Eastern Conference. The Whitecaps (2-11-9, 15 points) are in last place in the West. Both of Vancouver's victories have come at home.
Vancouver is in the midst of a six-game winless streak (0-5-1) and is coming off its worst defeat of the season -- a 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Galaxy last Saturday.
The Fire defense has represented one of the few bright spots on the team this season, and the match against Philadelphia represented Chicago's depth in the back.
Pause dropped to right back with the debut of Pavel Pardo at defensive midfield. Typical right back, rookie defender Jalil Anibaba, was brought into the match after center back Cory Gibbs got injured in the opening minutes. Josip Mikulic also stepped in at center back for Yamith Cuesta, who had to sit out Wednesday's match for a red card suspension.
Mikulic and Anibaba both had solid efforts teaming up at center back.
"We've got a deep team," Pause said. "Josip is more than capable and played a fantastic game. You see a young and up-and-coming player who's hopefully here for a long time in Jalil step in and do a great job. You just hope that Cory has a quick recovery. That's one of the reasons why you have to count on all 30 players."
Cuesta returns, but Gibbs will miss Sunday's game with a left groin strain. As for Pause, he has adjusted to his new defensive duties.
"It's just a completely different role," Pause said. "Playing holding mid, you're kind of just the anchor. Right back allows me to get up and down a little bit."
The ongoing problem for Chicago is the inability to finish chances this year. The Fire have netted only six goals in their past 10 matches. Chicago's leading goal scorers Marco Pappa and Dominic Oduro have been sitting on five tallies apiece for more than a month.
The Whitecaps' offense clearly rests with Frenchman Eric Hassli, Vancouver's first designated player. Hassli leads the Whitecaps with eight goals this season. He has three multi-goal games, and his most memorable performance was a two-goal effort against Seattle Sounders FC on June 11. His second tally was a superb right-footed strike from the right side that was driven past Sounders goalkeeper Kasey Keller and just inside the left post to salvage a 2-2 draw.
Grazzini, Pardo provide immediate impact
August, 4, 2011
8/04/11
5:04
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Chicago Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas wasted no time in getting his newest midfielders Sebastian Grazzini and Pavel Pardo into the mix.
At this stage, the last-place Fire (2-6-13) need to throw out all the punches with 13 matches remaining on the season.
Chicago is coming off a 1-1 home draw against the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. The Fire were the better team in the run of play, and much of the credit can be directed toward Grazzini.
"He can create, he can make the final pass -- he's dangerous," Klopas said. "He's exciting for the fans to watch. Definitely brings something different to the table."
The Argentine midfielder was incredibly active from side to side, made aggressive pushes forward, tracked back when necessary and was creative with the ball. His mere presence out there seemed to have a snowball effect where other Fire players also demonstrated an increased aggressiveness, piecing together some good strings of passing and crisp movement with and without the ball.
"He can draw two, three players and leave a guy free," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said. "For wide guys like myself and Marco [Pappa], it gives us more chances to be more advanced, rather than coming deep for the ball and try to create from there. We can get the ball wherever and try to run at players and find you in the final third where you can be more of a threat. Rather than coming all the way back, that's the ability [Grazzini] brings in. We fed off of that. It's just unfortunate that we couldn't get the win."
"When he gets the ball you need a lot of mobility and movement," Klopas said. "I think Dominic [Oduro] made great runs with Patrick and Marco, and I think that we created many chances. It's just unfortunate about the quality in the final third, the concentration. It's stuff that we've been working on."
Grazzini arguably was the best player on the pitch between the two teams. Klopas said that Grazzini signaled that he was tiring and was then subbed out of the match in the 66th minute. But his increased tiring was not evident. Grazzini maintained a high work rate.
As a defensive midfielder, Pardo's impact typically won't be as evident as Grazzini's. But the Guadalajara native stepped up with the Fire's lone goal and he would have added an assist in the 34th minute if Oduro finished his high-quality scoring chance behind the Union defense.
