Top Five In Cali: #4

With the Chicago Fire playing back-to-back weeks in California, we wanted to look back at the team’s most memorable moments in the Golden State.
 We kicked off the series Tuesday with #5, the only Fire loss in the series as the team fell 4-2 to the San Jose Earthquakes in the 2003 MLS Cup.
#4 – Chicago Fire 3, CD Chivas USA 2; May 28, 2009; The Home Depot Center; Carson, CA

In a match with more penalty kicks than goals from the run of play, the Fire went down in the 16^th minute as a long-rage blast from central midfielder Paulo Nagamura beat Jon Busch from distance.
The Fire responded nine minutes later when Chivas defender Shavar Thomas dragged down Wilman Conde in the box, resulting in referee Terry Vaughn’s pointing to the penalty spot. Who else but Cuauhtemoc Blanco stepped up, placing a low drive to the left of former Fire keeper Zach Thornton to equalize in the 25^th minute.
Chivas retook the lead in the 37^th minute when Maykel Galindo was taken down by Conde in the box. The Cuban striker  matched Blanco’s earlier penalty effort with one of his own, placing a low shot to the right of Jon Busch to take the score to 2-1.
Trailing at the break, the Fire received a boost in the 63^rd minute when former midfielder Jesse Marsch received a second yellow card for crudely chopping down Blanco at midfield.
Despite the man advantage, the Fire left things late as substitute Patrick Nyarko ran onto a loose ball in the box and buried a low effort, just the second of his career, past the onrushing Thornton to level things at 2-2 in the 89^th minute.
Using the equalizing momentum, the Fire found the winner after Chivas defender Mariano Trujillo shoved Brian McBride in the penalty area during second half stoppage time. Blanco again stepped up to the spot, this time sealing the match with his second penalty of the game as he placed another effort past Thornton, giving the Fire a valuable 3-2 road victory and extending the team’s unbeaten run at the time to 11 matches.
Check back Thursday for #3 in our Most Memorable Fire matches in California Series…