Fire Eye Second Half Climb
Published on August 1, 2011 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release
The Chicago Fire (2-6-12, 18 points) begin the second half of the 2011 MLS campaign in earnest this week with two matches in five days. The Men in Red will look to climb up the Eastern Conference table when they welcome Philadelphia Union (8-5-7, 31 points) to TOYOTA PARK on Wednesday, Aug. 3 at 8:00 p.m. CT (My50).
Following the mid-week battle, the Fire will make their inaugural trip to Vancouver to take on the Whitecaps at Empire Field on Sunday, Aug. 7 at 6:00 p.m. CT (Galavision). Traditionally, the Fire have performed well against expansion sides in their first meeting, going 9-4-5, while outscoring first-year clubs 29 to 17.
With six league games in August, the year's eighth month will be telling as it relates to the Fire's 2011 playoff hopes. There is reason to be optimistic as August has been the club's best month, going 35-24-8, earning 113 points in late summer since the club's inception in 1998.
The two-match week will be a reunion of sorts for three Fire Originals who all captured the American Double together with the Fire in 1998. Frank Klopas, Peter Nowak and Tom Soehn were all members of the squad that lifted the MLS Cup and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy in the Fire's first season. Klopas will meet his two former teammates for the first time as interim head coach of the Fire.
CHICAGO FIRE vs. Philadelphia Union
* The Fire are 1-2-0 against the Union in three matches since the Philadelphia side entered the league in 2010.
* In the first meeting of the season the Men in Red found themselves on the wrong end of a 2-1 result when Carlos Ruiz' 75th minute golazo beat Jon Conway from 40 yards out to give Philadelphia the win at PPL Park May 21.
* There are five current MLS coaches who have captured a MLS Cup as a player. They are Frank Klopas, Peter Nowak, Peter Vermes, Tom Soehn and Ben Olsen. Of those, three (Klopas, Nowak and Soehn) played for the 1998 Chicago Fire team that won the Double in the club's first season.
* Union manager Peter Nowak, a Fire Original, appeared in 114 games, starting all 114, scoring 26 goals and adding 48 assists during four seasons with the Fire from 1998-2002. Original Fire captain Peter Nowak returns to the Chicago for the second time as coach of the Philadelphia Union. The match will mark his 19th against the Fire at the helm of another team, with the Fire going 9-6-3 across all competitions against teams coached by their former captain.
* Recently acquired players Dan Gargan and Pavel Pardo will be available for selection by interim head coach Frank Klopas. Defender Yamith Cuesta is suspended for the match following his second yellow induced red card against the Portland Timbers July 16.
* The Union will be without leading scorer Carlos Ruiz. The 31-year-old Guatemalan is on the move after sitting out the team's 2-1 loss to the Colorado Rapids on Friday evening.
CHICAGO FIRE at Vancouver Whitecaps
* Sunday's match at Empire Field marks the first time the Men in Red will challenge the Vancouver Whitecaps.
* The Fire tied the Whitecaps 0-0 in the first meeting of the season. The Men in Red were unable to capitalize on a slew of chances before drawing the expansion side at TOYOTA PARK May 7.
* The Chicago Fire have a few ties with the Whitecaps. Vancouver assistant coach Denis Hamlett served as an assistant for the Fire from 1998-2007, before becoming the team's head coach from 2008-09. Veteran midfielder John Thorrington wore Fire Red from 2005-2010, while defender and U.S. international Jay DeMerit played for the inaugural Chicago Fire Reserves (now Chicago Fire Premier) team during the 2001 Premier Development League season.
* Whitecaps head coach Tommy Soehn, a Chicago product, appeared in 48 games for the Men in Red from 1998-2000. Coincidentally, Soehn and fellow 1998 MLS Cup winner Frank Klopas were named head coaches of their respective clubs on the same day - May 30, 2011.
CHICAGO FIRE FOUNDATION HOSTS WHITE PARTY IN THE NAME OF CHARITY The Chicago Fire Foundation will host a White Party Presented by the Men in Red on Thursday, Aug. 4 at the MCA Warehouse (1747 W. Hubbard).
