MLS Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Drop 2-0 DecisionTo Chivas USA

Published on June 20, 2008 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


CARSON, CALIF. (June 19, 2008) - The Chicago Fire (6-5-1, 19pts.) dropped a 2-0 contest to Chivas USA (5-6-2, 17pts.) tonight in front of 24,143 fans at the Home Depot Center, in Carson, Calif. Chivas USA opened scoring in the 27th minute with a goal from midfielder Sacha Kljestan, and doubled their lead in the 32nd minute as forward Justin Braun placed a ball in the back of the net. With the loss the Fire remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference Standings.

Fire Lineup (4-4-2): GK-Jon Busch, D-Brandon Prideaux (Andy Herron 58), D-C.J. Brown (captain) (Patrick Nyarko 77), D-Bakary Soumare, D-Diego Gutierrez, M-John Thorrington, M-Logan Pause, M-Cuauhtémoc Blanco, M-Justin Mapp, F-Chad Barrett, F-Chris Rolfe (Tomasz Frankowski 68).

Chivashivashi Lineup (4-4-2): GK-Brad Guzan, D-Carey Talley, D-Bobby Burling, D-Claudio Suarez (captain), D-Francisco Mendoza, M-Sacha Kljestan, M-Jesse Marsh, M-Paulo Nagamura, M-Raphael Wicky (Jonathan Bornstein 45), F-Justin Braun (Jorge Flores 78), F-Ante Razov (Atiba Harris 66).

Scoring Summary

CHV - Sacha Kjestan 5 (Ante Razov 1, Paulo Nagamura 2) 27'

CHV - Justin Braun 2 (Ante Razov 2, Francisco Mendoza 3) 53'

Misconduct Summary

CHV - Paulo Nagamure (caution, persistent infringement) 33'

CHV - Paulo Nagamure (caution, reckless foul) 45+'

CHV - Paulo Nagamure (ejection, second yellow) 45+'

CHI - John Thorrington (caution, dissent) 57'

CHI - Cuauhtémoc Blanco (caution, dissent) 63'

CHI - Diego Gutierrez (caution, illegal entry) 89'

- Chivas USA took the lead in 27th minute off a goal from midfielder Sacha Kjestan, with assists credited to Ante Razov and Paul Nagamura.

- Chivas USA forward Justin Braun scored his second goal of the season to give Chivas a 2-0 lead entering halftime.

- With a record of 6-5-1, 19 pts., the Fire remain in fourth place in the Eastern Conference Standings.

- With just 11 goals allowed across 12 games play, goalkeeper Jon Busch remains at the top of league standings with a GAA of 0.92.

- The Fire are 0-3-0 when trailing at the half.

- Tonight's match was the third time the Fire have been shutout in during the 2008 season.

- The Fire are now 2-4-1 in the all-time regular season series against Chivas USA (1-2-1 in games contested on the road at the Home Depot Center).

- Today's attendance of 24,143 at the Home Depot Center is a season high home attendance for Chivas USA.

- Busch, Pause, and Blanco have played every minute (1080 minutes) for the Fire this season.

- Chicago Fire head coach Denis Hamlett on what the team looked to do in the second half: What we looked to do and what we did were complete opposites. We talked about getting the ball wide, because they're going to get numbers behind the ball and clog the middle. So we felt that we needed to create some 2v1's on the flank and get Justin involved and on the other side get Chris Rolfe involved, and we really didn't do that. We kept forcing the ball down the middle, and kept turning balls over in bad spots and that led them to have counters.

- Chicago Fire forward Chad Barrett on what's changed from the start of the year: I don't know, just momentum. We've been going through a little bit of adversity. I think it's just kind of new to us; this season we haven't faced it yet, and now we're starting to struggle, so we have to see what we're made of.

- Chicago Fire mediocampista Cuauhtémoc Blanco sobre en lo que debe mejorar el equipo: Hay que seguir trabajando. Seguir [subiendo] el nivel, creo que nos desordenamos, hay que tener más paciencia... creo que todos tenemos que trabajar. Tenemos que tener más calma. En el segundo tiempo el equipo no se vio bien.

- Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch on playing a man up: "I think we had some nice opportunities throughout the game and unfortunately a lot of those balls hit the side netting or were just slightly off the mark. I think that when we went a man up in the 45th minute, we should have tested Brad [Guzan] more and forced him to make saves."

- The Chicago Fire will return to MLS action on Saturday, June 28, as the team hosts the San Jose Earthquakes at TOYOTA PARK (7:30 p.m. CT, My50).

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