FIRE AND CREW BATTLE FOR TOP SPOT IN THE EAST
The Chicago Fire (10-6-9, 39 points) will play host to the Columbus Crew (11-4-9, 42 points) as the two top teams in the Eastern Conference battle for first place bragging rights this Sunday, September 20th at TOYOTA PARK (2 p.m. CT, My50 Chicago). The Fire currently sit just three points behind Columbus and with a win on Sunday, Chicago would not only share the top spot with their opponent, but also take the season series and make a strong push toward earning 2009 Supporters Shield honors.
The match will be the third between the two rivals this season, and the second in Chicago at TOYOTA PARK.
The two teams met for the first time in 2009 at Crew Stadium on April 25, in an exciting match that ended in a 2-2 tie. The Crew opened scoring with a header goal from defender Chad Marshall in the 24th minute of play and doubled the lead just 10 minutes layer as Alejandro Moreno averted goalkeeper Jon Busch on the end line and then defender Wilman Conde as he cut back to the center of the goal, finishing the play with a controlled shot into the net. The Fire continued to fight through the second half and Brian McBride cut the Crew's lead in half, scoring a header goal in the 86th minute. With less than two minutes left in regulation time, defender Gonzalo Segares supplied the Fire with the game-tying goal sending a rocket of a shot from 20-yards out past Crew goalkeeper Andy Gruenbaum.
In their second meeting of the season, the team's again battled to a tie with a 0-0 result at TOYOTA PARK on July 11th. The scoreless draw is one of just two 0-0 ties the Fire have posted in 2009, only posting the same result against the Seattle Sounders FC just two games later. Goalkeeper Jon Busch posted the home shutout, one of eight shutouts this season, one of four shutouts at home.
EVENLY MATCHED
The Fire and Crew have recorded five ties in their last seven regular season matches, dating back to the beginning of the 2007 MLS season. The other two games through that span have seen the Fire victorious - a 3-2 win on June 3, 2007 and a 1-0 win on September 8, 2007. Neither team has taken full points through the last two seasons and the Fire will be looking to change that streak on Sunday by earning the three points.
The Fire and Crew are also closely matched in goal scoring. Chicago has posted 60 goals through league play against Columbus and conceded just 59, therefore enjoying a one-goal advantage in all-time scoring.
TOYOTA PARK: HOME SWEET HOME
While the Fire has posted a 4-4-4 record at home this season, the team will still enjoy home-field advantage over Columbus as the Crew have won just one game in Chicago through their six visits to TOYOTA PARK, winless in Chicago since 2006. The Fire have also outscored Columbus 31 to 26 through their all-time league play in Chicago.
FIRE SIGN COSTA RICAN DEFENDER DAVID MYRIE
The Chicago Fire has announced that the club has signed Costa Rican defender David Myrie to the team's roster. Myrie will be counted as an international on the team's senior roster and be available to play upon receipt of his International Transfer Certificate (ITC). Per team policy, details of the contract will not be disclosed. Myrie joins the Fire after playing for Liga Deportiva Alajuelense of Costa Rica last season. Before joining Alajuelense, Myrie played for Puntarenas for one season after spending two seasons in Spain with Cadiz of the Spanish third division. The Costa Rican international competed for his country in the 2007 Under-20 World Cup and at the 2005 Under-17 World Cup.
BLANCO & McBRIDE BACK IN ACTION
Chicago Fire players Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Brian McBride could take the field together Sunday against Columbus for the first time since July 11, also against Columbus. McBride had missed eight games with a right shoulder surgery before returning last Saturday against Real Salt Lake. Blanco has missed just one game, last week's match, while away with the Mexican National Team for World Cup Qualifiers. Blanco and McBride have connected on two of McBride's six goals so far in 2009.
CHICAGO FIRE TO CELEBRATE HISPANIC HERITAGE DAY ON SUNDAY AT TOYOTA PARK
The Chicago Fire is proud to team up with Safeway Insurance to present the ninth annual Hispanic Heritage Day on Sunday, Sept. 20, during the Fire's match against the Columbus Crew at TOYOTA PARK (2 p.m. CT, My50). As part of the celebration, the Fire and Safeway Insurance will recognize 11 individuals who have made significant contributions to Chicago's Hispanic community during a special halftime presentation on the field. Hispanic Heritage Day will officially kickoff at Noon on Sunday with a special pre-game FireFest featuring musical acts representing various Latin American cultures. The pre-game program will include live performances by Back of the Yards Ballet Folklórico, Swing Brasileiro, Los Quebradores, and Sentimientos Bolivianos.
100 CHICAGO PUBLIC SCHOOLS STUDENTS TO ATTEND SUNDAY'S MATCH THANKS TO "TEXT TO WIN"
The Chicago Fire partnered with Chicago Public Schools to get kids throughout Chicago to attend the first day of school. The first 500 students to text message the phrase "CPSGOFIRE" to Univision Radio were eligible to win tickets to this Sunday's game against the Crew and 100 were chosen. Students received a bounce back message that stated: Remember the first day of school is Tuesday, September 8, 2009. Remember to go on the first day and every day thereafter! Your future is your ticket.
CHRIS ROLFE EARNS THIRD MLS GOAL OF THE WEEK NOMINATION
Chicago Fire Forward Chris Rolfe has earned his third MLS Goal of the Week nomination after scoring his sixth goal of the season this past Saturday against Real Salt Lake in the team's 1-1 road tie. Rolfe gave the Fire the lead at the close of the first half, scoring in the 44th minute of play. Mike Banner headed a ball from the left side of the field into the center, and midfielder Marco Pappa helped the ball along to Chris Rolfe inside the box. Rolfe, positioned in the middle of the area, settled the ball with his chest and flicked a shot with this right foot just inside the right post as he fell backwards. Rolfe is tied with Brian McBride as the Fire's scoring leader with six goals each.
Fans can vote for Rolfe's goal by clicking on this link: http://chicago.fire.mlsnet.com/sights/goal_of_the_week/.
BLANCO'S 'DIRECTO AL BLANCO' RADIO PROGRAM TUESDAY
"Directo al Blanco" a full-hour live radio program hosted by Fire midfielder Cuauhtémoc Blanco will air this and every Tuesdays at 6:00 p.m. CT. Listeners are encouraged to call and talk to Blanco about the latest soccer-related news regarding the Chicago Fire, Major League Soccer, and the Mexican Primera Division. The show airs nationally on RadioCadena stations in Chicago (WRTO-AM), Las Vegas (KLSQ-AM), Los Angeles (KTNQ-AM), San Francisco (KLOK-AM), El Paso (KAMA-AM), San Antonio (KCOR-AM), Dallas (KFLC-AM), McAllen (KGBT-AM), Houston (KLAT-AM), New York (WADO-AM), and Miami (WQBA-AM).