"It was just fantastic to see the first game," Klopas said. "Not just because he scored a goal, but the leadership qualities on the field and how good he was with the ball. In the first half he made a great pass to Dominic that was a breakaway, brings the ball down. Stuff like that gives us another attacking dimension."
Because of Cory Gibbs' leg injury in the opening 10 minutes, Klopas was forced to burn an early substitution. That meant Pardo had to play the full 90 in his debut.
"With him, I was less concerned with his fitness, even though he's been with us for a week," Klopas said. "He's a guy with tremendous experience, great pro. He's always taking great care of himself or else he wouldn't have played so many years at that level, for sure. And he was smart. You could see in the first half that he knew when to run, where to be, not waste energy foolishly when you're running around, and that's what you get with him."
This will be a difficult week for both players as the Fire quickly prepare for a road trip against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday. But clearly both players' presence will be vital for Chicago down the stretch.
"You saw what two experienced players will add to this team," said Fire captain Logan Pause, who shifted to right back with Pardo's presence in the starting lineup. "I think their work, not only on the field but in the locker room and off the field, is going to be huge for this group."
At this stage, the last-place Fire (2-6-13) need to throw out all the punches with 13 matches remaining on the season.
Chicago is coming off a 1-1 home draw against the Philadelphia Union on Wednesday. The Fire were the better team in the run of play, and much of the credit can be directed toward Grazzini.
"He can create, he can make the final pass -- he's dangerous," Klopas said. "He's exciting for the fans to watch. Definitely brings something different to the table."
The Argentine midfielder was incredibly active from side to side, made aggressive pushes forward, tracked back when necessary and was creative with the ball. His mere presence out there seemed to have a snowball effect where other Fire players also demonstrated an increased aggressiveness, piecing together some good strings of passing and crisp movement with and without the ball.
"He can draw two, three players and leave a guy free," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said. "For wide guys like myself and Marco [Pappa], it gives us more chances to be more advanced, rather than coming deep for the ball and try to create from there. We can get the ball wherever and try to run at players and find you in the final third where you can be more of a threat. Rather than coming all the way back, that's the ability [Grazzini] brings in. We fed off of that. It's just unfortunate that we couldn't get the win."
"When he gets the ball you need a lot of mobility and movement," Klopas said. "I think Dominic [Oduro] made great runs with Patrick and Marco, and I think that we created many chances. It's just unfortunate about the quality in the final third, the concentration. It's stuff that we've been working on."
Grazzini arguably was the best player on the pitch between the two teams. Klopas said that Grazzini signaled that he was tiring and was then subbed out of the match in the 66th minute. But his increased tiring was not evident. Grazzini maintained a high work rate.
As a defensive midfielder, Pardo's impact typically won't be as evident as Grazzini's. But the Guadalajara native stepped up with the Fire's lone goal and he would have added an assist in the 34th minute if Oduro finished his high-quality scoring chance behind the Union defense.
"It was just fantastic to see the first game," Klopas said. "Not just because he scored a goal, but the leadership qualities on the field and how good he was with the ball. In the first half he made a great pass to Dominic that was a breakaway, brings the ball down. Stuff like that gives us another attacking dimension."
Because of Cory Gibbs' leg injury in the opening 10 minutes, Klopas was forced to burn an early substitution. That meant Pardo had to play the full 90 in his debut.
"With him, I was less concerned with his fitness, even though he's been with us for a week," Klopas said. "He's a guy with tremendous experience, great pro. He's always taking great care of himself or else he wouldn't have played so many years at that level, for sure. And he was smart. You could see in the first half that he knew when to run, where to be, not waste energy foolishly when you're running around, and that's what you get with him."
This will be a difficult week for both players as the Fire quickly prepare for a road trip against the Vancouver Whitecaps on Sunday. But clearly both players' presence will be vital for Chicago down the stretch.
"You saw what two experienced players will add to this team," said Fire captain Logan Pause, who shifted to right back with Pardo's presence in the starting lineup. "I think their work, not only on the field but in the locker room and off the field, is going to be huge for this group."
