MLS Chicago Fire FC

Fire Weekly Update

Published on December 8, 2003 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


Justin Mapp Shines at FIFA World Championship

Fire midfielder Justin Mapp scored the game-winning goal in the seventh minute to help the U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team advance to the quarterfinals of the FIFA World Youth Championship with a 2-0 win against African nation Ivory Coast earlier today at Al-Maktoum Stadium in Dubai (United Arab Emirates). The victory advances the U.S. to the quarterfinals of a FIFA World Youth Championship for the first time since the tournament increased to 24 teams in 1997. Mapp, who started and played all 90 minutes, has appeared in all four contests (337 minutes) for the U.S.

The goal started after U.S. captain Bobby Convey flicked a ball over his head to the streaking Mapp, who flew by the Ivory Coast backline and collected the ball 30 yards from goal for a breakaway against goalkeeper Drissa Toure. The 18-year-old midfielder calmly slotted the ball past Toure and into his left side netting. The U.S. made it 2-0 when Dallas Burn standout Eddie Johnson converted a penalty kick in the 43rd minute.

The U.S. will face Argentina in the quarterfinals on Friday, Dec. 12 at 9 p.m. (local) at Mohammed Bin Zayed Stadium in Abu Dhabi. The match will be broadcast live on Galavision at 10:55 a.m. CT and can also be followed live via ussoccer.com's MatchTracker, presented by Philips Electronics.

Said Mapp of facing Argentina, "They are the defending champions and one of the best teams in the world. It will be a great test, but if you want to get to the final, you have to beat the best."

Today's victory was the third of the tournament for the U.S. in four games, marking the first time in nine FIFA World Youth Championship appearances that the team has ever won three matches outright.

Fire Trio Look to Impress at National Team Camp

Three members of the Fire's backline, Jim Curtin, Orlando Perez and Evan Whitfield, have been invited to the U.S. Men's National Team's weeklong training camp beginning this Friday, Dec. 12 at the Home Depot Center in Carson, California. All three players will be making their first appearance in a National Team camp under the direction of U.S. Head Coach Bruce Arena. The camp will mark the U.S. squad's first visit to the National Training Center since the facility opened last June. To read more about the Fire trio with the U.S. National Team, please visit www.chicago-fire.com

Myernick Calls Gray, Jaqua and Pause

U.S. Under-23 Men's National Team Head Coach Glenn Myernick today called upon three members of the "Men in Red" to his 19-player roster for a week-long camp at the National Training Center in Carson, Calif., beginning on Friday, Dec. 12. Fire defender Kelly Gray, midfielder Logan Pause and forward Nate Jaqua will join teammates Jim Curtin, Evan Whitfield and Orlando Perez in Carson, as Myernicks' U-23 camp will run concurrently with Bruce Arena's full MNT camp. After a brief break for the holidays, the U-23s are scheduled to regroup in January 2004 in Carson for a two-week camp before heading south of the border to Guadalajara, Mexico for final preparations for the final round of CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying from Feb. 2-12, 2004.

Fire Academy: Discovering Talent

The Chicago Fire Academy, a year-round supplemental training program for boys and girls, will be holding a talent viewing session for the U-10 to U-16 age groups this Friday, Dec. 12 from 5:00-7:00 p.m. CT at the Schaumburg Sports Center, 1141 W. Irving Park Road in Schaumburg, IL. The top players selected from this session will be offered a place in the Academy at one of its three training groups, located in the north and west suburbs and in Chicago. For more information on Friday's event or how to join the Fire Academy, please visit the Youth Development section of www.chicago-fire.com or call the Fire Academy at 312-705-7212.

"Mona Lisa" in Chicago

The FireWorks for Kids (FWFK) Foundation - the charitable arm of the Chicago Fire - has announced that it will present the Midwest Premier of the soon to be released motion picture Mona Lisa Smile, starring Julia Roberts, at the Regal Cinemas in Lincolnshire, IL, located at 300 Parkway Drive, on Thursday, Dec. 18. The event will begin with a wine and cheese reception at 6:00 p.m. CT, followed by the sneak preview of the feature motion picture. Tickets to the premier will cost $20, with all proceeds benefiting FWFK. The Academy Award®-winning Roberts heads an all-star cast featuring Kirsten Dunst, Julia Stiles and Maggie Gyllenhaal. Mona Lisa Smile is an uplifting and poignant drama about one woman's desire to enrich the lives of her students. For more information on the event, please call FWFK at 312-705-7260.

