Chicago Fire latest news

[Frank Cunha]

good workout for lower Marinhense

[BethlehemFC]

Originally Posted by Frank Cunha

good workout for lower Marinhense

What division are they in?

[Frank Cunha]

I will check

Academica-2-Chicago Fire-0
second game on Tour

Academica one of two Superliga teams on schedule for the Chicago Fire, the other Belenenses.
the goals scored by Hungarian international on loan from FC Porto to Academica BUSZAKY, the first goal was scored by brazilian MARCELO
Coach Joao Carlos Pereira coach of Academica use a mix of reserves with starters, preparing the game for Porto schedule for next Monday.

first game on Tour, Chicago Fire defeated lower division Marinhense 4-2


Futebol – Académica vence Chicago Fire


ASF
A Académica venceu hoje o Chicago Fire (2-0), vice-campeão dos Estados Unidos e detentor da Taça Americana, em jogo particular disputado no Estádio Cidade de Coimbra.


Os golos da casa foram marcados por Marcelo (10 m), aproveitando um deslize da equipa adversária, e Buszaky (55 m), na sequência de bonita jogada de Dionattan pelo flanco central até à entrada da grande área, limitando-se a chutar rasteiro, não dando hipóteses ao guarda-redes Henry King.

Foi um jogo disputado em toada morna. A Académica apresentou um misto de jogadores menos utilizados e alguns habituais titulares, frente a um Chicago Fire algo frágil tecnicamente, que está em estágio no complexo de Rio Maior, antes do recomeço do seu campeonato, em Abril.

João Carlos Pereira, treinador da Académica, não escondeu que este jogo serviu para testar alguns elementos de recurso para a recepção de segunda-feira ao FC Porto, na 24.ª jornada, visto não poder utilizar Tonel e Buszaky, devido às condições de empréstimo entre os dois clubes.

[Frank Cunha]

Marinhense last place in the II division B
they will be going to III division


Portuguese leagues go like these

18 teams in the Superliga
18 teams in the II Liga
60 teams in the II Liga B
120 teams in the III division
hundreds on the district leagues

[Frank Cunha]

Uniao de Santarem, plays in the portuguese district league of Santarem
they in second place

Belenenses ex team of Sakie the Metrostars President,
14 place in the Superliga
15 place Academica in the Superliga

[Frank Cunha]

Press Release Thursday
February 26, 2004
Chicago Fire 0, Acádemica de Coimbra 2
Armas, Beasley and Razov Selected to U.S. MNT Roster for March 13 Friendly Vs. Haiti

CHICAGO, IL (Thursday, February 26, 2004) - Portuguese SuperLiga (First Division) club Acádemica de Coimbra staved off a spirited second half offensive attack from the Chicago Fire and used a goal in each half to defeat the Fire 2-0 in an exhibition match in Coimbra, Portugal. The result evens Chicago’s record during its 11-day Portugal training camp at 1-1-0 and moves its overall preseason mark to 2-4-0. The friendly match was held at the Estadio Cidade de Coimbra, a sparkling new 30,000-seat venue that was constructed for this summer’s Euro 2004 Championships.

Acádemica took advantage of a Fire defensive miscue on a set piece to take a quick lead just nine minutes into the match. The mistake occurred when Fire goalkeeper Henry Ring went after a corner kick in his area and collided with teammate Kelly Gray. The ball fell to an attacking Acádemica player, who deposited the ball into the empty net from eight yards out to give the SuperLiga club the 1-0 advantage. AA Coimbra would score its second goal of the match in the 53rd minute off a 3-on-2 break that began at the midfielder stripe. Acádemica would work the ball quickly up the field, leading to a shot from 12 yards out that found its way underneath and past Chicago’s second half netminder D.J. Countess and into the back of the net. The Fire would pick up its offense as the second stanza moved on and would see no less than four attempts on goal cleared off the line by Acádemica defenders. Two of those chances would come in the 61st minute when defender Jim Curtin had an attempt off a corner kick knocked off the line and forward Nate Jaqua had a subsequent rebound header cleared away from danger.

Fire Lineup (4-4-2): GK-Henry Ring (D.J. Countess 46), D-Kelly Gray, D-Jim Curtin, D-Denny Clanton (Leonard Griffin 48), D-Evan Whitfield (Ryan McGowan 66), M-Scott Buete (Ian Pilarski 66), M-Chris Armas (Sumed Ibrahim 46), M-Logan Pause (Craig Capano 66), M-Andy Williams (Khari Stephenson 55), F-Damani Ralph, F-Nate Jaqua.

