FIRE BEGIN OPEN CUP PLAY, HOST EASTERN CONFERENCE FOES D.C. UNITED AT TOYOTA PARK
The Chicago Fire (2-7-2, 8 points) travel to Rock Hill, S.C. where they will take on USL-PRO side Charlotte Eagles in the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Winthrop University on Wednesday, May 29 at 6:00 p.m. CT (live webcast available via www.chicago-fire.com). With the quick turnaround, the Fire will then host long-time rivals D.C. United (1-9-2, 5 points) at Toyota Park on Sunday, June 2 at 4:00 p.m. CT (UniMas/My50/La Ley 107.9).
The Charlotte Eagles advanced to the third round of Open Cup play after a 3-0 victory over PDL side Seattle Sounders U-23 at the Queens University of Charlotte Sports Complex in Charlotte, N.C. on May 21 in the second round of the Open Cup. The Eagles are currently in eighth place in the USL-PRO standings with a 8-3-1 overall record.
D.C. United, currently sitting in tenth place in the Eastern Conference, enter the match after dropping a 2-0 decision to the Portland Timbers at RFK Stadium on Saturday, May 25. United will travel to Richmond, Va. to take on USL-PRO side Richmond Kickers in third round of Open Cup play at City Stadium on Tuesday, May 28 at 6:00 p.m. CT.
The Fire were 0-1-1 against United last season. Daniel Paladini and Gonzalo Segares scored but the Fire saw a four-game unbeaten streak end after a 4-2 loss at RFK Stadium on Aug. 22. In the regular season finale, Patrick Nyarko scored a right-footed blast early in the first half but D.C. United equalized just after the break and held off a late barrage of Fire shots to take a 1-1 draw at Toyota Park Oct. 27.
CHICAGO FIRE TRAINING SCHEDULE: May 28 – June 2
Wednesday, May 29: Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup – Chicago Fire at Charlotte Eagles – Winthrop University – Rock Hill, S.C. – 6:00 p.m. CT – live stream available via www.chicago-fire.com
Thursday, May 30: Return to Chicago
Friday, May 31: Training 10:00 a.m. CT^ - Toyota Park Stadium Field
Saturday, June 1: Training 10:00 a.m.^
Sunday, June 2: Chicago Fire vs. D.C. United – Toyota Park – 4:00 p.m. CT (UniMas/My50/La Ley 107.9)
Training will take place on the Toyota Park Practice Field unless otherwise noted
^Times are approximate and subject to change. Fire players and coaches will be made available following training. Please contact the Chicago Fire Communications Department for updated times and locations. Please contact Eunice Kim for media requests.
CHICAGO FIRE at Charlotte Eagles
-Four-time champions of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, the Fire hold a 29-11-4 all-time record in the 100-year-old tournament.
-The Fire will be without the services of goalkeeper Sean Johnson and midfielder Victor Pineda. Johnson was selected by U.S. Men’s National Team head coach Jurgen Klinsmann for the United States’ international friendly against Belgium at FirstEnergy Stadium in Cleveland, Ohio on Wednesday, May 29. Pineda was selected by U.S. Under-20 Men’s National Team head coach Tab Ramos for the 22-man roster to participate in the 2013 Toulon Tournament from May 28 – June 8 in Toulon, France.
-The Fire are 5-2-1 all-time in Open Cup play against USL-PRO teams
-The Fire have never faced the Charlotte Eagles in Open Cup play.
CHICAGO FIRE vs. D.C. United
-The Fire hold a 15-17-11 all-time regular season record against D.C. United, including a 8-6-7 advantage in matches played at home.
-A total of 122 goals have been scored by the two sides in the all-time series, with D.C. United holding a slight 62 to 60 edge over the Men in Red.
- Twenty seven percent of the Fire’s 60 total goals against D.C. United have come in the final 15 minutes of the match.
-Fire forward Maicon Santos joined the Fire after spending the 2012 season with D.C. United. In 26 matches, Santos scored seven goals and added three assists before the Fire made the Brazilian striker the only selection in Stage One of the 2012 MLS Re-Entry Draft on Dec. 7, 2012.
-Fire defender and reigning MLS Rookie of the Year Austin Berry and D.C. United midfielder Nick DeLeon spent the 2010 and 2011 seasons as teammates at the University of Louisville. Berry and DeLeon were first and second in 2012 MLS Rookie of the Year voting, with Berry emerging victorious, garnering more than 50 percent of votes from both media and MLS club management.
-D.C. United assistant coach Josh Wolff began his professional career with the Men in Red when he was assigned to the Fire as a Project-40 player in 1998 and spent five seasons from 1998-2002 with the Men in Red. Wolff made 84 regular season appearances, scored 32 goals and added 15 assists. While with the Fire, Wolff won one MLS Cup and two Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophies.
CHICAGO FIRE ADD MIDFIELDER MIKE MAGEE AND DEFENDER BAKARY SOUMARE
The Chicago Fire strengthened the squad last week with the acquisitions of Mike Magee and Bakary Soumare.
Acquired from the Los Angeles Galaxy in exchange for the right of first refusal for U.S. international Robbie Rogers on May 25, Magee joins the Fire after five seasons with the Galaxy, winning back-to-back MLS Cups in 2011 and 2012. A Chicago, Ill. native, Magee has 42 goals and 24 assists to his credit in 235 MLS regular season matches.
Soumare was re-acquired by the Fire on May 23 from the Philadelphia Union in exchange for the Fire’s natural second round pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft and allocation money. Originally chosen as the second overall selection in the 2007 MLS SuperDraft by the Fire, Soumare re-joins the Men in Red after spending time abroad in both France and Germany.
