<div style="width: 510px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><a title="chicago fire - victory by Daveblog, on Flickr" href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/daveblog/1755483551/"><div><figure class="external-image"><img loading="lazy" src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2299/1755483551_919dd9105e.jpg" alt="chicago fire - victory" width="500" height="333"></figure></div></a>Photo by Daveblog</div>
In the land of draws, the Chicago Fire are kings.
Last night, La Maquina Roja looked well on their way to their third win of the season after dominating DC United at home for about 70 minutes. Sebastian Grazzini had given the home side the lead early in the second half and United’s attack looked spent. &nbsp;However, two second half&nbsp;substitutions&nbsp;by DC coach Ben Olsen turned the game as the visitors were able to grab a goal and hold on for a point, etching Chicago’s name in the record books. &nbsp;The draw was Chicago’s fifteenth on the year (out of 24 matches), setting an MLS record for most ties in a season.

Both teams are original MLS franchises and have a healthy rivalry, so the game was electric from the start. &nbsp;The 15,000 plus at Toyota Park witnessed their team get off to a quick start with Dominic Oduru consistently getting behind the DC defense and setting up some quality scoring chances. &nbsp;But, in a statement that I could cut and paste repeatedly for the description of this game, Oduru could not finish his shots and failed to take advantage of the space he created. &nbsp;As such, Chicago abused the DC defense but failed to score any early goals. &nbsp;Also hindering their efforts was the solid play of DC keeper Bill Hamid, who made a great save on Marco Pappa in the 30th minute and was a solid presence in net. &nbsp;However, in the final seconds of the first half, Hamid strained his hamstring on a free kick and was forced to leave the game at halftime.
Grazzini made DC pay in the 59th minute and finally scored after so many chances. &nbsp;Patrick Nyarko beat Dejan Jakovic on the right and sent in a cross that Daniel Woolard couldn’t clear. &nbsp;Grazzini had no such troubles and sent a shot that went off backup keeper Steve Cronin’s hands and into the net.
To start the match, Ben Olsen had made the curious decision to start midfielder Steve King atop his midfield diamond instead of Santino Quaranta, who had been playing well of late. &nbsp;Olsen, seeing the need for a change of pace, made this switch in the 71st minute and two minutes later it paid off. &nbsp;DC had begun to threaten the Chicago defense after Sean Johnson had basically been able to lounge in the first half, when MVP candidate Dwayne De Rosario found Quaranta atop the Chicago box. &nbsp;The midfielder made a pass over the top to second half sub Josh Wolff (who had come on earlier for an ineffective Charlie Davies) and Wolff sent a rocket to the top of the net for DC’s only shot on goal and only goal. &nbsp;Replays showed Wolff was likely a step offside but it was a very close play.
The result for the Fire was another draw and devastation. &nbsp;Chicago dominated the match, outshooting DC 14-6 and they looked like they were on their way to only their third victory of the season. &nbsp;They were undone by absolutely atrocious finishing in the first half and poor defensive attention in the second, a combination Fire fans have seen over and over. &nbsp;Even with nemesis Hamid out of the net in the second half, the Fire had really only a few scoring chances and failed to definitely put DC away. &nbsp;This one will sting for a while.
DC, on the other hand, has to be happy with the result. &nbsp;After being dominated for most of the match, they get a valuable point and move into a tie with New York for fifth in the East. &nbsp;A win against Kansas City on Sunday could move them up to third in the conference, and they still have games in hand against most of the teams ahead of them. &nbsp;But there were two troubling results from this game for DC. &nbsp;The first is the health of Bill Hamid; he was in serious pain after the first half and does not look like he will play Sunday. &nbsp;Cronin, who has been erratic at best, now looks to be the starter in a very critical match against KC. &nbsp;The second troubling issue is the disappearance of Charlie Davies. &nbsp;The forward was absent most of the sixty minutes he was on the pitch and the few times he got himself into scoring position, he could not do anything productive with the ball. &nbsp;Either his confidence or an unseen physical ailment is hindering him, and either is a major concern for DC.

