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One Goal Gives Chicago Fire Win in SuperLiga Action
Brian McBride nets a 69th minute goal to lead the Chicago Fire to a 1-0 win over Real San Luis FC in the first round of SuperLiga.
Jun 21, 2009 3:20:02 AM
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – After 45 minutes of action between the Chicago Fire and Real San Luis FC, it was pretty much a given that someone would score. And in the 69th minute, Chicago’s Brian McBride gave his club a 1-0 win to open SuperLiga play.
The match featured 28 shots between the two clubs, including 16 on goal. Both teams defended from front to back making for an entertaining and hard-fought match. The win gives the Fire three points in Group A of the SuperLiga standings.
Tuesday the Chicago Fire hosts round two of Group A SuperLiga action. Chicago faces Chivas USA at 8:00 p.m. ET, while the San Luis will face Tigres UANL at 10:00 p.m. ET.
First Half
Within the first few minutes, both teams struggled a bit to get into a rhythm. But it didn’t take too long. San Luis forward Diego Alvarez took the first shot of the night in the sixth minute. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch grabbed the opportunity for his first save of the night.
Fire midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco took charge six minutes later, blasting a shot toward goal in the 12th minute. Gladiadores goalkeeper Adrian Martinez made the save.
Things picked up as the end of the first half was drawing near. In the 27th minute, Fire midfielder Chris Rolfe sent the ball to defender Brandon Prideaux in the box. Prideaux forwarded the ball to midfielder Marco Pappa, who sent the ball wide right. Rolfe sparked his club two minutes later with a shot that forced Martinez to make his second save of the night.
In the 36th minute Gladiadores defender Armando Olmedo took down Blanco for a Fire freekick. Blanco sent the ball into the box Chicago defender C.J. Brown headed the ball high and to the right.
San Luis midfielder Braulio Luna rocketed a long ball at goal in the 37th minute. Busch grabbed it for the save. And in the 39th minute, Luna attempted another shot, sending the ball wide right.
In first half injury time, Chicago defender Gonzalo Segares crossed the ball into the box. San Luis defenders beat forward Brian McBride, clearing the ball for a corner kick. Blanco sent it into the box. McBride sent it flying over the crossbar.
Second Half
After eight shots in the first half, three for San Luis and five for Chicago, the teams came out recharged in the second half. Just two minutes into the half, the Fire almost found the net. Miscommunication within the San Luis defense almost cost them. Blanco found himself unmarked in front of an open goal. Blanco fired a shot that soared into the stands.
On the counterattack, Brown stood strong for the Fire defense. Brown dove in front of a potential San Luis shot, blocking the ball with his body. Gladiadores almost struck in the 49th minute, when Luna forced Busch to make his fourth save of the night.
Fire defender Tim Ward got in on the action in the 51st minute. Blanco crossed a ball to Ward in the box. Ward headed it into Martinez’s arms. McBride headed the corner kick attempt wide right.
Chicago’s defense had a moment of weekness in the 54th minute. San Luis forward Victor Lojeno sneaked by Fire defender Wilman Conde in the box. Lojeno took advantage of the situation, forcing Busch to make a save.
Martinez punched out a Blanco freekick attempt in the 63rd minute. In the 66th minute, Gladiadores midfielder Jesus Palacios kicked a low ball toward Busch, as he was falling to the ground. Busch made the save. Chicago took charge on the counter attack. In the 66th minute, Conde took a shot, which was saved. The ball remained in the box, but Conde couldn’t quite get to it.
Two minutes later, the Fire took the lead. Blanco made a run toward goal. San Luis defender Michael Orozco stayed with him every step of the way. Blanco turned and passed a slow ball back to McBride, fired a left-footed shot into the upper left corner of the net, for a 1-0 Fire lead.
“It was a great finish,” Fire head coach Denis Hamlett said. “Credit Cuauhatemoc on a great play. He chased a guy down, which he normally doesn’t do, and made a play out of that. Brian hit a left-footed shot. It was a great finish.”
Pappa sent the ball toward an open net in the 74th minute. Orzoco attempted to make up for his earlier mistake, clearing the ball just before it went into the net. Pappa took another shot in the 81st minute, sending the ball wide left.
"We are happy we won but we are still lacking in the final third," Blanco said. "This win gives us some confidence going into the second match but we must be a bit more patience when taking that last shot."
San Luis continued to push and almost tallied the equalizer. Second-half substitution Forward Marvin de la Cruz sent challenged Busch in the 86th minute. Five minutes later in injury time, Luna blasted another attempt toward goal. Busch made both saves for eight total saves on the night. Chicago held on for the 1-0 win – the clubs first win in the month of June.
Gladiadores, who are in preseason, were led by Martinez with six saves on the night.
