MLS Chicago Fire FC

Fire Inched 2-1 by Los Angeles

Published on September 7, 2002 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


Naperville, IL (Saturday, September 7, 2002) - The Chicago Fire dropped a heartbreaking 2-1 game to the Los Angeles Galaxy in front of a sell out crowd of 15,731 rabid Fire fans at Cardinal Stadium in Naperville, IL. Galaxy forward Carlos Ruiz scored twice to down the Fire and counter Fire midfield stalwart Jesse Marsch's first goal of the season to drop the Fire's record to 11-13-4 for 34 points.

"We have been in the midst of more than our share (of bad luck)," said Fire Head Coach Bob Bradley. "The game changed in the second half with the second yellow card for Dema. We still had our chances to get the second goal and Ruiz is a guy you have to keep track of. He managed to get loose on a corner kick and at that point a lot of hard work and a lot of good soccer is tossed out because it is 1-1."

In the 87th minute, Galaxy defender Craig Weibel stole the ball from Fire captain Peter Nowak and cleared the ball to safety to Peter Vagenas. The Olympian found Mauricio Cienfuegos in the center of the midfield and he sent a pass to the right wing to Simon Elliott. The New Zealand international then sent a crossing pass to an onrushing Ruiz on the left wing. Ruiz settled the pass and blasted an 18-yard shot past a diving Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton and into the lower left corner to give Los Angeles a 2-1 advantage and the win, giving Ruiz his fifth goal of the season against the Fire.

"This pretty much sums up our whole season," said Fire forward Ante Razov. "During the game we had an advantage with 10 men and we gave that away. Then we lost it at the end of the game. We had a lot of chances and we should have put them away, but we didn't. That is pretty much how our season has gone."

Los Angeles tied the game in the 79th minute, on Ruiz's first goal of the game. Elliott sent in a corner kick into the box finding the head of Ruiz. The Galaxy's all-time leading scorer against the Fire drove the header past Thornton and into the back of the net to tie the game at one.

The Fire struck early in the game with an eighth minute tally from Marsch. Nowak picked up a clearance from the Galaxy defense and found Razov on the right wing with a pass. The Fire's all-time leading scorer crossed a pass to the far post, where defender C.J. Brown got his head on the ball, but L.A. defender Alexi Lalas deflected the ball. Brown quickly passed the ball across the front of the Galaxy net finding the Fire's all-time leader in games played. Marsch buried a right-footed shot past Galaxy goalkeeper Kevin Hartman and into the net to record his first goal of the season and put Chicago in the lead 1-0. The Fire "Iron Man" has now recorded a goal in all seven MLS seasons. Razov also recorded his fifth straight game with a point, snapping the team's season-high. The goal also snapped the Fire's 191-minute scoreless streak against the Galaxy dating back to April 6.

The Fire unleashed a season-high 23 shots in the game including 17 in the first half. Chicago also saw four shots ring the posts on the night with Razov, Nowak, Dema Kovalenko, and Carlos Bocanegra hitting the woodwork. Both teams saw red as Galaxy defender Ezra Hendrickson was issued his second yellow card of the game at the end of the first half after fouling DaMarcus Beasley. In the 51st minute, Kovalenko was shown his second yellow card after diving in the L.A. box after a one-on-one break away with Hartman.

"We have lost three games the same way," said Nowak. "This is something we talk about and we know we should not lose this way. This is soccer. If you do not finish your chances, sometimes you are going to be surprised. We played very good soccer, but after two shots we lost the game. The team has worked so hard and it is just disappointing. Sometimes soccer just works this way."

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Major League Soccer Stories from September 7, 2002


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