Fire Set MLS Record With Another Draw

Fire Set MLS Record With Another Draw - World Soccer Talk

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The following article is written by EPLNFL, a longtime reader of EPL Talk and a resident of Chicago.
Every year now about the end of June many EPL fans in the US and Canada get the news they long to hear, the teams that they often get up before sunrise for on a frigid December morning will be coming to your town to play on a sunny day with topical conditions prevailing.
What a thrill it is to think that the legends of the English game will soon be walking the turf of your local stadium where only the NFL has tread before. You’ll pay almost anything for it, to have the opportunity to say I saw Alex Ferguson in person, I actually got within 20 feet of Roy Keane, or I saw Phil Neville go to the turf in Toyota Park.
Once you appear at the game nothing quite meets your expectation. David Moyes looks older in person then on TV. Sir Alex doesn’t look like a knight, and a nil nil pre-season draw is not worth the price of parking let alone admission. $15.00 for parking at Toyota Park for those who care about that stuff.
The great and well deserved popularity of the EPL worldwide has required English teams to show up at far distant corners of the Earth each summer to show the product in person and make a few extra bucks, yen, you name the currency, on top of the experience of visiting a far off land.
What does the local fan get besides a inflated ticket price and a feeling that the game must be some kind of rip off designed by former big oil executives? In the end, the very thing the EPL does not want to do is accomplished — turning fans off. At least David Moyes and his Everton team had the good manners of letting hardcore Fire fans walk away with a good feeling. The local Chicago soccer blog had more than one person saying if Everton is 5th in the Prem then the Fire must be Champions League material after a 2-0 victory where the Fire controlled the game without the great Mexican star C. Blanco and the former Fulham star Brian McBride.
Yes, I know about the players that Everton did not play, that they have been traveling across America, and are trying to get into shape for the season ahead, but the fact is Everton did not look good while the Fire using anyone who showed up at Toyota Park in a red jersey looked, just okay.
This is not to blame Everton or West Ham or other EPL teams that visit the US (except maybe Man. U. during their last trip to the US) for a lack of effort or concern about the American fan. It’s just that pre-season soccer is an exhibition game and the management and players rightfully treat it as such. When it’s a semi-tropical night in Chicago in July and your season will still be in full swing come next Easter you’re not going to be at full speed. So, the EPL team is bound to disappoint the American fan who just paid big bucks to see a drab and dull exhibition.
So whats the solution to all of this for the American fan? When you total my entire cost for two seats, parking and food, my total was about $150 for the night.
This was not my idea, but the only conclusion is to give us Yanks the real deal. Give us the 39th game here in the US or give us nothing at all, except if we can get it on HD TV, which is better then seeing it in person.

Everton Performance Against Chicago Disappoints Diehard EPL Fan

Everton Performance Against Chicago Disappoints Diehard EPL Fan - World Soccer Talk

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EPL Talk reader EPLNFL was at last night’s friendly between Chicago Fire and Everton at Toyota Park. Here’s his mini-report from the game:
“As a Fire fan I had a great time with a 2-0 Chicago victory. As a EPL fan I was disappointed in Everton and the quality of play. They were extremely cautious with the ball during the first half moving the ball more backwards then forward at times. In the second half, they came out more aggressive and tried to break the ball up the middle — with no results however.
Clearly Everton is training and weary from the US Tour, but the Fire was without Blanco and McBride which leaves them with no offense. David Moyes is a favorite of mine and, of course Tim Howard I follow with great interest, but if Everton keeps up this form it’s the bottom half of the table this season!
There were about 250 people in the American supporters group for Everton and an additional group of English fans on the US tour. The American supporters seemed to be a very good group and no trouble was seen by me. The tour group seemed to be on the verge of a beer too many but gave no trouble.”
To view more photographs from the game, visit the <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/epltalk/sets/72157606464989741/" target="_blank">EPL Talk photos section</a>.
Thanks to EPLNFL (aka Lou Bruno) for providing the photos and mini-match report. A more detailed match report will be published tomorrow.
Editor’s note: To be fair, this was not Everton’s first team squad. Several players got a run-out for the Toffees including new faces Jose Baxter, Dan Gosling and Jack Rodwell.&nbsp;

Chicago 2-0 Everton: Photos And Match Report

Chicago 2-0 Everton: Photos And Match Report - World Soccer Talk

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