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MLS Chicago Fire FC

Fire's Road Trip Continues Saturday With Brimstone Cup Clash at Dallas

September 15, 2003 - Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC News Release


After stretching its Eastern Conference lead to nine points over the MetroStars with an important 2-0 victory at Los Angeles last Saturday, the Chicago Fire (12-5-7, 43 points) will continue its three-game road swing with a Brimstone Cup battle against archrival Dallas Burn (4-16-4, 16 pts) this Saturday, September 20 at Dragon Stadium in Southlake, TX at 7:30 p.m. CT. The match will be broadcast live on Chicago Telemundo affiliate WSNS - Ch. 44 and can be heard live via Chicagoland radio stations WBIG 1280 AM (English), WNTD 950 AM Radio Unica (Spanish) and WNVR 1030 AM (Polish). The Fire, who now owns the best record in MLS along with the San Jose Earthquakes, will look to sweep the two-game season series against the Burn and take back the Brimstone Cup, which is awarded annually to the squad that earns the most points in all competitions between the old Central Division rivals. Chicago won the first of their two meetings this season 4-1 on June 18 at Cardinal Stadium and will bring the Brimstone Cup back to Chicagoland with either a win or draw on Saturday. The "Men in Red" hold a slim advantage in the all-time regular season series, which currently stands at 9-8-1 in favor of the Fire, but will look to improve upon its 2-6-1 mark in the Lone Star State against the Burn. Fire forward Ante Razov leads Chicago in scoring against Dallas with 19 points (8g, 3a), six of which came on a pair of goals and assists in Chicago's convincing win in June.

Rookies Register Big Against Galaxy

Chicago's young guns once again shined brightly and played an important role in the Fire's 2-0 win over the defending MLS Champion Los Angeles Galaxy last Saturday, but none more so than rookie strikers Damani Ralph and Nate Jaqua. The Fire used a goal each from its first two picks in last January's MLS SuperDraft to push its record to 12-5-7 and 43 points, which ties the club for the best record in MLS along with the San Jose Earthquakes. The goals were landmark tallies for both youngsters, as the 22-year-old Ralph continued to up his MLS rookie goal-scoring record by notching his eleventh goal of the season in the 58th minute, while the 21-year-old Jaqua came off the bench late and scored his first career MLS goal in the fourth minute of second half added time to seal the victory. In all, nearly half of the players that saw time for the "Men in Red" on Saturday for Head Coach Dave Sarachan were age 22 or younger, including four starters - Ralph (22), DaMarcus Beasley (21), Kelly Gray (22) and Justin Mapp (18) - and substitutes Jaqua (21) and Logan Pause (21).

Midfielder Jonathan Bolaños Arrives for Duty

After nearly a month in waiting, the Chicago Fire's newest acquisition, Costa Rican midfielder Jonathan Bolaños, acquired his work permit last week and has joined his Fire teammates. Bolaños met the Fire in Carson, CA last Friday but did not appear on the line-up sheet for the club's 2-0 win over Los Angeles on Saturday. The 25-year-old playmaker returned with the team on Monday from Southern California and will be in the Fire camp for the remainder of the 2003 season. The arrival of Bolaños means that Fire Head Coach Dave Sarachan now has all 22 players on his active roster available for service. The Fire acquired Bolanos on August 21 to fill in the senior international slot that was vacated when Chicago traded forward Rodrigo Faria to San Jose for a conditional draft pick in the 2004 MLS SuperDraft.

"Red October" Coming to Chicago

With the Fire's return to Soldier Field set for October, the "Men in Red" are preparing to say goodbye to their temporary home at North Central College's Cardinal Stadium in Naperville, where the team has played since April 2002. The club will host only two more matches in Naperville, on Tuesday, Sept. 23 at 7:00 p.m. CT against the L.A. Galaxy (U.S. Open Cup semis) and a regular season match, also against the Galaxy, on Saturday, Oct. 4 at 7:30 p.m. CT. The Fire will inaugurate the new soccer field at Soldier Field by hosting the Columbus Crew on Friday, Oct. 10 at 8:00 p.m. and close the regular season at home against the Colorado Rapids on Saturday, Oct. 18 at 8:00 p.m. CT. The Fire played its first four seasons (1998 - 2001) at Soldier Field, garnering the 1998 and 2000 Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Championships at Chicago's lakefront landmark. The Fire posted a remarkable 45-13-4 record (.758) - the best home-winning percentage in MLS history -- during the team's first four seasons at Soldier Field.

Single-game tickets for the two October matches at Soldier Field can be purchased online via Ticketmaster.com or by visiting any Ticketmaster outlet or calling 312-559-1212. For information, please call 1-888-MLS-FIRE.

7th Annual Christopher House 5K Run/Walk for Literacy with Jesse Marsch This Thursday

The Chicago Fire and the club's charitable arm - the FireWorks For Kids Foundation - will sponsor the 7th Annual Christopher House 5K Run/Walk for Literacy, taking place this Thursday, September 18 beginning at 6:30 p.m. CT at Diversey Harbor in Lincoln Park in Chicago. Soccer fans and fitness buffs alike are invited to join Honorary Chairman Jesse Marsch and other members of the Fire for a competitive race or a relaxing stroll along the beautiful lakefront to benefit this great cause. Registration for the event is $22, which includes admittance to a post-race party at Duffy's (located at 422 ½ W Diversey Pkwy.), a t-shirt for the first 800 entrants, entry into a raffle drawing, post-race refreshments at the race site and a goody bag full of discounts & samples. For more information on the event, please call the FWFK offices at 312.705.7218 or visit the "Community" section of .

