The Dutch Cup clash suspended over the above fan attack has been declared to resume in
mid-January, with AZ keeper Alvaro Esteban getting off without a suspension. Plus we get what might
be the photo of the year, possibly courtesy of John Woo. Silver linings and all. (Olaf
Kraak/AFP/Getty)
Kheli Dube -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Fire chose forward Kheli Dube with their selection in the second stage of the MLS
Re-Entry Draft on Monday.
The 28-year-old Dube tallied 14 goals and eight assists in 72 games with the New England
Revolution, and the Fire now begin negotiations with Dube on a contract.
Presenting Landon Donovan and a random Chanel model, who could quite easily star alongside one
another in a remake of the Disney movie where twins switch places, 'Freaky Friday.'
Only theirs would be called, 'Freaky,
Fraternal-Twins-Separated-At-Birth-Holy-Cow-They-Look-So-Much-Alike-We-Can't-Get-Over-It
Friday.
Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
Chicago Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson has noted in the past that he relates closely with Tim
Howard's style of play in the goal. Now Johnson will train alongside the U.S. National Team and
Everton goalkeeper.
The Fire announced on their official site Thursday that Johnson is taking part in a week-long
training session at Everton's Finch Farm training ground starting this Sunday and running through
Dec.
Frank Klopas -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
In the coming weeks, the Chicago Fire should be announcing an abundance of player options that they
are picking up heading into 2012. The Fire have yet to officially state the return of midfielder
Pavel Pardo or comment on other players' contract status, but in all likelihood a large portion of
the 2011 squad should be on board next season.
Justin Mapp -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
Any concerns over losing a portion of the Chicago Fire's roster were put to rest as the Montreal
Impact made 10 selections outside of the Fire's unprotected player pool during Wednesday's MLS
Expansion Draft.
Former Fire midfielder and Impact head coach Jesse Marsch inherits a franchise that selected former
Houston Dynamo forward Brian Ching with the top pick in the draft.
Sebastian Grazzini -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Fire struggled mightily against Western Conference teams this past season with a 3-8-7
record, compared to a very respectable 6-1-9 mark against their fellow Eastern Conference
sides.
The days of a balanced schedule will come to a close with the Montreal Impact joining MLS as the
league's 19th team next year.
Calen Carr -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
Former Chicago Fire and current Houston Dynamo forward Calen Carr has had his share of injury
spells over the past several years. This year it was a concussion that he suffered during the
Fire's preseason in February when the team was training in Ave Maria, Fla.
Fire's Dominic Oduro -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The Houston Dynamo thought that Dominic Oduro was so much of a liability after missing a sitter in
the season opener that they immediately cast him off to the Chicago Fire, trading him for Calen
Carr.
Houston's misstep was Chicago's offensive answer, particularly in the final two thirds of the
season, as Oduro received ESPN Chicago's vote for being the team's most valuable player in 2011.
Fire's Frank Klopas -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire have not exactly established continuity with their head coach
over the past five seasons. Five different coaches have been at the helm since the start of the
2007 season.
With the Fire's 2011 season in the books, the focus once again turns toward the sidelines, where
Fire technical director and interim head coach Frank Klopas posted an 8-5-10 record after replacing
Carlos de los Cobos.
Fire's Jalil Anibaba (left) and
Diego Chaves -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire wanted to end their season on a high note, and they did so by
reaching the .500 mark for the first time since April 9.
Fire forward Diego Chaves scored his second game-winning goal in as many games and Fire defender
Jalil Anibaba had two goals as Chicago topped the Columbus Crew, 3-2, on Saturday in front of a
sellout crowd of 20,237 at Toyota Park.
Patrick Nyarko -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire's postseason hopes were erased Thursday night with the New
York Red Bulls clinching the final playoff spot. But that does not mean there is little value to
the Fire's home finale when they host the Columbus Crew.
Fire's Dominic Oduro -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Fire were eliminated from postseason contention on Thursday when the New York Red Bulls
defeated the Philadelphia Union, 1-0, at Red Bull Arena.
