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Tigres Take SuperLiga Trophy In PKs
Tigres beat the Chicago Fire in penalty kicks to nab the SuperLiga title.
Aug 5, 2009 11:13:28 PM
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – The Chicago Fire and Tigres battled to a 1-1 draw in front of the Fire’s first sellout crowd of the season of 20,000 fans. An animated crowd watched as the match ended in instant penalty kicks.
Tigres' Itamar Batista tallied the lone goal for Tigres and converted the final PK to give Tigres the SuperLiga title.
First Half
The Chicago Fire didn’t waste any time getting things started Wednesday evening. In the fourth minute, Fire defender Tim Ward shot the ball high. Forward Patrick Nyarko sent an attempt high in the sixth minute.
But it was Cuauhtemoc Blanco who sparked the Fire’s attack. In the 10th minute, Blanco made a run up the right side of the pitch, forcing Chicago forward. Blanco passed the ball to Fire midfielder Chris Rolfe, who sent a weak pass back toward Logan Pause. The Fire defensive midfielder settled it and forwarded it to defender Gonzalo Segares.
Segares lobbed the ball into the box, where Nyarko sneaked into the box and headed it past Tigres goalkeeper Cirilio Saucedo for a 1-0 advantage.
Tigres soon turned up the heat. Gaston Fernandez rolled an attempt wide of the left post in the 14th minute. Midfielder Jesus Molina ran into the box and shot two minutes later. Segares blocked the attempt.
Ward got things moving the other way, heading toward the opposite goal. He passed the ball wide out to Nyarko, who couldn’t connect.
A couple of fouls on Blanco ended in Fire opportunities. Lucas Ayala tangled up Blanco in the 32nd for a yellow card and a freekick, which didn’t create any danger. Fernandez then took him down in the 35th minute. Chicago regained possession and headed toward goal. Blanco sailed the ball high.
Tigres struck back in the 43rd minute when Itamar Batista dodged the Fire defense. Batista beat Bakary Soumare and Brandon Prideaux before curling the ball into the far-side netting, tying the match at 1-1.
Second Half
When the players took the field, the Fire fans began to spice things up at Toyota Park. Section 8, the designated fan area, which is seated directly behind the goal, began throwing items onto the field, and waving their flags and banners.
The Fire almost paid them back with a goal. Chicago’s Baggio Husidic, who entered the match in the 46th minute for Ward, headed the ball down to Pappa, who shot toward goal. Goalkeeper Cirilio Saucedo knocked it out. Saucedo, who was surrounded by streamers asked the referee for help. They took a brief time out while attempting to clean up the pitch.
Rolfe drilled a shot at goal in the 55th minute. Saucedo scooped it up for the save.
Tigres looked to take the lead in the 60th minute. Batista ran down the field, challenging Fire defender C.J. Brown. Batista sent a long ball wide right.
Fire defender Gonzalo Segares centered the ball at goal in the 62nd minute. Saucedo punched it over the net for the save.
In the 65th minute, Manuel Viniegra entered the match for Jose Francisco Fonseca.
Batista kept the visiting offense going. In the 73rd minute he rocketed a shot toward goal. It soared over the crossbar.
In the 78th minute, Chicago showed signs of magic. Rolfe passed the ball into the box. Husidic tapped it over to Blanco, who fired a perfect shot toward goal. Saucedo dove to the left to make the save.
Mike Banner replaced Nyarko in the 89th minute.
Fire defender Bakary Soukmare stole the ball from the Tigres offense in stoppage time. Blanco launched it into the box. Saucedo had a read on it and grabbed it for the save. Despite two minutes of injury time, the game remained a 1-1 draw and turned into penalty kicks.
Blanco effortlessly put the first PK into the net. Fernandez sent a soft easy shot into the net. Banner sent Chicago’s second attempt wide right. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch blocked Viniegra’s shot to keep things even at 1-1. Chris Rolfe sent the shot left; it bounced off the post and into the net for a 2-1 lead. Ayala blasted his attempt high into upper netting 2-2. Justin Mapp sailed the Fire’s fourth attempt high. Armando Pulido hit Tigres fifth attempt hard; Busch got his fingertips on it, but the ball still went into the net. Fire defender Daniel Woolard made it look easy, slotting his attempt into the lower left corner. Batista sent his attempt into the lower left corner to take the 4-3 PK win and SuperLiga title.
