The Fire have announced that midfielder Davis Paul has been waived. Non guaranteed MLS contracts can be released before July 1 giving teams maneuverability with their rosters and salary budget. Players on the roster after July 1 are guaranteed compensation for the remainder of 2011.

The release of Paul, who appeared in one match this season leaves the Fire with 27 players on the roster.

With a 1-0 win in Rochester the Fire advanced to the quarterfinals of the US Open Cup tournament and will now face the New York Red Bulls at Toyota Park on July 12. The Columbus Crew were upset by the Richmond Kickers and were the only MLS side not to advance. The Fire Premier team was defeated by Sporting Kansas City 3-0.

FireStingDoug recalls what many thought was the best NASL match ever played at the time.

On June 28, 1981 the Sting hosted what many consider to be the biggest regular season game in team history. The New York Cosmos came calling and 30,501 fans packed Wrigley Field for the spectacle.

Catch the game streaming live online at Chicago-Fire.com and talk about it live here as it happens. First kick is scheduled for 6:35 CDT.

Fire v Rhinos US Open Cup

There are some talented individuals jumping and singing in sections 116-119 at the Harlem end of Toyota Park. Check out this rough cut of a film produced by Ethan Faure, Marlin Kolev, and Heather Edison for a documentary production class at Depaul University.

Nicely done!

Living in the Red: The Chicago Fire Soccer Team Fan Base, Section 8 from Heather Eidson on Vimeo.

At the half way point of the MLS season (17 games) the Fire have accumulated an incredible 11 draws. Only one short of tying the club record for draws in a season (12) set in 2009. They are only three ties away from equalling the MLS record for most deadlocks in a season as well. The record is 14 set by FC Dallas last season.

Starting Line Ups

Fire

GK Johnson

D Anibaba, Cuesta, Gibbs, Segares

M Nyarko, Paladini, Husidic, Pappa

F Oduro, Chaves

Bench: Conway, Mikulic, Ristic, Bone, Videira, Chaves, Ferrari

Red Bulls

GK Condoul

D Solli, Keel, Mendes, Miller

M Richards, Tainio, Ballouchy, Lindpere

F Henry, DeRosario

Bench: Sutton, JOnes, Schneider, Da Luz, Kassel, Rooney, Hertzog

The Fire and Red Bulls are coming off of mid week matches while looking at the prospect of playing another match on Tuesday in a hectic stretch for both sides. New York has one less day of recovery and has had to travel from the west coast which could play favorably into Chicago's favor.

A 4-2 loss in Seattle on Thursday night was only a continuance of New York's problems on defense.

The Fire played to yet another 0-0 draw for their tenth tie of the season. Neither team created many opportunities and Real Salt Lake failed to even register a shot on goal in the second half. The New York match on Sunday will mark the half way point of the MLS season and it still seems that we're still not exactly sure what this team is capable of accomplishing.

Starting Line Ups

Fire

GK Johnson

D Anibaba, Cuesta, Gibbs, Segares

M Oduro, Paladini, Husidic, Nyarko

F Chaves, Barouch

Bench : Conway, Mikulic, Ristic, Bone, Pappa, Videira, Ferrari

RSL

GK Rimando

D Russell, Olave, Borchers, Beltran

M Grabavoy, Beckerman, Warner, Johnson

F Espindola, Aghasyan

Bench : Reynish, McKenzie, Schuler, Gil, Gonzalez, Williams, Toia

After losing to Monterrey at home in the final leg of the CONCACAF Champion's League Final on April 27 Real Salt Lake has not looked like the same team that was considered to be the class of MLS by many observers at the beginning of the season, myself included. A bit of a let down could be expected after the loss to Monterrey and it did come in the form of a 1-0 loss to the Portland Timbers on the road.

MLS has announced a two game ban and $500 for Cristian Nazirit as a result of what MLS deemed as "play that endangered the safety of his opponent in the 59th minute" of the New England match this past weekend. Nazirit received a yellow card for an elbow/forearm thrown near the head of Revolution defender Franco Coria.

Another look back at 1981 courtesy of FireStingDoug:

After losing to the Sounders 1-0 on June 17, the Sting travelled to Portland to face the NASL's version of the Timbers. Powered by goals from Paul Hahn, Pato Margetic, Arno Steffenhagen, and Dave Huson the 4-2 victory ended the team's three game losing streak.

Starting Line Ups

Fire GK Johnson D Anibaba, Cuesta, Gibbs, Segares M Nyarko, Pause, Husidic, Oduro F Chaves, Nazirit

Bench : Conway, Ristic, Robinson, Bone, Paladini, Barouch, Ferrari

Revolution GK Reis D Barnes, Coria, Soares, Alston M Tierney, Joseph, Phelan, Nyassi F Mansally, Lekic

Bench : Shuttleworth, Loewy, Guy, Kinne, Schilawski, Sousa, McCarthy

A second consecutive match on the road against an Eastern Conference rival offers the Fire an opportunity to get back in the thick of the playoff race with a result against a team that sits in a tie with them on fourteen points. New England has struggled this season with a 3-7-5 record and only 11 goals scored.

The US Soccer Soccer Federation has announced the possible third round pairings for all eight remaining MLS clubs still alive in the US Open Cup tournament. The Fire will play the winner of next Tuesday's match between the Rochester Rhinos and Harrisburg City Islanders to be held in Harrisburg, Penn.

Reports have surfaced out of Mexico that Gaston Puerari has been transferred to Atlas. According to two spanish football media outlets, Atlas manager Ruben Omar Romano identified Puerari as a new reinforcement for this upcoming FMF season and the forward will report to the club this coming Sunday.

This week's early injury report includes an upgrade to Josip Mikulic's status. The defender returned to full training yesterday while Marko Maric resumed light running on the side. Steven Kinney and Mike Banner worked on the side as well but did not train.

CHICAGO FIRE -- OUT: MF Mike Banner (L Achilles tendinitis); DF Steven Kinney (R Achilles tendinitis); DOUBTFUL: MF Marko Maric (L deltoid ligament sprain); PROBABLE: DF Josip Mikulic (L clavicle fracture)

USOC

The Chicago Fire PDL advanced to the second round of the USOC by defeating the Des Moines Menace 1-0 last night.

Another look at the 1981 season from FireStingDoug:

With a record of 10-4 the Sting took on the Washington Diplomats at Comiskey Park on June 14, 1981. The Diplomats (also previously know as the "Dips") folded after the 1980 season but the NASL moved the former Detroit Express into Washington to start the 1981 season and also named them the Diplomats.

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