MLS Chicago Fire FC

Scoring Scheme

by Steve De Rose
Published on August 29, 2006 under Major League Soccer (MLS)
Chicago Fire FC


The Chicago Fire defeated the New England Revolution by 2-1, via two goals from Andy Herron, with one from the penalty spot, on Wednesday, August 23 at "Sarge" Kracher Stadium in Bridgeview, IL. The Revolution goal was a header by Taylor Twellman. The Fire advance, and will host a semi-final match of the Lamar Hunt U. S. Open Cup tournament versus Peter Novak and D. C. United on Wednesday, September 6 in Bridgeview at 7:30 hours Central time.

The Fire had defeated the Revolution in Massachusetts on Sunday afternoon by nil-1 via a ripper goal from Andy Herron. For the turnabout, and the second consecutive ‘series' for Chicago involving an MLS game and a U.S. Open Cup match, both teams changed their goalkeepers. Doug Warren got the start in net for New England, and Matt Pickens started again for Chicago. Neither keeper has as much as one minute on the pitch in MLS play.

The Fire had the first opportunity to score. In the seventh minute, a corner kick was redirected to Gonzalo Segares outside the box on the right center. His partially-screened shot missed the left post by a few yards.

The Revolution then had a chance. A forward ball stayed on the pitch near the end line and was crossed toward the center. But the New England player to whom the serve was made was in poor position and could not put the shot on the net.

The Fire scored in the 12th minute. A long ball upfield from Leonard Griffin had surprised Revolution players appealing for offside again. This time, they did not get it. Calen Carr roared into the right edge of the penalty box and made the forward angling pass for a striding Herron to tap in at the left post. Revolution players may still be petitioning for the offside flag.

Since they weren't going to be able to kill 120 minutes and take their chances with penalty kicks as they had in their previous U.S. Open Cup match in Rochester versus the Rhinos, the Revolution now had to actually attack. Two minutes thereafter, a cross from the right wing was headed by Taylor Twellman. The shot was aimed at the top of the goal, but Pickens leaped and saved it.

A scary moment came two minutes later when Herron and Warren went for a 50/50 ball at the top of the New England penalty box on the left wing. They crashed into each other, and both went down writhing in pain. Warren threw the ball into touch and collapsed again. Herron did not move for over two minutes and was removed by stretcher. Warren recovered more swiftly.

Herron had an astounding revival.

While he was being examined by Fire medics, New England had an 11 v. 10 corner kick. A struck ball was bounding toward the left side of the net, but Pickens leapt and parried it around his post. This was when Herron returned to play.

But he was in no position to prevent New England from finally capitalizing on a dead ball situation. The ensuing left-wing corner kick was flicked on by Clint Dempsey to a slippery Twellman off the right post. He looped the ball over a Fire player on the line for 1-1, in the 27th minute.

This brought on a span of comprehensive and cohesive play by the Revolution. They controlled possession, the midfield, and were having potentially hazardous forays toward the Fire net.

So of course, the Fire nearly scored against the run of play. In the 34th minute, Carr dribbled past New England's Jay Heaps and came in alone on Warren on the right wing. Warren was ruled to have gotten some fingers on his shot, which narrowly missed the left post.

After some more controlled possession by the Revolution, but only one threatening shot by Steve Ralston from twenty yards out, which was saved by Pickens; the Fire nearly scored again against the run.

This time a three v. three with Ivan Guerrero accompanying Carr and Herron had Guerrero touch the ball onto the right wing for Herron. Warren was leaning to his left, but Herron's shot from twelve yards out to his right was not far enough away that his legs were still in position to deflect the ball away from the net.

New England's ‘best' chance was one not entirely of its own manufacture. In the final minute of the first half, a shot from the top of the penalty box struck a Fire player in the box and deflected toward the left post. Pickens, who had been committing to the right post, needed to leap the opposite direction. He managed to get enough of his body into the path of the shot to push it out for a left-wing corner kick.