Arena Calls on Armas, Beasley and Razov for Haiti Friendly
U.S. Men’s National Team boss Bruce Arena has named a trio of Fire players - midfielders Chris Armas and DaMarcus Beasley and forward Ante Razov - to the 18-man roster that will face Haiti in an international friendly on March 13 in Miami, FL. Armas has collected 52 caps in his international career, including three stints as captain, and has notched a pair of goals. The 21-year-old Beasley - who donned the Red, White and Blue alongside Armas in last week’s 1-0 U.S. loss at Holland - has already amassed 29 career international appearances and has struck the back of the net four times. After a one-game absence, Razov will return to the National Team roster in an attempt to build on his 26 caps and six goals.

Fire Training Camp Notes

· The Fire got a visit from a familiar face during yesterday’s training session, as former goalkeeper Zach Thornton dropped by the club’s Rio Maior camp to see his old teammates. The Fire will return the favor this Sunday when it travels to Lisbon to see Thornton’s new club, Benfica, in action against Moreirense.

· Trialists Ronen Faigenbaum and Jonothan Carlos Elliott have both departed the Fire’s training camp after completing three-day tryouts with the squad.

· Forward Dipsy Selolwane left camp today to join the Botswana National Team in advance of its Cosafa Castle Cup 2004 match against Lesotho. The contest will take place this Saturday, Feb. 28 in Maseru, Lesotho.

· Midfielder DaMarcus Beasley joined his Fire teammates this morning in Portugal. The midfielder had been allowed some time off after a hectic schedule during the past month, which included the CONCACAF Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Guadalajara, Mexico with the U.S. U-23 National Team and an international friendly last week with the U.S. Senior side against Holland in Amsterdam.

· Defender C.J. Brown is expected to join his teammates this Saturday. The “Fire Original” stayed behind in Chicago to be with his wife Kim during the birth of their first child, daughter Canessa J-Lyn Brown, on Tuesday afternoon. Mother, father and child are all reported as doing well.

2004 Chicago Fire Preseason Results
Date Opponent Site Score/Time Record
2-08 U.S. Men’s National Team IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 0-1 L 0-1-0
2-08 U.S. Under-17 National Team IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 2-2 T 0-1-1
2-10 MetroStars IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 4-1 W 1-1-1
2-12 U.S. Men’s National Team IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 0-0 T 1-1-2
2-14 Colorado Rapids IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 0-1 L 1-2-2
2-17 Kansas City Wizards IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 1-2 L 1-3-2
2-24 Atletico Marinhense (POR) Marinha Grande, Portugal 4-2 W 2-3-2
2-26 Acádemica de Coimbra (POR) Coimbra, Portugal 0-2 L 2-4-2
2-29 Uniao de Santarem (POR) Santarem, Portugal 3:00 p.m. local (9:00 a.m. CT)
3-02 Belenenses (POR) Belenenses, Portugal 4:00 p.m. local (10:00 a.m. CT)

[Frank Cunha]

Fire Training Camp Notes

· The Fire got a visit from a familiar face during yesterday’s training session, as former goalkeeper Zach Thornton dropped by the club’s Rio Maior camp to see his old teammates. The Fire will return the favor this Sunday when it travels to Lisbon to see Thornton’s new club, Benfica, in action against Moreirense

[Frank Cunha]

Press Release Tuesday
March 2, 2004
Chicago Fire 0, CF Belenenses 0
Fire Ends Portugal Trip With Scoreless Draw Against SuperLiga Club in Lisbon

CHICAGO, IL (Tuesday, March 2 2004) – The Chicago Fire and Portuguese SuperLiga side CF Belenenses dueled to a 0-0 draw this afternoon in an exhibition contest at Rostelo Stadium in Lisbon, Portugal. Today’s match concluded the Fire’s competition schedule in the host country of the Euro 2004 Championships, during which the club registered a 2-1-1 record.

Today’s 80-minute match was a largely uneventful one, with neither side able to register many quality chances. The highlight of the match for the Fire came in the 49th minute on a superb individual effort from goalkeeper Henry Ring. After a Belenenses attacker was played through behind the Fire defense, Ring charged off his line to cut off the angle and was able to make a point-blank save on a shot from 10 yards out to preserve Chicago’s second consecutive clean sheet.

