Chicago MLS champion 98, winners of 4 Open Cups

[Frank Cunha]

New England Chicago

0 - 1

Final (aet)

Scoring:
CHI - Chris Armas 1 (Damani Ralph 1, Justin Mapp 1) 101


[Preview] [Event Log] [Boxscore] [Recap] [Quotes] [Previa] [Resumen]


Armas Sends Fire to MLS Cup

CHICAGO – Captain Chris Armas scored a golden goal 11 minutes into extra-time as the Chicago Fire advanced to their third MLS Cup championship game with a 1-0 victory in the Eastern Conference Championship over the New England Revolution at Soldier Field on Friday night.

The two highest-scoring teams during the regular season had concluded the 90 minutes of regulation deadlocked at 0-0 before proceeding to golden goal extra-time, when Armas netted his second career postseason goal. Chicago now has an opportunity to become the first team in MLS history to capture the Supporters Shield (for the best regular season record), the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup and MLS Cup in a single season.

Flank midfielder Justin Mapp, an 81st minute substitute, was the catalyst on the game-winning goal with a stunning 40-yard acceleration. He beat Revolution left back Marshall Leonard with an effortless weaving run down the right attacking side. The 19-year-old Mapp reached the end line before centering the ball. Forward Damani Ralph did not get a clean shot off from the penalty spot and the ball bounced to a wide-open Armas who easily tapped the ball home from two yards out.

The Fire, which improved its home playoff record to 13-1-1, will next travel to The Home Depot Center in Carson, California to face the Western Conference Champions on Sunday, November 23 (3:30 p.m. ET live on ABC Sports). The Western Conference Championship match will be played on Saturday, Nov. 15 at 10:00 p.m. ET between the San Jose Earthquakes and Kansas City Wizards at Spartan Stadium.

Chicago dominated the match from the start, outshooting the visiting Revolution 20-7 by game's end and watching two scoring opportunities cleared off the goal line during regulation. In the first half Chicago enjoyed the greater share of the possession by controlling the midfield play. The home team often sought to stretch an organized Revolution squad with the enterprising play of DaMarcus Beasley on the left and Andy Williams on the right flank.

Although both squads remained compact with the back lines efficiently neutralizing any offensives, the Revolution defenders were called into action more often in the first half as the Fire pushed forward in numbers. However, the combination of Rusty Pierce and Carlos Llamosa in the Revolution central defense was especially solid with several timely interventions. In the end the two teams would combine for just three shots on goal in the opening 45 minutes.

The Fire had the best scoring opportunity in the 30th minute as a result of a spectacular build-up with four Chicago players involved in the quick passing combination. The play would conclude with Williams delivering an incisive through ball down the heart of the Revolution back line in the path of Beasley. The 21-year-old U.S. international entered the box one-on-one against the goalkeeper and sent a left-footed shot skipping inches wide of the right post.

The Revolution attack continued to be suffocated in the second half by the intense midfield pressure from the Fire, which rarely allowed New England playmaker Jose Cancela time on the ball. The visiting defenders were subsequently under constant pressure and in the 56th minute Revolution defender Jay Heaps was forced to clear a header by Fire defender Jim Curtin off the line and over the crossbar. Off a free kick by Williams, Curtin lobbed the ball from the right end line over goalkeeper Adin Brown, only for Heaps to head it away.

As a sign of the pressure exerted by the Fire in the second half, the home team enjoyed several corner kick opportunities including several in series. The Fire's pressure would be sustained throughout the remainder of regulation play with a long distance shot by Orlando Perez in the 71st minute forcing Brown to tip the ball over the bar. Just seven minutes later the Revolution would clear another ball off the line as a shot by Ralph from the left end line got by charging goalkeeper Brown and found Leonard ready to clear it away.

The clean sheet for Fire goalkeeper Zach Thornton, who was forced to make just two saves on the night and is yet to concede a goal in the 2003 postseason, added to his career postseason record shutout total with his 11th in MLS Cup Playoff action.

New England continued to play without their captain and leading scorer as left back Joey Franchino (left quadriceps strain) and forward Taylor Twellman (foot stress fracture) joined striker Chris Brown (broken foot) and all-time leading scorer Joe-Max Moore (left MCL sprain) on the sidelines. Leonard, a second-year developmental player, started at left back in place of Franchino.