Though the official ruling was an own goal by Union goalkeeper Faryd Mondragon in the eighth
minute, it was the Red Bulls' Dane Richards who put his header on frame to lead to the game's only
goal.
Sebastian Grazzini -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Chicago Fire midfielder Sebastian Grazzini's hamstring problems continue to
persist. Heading into the Fire's home finale against the Columbus Crew on Saturday at Toyota Park,
Grazzini's status could change day by day.
Xabi Alonso's missus stood with perfectly poised posture at a photocall for Serum 7 cosmetics in
Madrid yesterday. We lurve. Image Credit: Getty/Daylife.
Sebastian Grazzini and Logan Pause
-- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The turn of events during the Chicago Fire's comeback win over D.C. United on Saturday brought out
a supreme sense of adulation on one end, and dismay and shock on the other side.
Major League Soccer must be loving the way things have turned out heading into the final week of
the regular season.
Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The elements were not in the Chicago Fire's favor.
They had three suspended starters. They were playing on the road. They were playing down a goal
heading into stoppage time. And anything less than a win would have officially spelled the end to
Chicago's small, but lingering, playoff hopes.
Cory Gibbs -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Now that the playoffs are more or less out of the picture, the Chicago Fire are
simply looking to finish out their final two matches on a positive note.
But the Fire (7-9-16, 37 points) will be dramatically shorthanded when they face Eastern Conference
foe D.
Pavel Pardo -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Two games remain for the Chicago Fire, but midfielder Pavel Pardo will be
limited to Chicago's home finale on Oct. 22 against the Columbus Crew. Pardo picked up a red card
during the Fire's 2-1 loss to FC Dallas on Wednesday and is suspended for Saturday's match at D.
Sebastian Grazzini -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire missed out on the Brimstone Cup yet again. But even worse,
their postseason hopes virtually have been eliminated.
Sebastian Grazzini's late goal for the Fire was all Chicago could muster as FC Dallas gained a
two-goal lead and held on for a 2-1 victory on Wednesday in front of 10,362 at Toyota Park.
Sebastian Grazzini -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Chicago Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas was been cautious from the get-go
when the team brought in midfielder Sebastian Grazzini.
Klopas limited Grazzini's minutes at the start to integrate him with the team by midseason.
Sean Johnson -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Fire spent a large portion of Tuesday's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup simply attempting to
endure Seattle Sounders FC's frequent attacks and possession.
It was only a matter of time before the Sounders would strike, and Fredy Montero provided the
winner in the 77th minute to lead Seattle to a 2-0 win over the Fire in front of an Open Cup-record
crowd of 35,615 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.
Frank Klopas -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
Chicago Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas will be a part of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in a
different light this Tuesday when his Fire take on two-time defending champion Seattle Sounders FC
at CenturyLink Field.
Klopas capped off the Fire's inaugural 1998 MLS season with the game-winning goal during Chicago's
Open Cup win over the Columbus Crew.
Dominic Oduro -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas certainly was not conceding Saturday's game against the
Houston Dynamo. But with Tuesday's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Seattle Sounders FC and a recent 3-0
win at Real Salt Lake three days prior, Klopas decided to put several of Chicago's key cogs on the
bench to start out.
Dominic Oduro -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Fire do not have any time to savor one of their biggest victories of the season at Real
Salt Lake on Wednesday.
Chicago heads into Saturday three points behind the New York Red Bulls, who currently hold the
final wild card spot with 39 points.
Brittany Bock -- Getty ImagesEclipse Select and W.N.Y. Flash Communications
Eclipse Select Soccer Club alumna, University of Notre Dame product and Naperville, Ill., native
Brittany Bock is returning to the Western New York Flash for their 2012 Women's Professional Soccer
season. Bock and the Flash won the 2011 WPS Championship on Aug.
Sebastian Grazzini -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Fire have won four of their five past matches, but they will likely have to continue
pushing on without midfielder Sebastian Grazzini.
