Fire Fall to Toronto

TORONTO, ON - May 8, 2010 - Logan Pause scored his second career MLS goal on a 35-yard blast, but it wasn’t enough for the Fire to overcome Toronto FC’s three second half goals, as the Fire were defeated 4-1 at BMO Field in Toronto, Ontario. Toronto FC’s second interval offensive onslaught included a brace from Chad Barrett and two assists from Dwayne De Rosario to give TFC the win and snap the Fire’s three-game unbeaten streak.

The Fire (2-3-2, 8 points) have not given up four goals in one match since September 21, 2008 when the club allowed four goals to FC Dallas in a 4-1 defeat at TOYOTA PARK. 

TFC took the lead in the 24th minute. Following a cleared corner kick, Julian de Guzman laid the ball off to Nick LaBrocca who sent a lofted cross into the Fire penalty area. With a strong wind blowing inward on the Fire’s goal, LaBrocca’s cross was caught by the wind and carried into the back of the net to put the Reds up 1-0. 

The Reds added to their lead two minutes into the second half when Barrett fed De Rosario on the right side of the field. The Canadian centered the ball to a charging O’Brian White who shanked the pass but got enough on it to put it over the goal line and give TFC a two goal advantage after 47 minutes.

Pause pulled one back for the Fire in the 50th minute. Krzysztof Krol laid the ball off to Pause who wound up and sent a rocket into the top right corner past diving Toronto FC goalkeeper Stefan Frei.

With two goals in the course of four minutes, Barrett put the match out of reach. The former Fire forward got on the score sheet in the 66th minute when he took a pass from White and powered it past Dykstra for his first goal of the season. In the 69th minute De Rosario sprung the forward with a long pass that put Barrett one-on-one with Dykstra. Barrett drove a shot past the Fire goalkeeper, to give TFC a 4-1 advantage and their third victory of the season.

The Fire will wrap their two-game road swing with a trip to Kansas City to take on the Wizards on Saturday, May 15 (7:30 PM CT, FSC/FSE). The club returns to TOYOTA PARK for a four-game home stand, beginning with a match against Paris Saint-Germain in the first match of the Chicago Sister Cities International Cup on Wednesday, May 19 at 7:00 PM CT, and will play against either Legia Warsaw or Red Star Belgrade in the final round of the Sister Cities International Cup on Saturday, May 22. Brimstone Cup rivals FC Dallas come to Chicago on Thursday, March 27 (7:00 PM CT, ESPN2) just three days before the Fire host AC Milan at TOYOTA PARK (Sunday, May 30). For tickets please call 1-888-MLS-FIRE (657-3473) or head to the club’s official website at www.Chicago-Fire.com.  

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