Fire Drop 2-1 Decision to FC Dallas

Forward Calen Carr nets first start and first goal of 2007

BRIDGEVIEW, IL (Thursday, May 17, 2007) – The Chicago Fire (3-3-1 10pts.) fell 2-1 to FC Dallas (4-3-1 13pts.) tonight during the first game of the 2007 Brimstone Cup series. Fire sophomore forward Calen Carr got his first start of the season and made the most of his minutes by providing the Fire their lone goal of the game in the 73^rd minute. But goals from FC Dallas forward Kenny Cooper in the 24th minute and midfielder Juan Toja in the 60th handed the “Men in Red” its third-straight defeat.

“It’s never a good feeling to lose at home,” said Chicago Fire head coach Dave Sarachan during a post-game interview. “It wasn’t for a lack of effort. In the start of the half we were pretty much in full control. They were, in my opinion, gifted a penalty. I don’t feel that Dallas ever really threatened, but here we are looking at a 2-1 game. We were looking to get things stirred up, but it never happened.”

FC Dallas opened scoring on a penalty kick by Kenny Cooper in the 23^rd minute after Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens was called for a foul inside the box. Cooper sent the ball past a diving Pickens to tally his 4^th goal of year.

Chicago attempted to answer in the 29th minute, but after a scramble in the box, “The Men in Red” came up empty-handed. The Fire also came close in the 32nd minute after midfielder Pascal sent a corner kick into the box onto the head of Carr. The header was deflected back into play and Dasan Robinson flicked the ball over his shoulder and just inches over the frame.

“The Hoops” doubled their lead in the 60th minute when Abe Thompson slipped the ball back to Juan Toja, who was streaking to the penalty spot. Toja’s strike deflected off the Fire defense and into the back of the net.

Chicago struck back in the 74th minute as Thiago threaded a ball through two Dallas defenders to Chad Barrett in the left corner. Barrett crossed the ball to the feet of Carr, who stuck his leg out to redirect the ball into the back of the net.

Despite numerous opportunities late in the second half – including an impressive shot by Thiago in the 82nd minute that rebounded off the crossbar, the Fire were unable to find the game-tying goal.

The Fire return to action in another Primetime Thursday match against Eastern Conference foe New York Red Bulls on May 24 (6:00 p.m. CT, ESPN2) at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The Fire currently rank fourth in the East Conference standings with 10 points – just one point behind New York and four points behind the conference-leading New England Revolution.

Notes:

- Forwards Pascal Bedrossian and Calen Carr got their first starts of 2007.

- Fire Midfielder Brian Plotkin saw his first senior minutes of the 2007 campaign, coming off the bench for defender Jim Curtin in the 64th minute.

- Forward Chris Rolfe’s consecutive games with a goal streak came to an end tonight. He did not play due to injury.

- Diego Gutierrez was unavailable for play tonight, serving his one game suspension for a red card ejection against Toronto FC last week.

Chicago Fire Lineup: GK-Matt Pickens, D-C.J. Brown, D-Jim Curtin (Brian Plotkin 64), D-Dasan Robinson; M-Logan Pause (Thiago 68), M-Chris Armas, M- Justin Mapp, M-Ivan Guerrero, M-Gonzalo Segares, F-Calen Carr, F-Pascal Bedrossian (Chad Barrett 64).

FC Dallas Lineup: GK-Dario Sala, D-Alex Yi, D-Drew Moor, D-Clarence Goodson, D-Chris Gbandi, M-Ramon Nunez (Bobby Rhine 85), M-Dax McCarty (Marcelo Saragosa 80), M-Pablo Ricchetti, M-Juan Toja, F-Kenny Cooper, F-Abe Thompson (Dominic Oduro 68).

Scoring Summary

FCD – Kenny Cooper 4 (PK) 24

FCD – Juan Toja 2 (Abe Thompson 2) 60

CHI – Calen Carr 1 (Chad Barrett 1, Thiago 1) 73

Misconduct Summary

CHI – Jim Curtin (Caution, Professional Foul) 26

CHI – Calen Carr (Caution, Reckless Foul) 85

CHI – Gonzalo Segares (Caution, Dissent) 90

CHI – Ivan Segares (Caution, Reckless Foul) 92+

DAL – Juan Toja (Caution, Reckless Foul) 94+

Referee Assistants: Emiliano Monje, Steven Taylor

4th Official: Abbey Okulaja

Attendance: 12,164

Time of Game: 1:52

Weather: Clear, 46 degrees

All Statistics contained in this boxscore are unofficial.