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Stoitchkov, Fire Trounce Wizards

August 14, 2002 - Major League Soccer (MLS) News Release


NAPERVILLE, IL - Making his first start since August 18, 2001, forward Hristo Stoitchkov and the Chicago Fire defeated the Kansas City Wizards Wednesday night at Cardinal Stadium in Naperville, IL. Stoitchkov scored a goal and added an assist in a strong performance as part of a fast-paced game that continued the Fire's dominance of the Wizards at home. Chicago is now 7-0-0 at home all-time against Kansas City and goalkeeper Zach Thornton improved his record to 11-1 all-time against the Wizards. The Fire climbed over the MetroStars into the Eastern Conference lead, keeping pace with the Columbus Crew, who won earlier in the evening.

Kansas City and the ageless Preki took the lead in the eighth minute on his fifth goal of the season. The play started when forward Dario Fabbro broke in free on Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton for a point blank shot. Thornton proved up to the task, making the initial kick save. However, Preki was wide open at the edge of the penalty area for a left-footed blast. Thornton got a hand on it, but it wasn't enough, as the ball trickled into the goal.

Chicago came back with a pair of goals within three minutes of each other as the trio of forwards Ante Razov, Hristo Stoitchkov and Josh Wolff, making their first start together in Fire history, all figured in the scoring. The Fire tied the score in the 12th minute when DaMarcus Beasley scored his third goal on the campaign. Stoitchkov, starting as the supportive third forward, found midfielder Kelly Gray open 40 yards from goal. Gray sent a pass through two Kansas City defenders to a streaking Beasley, who turned Wizards defender Nick Garcia around and poked a left-footed shot past a diving Wizards goalkeeper Tony Meola, to end his shutout streak at 267 minutes.

Wolff gave the Fire the lead in the 15th minute when Gray and Razov played a give-and-go 25 yards away from goal. Gray streaked down the right wing, finally sending a cross into the box past Meola for a wide-open Wolff at the six-yard box. Wolff simply side-footed the ball into the back of the net for his fifth goal of the season.

After moving to a deeper right midfield position, Stoitchkov gave the Fire a comfortable halftime lead with a goal in the 44th minute. Defender Carlos Bocanegra began the play finding Wolff open at midfield. The U.S. National Team forward then sent Stoitchkov down the right wing on an overlapping run past a stunned Wizards defense. The former Bulgarian international deftly chipped the ball over an onrushing Meola at the right corner of the penalty area. Stoitchkov then caught up with the ball and slotted the ball home with his left foot for his second goal of the season.

Kansas City nearly got back in the game in the 59th minute with a series of close-range shots on goal. Forward Stephen Armstrong chipped the Chicago defense with a pass to second-half substitute Chris Brown who brought the ball down and fired a right-footed shot that Thornton punched away. The rebound went directly to Eric Quill for a header that defender C.J. Brown cleared off the goalline.

Ukrainian midfielder Dema Kovalenko scored his first goal of the season, delighting the over-capacity crowd of 15, 919 on Ukrainian Night. Beasley sent a cross from the left flank to Kovalenko who outran midfielder Francisco Gomez to score past Meola in the 88th minute.

After a lengthy delay that saw Garcia receive a red card for an open field foul on Beasley and Meola receive his second yellow card and subsequent red card from referee Erich Simmons for further descent, Razov finished off the scoring with a free kick goal from just outside the penalty area in stoppage time for his team-leading 12th goal of the season.

Both teams will return to action Sunday evening as the Chicago Fire (9-9-4, 31pts) will travel to New England to play the Revolution at 7:30 p.m. (ET) in the newly renamed Gillette Stadium. Kansas City (8-7-8, 32pts) will return to Arrowhead Stadium for the Wizards' first home game in three weeks when they face the Columbus Crew at 8:00 p.m. (ET).

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