Looking back at New England

October 29, 12:39 AMChicago Fire ExaminerRoman Kashuba

Previous Next

Comment Print Email RSS Subscribe

Subscribe

Get alerts when there is a new article from the Chicago Fire Examiner. Read Examiner.com's terms of use.

Email Address   Include other special offers from Examiner.com Terms of Use

We meet again, and again, and again . . . 
(AP Photo)

The Fire faced New England three time this past season.  Twice in league play and once more in the SuperLiga.  Let's take a look back before we look ahead.  

May 9th -- Chicago 1-1 New England

A reeling Revolution side had come off a 6-0 thumping at the hands of Real Salt Lake and a demoralizing 2-0 loss to the slow-starting Dynamo.  The club desperately missed Taylor Twellman and had scored just four goals in their first six matches.  Meanwhile, the Fire had gone unbeaten in their first seven games and were looking set to run right over the Revs.  Instead, after taking the lead in the 36th minute, a defensive lapse in the 49th minute allowed Sharlie Joseph to punch in an easy equalizer and steal a point in Chicago.  Utter dominace was rewarded with just one point, a theme of the early part of the season.  
-- Credible Chances
-- Tactics
-- Random Thoughts

July 15th -- SuperLiga -- New Engalnd 1-2 Chicago

The Fire were playing well in SuperLiga, but floundering in other competitions including an ugly 3-0 loss at home to FC Dallas -- their first of the season -- and an embarassing defeat to USL-2 side Wilmington Hammerheads in the U.S. Open Cup.  Meanwhile, the Revolution suffered their own embarassing loss to a USL-2 side in the Open Cup and could not find the back of the net in their previous two league matches.  This SuperLiga fixture could have gone either way and featured a boatload of missed chances from New England, including countless shots that rattled Jon Busch's goal.  In the end fortune favored the Fire and Blanco put a free kick sweetly into the upper right corner of Matt Reis' goal as the netminder watched flat footed.  The Fire's other goal came from one of the better Blanco-McBride combinations this season.  
-- Highlights

October 17th -- New England 0-0 Chicago

The Revolution entered the match scoring just one goal in their last three matches and needed a result at home to keep their playoff hopes alive.  The Fire were riding a five game winless streak that saw them -- and their injured back line -- limping toward the playoffs.  Needing a win to secure a playoff birth, the club looked to be content with a draw.  Despite a few golden opportunites and a clear penalty that was waved off by the Jorge Gonzalez, the Fire failed to score and inched toward the post season with a scoreless draw.  
-- Highlights

Although the Fire took the season series and have had the Revs number recently, it would be a stretch to say that Chicago has handled New England with ease.  The final installation of this year's rivalry ought to be an entertaining one.  

A match from last year, but funny all the same.  The joys of sound effects: