MLS Chicago Fire FC

Chicago Fire takes two in 2007 preseason openers

February 10, 2007 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


BRADENTON, FL - The Chicago Fire began the exhibition portion of its 2007 preseason schedule in impressive fashion on Saturday by shutting out a pair of foes on the campus of the IMG Academies in Bradenton, Fla. The "Men in Red" opened the proceedings on a winning note with a 4-0 shutout of the University of South Florida Bulls in a morning contest before blanking the U.S. Under-17 Men's National Team by a 2-0 score in an afternoon affair. Forwards Calen Carr and Jerson Monteiro each contributed a goal and an assist on the day, while midfielder Logan Pause was the only player to notch multiple assists with a pair of helpers. In all, six different players would tally a goal and eight players picked up an assist among the 30 players that saw action for the "Men in Red" across the two contests.

Fire 4, Univ. of South Florida 0

The Fire jumped out quickly in the opener - played in three, 30-minute periods - with a pair of goals in the opening half hour. After taking a corner kick in the 13th minute the Fire twice disallowed the Bulls to clear the ball out of danger, and the persistence paid off when defender Jeff Curtin's deflection bounced right to Monteiro, whose half-volley from 15 yards out found the upper right corner to put the Fire up 1-0. Chicago would cash in on a nice build-up in the 29th minute, as a cross from the right wing by midfielder Logan Pause into the area found forward Chad Barrett near the penalty spot. Barrett deftly laid off to midfielder Ivan Guerrero, who hit a low blast from 16 yards out into the back of the net to double the Chicago advantage. South Florida nearly got one back at the end of the 30 minutes on a corner kick, but a 12-yard effort from straight out clanged off the right post and out of danger to end the period.

South Florida's best chance of the match came in the 48th minute on a quick counter-attack, but Fire goalkeeper Josh Saunders, fresh off the bench in place of David Mahoney, made the stop of the match, making a low, reflex save to keep the Bulls off the board. Three minutes into the third stanza the Fire struck again, as forward Calen Carr put forward Andrae Clarke into space on the right flank, from where he sent a powerful pass across the penalty area that midfielder Roody Lormera headed home from eight yards to put Chicago up 3-0. The Fire would end the scoring in the 87th minute when Carr - last year's preseason leading scorer for the Fire - collected a long pass played over the defense by midfielder Brian Plotkin and dribbled around the drawn-out Bulls goalkeeper before patiently cutting into the middle of the area and slotting home from 12 yards out.

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