Third Place
Oct. 3 in Las Vegas Chicago Fire 2 D.C. United 2. Goals: Ante Razov 71, Jesse Marsch (Paul Dougherty) 80; A.J. Wood (Chris Albright) 2, Antonio Otero 50.
Chicago Fire– Greg Sutton, Tom Soehn, C.J. Brown, Andrew Lewis, Chris Armas (Jesse Marsch, 46th), 13-John Ball, Sam George, Paul Dougherty, Jerzy Podbrozny (Ante Razov, 63), Frank Klopas, Dema Kovalenko.
DC United– Mark Simpson, Judah Cooks, Curt Onalfo, Carey Talley, Geoff Aunger, Jason Moore, John Maessner, Mike Slivinski, Antonio Otero, A.J. Wood (Ben Olsen 46), Chris Albright.
Yellow Cards Chicago: Dema Kovalenko 90.
D.C. United: Geogg Aunger 83.
Referee: Rafael Pedrosa.
Assistants: Curtis Charles, Reweidath Rathipal.
Chicago Fire vs D.C. United (minute by minute)
First Half 2- DC United scores an early goal for the 1-0 lead. Chris Albright down the right side, crosses to A.J. Wood inside the “6.” Wood separate from his mark and beats Fire keeper Greg Sutton inside the near right post.
5- Antonio Otero offering from the “D” is hit well but just wide of the left post
9- A indirect freekick is called inside the Chicago box as keeper Greg Sutton takes too much time to distribute. On the freekick the ball is touched to the left to Carey Talley, who from 16 yards lets a rocket fly to the left, and Sutton makes amends as he dives to his right and stops Talley, great save.
11- Chris Albright has a go around the “18” but is wide left of goal.
16- Jerzy Podbrozny has a go from 35 yards and it is very wide right as it threatens the corner flag.
28- Paul Dougherty is fouled just outside the “D” and his ensuing freekick hits the wall and goes out for a corner.
34- A nice bit of dribbling by Frankie Klopas along the right-center channel. He lays it off to Dema Kovalenko who misses wide right.
36- Klopas being very active receives a pass from roommate Tom Soehn and has a go from 30, center-cut, just missing the bar, over.
39- A Dema Kovalenko header at the right side of the “6” is wide right of goal.
40- Sweeper Tom Soehn with a great ball through the middle to a cutting John. Ball’s left-footed shot is deflected for a corner.
41- Soehn has a go from long range but his offering is high and right.
44- John Ball down the right side crosses to Klopas, making a run right-center, Klopas’ offering is a great diving header, ear-marked for the right post, but DC keeper Mark Simpson comes up huge and makes a diving save. The game started at a reported steamy hot 101 degrees, although on the pitch it felt quite a bit hotter, as the Las Vegas desert reared its worst and scorched the players and the crowd. Like most games v Chicago this season, the opposing team scored on its first chance of the game, albeit early this game, as DC scored in the 2nd minute. DC also had the better of the play and threatened quite a bit. But Chicago came back in the latter stages of the first act, and went into the break down 1-0.
Second Half 49- Dema Kovalenko receives a pass from Jesse Marsch and gets behind his mark.
50- A bad play for Chicago and Antonio Otero scores for DC United, now 2-0. On the play Ben Olsen crosses into the “6” where Paul Dougherty chests it to Fire keeper Greg Sutton. Dougherty then drifts off to the side and Sutton runs into Dougherty and does not grasp the ball hard enough and when the two collide the ball gets popped up in the air and Otero runs onto it and finishes.
52- John Ball sends a nice ball forward to Podbrozny whose first touch is poor, too strong, and rolls into the waiting hands of Simpson.
56- A in-swinging cross by Carey Talley finds the feet of Ben Olsen, who seems unprepared and it hits Olsen’s feet and out-of-bounds.
61- Ben Olsen free down the right side and his well-taken blast is saved by Greg Sutton for a corner.
68- Ben Olsen’s shot from 25 yards is caught by Greg Sutton.
71- Ante Razov score off a freekick to cut the lead in half. Left-center channel 22 yards out and Razov curls it up and over the left side of the wall and into the near left post beating DC keeper Mark Simpson. Razov’s 2nd of the tournament.
74- Chris Albright tries to volley a long service, but it ends up in the waiting arms of Greg Sutton.
78- Judah Cooks sends Chris Albright through on a great ball, but is cut off by Fire keeper Greg Sutton.
80- Jesse Marsch scores for Chicago, game now tied 2-2. Paul Dougherty gets the ball to Marsch around the left side of the “D.” Marsch plays the ball through to himself, goes in on goal, then waits, and deceivingly slots it right side-netting.
86- Dema Kovalenko receives the ball in the center circle, waits for an overlapping Razov, and then makes a nice run down the center of the park. His effort just misses the right post.
90- Chris Albright has a clear shot from “18” and his shot is save by a diving Greg Sutton.
90-DC’s Mike Slivinski has one last chance, but the shot goes over the bar. A very entertaining and exciting second half, as three goals were scored. DC made it 2-0 on a bad Chicago defensive miscue, but as the heat continued to pound the players, DC began to fade. An Ante Razov goal off a missile of a freekick cut the lead in half and brought Chicago back into it. A very impressive individual effort by Jesse Marsch tied it at 2-2 and despite both teams having some chances the game ended in a draw. Both teams would end up finishing 3rd in the 1999 CONCACAF Champions Cup.
Fire Head Coach Bob Bradley “We have been focused throughout the year and ready to play our best soccer in MLS and in CONCACAF. We’ve shown we’ve made progress the way we have needed to as the year has gone on. Honestly, we are disappointed we didn’t make the final. We thought we had a good opportunity to get through playing Alajuela [Costa Rica], and I thought we played well enough to win. Alajuela was well organized and they played us well. PK’s can go either way and to lose on them is tough. Our goal was to win CONCACAF and go to Brazil but we didn’t get it. I think we have shown the confidence and mentality to win heading into the playoffs. I’m proud of our guys who were on the field today, it was a difficult game to play. It is tough to play under these conditions, the size of the field, and three games in six days.”
Fire Midfielder Jesse Marsch “Another time we give up a goal on an opposing team’s first chance of the day. This time it was very early but it has happened all year this year. For me [Marsch spent the first two years at DC], and our team anytime you get a chance to play DC and get a chance to beat them, it is good, it gives us a little extra incentive. I never get tired of playing them. It was a very hot day and the DC guys tired at the end. Ante Razov scored his goal and the momentum shifted and we got some chances and converted on them.”
On his goal “When I got the ball, I knew I had time. I was looking to cross and Antand Dema were calling for the ball but as I took more time, the shot then opened up and it was tough for Mark Simpson (DC keeper) to stop.”
Fire Defender C.J. Brown “It was tough getting up for the game, being it is 3rd place or 4th place. It was a good game for our reserves, the guys that don’t always get a chance. It helps for the playoffs because we showed we can play, go forward, and defend. The guys should be ready for the playoffs. We have shown we try and go out to win every game and I think we have a good mentality now to compete in every game and hopefully go to the MLS Final.”