“We feel that we accomplished all of our goals during the last 10 days here in Portugal,” said Fire Head Coach Dave Sarachan. “During the four games we were able to get all of our guys plenty of minutes, especially many of our younger players, which will help us as we continue to work towards our Champions Cup matches and, ultimately, the MLS regular season in April.”

Today’s result moves the Fire’s overall 2004 preseason record to 3-4-3. After returning to Chicago on Wednesday, the club will rest for a few days before departing for the third leg of its preseason on Sunday, which will begin with a nine-day training camp at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL. Exhibition matches during the FAU training camp will be announced at a later date. From Boca Raton, the Fire will travel to Trinidad & Tobago, where it will participate in the first leg of its home-and-home 2004 CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinals series against Caribbean Football Union Champion CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh from Hasley Crawford Stadium in Port of Spain, Trinidad on Wednesday, Mar. 17 at 7:00 p.m. CT. The Fire will then return to Chicago, where it will prepare to kick off its 2004 home campaign with the return leg of the quarterfinals series, which will take place on Wednesday, Mar. 24 at Soldier Field at 7:30 p.m. CT.

Fire Lineup (4-4-2): GK-D.J. Countess (Henry Ring 41), D-Kelly Gray (Ryan McGowan 63), D-Jim Curtin, D-C.J. Brown (Denny Clanton 52), D-Evan Whitfield (Leonard Griffin 52), M-DaMarcus Beasley (Scott Buete 59), M-Logan Pause (Craig Capano 63), M-Chris Armas (Sumed Ibrahim 59), M-Justin Mapp (Andy Williams 41), F-Damani Ralph (Ian Pilarski 63), F-Nate Jaqua (Khari Stephenson 63).

2004 Chicago Fire Preseason Results
Date Opponent Site Score/Time Record
2-08 U.S. Men’s National Team IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 0-1 L 0-1-0
2-08 U.S. Under-17 National Team IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 2-2 T 0-1-1
2-10 MetroStars IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 4-1 W 1-1-1
2-12 U.S. Men’s National Team IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 0-0 T 1-1-2
2-14 Colorado Rapids IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 0-1 L 1-2-2
2-17 Kansas City Wizards IMG Academy-Bradenton, FL 1-2 L 1-3-2 2-26 Acádemica de Coimbra (POR) Coimbra, Portugal 0-2 L 2-4-2
2-29 Uniao de Santarem (POR) Santarem, Portugal 4-0 W 3-4-2
3-02 Belenenses (POR) Lisbon, Portugal 0-0 T 3-4-3

2004 Chicago Fire Preseason Schedule (Dates/Times subject to change)
Wednesday, Mar. 3: Fire departs Portugal, returns to Chicago
Mar. 7 – Mar. 15: Training Camp at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, FL (Exhibition matches TBD)
Wednesday, Mar. 17: CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal at CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh in Trinidad at 7:00 p.m. CT
Mar. 18 – Mar. 23: Training in Chicago
Wednesday, Mar. 24: CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal vs. CL Financial San Juan Jabloteh at Soldier Field at 7:30 p.m. CT
Saturday, Mar. 27: Exhibition match vs. Dallas Burn in Ridgeland, MS at 7:30 p.m. CT

[Frank Cunha]

"The Fire's outstanding [runner-up] performance in 2003 along with the return to new Soldier Field and the excitement surrounding the new stadium announcement in Bridgeview for 2006 have generated unprecedented interest in Fire tickets."
-- Chicago Fire general manager Peter Wilt on season-ticket sales revenue, which has surpassed last season's total. The year-to-date season-ticket revenue marks an increase of 36 percent over 2003 and season-ticket numbers are up 14 percent compared to year-to-date sales in 2003

[BethlehemFC]

Always good news when season ticket sales are up.

[Frank Cunha]

I don't think they are up at the Metrostars very little publicity, with the signing of the Jamaica international, we still a few players away, but it helps to win the tournament, free publicity

[Huckerbys right foot]

Does he still play in the Major league???

if not anyone know the werebouts he actually is??


and even better are there any other legends of football STILL playing in the major league??

[Frank Cunha]

Originally Posted by Huckerbys right foot

Does he still play in the Major league???

if not anyone know the werebouts he actually is??
he his a coach with the youth teams in Barcelona his ex Club


and even better are there any other legends of football STILL playing in the major league??

not many, they just can't keep up with the young american lads

valderama was still playing last season i think

[revolutionfan]

Originally Posted by GoldAndBlack

valderama was still playing last season i think

Nope he left in 2002. He became way too slow and seemed to become stationary on the field.