Kathryn L. Knapp, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
Tigres' Itamar Batista tallied the lone goal for Tigres and converted the final PK to give Tigres the SuperLiga title.
First Half
The Chicago Fire didn’t waste any time getting things started Wednesday evening. In the fourth minute, Fire defender Tim Ward shot the ball high. Forward Patrick Nyarko sent an attempt high in the sixth minute.
But it was Cuauhtemoc Blanco who sparked the Fire’s attack. In the 10th minute, Blanco made a run up the right side of the pitch, forcing Chicago forward. Blanco passed the ball to Fire midfielder Chris Rolfe, who sent a weak pass back toward Logan Pause. The Fire defensive midfielder settled it and forwarded it to defender Gonzalo Segares.
Segares lobbed the ball into the box, where Nyarko sneaked into the box and headed it past Tigres goalkeeper Cirilio Saucedo for a 1-0 advantage.
Tigres soon turned up the heat. Gaston Fernandez rolled an attempt wide of the left post in the 14th minute. Midfielder Jesus Molina ran into the box and shot two minutes later. Segares blocked the attempt.
Ward got things moving the other way, heading toward the opposite goal. He passed the ball wide out to Nyarko, who couldn’t connect.
A couple of fouls on Blanco ended in Fire opportunities. Lucas Ayala tangled up Blanco in the 32nd for a yellow card and a freekick, which didn’t create any danger. Fernandez then took him down in the 35th minute. Chicago regained possession and headed toward goal. Blanco sailed the ball high.
Tigres struck back in the 43rd minute when Itamar Batista dodged the Fire defense. Batista beat Bakary Soumare and Brandon Prideaux before curling the ball into the far-side netting, tying the match at 1-1.
Second Half
When the players took the field, the Fire fans began to spice things up at Toyota Park. Section 8, the designated fan area, which is seated directly behind the goal, began throwing items onto the field, and waving their flags and banners.
The Fire almost paid them back with a goal. Chicago’s Baggio Husidic, who entered the match in the 46th minute for Ward, headed the ball down to Pappa, who shot toward goal. Goalkeeper Cirilio Saucedo knocked it out. Saucedo, who was surrounded by streamers asked the referee for help. They took a brief time out while attempting to clean up the pitch.
Rolfe drilled a shot at goal in the 55th minute. Saucedo scooped it up for the save.
Tigres looked to take the lead in the 60th minute. Batista ran down the field, challenging Fire defender C.J. Brown. Batista sent a long ball wide right.
Fire defender Gonzalo Segares centered the ball at goal in the 62nd minute. Saucedo punched it over the net for the save.
In the 65th minute, Manuel Viniegra entered the match for Jose Francisco Fonseca.
Batista kept the visiting offense going. In the 73rd minute he rocketed a shot toward goal. It soared over the crossbar.
In the 78th minute, Chicago showed signs of magic. Rolfe passed the ball into the box. Husidic tapped it over to Blanco, who fired a perfect shot toward goal. Saucedo dove to the left to make the save.
Mike Banner replaced Nyarko in the 89th minute.
Fire defender Bakary Soukmare stole the ball from the Tigres offense in stoppage time. Blanco launched it into the box. Saucedo had a read on it and grabbed it for the save. Despite two minutes of injury time, the game remained a 1-1 draw and turned into penalty kicks.
Blanco effortlessly put the first PK into the net. Fernandez sent a soft easy shot into the net. Banner sent Chicago’s second attempt wide right. Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch blocked Viniegra’s shot to keep things even at 1-1. Chris Rolfe sent the shot left; it bounced off the post and into the net for a 2-1 lead. Ayala blasted his attempt high into upper netting 2-2. Justin Mapp sailed the Fire’s fourth attempt high. Armando Pulido hit Tigres fifth attempt hard; Busch got his fingertips on it, but the ball still went into the net. Fire defender Daniel Woolard made it look easy, slotting his attempt into the lower left corner. Batista sent his attempt into the lower left corner to take the 4-3 PK win and SuperLiga title.
Kathryn L. Knapp, Goal.com
For more on Major League Soccer, visit Goal.com's MLS page
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