CHICAGO FIRE BEGIN QUEST FOR LAMAR HUNT U.S. OPEN CUP ON THE ROAD AGAINST CHARLOTTE EAGLES
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club the journey for its fifth Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup trophy when they travel to take on the Charlotte Eagles (USL-PRO) on Wednesday, May 29 at 6:00 p.m. CT at Winthrop University in Rock Hill, S.C. The match will be available via a live webcast on www.Chicago-Fire.com.
Recognized as U.S. Soccer’s National Championship, the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup is an annual competition open to all amateur and professional soccer teams affiliated with U.S. Soccer. In 1999, the competition was renamed to honor long-time soccer pioneer Lamar Hunt.
Since 1998 the Fire have compiled an impressive 29-11-4 record in Open Cup play, reaching the semifinal round eight out of 15 times and the final six times. The Fire have previously hoisted the coveted Dewar Trophy four times, in 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006. The 2006 title marked the ninth time a team from Chicago won the Open Cup and made the Fire one of six teams to capture the crown at least four times in the tournament's 99-year-long history.
The 100th edition of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup features a field of 68 teams, the largest field in the modern era (1995-present). Another significant change for 2013 is the process for determining the site for the Open Cup tournament semifinals and final. In past years, the sites for the final three matches of the tournament had been determined through a sealed-bid process, but this year the hosts of those games will be determined by a coin flip. Home teams throughout the entire tournament will be determined by random selection.
TICKETS FOR THE CHICAGO FIRE VS. CLUB AMERICA MATCH PRESENTED BY TRUECAR NOW ON SALE
Tickets for the Chicago Fire vs. Club América match Presented by TrueCar at Toyota Park on Wednesday, July 10 are now on sale.
Advance tickets for the match are available by calling 888-MLS-Fire, by visiting www.Chicago-Fire.com or Ticketmaster. The international friendly will serve as Bonus Game 1 in the Fire Season Ticket and Ten Game packages. The first 5,000 fans in the gates will receive a TrueCar car magnet.
Las Águilas have captured eleven titles in Mexico’s Primera División and have also experience success in the CONCACAF region as well, tied with Cruz Azul as the most successful club in the region with five titles to their credit. América were also crowned champions of the 2008 InterLiga tournament, a competition between Mexican clubs to determine qualifying spots for the Copa Libertadores.
Recently crowned the Liga MX Clasura champions, América’s roster currently boasts Mexican international defender Efraín Juárez and Ecuadorian striker Christian Benitez. Juárez, a 25-year-old right back has been capped 39 times for El Tri, and started three matches in the 2010 FIFA World Cup. América also feature currently Liga MX goal scoring leader, Ecuadorian striker Christian Benitez.
CHICAGO FIRE ANNOUNCE STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIP WITH DUNKIN’ DONUTS
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club and Dunkin’ Donuts announced Tuesday a strategic multi-year partnership naming Dunkin’ Donuts the Official Coffee of the Chicago Fire Soccer Club.
With more than 10,500 Dunkin’ Donuts stores worldwide, Dunkin’ Donuts is America’s favorite all-day, everyday stop for coffee and baked goods.
Through the partnership, Dunkin’ Donuts will have a presence at FireFest (the Fire’s family-friendly interactive area) and will provide coffee sampling for five different Fire home matches throughout the 2013 season.
Also featured at Fire home matches will be the popular Dunkin’ Donuts race, which has been customized for soccer and will be featured at halftime. Fans will receive either the winning Bagel, Coffee or Donut coupon in a coupon book that will be handed out upon entrance to Toyota Park.
WEEKLY RADIO SHOW JUEGA CON FIRE ON LA LEY 107.9 FM
La Ley 107.9 FM will broadcast the weekly show, “Juega Con Fire” this Sunday at 10:00 a.m. CT. Hosted by veteran Spanish language play-by-play broadcaster Oscar Guzman and long-time Chicago reporter and FutbolMLS.com correspondent Raquel Ortiz, the new weekly show will focus on the beautiful game in Chicago, MLS and abroad.
Fans can tune-in for a chance to win tickets and other prizes while listening to all things soccer.
CHICAGO FIRE TO HOST “FIRE, BREWS AND BITES” BEER TASTING EVENT
The Chicago Fire Soccer Club and the Chicago Fire Foundation will host the second annual "Fire, Brews and Bites" beer tasting event at Roots Pizza (1924 W. Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60622) on Saturday, June 15 from 1:30 - 3:30 p.m. CT.
Hosted by the Chicago Fire Foundation and presented by MillerCoors, the club has partnered with Roots Pizza for an afternoon filled with beer, food and fun. Guests will enjoy various selections from MillerCoors' unique portfolio while trying the selected paired food and a pizza buffet from Roots Pizza.
The beer selection from MillerCoors includes Redd’s Apple Ale, Third Shift, Henry Weinhard’s IPA, Blue Moon Agave Nectar, Big Eddy Rye Wheat Wine and Proximity.
Food will be provided by West Town restaurant Roots Pizza, which is co-owned by Greg Mohr and Scott Weiner. Roots specializes in Quad Cities-style hand-tossed pizza, and is known for their scratch-made mozzarella sticks, build-your-own salads, gourmet sausages, and sandwiches.
Tickets to the event, which start at $25 and benefit the Chicago Fire Foundation, can be purchased here or by calling 708-496-6751. Included in the price of a ticket are beer tasting, appetizers and a commemorative gift item.
CHICAGO FIRE SEASON AND INDIVIDUAL TICKETS ON SALE
Individual single game tickets for the club’s 16th MLS season at Toyota Park are now on sale.
One of the most affordable live events in the Chicagoland area, single game ticket prices start as low as $20 and can be purchased via Ticketmaster.
Season Tickets are also available by calling 1-888-MLS-FIRE, via Ticketmaster or by heading to the club’s official website at www.Chicago-Fire.com.
