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Chicago Knocks Defending Champion New England Out Of SuperLiga
The Chicago Fire got goals from Cuauhtemoc Balnco and Brian McBride to lift them past the New England Revolution.
Jul 15, 2009 10:09:49 PM
FOXBORO--Old rivals came together in the SuperLiga semifinal on Wednesday night when the Chicago Fire entered Gillette stadium to take on the New England Revolution.
Both sides came in with slightly weakened lineups, with New England missing the services of Shalrie Joseph and Emmanuel Osei while Chicago was without the services of Wilman Conde and Gonzalo Seagares.
A back and forth match saw some good play from both teams, but Brian McBride and Cuauhtemoc Blanco proved to be the difference as both veterans scored in a 2-1 Fire victory.
First Half
Chicago had a chance from a set play in just the fourth minute after Revolution midfielder Pat Phelan brought Marco Pappa down just left of the area. Blanco tried to bend one in past Revs ‘keeper Matt Reis, but the shot lacked pace and Reis was able to save it comfortably.
In the tenth minute, the home side got their first good look at goal. A well played combination between Sainey Nyassi and Edgaras Jankauskus set the table for a Michael Videira shot, but the forward dragged his attempt well wide of the mark.
Chicago was on the front foot for much of the early going and in the 14th minute had a couple of chances from consecutive corners. But the New England defense, with Jeff Larentowicz stepping in to fill the void left by Osei’s absence, seemed to be up to the challenge and did well to keep the Fire from any good looks at goal.
New England nearly got on the board in the 18th minute after Steve Ralston sliced his way to the endline and chipped a ball back in front of Jon Busch’s goal. Jankauskas was waiting and got up well only to head the ball over the bar from five yards out.
Chicago caught the Revolution off guard in the 26th minute when a floated ball into the box found the head of Baggio Husidic. Husidic’s effort had Reis fooled as the ‘keeper was caught a bit off his line, but the ball drifted over the crossbar and the match stayed level.
The visitors kept the pressure up. Chris Rolfe and Brian McBride both had efforts from decent areas sail wide of the mark, but New England would respond in turn. A quick run in behind the Chicago line from Nyassi found the winger in a great spot. Rather than pulling it back for one of his strikers, however, Nyassi took the shot on and banged the ball off the back post.
Chicago opened the scoring after the back and forth first half hour with a wonderful bit of skill between Blanco and McBride. The Mexican legend did well to earn enough space to put in a cross from the left. The ball found McBride in space just in front of Reis and the veteran striker took it on first time, slotting home a right footer.
But New England would find an equalizer just before the half. It was Jankauskas who got the goal in his first start for New England, putting away a left footed effort from the top of the box after bringing the ball down with his chest.
The match would head to the break level at one goal apiece.
Second Half
The second half opened with New England on the front foot. Jankauskas was at the heart of it again with some nice work to set the table for Videira to have a go. Videira’s shot was parried away by Busch for a corner, and the striker came close again from the set piece, pushing his header just over the bar.
The Revs got another good look in the 56th minute. Sainey Nyassi was the beneficiary of a lovely piece of skill from Kenny Mansally, who broke into the middle and played the winger in behind the defense. But Nyassi couldn’t keep his first-time shot on frame, pushing the ball high and wide of the mark.
New England was punished for a mistake in the 63rd. McBride drew a foul on rookie defender Darrius Barnes at the top of the area, and the always dangerous Blanco froze Reis with a curler into the upper corner.
New England nearly drew it back level moments later when a corner led to a ball being pounded of the bar, but the chances became few and far between as the match headed into the final ten minutes of play.
In the 81st minute, second half substitute Kheli Dube came very close with a blast from 23 yards that looked to be headed into the net before pinging off the bar and coming back into play.
The Revs continued to throw numbers forward as Chicago tried to find some possession and kill off as much of the match as possible. And the home side nearly got their goal in stoppage time as Darrius Barnes found himself with a free header from a corner, but pushed his effort wide.