Beasley, Bocanegra join Klinsmann's roster
August, 4, 2011
8/04/11
12:53
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
New U.S. National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann named his 22-player roster on Thursday for the team's Aug. 10 match against Mexico at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia (8 p.m. CT, ESPN2).
Former Chicago Fire defender Carlos Bocanegra and forward DaMarcus Beasley were included on the roster. Both players are seven caps away from reaching 100 for their international careers.
Beasley returns to the national team for the first time since the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Fort Wayne, Ind., native's last appearance was as a second-half sub during the U.S.'s 1-0 win over Algeria on June 23, 2010. He was on the pitch when Landon Donovan scored his memorable 91st-minute goal to win Group C and reach the Round of 16.
U.S. ROSTER:
Goalkeepers: Bill Hamid (D.C.United), Tim Howard (Everton); Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne), Edgar Castillo (Club America), Timmy Chandler (FC Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls); Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Jose Torres (Pachuca); Forwards: Freddy Adu (Benfica), Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Former Chicago Fire defender Carlos Bocanegra and forward DaMarcus Beasley were included on the roster. Both players are seven caps away from reaching 100 for their international careers.
Beasley returns to the national team for the first time since the 2010 FIFA World Cup. The Fort Wayne, Ind., native's last appearance was as a second-half sub during the U.S.'s 1-0 win over Algeria on June 23, 2010. He was on the pitch when Landon Donovan scored his memorable 91st-minute goal to win Group C and reach the Round of 16.
U.S. ROSTER:
Goalkeepers: Bill Hamid (D.C.United), Tim Howard (Everton); Defenders: Carlos Bocanegra (Saint-Etienne), Edgar Castillo (Club America), Timmy Chandler (FC Nürnberg), Steve Cherundolo (Hannover 96), Clarence Goodson (Brondby), Michael Orozco Fiscal (San Luis), Heath Pearce (Chivas USA), Tim Ream (New York Red Bulls); Midfielders: Kyle Beckerman (Real Salt Lake), Michael Bradley (Borussia Mönchengladbach), Ricardo Clark (Eintracht Frankfurt), Maurice Edu (Rangers), Jermaine Jones (Schalke 04), Brek Shea (FC Dallas), Jose Torres (Pachuca); Forwards: Freddy Adu (Benfica), Juan Agudelo (New York Red Bulls), DaMarcus Beasley (Puebla), Edson Buddle (FC Ingolstadt), Landon Donovan (Los Angeles Galaxy)
Pardo, revamped Fire tie Union
August, 3, 2011
8/03/11
11:18
PM CT
By Charlie Corr | ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire dominated on the attack and had one of their best stretches of passing and movement of the season.
But the Philadelphia Union capitalized on its one half-chance and the two sides played to a 1-1 draw in front of 10,557 at Toyota Park on Wednesday.
Fire defensive midfielder Pavel Pardo tallied a game-tying goal in his Chicago debut to salvage the draw. But it was Veljko Paunovic's 34th-minute tally for the Union that was a bitter pill to swallow from the Fire's standpoint.
Chicago (2-6-13, 19 points) showcased strong control at the start of the match, only to see the Union (8-5-8, 32 points) gain the upper hand.
"It's disappointing because time is running out, for sure," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said of the team's current last-place stance in the Eastern Conference. "That's why with the break, I think we felt good coming into this game. The urgency was there, the desire, so I'm happy about that."
Pardo netted a goal in the 54th minute to tie the score at 1-1. Patrick Nyarko crossed the ball into the box, trying to find Dominic Oduro. It was partially cleared by the Union defense, but Pardo was right there to clean up for the unassisted goal. Union goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon was not in position to stop the shot toward the left post.
Because of a leg injury to defender Cory Gibbs in the opening minutes, Pardo had to play the full 90 minutes in his first Fire match.
"The last game was two months ago. It was hard," Pardo said. "I didn't do a bad job. It was a surprise for me because I was on the field [for 90 minutes]."