To complete the half we had an episode swiped from professional wrestling. Another speculative ball toward the New England net saw both Warren and Carr in competition. Warren got to the ball first just inside his penalty box on the left wing center and scooped it into his arms. Carr encountered him at the precise moment when Warren was bending over to scoop it up. Warren raised up, and Carr was back-dropped over his body and onto the pitch. I believe you will see this footage on some future soccer highlight tape. Halftime came 1-1.

New England nearly scored in the first minute of the second half. Twellman again got some space on his defender and essayed a header from eight yards out, but his bounding header missed the right post.

In minute 57 came the key play of the match. The Fire again caught the Revolution attempting to play the offside trap and counter-attacked into space in their half of the pitch. Carr latched on to the through ball and dribbled into the penalty box on the left center. He pushed the ball by Warren and swerved to the left. Warren threw out his right arm and tripped him. The penalty was given, but Warren was shown only the yellow card.

On the penalty: Herron strode slowly up to the ball. Warren reacted toward the left post, and Herron pushed the ball slightly to the right of where he had originated.

The Fire nearly made it 3-1 in minute 79. Brian Plotkin caught up to a ball before it went out of play on the right wing. He crossed toward a semi-open Carr near the uncovered left post of the six-yard box, but a Revolution defender made a superb recovery to intercept the cross and deflect it away for a corner kick.

New England got their second wind as time wound down. In the first minute, of four, of second-half stoppage time, with Chicago trying to pack in the match, a New England cross into their penalty box was inadvertently flicked back toward their net, giving Twellman one more chance to head the ball on the net toward the right upper corner. Pickens leapt and made a superb save, and gave no rebound.

New England would finally reach their boiling point in the final minute of stoppage time. On a left-wing corner kick, there was more than the typical jostling in the penalty box before the restart. Soon came extended arms, and hands pointed in the direction of Chicago players. Catcalls and shoves ensued. But somehow, when things were finally sorted out, the only caution in the entire meleé was issued to the Fire's Chad Barrett, who had been on the pitch for all of five and one-half minutes.

The corner kick was repelled, and full time came 2-1.

Chicago Fire (adidas: Red | Red | Red): #18 Matt Pickens; #4 Leonard Griffin, #5 Jim Curtin, #25 Gonzalo Segares; #8 Diego Gutierrez, #12 Logan Pause, #16 Brian Plotkin (#9 Chad Barrett 88'), #23 Ivan Guerrero, #31 Floyd Franks (#11 Nate Jaqua 46'); #3 Calen Carr, #26 Andy Herron (#14 Chris Armas 81').

New England Revolution (adidas: White | White | White): #12 Doug Warren; #6 Jay Heaps, #15 Michael Parkhurst, #16 James Riley; #2 Clint Dempsey, #8 Joe Franchino (#7 Jose Cancela 69'), #14 Steve Ralston, #21 Shalrie Joseph, #25 Andy Dorman; #11 Pat Noonan (#18 Khano Smith 69').

Scoring:

CHI - Andy Herron (Calen Carr) 12'

NWE - Taylor Twellman (Clint Dempsey) 27'

CHI - Andy Herron (penalty kick) 58'

Discipline:

NWE - Joe Franchino (yellow) 51'

CHI - Nate Jaqua (yellow) 54'

NWE - Doug Warren (yellow) 57'

CHI - Andy Herron (yellow) 67'

NWE - Jay Heaps (yellow) 67'

NWE - Khano Smith (yellow) 75'

CHI - Chad Barrett (yellow) 94+'

Referee: Jair Marrufo

Attendance: 5,214

In the other U. S. Open Cup quarterfinal, D.C. United defeated the New York Red Bulls by 3-1; the Houston Dynamo eliminated last year's runners-up FC Dallas by 3-nil; and the defending champion Los Angeles Galaxy thwarted the Colorado Rapids by 3-1 after extra time.

Chicago will host D.C. and Los Angeles will host Houston in the semi-finals on Wednesday, September 6. The final will be on Wednesday, September 27, at the home of one of the finalists. The determination will be made by the U.S.S.F.

Check out the Chicago Fire FC Statistics

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Major League Soccer Stories from August 29, 2006


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