Beasley and Bocanegra Named Finalists for U.S. Soccer's Chevy Male Athlete of the Year

U.S. Soccer has announced that two members of the Chicago Fire, midfielder DaMarcus Beasley and defender Carlos Bocanegra, have been named among the seven finalists for the Chevy Male Athlete of the Year award. Soccer fans from across the globe will be able to vote once a day for their picks for U.S. Soccer's four major individual awards - Male, Female, Young Male and Young Female Athletes of the Year - until Dec. 31 by visiting ussoccer.com. U.S. Soccer, in conjunction with Chevrolet, will announce the winners of the four prestigious awards in January. Fire midfielder and captain Chris Armas is the only other member of the "Men in Red" to win the award while donning the Fire red after taking home the honor in 2000.

The 21-year-old Beasley will be looking to take home his second Chevy Athlete of the Year award after winning the 2001 Young Male Athlete of the Year honor. This year, the speedy midfielder appeared in 12 of the U.S. Men's National Team's 16 games, starting at left flank for two important tournaments in the 2003 FIFA Confederations Cup and the 2003 CONCACAF Gold Cup. "Beas" was also one of the Fire's biggest offensive sparks, scoring a career-high seven goals and five assists for 19 points while being named to MLS's "Best Eleven." Bocanegra had a coming-out party in 2003 with the U.S. MNT, starting in 13/16 games and finished second on the team in minutes played. The 24-year-old UCLA product displayed an effective scoring touch, racking up four goals to become just the fourth U.S. defender to do so in a calendar year. With the Fire, the two-time MLS Defender of the Year appeared in 23 regular season contests and contributed four points while helping Chicago to its third MLS Cup final.

Fire to Take Part in Third Annual "Mayor's Holiday Sports Fest" at McCormick Place

This holiday season, the Fire will be participating in the Third Annual "Mayor Daley's Holiday Sports Festival," taking place from Dec. 27-29 at Chicago's McCormick Place. The Holiday Sports Festival is an all-ages sporting event that includes tournaments and interactive 'play' zones. Admission and interactive zones are free of charge and open daily from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., with tournament hours varying depending on the sport. Pre-registration is required for those wishing to participate in the tournaments, which include volleyball, soccer, table tennis and 3-on-3 basketball. There is a nominal fee for soccer, volleyball and basketball. This year's expanded interactive sports zones include golf, wall climbing, bowling and martial arts. For more information, please visit the "events" section at www.cityofchicago.org

Etc.

* Forwards Ante Razov and Damani Ralph and midfielder Jesse Marsch were each named finalists by Sports Profiles in three separate categories for the 16th Annual Chicago Sports Fans Choice Awards, to be held on Tuesday, Dec. 9. Razov is one of 11 Chicagoland players nominated for the "Chicago MVP Award," while his strike partner Ralph has been named one of seven finalists in the "Chicago's Rising Star" category. Marsch has been honored as a finalist for the "Chicago Humanitarian Award." Fans can view a one-hour special on the Chicago Sports Awards on Fox Sports Net on Dec. 28 at 3:30 p.m. CT.

* Fire midfielder Andy Williams has left the United States for England to serve a trial with English First Division side Coventry City. The 26-year old Jamaican international began his trial last Wednesday and is expected to train with the club for ten days. Williams, a six-year MLS veteran, joined the Fire just before its 2003 campaign and finished the year as Chicago's fourth leading scorer with 11 points on two goals and a team-high seven assists. Williams, whose contract with Major League Soccer will expire at the end of the month, has notched 72 points (12g, 48a) during his six MLS seasons with Columbus, Miami, New England, MetroStars and Chicago. Coventry currently stands in 15th place in the 24-team English Nationwide First Division.

* Five members of last year's Chicago Fire Reserves squad that finished as the runner-up in the USL's Premier Development League have been invited by Major League Soccer to participate in the 2004 adidas MLS Player Combine, which will take place from Jan 11-13 at The Home Depot Center in Carson, CA. The Fire Reserve players are among 54 of the top collegiate players in the country that have been invited to the combine thus far. The five Fire Reserves representatives participating at the adidas MLS combine are goalkeeper Matt Pickens (SW Missouri State), defender Kevin Wickart (St. Louis University), midfielder Tighe Dombrowski (University of Wisconsin - Milwaukee) and forwards Kirk Harwat (Akron University) and Jamal Sutton (SW Missouri State).

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Major League Soccer Stories from December 8, 2003


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