Midfielder Sebastian Grazzini made his MLS debut for the Fire, and he was an energetic presence on the pitch.
"We knew the qualities that he has," Klopas said. "He has the ability to create and beat players and make the final pass. The whole idea today, we wanted to make sure we got the ball forward so he didn't come back much, where he can get the ball and have his energy in the final third."
But Grazzini's night was cut short. Klopas brought in forward Cristian Nazarit in the 66th minute to replace him.
"He got tired," Klopas said. "He even looked at me on the sideline that he wanted to come out."
The Fire held the upper hand on just about every front. They out-shot the Union, 14-7. They had a lopsided 8-1 shots on goal advantage.
But Philadelphia capitalized on its one chance to thwart what was a promising start to the match for Chicago.
Analysis: The Fire played one of their better matches of the season, but for a league-leading 13th time, Chicago only came away with a point.
Chicago's first 30 minutes showcased a sense of confidence that the team had been lacking. As usual, the final touch wasn't there.
Oduro did have two great scoring chances in the 61st and 66th minutes, but Union goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon came up with two clutch saves on both occasions at the near right post.
The one chance that Oduro needed to finish was in the 31st minute, when Pardo dished the ball forward and Oduro timed his run perfectly to free up space behind Philadelphia's defense. Unfortunately for the Fire, Oduro had a poor touch on the ball and Mondragon collected it out of harm's way.
But the Philadelphia Union capitalized on its one half-chance and the two sides played to a 1-1 draw in front of 10,557 at Toyota Park on Wednesday.
Fire defensive midfielder Pavel Pardo tallied a game-tying goal in his Chicago debut to salvage the draw. But it was Veljko Paunovic's 34th-minute tally for the Union that was a bitter pill to swallow from the Fire's standpoint.
Chicago (2-6-13, 19 points) showcased strong control at the start of the match, only to see the Union (8-5-8, 32 points) gain the upper hand.
"It's disappointing because time is running out, for sure," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said of the team's current last-place stance in the Eastern Conference. "That's why with the break, I think we felt good coming into this game. The urgency was there, the desire, so I'm happy about that."
Pardo netted a goal in the 54th minute to tie the score at 1-1. Patrick Nyarko crossed the ball into the box, trying to find Dominic Oduro. It was partially cleared by the Union defense, but Pardo was right there to clean up for the unassisted goal. Union goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon was not in position to stop the shot toward the left post.
Because of a leg injury to defender Cory Gibbs in the opening minutes, Pardo had to play the full 90 minutes in his first Fire match.
"The last game was two months ago. It was hard," Pardo said. "I didn't do a bad job. It was a surprise for me because I was on the field [for 90 minutes]."
Midfielder Sebastian Grazzini made his MLS debut for the Fire, and he was an energetic presence on the pitch.
"We knew the qualities that he has," Klopas said. "He has the ability to create and beat players and make the final pass. The whole idea today, we wanted to make sure we got the ball forward so he didn't come back much, where he can get the ball and have his energy in the final third."
But Grazzini's night was cut short. Klopas brought in forward Cristian Nazarit in the 66th minute to replace him.
"He got tired," Klopas said. "He even looked at me on the sideline that he wanted to come out."
The Fire held the upper hand on just about every front. They out-shot the Union, 14-7. They had a lopsided 8-1 shots on goal advantage.
But Philadelphia capitalized on its one chance to thwart what was a promising start to the match for Chicago.
Analysis: The Fire played one of their better matches of the season, but for a league-leading 13th time, Chicago only came away with a point.
Chicago's first 30 minutes showcased a sense of confidence that the team had been lacking. As usual, the final touch wasn't there.
Oduro did have two great scoring chances in the 61st and 66th minutes, but Union goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon came up with two clutch saves on both occasions at the near right post.
The one chance that Oduro needed to finish was in the 31st minute, when Pardo dished the ball forward and Oduro timed his run perfectly to free up space behind Philadelphia's defense. Unfortunately for the Fire, Oduro had a poor touch on the ball and Mondragon collected it out of harm's way.
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