Chicago Fire ACE/Tru-Fit Injury Report
No injuries to report

Chicago Prepares for Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Semifinals vs. Los Angeles

The Fire will renew its rivalry with the Los Angeles Galaxy when the two sides meet in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup semifinals on Tuesday, September 23 at Cardinal Stadium at 7:00 p.m. CT. The match will be broadcast live via Fox Sports World. Chicago will be squaring off against the Galaxy in the semifinals of America's oldest soccer tournament for the third time in four seasons, with the clubs splitting a pair of overtime thrillers at Titan Stadium in Fullerton, CA in 2000 (a 2-1 Chicago victory) and 2001 (a 1-0 Fire loss). Tickets for the match can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com, by visiting any Ticketmaster outlet or by calling Ticketmaster at 312-559-1212. Tickets are also available at the Cardinal Stadium Box Office, located at 455 S. Brainard Street in Naperville, IL Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. or by visiting the Chicago Fire offices, located at 980 N. Michigan Avenue, Suite 1998, Monday-Friday during regular business hours. Season ticket holders should use the ticket marked "Bonus Game A" from their season ticket packages. Note to media: Chicago Fire media credentials will be honored at the match (Parking pass Bonus Game A).

The Trail to "The Triple"

While there is a lot of soccer left to be played in the 2003 season, the Fire remains a threat to pull off a feat that has yet to be achieved by a club in the eight-year history of Major League Soccer - "The Triple," which consists of winning the MLS Supporters Shield (regular season champion), MLS Cup and the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup. The Fire is currently tied with San Jose on top of the League table with identical 12-5-7 records (43 points) and remains one of four teams still alive in the U.S. Open Cup tournament, along with Los Angeles, D.C. United and the MetroStars. Chicago became the second MLS club to win "The Double" in 1998 (United was the first in 1996) when it took home the MLS Cup and U.S. Open Cup championships in its inaugural season.

One Month Until Mexico-Uruguay at Soldier Field

The Chicago Fire will host the first international soccer friendly at the renovated Soldier Field when the national teams of Mexico and Uruguay square off on Wednesday, October 15 at 8:00 p.m. CT. Tickets for the friendly are now on sale and will range from $25 to $50. Tickets can be purchased through Ticketmaster at www.ticketmaster.com or by calling 312-559-1212. Tickets can also be purchased at the Chicago Fire offices, 980 N. Michigan, Suite 1998 in Chicago, Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. or at the Chicago Fire Box Office at Cardinal Stadium, located at 455 S. Brainard in Naperville, IL, Monday-Friday from 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m. CT through October 4. Group discounts are available by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE.

Fox Sports Net to Broadcast Return to Soldier Field via Tape-Delay on October 10

The Chicago Fire has announced that Fox Sports Net will carry the tape-delayed broadcast of the Fire's match on October 10 versus the Columbus Crew, airing at 11:00 p.m. CT. The match, which will kick-off at 8:00 p.m. CT, will mark the Fire's return to the city of Chicago and its first game in the renovated Soldier Field.

Etc.

· Saturday will mark Chicago's first-ever match at the Burn's temporary home of Dragon Stadium in Southlake, TX. Dallas will call Southlake home until the 2005 season, when it will begin playing in a new, 20,000-seat soccer-specific stadium that will be part of The Frisco Soccer Complex in Frisco, TX. Upon completion, the showcase stadium in Frisco will be the third soccer-specific stadium in MLS.

· With his 2-0 shutout win last Saturday against Los Angeles, goalkeeper Zach Thornton moved his career shutout total to 42. Thornton ranks second in the category and is now just five behind Kansas City's Tony Meola for the all-time top spot in clean sheets.

· Fire midfielders Chris Armas and Andy Williams will be signing autographs and greeting fans at a pair of appearances sponsored by Remy Martin Cognac in Elgin, IL this Thursday, September 18. Armas, named "Man of the Match" against Los Angeles last Saturday, will appear at 2J's Wine and Spirits, located at 950 E. Chicago Street, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. Fans can catch Williams, the Fire's assist leader in 2003, at Nick's Liquor, located at 71 Clock Tower Plaza, from 6:00-7:30 p.m. CT.

· With its win on Saturday, the Fire took over the best all-time winning percentage in MLS regular season play from the Galaxy. Chicago's career record of 94-59-22 (.6000) puts them barely ahead of Los Angeles (130-84-24, .5966) in the category. With a win this Saturday at Dallas, Chicago will also pass the Galaxy for the best road record in league history. The Fire currently possesses a road winning percentage of .4828 (37-40-10), putting them just behind the Galaxy's mark of .4832 (51-55-13).

· The Fire's Mexican sister team, Monarcas Morelia, continued to struggle in the Comex Apetura tournament after suffering at 4-2 setback to Puebla in Week 7 play last Saturday at Cuauhtemoc Stadium in Puebla, Mexico.

Despite the loss, Morelia (2-3-2, 8 pts.) remains tied with Cruz Azul in second place in the Group 3 standings, five points behind group-leading Tigres (4-1-1, 13 pts.). Monarcas will break from league play this Wednesday, September 17 when it hosts fellow Mexican side Toluca in the first leg of the CONCACAF Champions Cup finals at Morelos Stadium in Morelia, Mexico at 7:30 p.m. CT. The "Monarchs" are making their second straight appearance in the Champions Cup finals and will look to better their 0-1 result against Pachuca FC, also of Mexico, in the finals of last year's regional club showcase tournament. Morelia will return to Comex Apetura play on Saturday, September 20 when it hosts U.N.A.M. (Pumas) at Morelos Stadium at 5:00 p.m. CT.

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