[MLS] Not surprisingly, the departure of Mexican catalyst Cuauhtemoc Blanco after two and a half seasons in Chicago hasleft the Fire midfield disjointed. Midfield mainstays John Thorrington and Logan Pause are battlinginjuries and may not be available for the Fire’s home opener Saturday against San Jose, which is one reason Coach Carlos de los Cobos […]
chicago fire
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Youngsters thrust into spotlight
[MLS] An abbreviated Saturday schedule of just three games nevertheless produced some intriguing subplots for the second weekend of MLS 2010. Young strikerMacoumba Kandji showed he is maturing with New York. Goalie Andy Dykstra has been thrust into a tough spot atChicago. Meanwhile, D.C. United must sort out its defensive problems before its big match […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Teams look for bright spots
[MLS] It won’t be easy for D.C. United’s new coach Curt Onalfo to point to positives after United was routed by his former team, andPhiladelphia’s most surprising pick of the expansion draft disappointed, but Chicago and Toronto could find reason for optimism after their losses. Soccer America’s Ridge Mahoneylooks back at the first week of […]
Posted inStory, Youth Soccer Reporter
Academy team tours the South
[CHICAGO FIRE] The Chicago Fire’s U-16 academy team recently toured Mississippi and Louisiana, hooking up with the senior Fire team in preseason training. NewFire head coach Carlos de los Cobos even skipped a first-team function to watch the U-16s tie NAIA power Belhaven, 1-1. The Fire U-16s also beatthe Mississippi Fire Juniors, 4-1, and tied […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
2010 team-by-team rosters
[MLS] Teams continue to make moves as the 2010 MLS season opens. Toronto signed Croatian-Argentine midfielder MartinSaric and goalie Jon Conway and waived Brian Edwards. New England signed former Rev Khano Smith and Serbian midfielder Marko Perovic. For all 2010 numerical rosters, based on the latest information, including career MLS games andgoals … Note: r=rookie. […]
Posted inSection 2 Around the Net, Story
Why Chicago cut veteran keeper Busch
Chicago Fire technical director Frank Klopas on denied that veteran goalkeeper Jon Busch was a casualty of cost-cutting of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement,and added that the team had long intended on promoting backup Andrew Dykstra to the No. 1 spot. “This decision was not made because we’re bringing someone else in.That’s inaccurate,” Klopas said. […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Another ironman gets dumped
[MLS] Jon Busch became the second former MLS Goalkeeper of the Year and 2009 ironman to be released in recent monthswhen the Chicago Fire waived him five days before its opener at New York. Busch’s departure leaves 24-year-old Andy Dykstra, who has never played a game, as itsstarting goalie, though there is speculation that new […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
SA RANKINGS: Chivas USA goalkeeping duo stands out
[MLS] Heading into the 15th MLS season, Soccer America will rank each team at each position. First up, the goalkeepers. The keepers for each teamare ranked for experience, competence, and depth. The backups, of which there may be more than one per team, also figure into the evaluations and are listed if they have MLS […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Mulrooney returns for Dynamo in Chicago tie
[MLS] Cam Weaver and Marco Pappa scored eight minutes apart in the second half in a scrimmage between Houston and ChicagoThursday night. Houston Dynamo goalie Pat Onstad saved a Pappa penalty kick three minutes after the Chicago Fire winger had equalized with a tremendous long-range blast. But Onstadstopped Pappa from the penalty spot by diving […]
Posted inSoccer America Daily, Story
Kubik rejoins national team program
[USA] Former Czech star Lubos Kubik, who has an impressive record as a player but a poor record as a head coach, hasbeen hired as an assistant to U.S. national team head coach Bob Bradley, his former boss at the Chicago Fire. Kubik had stints in the top divisionsin Italy, France and Germany, and a […]