Itamar Batista scored a goal and converted the final penalty kick, giving Tigres UANL the championship of SuperLiga 2009 over the host Chicago Fire before a sellout crowd at Toyota Park.
The game ended in a 1-1 tie, thanks to first-half goals by Batista for Tigres and Patrick Nyarko of the Fire. Tigres won the shootout 4-3, marking the third time the SuperLiga final has been decided on penalty kicks.
Fire players Mike Banner and Justin Mapp both missed their attempts, Banner wide right and Mapp's over the crossbar. Manuel Viniegra of Tigres was blocked by goalkeeper Jon Busch.
The fire got successful penalty kicks from Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Chris Rolfe and Daniel Woolard. Tigres got scoring shots from Gaston Fernandez, Lucas Ayala and Armando Pulido before Batista blasted his winner past Busch.
Tigres became the second Mexican team to win the tournament between Major League Soccer and the Mexican Primera Division, along with Pachuca in 2007. The New England Revolution won last year's event in all-MLS final, defeating the Houston Dynamo.
The penalty kicks took place in the south end of Toyota Park, where the field is much sandier and the footing is not as good for goalkeepers. Busch argued to have the kicks take place in the north end, but to no avail.
At the start of the game, Fire coach Denis Hamlett again used C.J. Brown to take the place of injured all-star Wilman Conde, who is still suffering from a hamstring pull he suffered almost a month ago. Brandon Prideaux also played in the back on the right side for Tim Ward, who moved into the midfield position with the absence of John Thorrington, who has a groin strain.
But Cuauhtemoc Blanco was in the starting lineup at forward, after sitting out Saturday's league game in Seattle with an ankle injury.
The Fire took an early lead on a goal by Nyarko, who scored the Fire's only goal in their 1-0 win against Real Salt Lake Saturday. Gonzalo Segares sent a cross from the left side in to Nyarko, who just gave it a nudge with his head into the near corner of the net.
In the 43rd minute, Batista completely dismantled the Fire defense with a series of moves left of goal. His final switchback dribble froze defender Bakary Soumare, and Prideaux was too far away to stop Batista's shot to just inside the far post, which tied the game at 1-1.
The Fire had seven shots, two on goal, in the first half, while Tigres was credited with just three shots and only the score was considered a shot on goal.
At halftime, Hamlett sent rookie Baggio Husidic into the game for Ward, who took a hard knock and had to leave the field for a short time in the first half.
During the break, fans for the Fire's most boisterous fan base sent a massive pile of streamers at the goal in front of them, where Tigres goalkeeper Cirilo Saucedo was set to work in the second half. There was an initial cleanup effort, then referee Joel Aguilar let the game restart. It took less than one minute for Marco Pappa of the Fire to get off a shot that Saucedo saved, then Saucedo came back to Aguilar and requested a more sufficient cleanup effort.
In the 60th minute, Tigres midfielder Fernandez popped the ball up and over the defense to Batista, who tried to pop the ball over a Fire defender and 'keeper Busch, but his shot went wide right.
A minute later, Segares took a shot right at Saucedo, who blocked it out. The ensuring corner kick by Blanco was the Fire's first of the game but was ineffective.
Lucas Ayala made a strong move in the 73rd minute, dribbling between two Fire players about 45 yards out and finding Batista, whose hard shot went over the net.
At the 77-minute mark, Chris Rolfe sent a ground ball from right sideline across the top of the box. Husidic let the ball go through his legs to Blanco behind him, but Blanco's shot went right at Saucedo.
As the match ticked over into stoppage time, Blanco tested Saucedo one last time, but the Tigres 'keeper made the save, his eighth on the evening, setting the stage for the penalty kick shootout.
Kent McDill is a contributor to MLSnet.com.