Grazzini, who injured his hamstring during the first half of Chicago's 3-2 win over the New England
Revolution, is expected to miss Wednesday's match at Real Salt Lake.
Sebastian Grazzini (center)
-- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire made an early push on the offensive end, and they needed every
goal to overcome a late lapse on the defensive end against the New England Revolution on Sunday.
Chicago tallied three first-half goals and edged the Revs, 3-2, in front of 14,576 at Toyota Park.
Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The theme for the Chicago Fire will not change over the next several weeks.
Chicago is in must-win mode with six regular-season matches remaining. And as long as the rest of
the MLS field continues to oblige by keeping the Fire in the mix, that outside chance of a
postseason berth remains.
Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Second-year Chicago Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson has looked more confident and
more comfortable on the pitch.
Three victories in a four-game stretch also amplify Johnson's success.
Dominic Oduro (left) -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire are hanging around, and considering where this team was in
mid-August, it is surprising that a postseason berth still is a slight possibility.
The odds for the playoffs are slim as only six games remain and three other teams are ahead of the
Fire in the postseason picture.
Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire could not have drawn up a better start. The only question was
whether Chicago could finish, especially playing down a man.
In an up-and-down match that included a two-goal lead followed by a level second half, the Fire's
Dominic Oduro came to the rescue with a shorthanded, game-winning goal in the 85th minute to lead
Chicago to a 3-2 victory over Chivas USA on Saturday in front of 15,246 at Toyota Park.
Fire captain Logan Pause -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- From Chivas de Guadalajara to Chivas USA, the latter opponent has a bearing on
the Chicago Fire's distant postseason hopes.
Chicago hosts Chivas USA this Saturday at Toyota Park, and the team is coming off a 1-0
international friendly defeat to Guadalajara on Wednesday.
Sebastian Grazzini -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire more or less are approaching Wednesday's international
friendly against Chivas de Guadalajara as a high-profile training session. Midweek typically marks
Chicago's hardest training to prepare for a weekend match, and Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas
plans to use his lineup significantly when it hosts Chivas at Toyota Park.
Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
The Chicago Fire's recent success hit a significant bump in the road as they fell to the San Jose
Earthquakes, 2-0, on Saturday at Buck Shaw Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif.
Chris Wondolowski had a goal and an assist and Ramiro Corrales also added a goal for San Jose,
which ended a 13-game winless streak.
Gonzalo Segares -- Getty ImagesBy Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire have found a rare winning stretch, so the team would prefer
few to no changes toward its lineup now that it has a good thing going. Chicago posted back-to-back
league wins, followed by a Lamar Hunt U.
Jen Buczkowski (right) -- Getty ImagesEclipse Select Soccer Club alumna and Philadelphia
Independence midfielder Jen Buczkowski was named to WPS's Best XI of 2011. The Elk Grove Village,
Ill., native and Notre Dame product started and played in 18 regular-season matches for
Philadelphia, and capped off her 2011 season with an appearance in the WPS Championship against the
title-winning Western New York Flash.
Images: Getty; AP.
We are thrilled to be able to share the news that John Obi Mikel's father Michael has been
freed after Nigerian police located the kidnappers who had been holding him since 12th August.
The Chelsea midfielder's agents tweeted the news that Michael had contacted his family yesterday
afternoon and confirmed that they would be releasing further information in a statement
today.
Lluis Gene/AFP/Getty ImagesBarcelona beat Real Madrid in Spain's Supercup on Wednesday, 3-2, with a 5-4 aggregate. Real Madrid
Coach Jose Mourinho showed him self to be a bit of soar loser when he gouged the eye of Barcelona
Assistant Coach Villanova following the dust-up that occurred after Marcelo picked up a red card
for a tackle on Barcelona's newest player, Cesc Fabregas.
By Chris Wright
In which Peter Crouch pays a visit to the Tottenham barber shop run by 89-year old Spurs fan
Aaron Biber that was looted and ransacked during the London riots last week.
Well, to be specific, 99.9% of it was ransacked the vandals chose to leave a signed photo of
Crouchy well alone.
