2010 Customized Revolution Jerseys Revolution 1/2 Zip Top Ladies Revolution Player Tee Youth Revolution Framework S/S Tee-navy RevsTV: Game Two Preview In the Net - 11/4/2009 Game Preview: Revolution at Chicago Fire Revolution Update: November 2, 2009

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – John Thorrington and Cuauhtemoc Blanco scored goals either side of halftime to guide the Chicago Fire to a 2-0 win over the New England Revolution on Saturday night at Toyota Park, ending the Revs’ run in the 2009 MLS Cup Playoffs. The Fire claimed a 3-2 win in the two-game, aggregate-goals Eastern Conference Semifinal Series after the Revolution won Game 1, 2-1, last Sunday at Gillette Stadium.

Chicago advances to the 2009 Eastern Conference Championship game and will host Real Salt Lake on Saturday, Nov. 14, at 8 p.m. ET. This is the second consecutive year in which the Revs were eliminated by the Fire at Toyota Park in the first round of the playoffs.

Needing a two-goal win to claim the series victory, Chicago received the necessary goals through Thorrington in the 35th minute and Blanco in the 83rd minute.

After a relatively quiet opening 20 minutes, New England almost stunned the home crowd in the 22nd minute. Sainey Nyassi’s driven right-wing cross found Edgaras Jankauskas in the box, but the big Lithuanian’s header rang off the crossbar and Jay Heaps couldn’t redirect the follow-up on target.

Chicago responded with its first decent chance two minutes later, but Brian McBride’s header from 10 yards out was comfortably saved by Revolution goalkeeper Matt Reis. McBride threatened again in the 34th minute when he reached Blanco’s corner kick at the near post, but he couldn’t direct his header on target.

The Fire’s pressure paid off in the 35th minute, when Thorrington scored to put Chicago up 1-0 on the night and draw the series level on aggregate, 2-2. Blanco’s clever pass released Marco Pappa into the right side of the box, and after eluding one defender, Pappa cut the ball back toward the penalty spot. Thorrington ran onto the pass and one-timed a low shot inside the far post.

Pappa was dangerous again just two minutes later, forcing a diving save out of Reis with a shot from 20 yards, but the Revs’ goalkeeper was up to the challenge and the game went into halftime with Chicago up by a single goal and the series even on aggregate.

The Fire continued to pressure early in the second half and it took an important clearance from Shalrie Joseph in the 60th minute to keep the series level on aggregate. A scramble in the box concluded with Dasan Robinson looping a header over Reis from a tight angle, but Joseph was on the line to head the ball out of danger. Darrius Barnes then made two important blocks on the ensuing corner kick to snuff out a pair of chances.

The hosts finally made the breakthrough in the 83rd minute through Blanco. Second-half substitute Patrick Nyarko dispossessed Emmanuel Osei in the right corner, rounded Reis, and laid the ball back to Blanco, who curled the ball into the upper right corner.

New England almost pulled the goal back in the 89th minute to send the series into extra time, but Pat Phelan’s header sailed inches wide of the right post after Kheli Dube found him open in the box with a driven cross.

New England Revolution at Chicago Fire
November 7, 2009 – Bridgeview, Ill. (Toyota Park)

Scoring Summary:
CHI – John Thorrington (Marco Pappa, Cuauhtemoc Blanco) 35
CHI – Cuauhtemoc Blanco (Patrick Nyarko) 83

New England Revolution (4-4-2): Matt Reis (GK), Jay Heaps, Emmanuel Osei (Pat Phelan 86), Darrius Barnes, Kevin Alston, Kenny Mansally (Mauricio Castro 46, Wells Thompson 72), Shalrie Joseph ©, Jeff Larentowicz, Sainey Nyassi, Kheli Dube, Edgaras Jankauskas

Substitutes Not Used: Brad Knighton (GK), Amaechi Igwe, Chris Tierney, Nico Colaluca

STATS: Shots 12; Shots on Goal 4; Saves 10; Corner Kicks 2; Offsides 3; Fouls Committed 16

Chicago Fire (4-4-2): Jon Busch (GK), Daniel Woolard, C.J. Brown ©, Dasan Robinson, Brandon Prideaux, Chris Rolfe, John Thorrington, Logan Pause, Marco Pappa (Baggio Husidic 88), Cuauhtemoc Blanco, Brian McBride (Patrick Nyarko 56)

Substitutes Not Used: Andrew Dykstra (GK), Austin Washington, Mike Banner, Justin Mapp, Calen Carr

STATS: Shots 21; Shots on Goal 13; Saves 4; Corner Kicks 5; Offsides 3; Fouls Committed 8

Misconduct Summary:
NE – Kenny Mansally (caution) 17
NE – Edgaras Jankauskas (caution) 36
NE – Jeff Larentowicz (caution) 85

Referee: Alex Prus

Referee’s Assistants: Fabio Tovar (SAR), Sean Hurd (JAR)
Fourth Official: Terry Vaughn
Time of Game: 1:55
Weather: Clear and 58 degrees
Attendance: 21,528

NOTES

• The Fire’s victory in Saturday night’s match evened the all-time postseason series between the two teams, 7-7-1.
• Chicago’s victory in the series evened the all-time playoff series, 4-4 … the Revs ended the Fire’s season for three consecutive years from 2005-07 but Chicago has now eliminated New England from the postseason in each of the last two years.
• The Revs are now winless (0-7-1) in their last eight road games against Chicago in all competitions.
• New England is now 1-7-2 against Chicago in all competitions at Toyota Park since the facility opened in 2006.
• Each team is undefeated against the other on its home field in the playoffs … New England is 7-0-1 in Foxborough and Chicago is 7-0-0 in the Windy City.
• This was the first playoff series in club history which the Revolution lost after winning the opening game of the series.
• This was the first time in nine games that the Revolution allowed more than one goal to an opponent … prior to tonight, the Revs had gone eight straight games without conceding more than one goal.