“It was a well-disputed match for us. It took a little bit for us to get started,” San Luis Technical Director Juan Antonio Luna said. “One personal mistake cost us the goal. Games are won by scoring goals, and we didn’t score tonight.”
Kathryn L. Knapp, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer and SuperLiga action, go to Goal.com’s MLS section.
The match featured 28 shots between the two clubs, including 16 on goal. Both teams defended from front to back making for an entertaining and hard-fought match. The win gives the Fire three points in Group A of the SuperLiga standings.
Tuesday the Chicago Fire hosts round two of Group A SuperLiga action. Chicago faces Chivas USA at 8:00 p.m. ET, while the San Luis will face Tigres UANL at 10:00 p.m. ET.
First Half
Within the first few minutes, both teams struggled a bit to get into a rhythm. But it didn’t take too long. San Luis forward Diego Alvarez took the first shot of the night in the sixth minute. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch grabbed the opportunity for his first save of the night.
Fire midfielder Cuauhtemoc Blanco took charge six minutes later, blasting a shot toward goal in the 12th minute. Gladiadores goalkeeper Adrian Martinez made the save.
Things picked up as the end of the first half was drawing near. In the 27th minute, Fire midfielder Chris Rolfe sent the ball to defender Brandon Prideaux in the box. Prideaux forwarded the ball to midfielder Marco Pappa, who sent the ball wide right. Rolfe sparked his club two minutes later with a shot that forced Martinez to make his second save of the night.
In the 36th minute Gladiadores defender Armando Olmedo took down Blanco for a Fire freekick. Blanco sent the ball into the box Chicago defender C.J. Brown headed the ball high and to the right.
San Luis midfielder Braulio Luna rocketed a long ball at goal in the 37th minute. Busch grabbed it for the save. And in the 39th minute, Luna attempted another shot, sending the ball wide right.
In first half injury time, Chicago defender Gonzalo Segares crossed the ball into the box. San Luis defenders beat forward Brian McBride, clearing the ball for a corner kick. Blanco sent it into the box. McBride sent it flying over the crossbar.
Second Half
After eight shots in the first half, three for San Luis and five for Chicago, the teams came out recharged in the second half. Just two minutes into the half, the Fire almost found the net. Miscommunication within the San Luis defense almost cost them. Blanco found himself unmarked in front of an open goal. Blanco fired a shot that soared into the stands.
On the counterattack, Brown stood strong for the Fire defense. Brown dove in front of a potential San Luis shot, blocking the ball with his body. Gladiadores almost struck in the 49th minute, when Luna forced Busch to make his fourth save of the night.
Fire defender Tim Ward got in on the action in the 51st minute. Blanco crossed a ball to Ward in the box. Ward headed it into Martinez’s arms. McBride headed the corner kick attempt wide right.
Chicago’s defense had a moment of weekness in the 54th minute. San Luis forward Victor Lojeno sneaked by Fire defender Wilman Conde in the box. Lojeno took advantage of the situation, forcing Busch to make a save.
Martinez punched out a Blanco freekick attempt in the 63rd minute. In the 66th minute, Gladiadores midfielder Jesus Palacios kicked a low ball toward Busch, as he was falling to the ground. Busch made the save. Chicago took charge on the counter attack. In the 66th minute, Conde took a shot, which was saved. The ball remained in the box, but Conde couldn’t quite get to it.
Two minutes later, the Fire took the lead. Blanco made a run toward goal. San Luis defender Michael Orozco stayed with him every step of the way. Blanco turned and passed a slow ball back to McBride, fired a left-footed shot into the upper left corner of the net, for a 1-0 Fire lead.
“It was a great finish,” Fire head coach Denis Hamlett said. “Credit Cuauhatemoc on a great play. He chased a guy down, which he normally doesn’t do, and made a play out of that. Brian hit a left-footed shot. It was a great finish.”
Pappa sent the ball toward an open net in the 74th minute. Orzoco attempted to make up for his earlier mistake, clearing the ball just before it went into the net. Pappa took another shot in the 81st minute, sending the ball wide left.
"We are happy we won but we are still lacking in the final third," Blanco said. "This win gives us some confidence going into the second match but we must be a bit more patience when taking that last shot."
San Luis continued to push and almost tallied the equalizer. Second-half substitution Forward Marvin de la Cruz sent challenged Busch in the 86th minute. Five minutes later in injury time, Luna blasted another attempt toward goal. Busch made both saves for eight total saves on the night. Chicago held on for the 1-0 win – the clubs first win in the month of June.
Gladiadores, who are in preseason, were led by Martinez with six saves on the night.
“It was a well-disputed match for us. It took a little bit for us to get started,” San Luis Technical Director Juan Antonio Luna said. “One personal mistake cost us the goal. Games are won by scoring goals, and we didn’t score tonight.”
Kathryn L. Knapp, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer and SuperLiga action, go to Goal.com’s MLS section.
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