MLS Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Fire Continue Busy Week

Published on September 29, 2014 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


MEN IN RED HEAD TO CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE, HOST MONTREAL IMPACT FOR FAN APPRECIATION DAY

The Chicago Fire (5-8-16, 31 points) enter the final month of the regular season with a busy stretch of games, taking on the Philadelphia Union (9-10-11, 38 points) at PPL Park in Chester, Pa. on Thursday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. CT (ESPN2/La Ley 107.9 FM) before returning home to host the Montreal Impact on Sunday, Oct. 5 at 4 p.m. CT (My50/TWCSC Wisconsin/La Ley 107.9 FM).

The Union enter Thursday's match after falling 1-0 to D.C. United at RFK Stadium on Saturday, Sept. 27. The Impact enter Sunday's match after falling 2-0 to the Columbus Crew at Columbus Crew Stadium on Sept. 27.

Sunday's match against the Impact will serve as Fan Appreciation Day presented by Wintrust Community Banks. The first 5,000 fans inside Toyota Park will receive a third kit inspired rally towel. Special promotions during the match include $2 Red Hot Chicago hot dogs and $2 twelve ounce domestic drafts for those 21 and older. At halftime, the Fire and Toyota will team up to give away a 2014 Toyota Corolla to the Grand Prize Winner of the Chicago Fire Corolla Sweepstakes. Tickets to the match are available via Ticketmaster, www.Chicago-Fire.com and 888-MLS-FIRE.

CHICAGO FIRE vs. PHILADELPHIA UNION

- The Fire hold a 4-5-3 record against the Union in regular season play, including a 2-3-0 record in matches played on the road.

- In their last trip to PPL Park, the Fire earned victorious after a hard-fought 2-1 win on Aug. 3, 2013 courtesy of goals from Patrick Nyarko and Mike Magee.

- The Union have a slight edge in goals scored in the series with 15 to the Fire's 14.

- This is the third and final match of the season between the two sides. The Fire hosted the first two legs at Toyota Park, a 2-2 draw on April 5 and a 1-1 draw on July 19.

- Fire captain Jeff Larentowicz returns to his hometown for the first time this season. The Philadelphia, Pa. native graduated from Chestnut Hill Academy where he lettered in soccer, basketball and golf. The Brown University graduate won back-to-back national championships with FC Delco Arsenal in 2002 and 2003.

- Fire defender Greg Cochrane also hails from nearby Holland, Pa. where he was a four-year starter at Council Rock High School South and represented FC Delco Hammerheads for seven years.

- Union Interim Team Manager Jim Curtin was a member of the Fire for the first seven seasons of his professional career. Selected in the third round (29th overall) of the 2001 MLS SuperDraft, Curtin made 151 MLS Regular Season appearances for the Men in Red, winning the 2003 and 2006 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup championships and was named a 2004 MLS All-Star during his time with the Fire. In a special ceremony, Curtin retired as a member of the Fire on April 4, 2014.

- Fire assistant coach Clint Mathis will miss this match after being ejected in the 65th minute of Sunday's match against the Dynamo for leaving the technical area.

CHICAGO FIRE vs. MONTREAL IMPACT

- The Fire are 2-2-3 against the Impact in regular season play and undefeated at home against the Impact with a 2-0-1 record.

- This is the second match between the two sides since the trade that saw the Fire acquired midfielder Sanna Nyassi in exchange for midfielder Dilly Duka.

- This is the third and final match between the two sides this season. The Fire drew the Impact 1-1 at Olympic Stadium on April 12 and fell 1-0 at Stade Saputo on Aug. 16.

- Former Fire head coach Frank Klopas, currently serving as head coach of the Montreal Impact, will miss the match after being ejected in the 66th minute of the Impact's 2-0 loss to the Columbus Crew on Sept. 27.

CHICAGO FIRE THIRD KIT TO DEBUT OCT. 5 DURING 17th ANNIVERSARY GAME

The fan-designed Chicago Fire third kit will make its on-field debut on Oct. 5 during the Chicago Fire vs. Montreal Impact match presented by Wintrust Community Banks.

The Fire teamed up with The Quaker Oats Company and held a third kit design contest, asking Fire supporters to submit the design for the jersey that would be unveiled at the Anniversary game. After the entries were narrowed down to five designs, fans ultimately had the final say, casting tens of thousands of votes to select Chicago-based architect Freddy Christiano's "Heart on Your Sleeve" design as the winner. The new third kits will go on sale to the general public on October 1 and also be available for purchase at the game.

Supporters will have the opportunity to bid on the game-worn third kit jerseys from each member of the team, including Fire mascot Sparky. Winning bidders will have the player whose jersey they won personally autograph the new piece of game-worn memorabilia immediately after the game. Bidding opens on Wednesday, Oct. 1 and will run to the end of halftime of the Fire vs. Montreal Impact match on Oct. 5. All proceeds from the auction will benefit the Chicago Fire Foundation.

The celebration continues on Oct. 8 when the Fire and Section 8 Chicago will celebrate the 17th anniversary of the Club's founding. Supporters are invited to join Fire players, coaches and staff at the Toyota Park Stadium Club from 6 p.m.-9:30 p.m. CT. Entrance is free to all supporters with a suggested $10 donation to the Chicago Fire Foundation. Section 8 Chicago will hold its October board meeting from 6 p.m.-7 p.m. with food, beverages and the program featuring classic Fire matches, prize raffle and stadium tours beginning afterwards.

CHICAGO FIRE ACADEMY TEAMS OPEN HOME SCHEDULE, GO 1-1-1 AGAINST CHICAGO MAGIC IN U.S.S.D.A. ACTION

The Chicago Fire Academy teams welcomed Chicago Magic PSG for their home opener on Saturday, Sept. 27 at Toyota Park. The U-18s kicked off the triple header with a 2-2 draw, courtesy of a 15th minute strike from Ryan Sierakowski and a 87th minute goal from Collin Fernandez. Jack Shaw scored the lone goal in the U-16s 2-1 loss in the second match of the day. The U-14s capped off the afternoon with a 2-0 victory, led by first half strikes from Andrew Akindele in the 12th minute and a Victor Bezerra penalty kick in the 38th minute.

TICKETS FOR 2014 CONCACAF WOMEN'S CHAMPIONSHIP IN CHICAGO NOW ON SALE

Tickets for the first-round games of the 2014 CONCACAF Women's Championship at Toyota Park on Oct. 17-18 are now on sale via Ticketmaster or at the Toyota Park Box Office.

Toyota Park hosts the four sides from Group A (USA, Trinidad & Tobago, Guatemala and Haiti) on Oct. 17 and the four teams from Group B (Costa Rica, Mexico, Jamaica and Martinique) on Oct. 18. The United States face Guatemala at 8 p.m. CT at Toyota Park on Oct. 17.

The tournament format will see the top two teams in each group advance to Philadelphia for the semifinals on Oct. 24, when the winner of each group will face the runner-up of the opposite group. The third-place and championship games will be held on Oct. 26.

The top three finishers - the semifinal winners and the winner of the third-place match -- will qualify directly for the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup June 6-July 5 in Canada, while the fourth-place team enters a playoff with a team from South America for the final World Cup slot.

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Major League Soccer Stories from September 29, 2014


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