BRIDGEVIEW, IL (July 6, 2007) The Chicago Fire (4-7-3 15 pts.) will welcome expansion side Toronto FC (5-7-2 17 pts.) to TOYOTA PARK for the first time in club history this Saturday (7:30 p.m. CT, Fox Soccer Channel). The Fire are closing out their third of three games this week, tying the Colorado Rapids 0-0 at home on last Saturday and losing 0-2 to the Los Angeles Galaxy on Independence Day. Toronto FC have marked their first-ever road victory with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake at Rice-Eccles Stadium on Wednesday night. Saturday's game will be broadcast nationally on Fox Soccer Channel and over the airwaves on Chicagoland radio station WRTO-AM 1200 (Spanish).
Chicago Fire vs. Toronto FC :: Fire Match #15 MLS Match #94
Saturday, July 6 @ 7:30 p.m. CT :: TOYOTA PARK Bridgeview, Ill.
TV: Fox Soccer Channel
Satellite: FSC (Encrypted), AMC5/K8A, D/L: 11912.5 (H), FEC: ¾, Symbol Rate: 6.1113, Data Rate: 8.448
Audio: WRTO-1200 AM (Spanish)
Game Guide: http://www.sportssystems.com/novell/efx%5Cfax%5CMLS%5C06704P01.pdf
Chicago Fire/AthletiCo "Recovery Room" :: July 6
Banner, Mike R groin strain OUT
Menezes, Bruno L ankle contusion/sprain DOUBTFUL
Monteiro, Jerson L ankle contusion DOUBTFUL
Robinson, Dasan L groin strain OUT
Rolfe, Chris L ankle sprain OUT
Russolillo, Jordan R hip pain/spondylolisthesis (back pain) OUT
Telesford, Osei L groin strain OUT
The Chicago Fire were part of Major League Soccer history on May 12 at BMO Field in Toronto, Canada, but not the kind that was to then-Head Coach Dave Sarachan's liking. Toronto, held scoreless in its first four games, tallied its first historic goal when forward Danny Dichio finished a loose ball in the penalty area in the 24th minute. Fire forward Chris Rolfe scored in his third straight game in his last appearance made for the "Men in Red" before falling to injury later in the match, however, Chicago was on the wrong end of a 3-1 loss to Toronto FC before a sold out crowd of 20,041. The victory marked the first for the Toronto expansion franchise, who at the time had lost their four straight previous contests and had not scored a single goal.
With a full 90 minutes of action in Wednesday's 2-0 loss to Los Angeles, Fire midfielder and captain Chris Armas marked his 200th regular season game played for the "Men in Red". Armas' 200 appearances for Chicago ties the third-place record held by former midfielder Jesse Marsch. If Armas makes steps onto the TOYOTA PARK pitch in Saturday's game against Toronto FC, he will claim sole possession of third place all-time on the Fire career games played list.
Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup Third Round on Horizon
Nine-time participant and current 2006 defending champion Chicago Fire join the third round of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Sunday, July 15, when they travel to Cary, N.C. to face the Carolina RailHawks (USL First Division) at 4:00 p.m. CT for the first time in Open Cup play. The Fire have lifted the Dewar Trophy four times, the latest with a 3-1 Final win over the Galaxy on September 27, 2006.
Menezes Makes MLS Debut
Wednesday's game at Los Angeles saw the debut of Brazilian defender/midfielder Bruno Marques Menezes (pronounced me-NEZ-ez), coming off the bench at halftime to relieve defender Dasan Robinson for his first MLS minutes. Signed to the Fire's 28-man roster on June 29, Menezes has been training with the Fire since late May, and will be listed on the Chicago roster as a Youth International on Chicago's Developmental Roster. The 23-year-old Brazilian will add depth to the outside right wing and back positions. Menezes is the third Brazilian on the Fire's roster, following third-year Fire member Thiago and 2007 acquisition Willian Oliveira.
· Chicago defenders C.J. Brown and Gonzalo Segares are the only "Men in Red" to have played in every regular season game for the Fire through the 2007 campaign.
· The Fire will be playing their 25th MLS game, through the regular season and playoffs, at TOYOTA PARK on Saturday. The Fire are 12-6-6 in their previous 24 games.
· Toronto assistant coach Mike Matkovich, former head coach for the Chicago Fire Premier (2002-2006), is a Naperville North High School graduate and former coach with the Chicago Power of the National Professional Soccer League (1990-94)
· The Fire are 5-2-4 when hosting MLS clubs for the first time at TOYOTA PARK.
· The Fire is looking to avoid being shutout for the third straight regular season home game for the first time in franchise history. The only other time they were shutout in back-to-back home games was April 27, 2005 vs New England and May 14, 2005 vs New York.
· Toronto FC goalkeeper Greg Sutton served two years with the Fire, playing three games (two starts) in 1999 for a 1.46 goals against average (GAA) and again in 2000, starting and playing the full 90 minutes in two games for a 4.00 GAA.
· Toronto marked their first-ever road victory in club history with a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake on July 4.
· The Fire were unable to get a shot on goal in the 0-2 loss at Los Angeles Wednesday night.
· Rookie defender Bakary Soumare is now eligible to play this Saturday after serving a one-game suspension for his 83rd minute red card ejection in last Sunday's 0-0 draw with Colorado.