MLS Man of the Match: Chris Armas (Chicago Fire)


New England Revolution (1-1-1) vs. Chicago Fire (3-0-0)
Conference Final
November 14, 2003 -- Soldier Field


Goals by Period 1 2 OT Tot
New England Revolution 0 0 0 0
Chicago Fire 0 0 1 1

Scoring Summary:

CHI -- Chris Armas 1 (Damani Ralph 1, Justin Mapp 1) 101


New England Revolution -- Adin Brown, Jay Heaps, Carlos Llamosa, Rusty Pierce, Marshall Leonard, Steve Ralston, Jose Cancela, Shalrie Joseph, Brian Kamler (Jason Moore 89), Pat Noonan, Dario Fabbro.

Substitutes Not Used: Chris Bagley, Leo Cullen, Daouda Kante, Matt Reis.

TOTAL SHOTS: 7 (Pat Noonan 3); SHOTS ON GOAL: 2 (Shalrie Joseph 1, Pat Noonan 1); FOULS: 24 (Jay Heaps 7); OFFSIDES: 1 (Dario Fabbro 1); CORNER KICKS: 3 (Jose Cancela 3); SAVES: 8 (Adin Brown 7)

Chicago Fire -- Zach Thornton, Evan Whitfield, Carlos Bocanegra, Jim Curtin, Orlando Perez, Andy Williams (Justin Mapp 81), Chris Armas, Jesse Marsch, DaMarcus Beasley, Damani Ralph, Ante Razov.

Substitutes Not Used: Jonathan Bolanos, C.J. Brown, Ryan Futagaki, Kelly Gray, Nate Jaqua, Logan Pause, Curtis Spiteri, Nick Walls.

TOTAL SHOTS: 20 (Chris Armas 4, Jesse Marsch 4); SHOTS ON GOAL: 9 (Jesse Marsch 2); FOULS: 19 (Chris Armas 5); OFFSIDES: 7 (Ante Razov 4); CORNER KICKS: 14 (Andy Williams 9); SAVES: 2 (Zach Thornton 2)



Misconduct Summary:
NE -- Carlos Llamosa (caution; Professional Foul) 37
NE -- Jay Heaps (caution; Persistent Infringement) 54
CHI -- DaMarcus Beasley (caution; Reckless Foul) 65
NE -- Steve Ralston (caution; Professional Foul) 87
NE -- Jason Moore (caution; Reckless Foul) 95

Referee: Terry Vaughn
Referee's Assistants: -Nathan Clement; George Gansner
4th Official: Alex Prus
Attendance: 14,610
Time of Game: 2:04
Weather: Cloudy-and-37-degrees

All Statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial

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[BethlehemFC]

Nice win for Chicago.

[Ricochet]

it was ugly game IMO

[Ricochet]

"IF" Justin Mapp every get's his act together he could be great.

[Frank Cunha]

I believe he his a U 23

[BethlehemFC]

"it was ugly game IMO"


Didn't see the match -- simply meant nice for Chicago to get to the MLS Cup final for the third time.

Sloppy match?

[Frank Cunha]

ABC to televise the final 3:30PM , hope I can stay a wake for the San Jose vs Kansas City, 10pm, fox Sports World

[Soccerdad]

Quakes will take it.

[Frank Cunha]

DC United was upset by Chicago Fire by the score 3-0

http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/index.jsp

[Oliver_Kahn]

The youngster Freddy Adu plays for DC United right ?

[Frank Cunha]

you got it.

[Frank Cunha]

Carr scored 2 goals for Chicago
http://www.mlsnet.com/MLS/news/mls_n..._mls&fext=.jsp

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Frank Cunha

you got it.

Is he making an impact on the team ?

[Frank Cunha]

Chicago Fire MLS champions in 98, and since then they also won 4 Open Cups

MLS Cup history
2005 Los Angeles 1 New England 0
2004 D.C. United 3 Kansas City 2
2003 San Jose 4 Chicago 2
2002 Los Angeles 1 New England 0
2001 San Jose 2 Los Angeles 1
2000 Kansas City 1 Chicago 0
1999 D.C. United 2 Los Angeles 0
1998 Chicago 2 D.C. United 0
1997 D.C. United 2 Colorado 1
1996 D.C. United 3 Los Angeles 2