In the end the equalizer was not in the cards for the defending champions and the Fire would move on to the 2009 SuperLiga final.
Allen Ramsey, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
Both sides came in with slightly weakened lineups, with New England missing the services of Shalrie Joseph and Emmanuel Osei while Chicago was without the services of Wilman Conde and Gonzalo Seagares.
A back and forth match saw some good play from both teams, but Brian McBride and Cuauhtemoc Blanco proved to be the difference as both veterans scored in a 2-1 Fire victory.
First Half
Chicago had a chance from a set play in just the fourth minute after Revolution midfielder Pat Phelan brought Marco Pappa down just left of the area. Blanco tried to bend one in past Revs ‘keeper Matt Reis, but the shot lacked pace and Reis was able to save it comfortably.
In the tenth minute, the home side got their first good look at goal. A well played combination between Sainey Nyassi and Edgaras Jankauskus set the table for a Michael Videira shot, but the forward dragged his attempt well wide of the mark.
Chicago was on the front foot for much of the early going and in the 14th minute had a couple of chances from consecutive corners. But the New England defense, with Jeff Larentowicz stepping in to fill the void left by Osei’s absence, seemed to be up to the challenge and did well to keep the Fire from any good looks at goal.
New England nearly got on the board in the 18th minute after Steve Ralston sliced his way to the endline and chipped a ball back in front of Jon Busch’s goal. Jankauskas was waiting and got up well only to head the ball over the bar from five yards out.
Chicago caught the Revolution off guard in the 26th minute when a floated ball into the box found the head of Baggio Husidic. Husidic’s effort had Reis fooled as the ‘keeper was caught a bit off his line, but the ball drifted over the crossbar and the match stayed level.
The visitors kept the pressure up. Chris Rolfe and Brian McBride both had efforts from decent areas sail wide of the mark, but New England would respond in turn. A quick run in behind the Chicago line from Nyassi found the winger in a great spot. Rather than pulling it back for one of his strikers, however, Nyassi took the shot on and banged the ball off the back post.
Chicago opened the scoring after the back and forth first half hour with a wonderful bit of skill between Blanco and McBride. The Mexican legend did well to earn enough space to put in a cross from the left. The ball found McBride in space just in front of Reis and the veteran striker took it on first time, slotting home a right footer.
But New England would find an equalizer just before the half. It was Jankauskas who got the goal in his first start for New England, putting away a left footed effort from the top of the box after bringing the ball down with his chest.
The match would head to the break level at one goal apiece.
Second Half
The second half opened with New England on the front foot. Jankauskas was at the heart of it again with some nice work to set the table for Videira to have a go. Videira’s shot was parried away by Busch for a corner, and the striker came close again from the set piece, pushing his header just over the bar.
The Revs got another good look in the 56th minute. Sainey Nyassi was the beneficiary of a lovely piece of skill from Kenny Mansally, who broke into the middle and played the winger in behind the defense. But Nyassi couldn’t keep his first-time shot on frame, pushing the ball high and wide of the mark.
New England was punished for a mistake in the 63rd. McBride drew a foul on rookie defender Darrius Barnes at the top of the area, and the always dangerous Blanco froze Reis with a curler into the upper corner.
New England nearly drew it back level moments later when a corner led to a ball being pounded of the bar, but the chances became few and far between as the match headed into the final ten minutes of play.
In the 81st minute, second half substitute Kheli Dube came very close with a blast from 23 yards that looked to be headed into the net before pinging off the bar and coming back into play.
The Revs continued to throw numbers forward as Chicago tried to find some possession and kill off as much of the match as possible. And the home side nearly got their goal in stoppage time as Darrius Barnes found himself with a free header from a corner, but pushed his effort wide.
In the end the equalizer was not in the cards for the defending champions and the Fire would move on to the 2009 SuperLiga final.
Allen Ramsey, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
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