The unique, stylish event provides an opportunity to sip cocktails and get to know the Fire and the Fire Foundation away from the field. The White Party will feature a premium open bar, live DJ, hors d'oeuvres provided by local Chicago restaurants and gift bag for each guest. Attendees must be rocking all white outfits. All proceeds from the White Party will benefit the Chicago Fire Foundation. For more information click here: http://chicagofirewhiteparty.eventbrite.com.
CHICAGO FIRE TO CHALLENGE FAMED MEXICAN SIDE CLUB DEPORTIVO GUADALAJARA PRESENTED BY MILLER LITE AT TOYOTA PARK ON SEPTEMBER 14
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club will welcome for the first time at TOYOTA PARK the 11-time champions in the Primera Divisi�n in Mexican Soccer, Club Deportivo Guadalajara in an international friendly Presented by Miller Lite on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 8:00 p.m. CT.
Advance tickets for the Chicago Fire and Chivas del Guadalajara match go on sale Friday, July 15 at noon CT are available by calling 888-MLS-Fire or by visiting Chicago-Fire.com. The international friendly will serve as Bonus Game 1 in the Fire's Season Ticket Package. Supporters can purchase a ticket for the Fire - CD Guadalajara match by placing a deposit on Chicago Fire Season Tickets for the 2012 season.
The Fire and Chivas del Guadalajara have only faced each other once previously in an international friendly at Soldier Field Stadium on July 13 of 2000. The Men in Red fell to the Red and White 1-0 in front of 22,260 supporters at the former Fire home.
TICKETS ON SALE FOR CHICAGO FIRE - RICHMOND KICKERS LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP SEMIFINAL BATTLE
The Chicago Fire will host the Richmond Kickers in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinal at TOYOTA PARK on Tuesday, Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Fire defeated the New York Red Bulls 4-0 to advance to the semifinal of the nation's longest standing team tournament Tuesday night at TOYOTA PARK. Richmond used two late goals to upend Sporting Kansas City at LIVESTRONG Sporting Park Tuesday night in Kansas City, Kan.
Advance tickets for the Fire - Kickers match are available by calling 888-MLS-Fire, via Chicago-Fire.com and Ticketmaster. Tickets start as low at $10 for Chicago Fire Season Ticket Holders. The U.S. Open Cup tilt is not part of the Fire Season Ticket package. Season Ticket Holders can use their season parking passes and park at no additional cost.
Since 1998, the Fire have racked up an impressive 27-8-3 record in Open Cup play, which has helped the squad reach the semifinal round on eight out of 14 occasions and the tournament's final five times. The 2006 title marked the ninth time a team from Chicago won the Open Cup and made the Fire one of five teams to capture the crown at least four times in the tournament's nearly century-long history.
Major League Soccer Stories from August 1, 2011
- Union to visit Chicago on Wednesday before facing Houston Saturday - Philadelphia Union
- Earthquakes Weekly Update - San Jose Earthquakes
- Sounders FC News & Notes - Seattle Sounders FC
- United Drives to Collect School Supplies During Month of August - D.C. United
- FC Dallas Hosts Alianza FC at Pizza Hut Park this Wednesday - FC Dallas
- D.C. United's De Rosario voted MLS Player of the Week - MLS
- Dwayne De Rosario Named MLS Player of the Week - D.C. United
- Rapids take on Columbus Crew at home on Friday night - Colorado Rapids
- Fire Eye Second Half Climb - Chicago Fire FC
- Sporting Kansas City to Face Real Salt Lake, Seattle Sounders FC this Week - Sporting Kansas City
- Red Bulls Win 2011 Emirates Cup After 1-1 Tie with Arsenal - Red Bull New York
- Vancouver Whitecaps FC Crushed by Galaxy 4-0 - Vancouver Whitecaps FC
- Chivas USA Heatstruck in Dallas - Club Deportivo Chivas USA
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