Chicago shutouts Real Salt Lake, 2-0
SALT LAKE (Aug. 18) The Chicago Fire received goals from international stars Cuauhtémoc Blanco and Paulo Wanchope to pin a 2-0 loss on Real Salt Lake before the second-largest crowd (18,913) of the season at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The victory was Chicago's second straight on the road and extended the team's unbeaten streak to three games (2-0-1).
Both of the Fire's World Cup veterans scored their first goals in Major League Soccer (MLS) action. Blanco tucked a left-footed shot from 20 yards out inside the top right corner of the net just before halftime. Ivan Guerrero assisted on the play, marking the second time the two players have teamed on a goal this season (Blanco assisted on Guerrero's goal at Toronto, July 29).
Wanchope then struck in the 78th minute, finishing a header at the far post off a well-placed corner kick from Blanco.
Goalkeeper Matt Pickens finished with five saves to register his seventh shutout of the season, the third-best total in MLS.
Pickens was aided on defense by midfielder Bakary Soumare, who blocked a shot on an open net in the 76th minute.
"The guys in front of me really helped out tonight, it was a total team effort," said Pickens, who extended his shutout streak to 270 minutes.
RSL's best scoring chance of the night occurred in the 17th minute when Robbie Findley's redirection in the box hit the right post, but failed to cross the goal line. RSL (2-10-6, 12 points) has lost five of six games.
The Fire (6-8-5, 23 points) have just three days to prepare for a road encounter (Aug. 22) against Kansas City
(7:00 p.m. CT).
Notes:
· Defender Gonzalo Segares made his season-high 19th start of the season.
· The Fire Reserves play their first game in over two months, meeting the RSL Reserves tomorrow at Park City
(10:30 PT start).
Scoring Summary:
CHI: Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Ivan Guerrero) 43
CHI: Paulo Wanchope (Cuauhtemoc Blanco) 78
Chicago Lineup (3-4-3): GK-Matt Pickens, D-Gonzalo Segares, D-C.J. Brown, D-Dasan Robinson, MF-Ivan Guerrero, MF-Bakary Soumare, MF-Chris Armas, MF-Logan Pause, F-Chris Rolfe (Justin Mapp 68), F-Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Calen Carr 81), F-Paulo Wanchope (Chad Barrett 84).
Salt Lake Lineup (4-4-2): GK-Nick Rimando, D-Jean-Martial Kipre (Chris Brown 78), D-Ritchie Kotschau, D-Eddie Pope, D-Chris Wingert, MF-Kyle Beckerman, MF-Nathan Sturgis (Atiba Harris 33), MF-Carey Talley, MF-Andy Williams, F-Robbie Findley, F-Alecko Eskandarian (Fabian Espindola 58).
Discipline Summary
RSL Nathan Sturgis (caution) 15
RSL Kyle Beckerman (caution) 30
CHI Bakary Soumare (caution) 45
RSL Carey Talley (caution) 46
RSL Alecko Eskandarian (caution) 55
CHI Chris Armas (caution) 59
Referee: Andrew Chapin Referee Assistants: Fabio Tovar, Emiliano Monje
Contact: Daniel Jankowski / 708.921.6504 / djankowski@chicago-fire.com