Sports stats



MLS Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Fire Host Real Salt Lake In First-Ever Eastern Conference Final

November 11, 2009 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


With their 2-0 win over the New England Revolution last week the Fire advanced past the Revs with an aggregate score of 3-2 in the two game, home and away Semifinal Series, to reach the Eastern Conference Final for the third consecutive year. The Fire will face Real Salt Lake (Pronunciation Note: ray-ALL Salt Lake) in the Eastern Conference Final this Saturday, Nov. 14 at TOYOTA PARK (7 p.m. CT, FSC/FSE). The winner of Saturday's Conference Final will be presented with the Eastern Conference Trophy by Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber on the field following the match. With a win on Saturday, the Fire would advance to the 2009 MLS Cup Final in Seattle, WA at Qwest Field on Nov. 22 (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN).

The last time the Fire hosted the Eastern Conference Final was on Nov. 14, 2003 at Soldier Field in Chicago when the team defeated New England in overtime to advance to the 2003 MLS Cup.

CHICAGO FIRE VS. REAL SALT LAKE

The Fire and Salt Lake will meet on Saturday for the third time in 2009 as the two squads matched up twice during the regular season. The Fire took the regular season series against Salt Lake posting a record of 1-0-1 and outscoring the opponent 2-1. The Fire first faced Salt Lake on Aug. 1 at home in Chicago, earning a 1-0 win with forward Patrick Nyarko tallying the game-winning goal in the 76th minute of play. The Fire traveled to Salt Lake to earn a 1-1 draw at Rio Tinto Stadium on the road in mid-September.

Salt Lake qualified for the playoffs in the final week of the 2009 MLS regular season. Entering the final week of play, Salt Lake had five teams seeded ahead of them in the six-team fight for the final two playoff spots. With a win against Colorado, the team eliminated their Rocky Mountain rival and claimed the fourth wildcard spot, placing them as the fourth team in the Eastern Conference. Salt Lake downed 2008 MLS Cup Champion Columbus Crew 4-2 on aggregate goals to advance to the Eastern Conference Final.

In their fifth season of MLS play, Real Salt Lake is making their second appearance in a Conference Final. Last season, Salt Lake fell to the New York Red Bulls 1-0 in the Western Conference Final at Rio Tinto Stadium.

CHICAGO FIRE/ATHLETICO "RECOVERY ROOM"

**as of Tuesday, Nov. 10, 2009

OUT:

None

DOUBTFUL:

None

QUESTIONABLE:

Gonzalo Segares - Left Knee MCL Sprain

Wilman Conde - Right Sciatic Pathology

Peter Lowry - Left Knee Contusion

PROBABLE:

Brian McBride - Right Quad Contusion

Chris Rolfe - Left Quad Strain

FIRE ANNOUNCE 2009 AWARDS RECIPIENTS

Brian McBride took home two honors as the Fire's 2009 MVP and Budweiser Golden Boot winner. He began the season with six goals through the first 16 games of the season, before undergoing surgery on his right shoulder for a labral tear. While the doctors anticipated a 3-4 month recovery time, the veteran returned to play just eight weeks later and immediately continued to contribute to the Fire attack with an assist on the club's match against Columbus on Sept. 20th. McBride added another goal to his total after scoring against Toronto FC on Sept. 26th, helping the Fire tie the game, and earning the Chicago Fire Golden Boot title as well. McBride finished the season with seven goals through 22 games played, missing just eight games due to his shoulder surgery. Chicago Fire defender Wilman Conde earned the 2009 Chicago Fire Defender of the Year honors after he appeared in 19 games and recorded 18 starts this season, helping the Fire tie a team record for shutouts with 10. Conde also supplied two goals and two assists in 2009. Fire midfielder Logan Pause earned the Fire's USSF Humanitarian of the Year award. He has been active in philanthropic efforts throughout the 2009 season. He has donated his time to charitable organizations including the U.S. Soccer Foundation's Passback Program, Big Brothers Big Sisters, Garth Brooks Foundation and the Joshua Center in Chicago. Pause also earned the prestigious 2009 U.S. Soccer Foundation/MLS W.O.R.K.S. Humanitarian of the Year Award, sharing the honor with Kansas City Wizards player Jimmy Conrad.

BERRY CHILL IS ON "RED ALERT" THROUGH SATURDAY!

To celebrate the Chicago Fire's run in the playoffs, Berry Chill, has created the RED ALERT CHILL: a small, original yogurt topped with strawberries & pomegranate seeds. Now through Saturday, Nov 14, when any customer purchases a RED ALERT CHILL, Berry Chill will donate all proceeds to the Chicago Fire Foundation.

Fire mascot Sparky will be helping promote this special combo in store on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday this week, from 7-8 p.m., offering customers a scarf or t-shirt for every Red Alert chill they purchase during that hour.

* Offer is available in-store only Wed. Nov 11 - Sat. Nov 14 at Berry Chill, 635 N. State only.

** Please note that you may subtract from the toppings combination, but no substitutions will be granted.

WESTERN CONFERENCE FINAL WATCH PARTY

Section 8 Chicago, the official supporters section of the Chicago Fire, will be holding a watch party for the Western Conference Final at Sully's House, 1501 N. Dayton, Chicago, on Friday, Nov. 13. The Western Conference Final will kickoff at 10 p.m. CT, but the party starts at 9 p.m. in the upstairs lounge. The Fire will be on hand with give-away and raffle items.

ON SATURDAY: GET IN EARLY - STAY LATE

The Chicago Fire will be opening parking lots and stadium gates early prior to Saturday's Conference Final at TOYOTA PARK. The TOYOTA PARK parking lots will open at 3 p.m. CT (an hour earlier than usual) and the stadium gates, including the MillerLite Party Deck, will open at 5 p.m. CT (a half an hour earlier than usual). Fans are encouraged to enjoy the FireFest area outside Gate C and enter the stadium early to begin cheering for the team as early as 6:30 p.m. during their warm ups.

The Chicago Fire Beer Garden located outside of TOYOTA PARK's main entrance (Gate D) will remain open until 11 p.m. CT, while club and suite holders will enjoy extended in the stadium club after the match as well.

BLANCO'S 'DIRECTO AL BLANCO' RADIO PROGRAM TUESDAY

"Directo al Blanco" a full-hour live radio program hosted by Fire midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco will air this and every Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. CT. Listeners are encouraged to call and talk to Blanco about the latest soccer-related news regarding the Chicago Fire, Major League Soccer, and the Mexican Primera Division. The show airs nationally on RadioCadena stations in Chicago (WRTO-AM), Las Vegas (KLSQ-AM), Los Angeles (KTNQ-AM), San Francisco (KLOK-AM), El Paso (KAMA-AM), San Antonio (KCOR-AM), Dallas (KFLC-AM), McAllen (KGBT-AM), Houston (KLAT-AM), New York (WADO-AM), and Miami (WQBA-AM).

Check out the Chicago Fire FC Statistics



Major League Soccer Stories from November 11, 2009


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central