By DAVID GUBALA
The Chicago Fire departed for Ventura, Calif., on Wednesday with a long-missed face settling
back with the team for the first time since the end of the regular season.
After having quite the busy offseason, goalkeeper Sean Johnson finally regrouped with the Fire
for their second phase of preseason.
By DAVID GUBALA
The Chicago Fire are now a good two weeks into their first phase of preseason camp and have been
making all of the necessary adjustments as the start of the new 2012 campaign nears. Part of the
preseason activity, though, has included shooting down rumors of a superstar Designated Player
acquisition.
Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
After D.C. United and the Chicago Fire had their fair share of defensive struggles throughout
the 2011 MLS campaign, the two teams both had a notable silver lining to take away from their
friendly Sunday: no goals allowed.
Just days after selling Tim Ream to Bolton, the New York Red Bulls have secured the services of
his replacement, signing Colombian centerback Wilman Conde after making a trade with the Chicago
Fire.
The Red Bulls dealt allocation money (which one source put at $150,000) to the Fire for the
chance to sign Conde, who returns to MLS after spending 2011 in Mexico with Atlas.
D.C. United's preseason personnel surge continued on Wednesday with the acquisition of
Argentine centerback Emiliano Dudar from BSC Young Boys in Switzerland.
The 6-foot-4, 30-year-old Dudar is a player with experience on a number of levels and is a
one-time Swiss league Defender of the Year (2009-2010).
Photo by Tracy Allen/ISIphotos.com
By DAVID GUBALA
The Chicago Fire will swap the crispy, cold ways of Chicago for the sunny rays of Ave Maria as
they travel to Florida to officially kick off the preseason camp for their 15th season in Major
League Soccer.
photo by ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
A day after unveiling Quaker Oats as its jersey sponsor, the Chicago Fire made another big
announcement.
The Fire re-signed midfielder Pavel Pardo on Wednesday, the club announced on its website.
The Chicago Fire might be adding a new graphic to the front of their jerseys this season.
According to reports out of Chicago, the club is closing in on a jersey sponsor deal with Quaker
Oats, something that would end the club's sponsor hiatus after one season. Best Buy had been the
team's jersey sponsor from 2008-2010 before ending its commitment prior to last season.
photo by Nick Turchiaro/ISIphotos.com
After uncertainty clouded his future with Toronto FC, Joao Plata is staying right where he
is.
One of MLS's most technically-gifted players, Plata has agreed to re-sign with Toronto FC on a
multi-year deal.
Veteran MLS goalkeeper Jon Conway has decided to hang up his cleats and gloves.
Conway, 34, was selected by the Los Angeles Galaxy in this past December's re-entry draft to
compete for a backup spot behind Josh Saunders, but he instead elected retire after a 12-year
career.
By ANTHONY ZILIS
Patrick Nyarko turned and pointed out the window of Palace Gate Restaurant on a chilly October
day in uptown Chicago, where he was having lunch with Fire teammate Dominic Oduro. He can't look at
an open space in a cramped city, like the small parking lot outside, without being reminded of his
childhood soccer games.
Photo by Thomas Eisenhuth/ISIphotos.com
Abby Wambach's penchant for coming up big in the FIFA Women's World Cup this past summer has
earned her more individual acclaim six months later.
Wambach was named the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year Tuesday, becoming the first
soccer player -- male or female -- to win an individual year-end award from the AP.
The Seattle Sounders' search for Kasey Keller's successor has been completed.
Seattle announced the long-rumored signing of Austrian goalkeeper Michael Gspurning on
Wednesday, ushering in a new era between the posts at CenturyLink Field.
"First off, you don't replace Kasey Keller.
The Vancouver Whitecaps added a veteran fullback with loads of World Cup experience to his name
by signing South Korean defender Lee Young-Pyo.
According to reports, the 34-year-old Lee is joining the club on a one-year deal with an option
for one more. It remains to be seen on which side of the field Lee will play for first-year manager
Martin Rennie, with left backs Jordan Harvey and Alain Rochat already in the fold.
Photo by/ISIphotos.com
Another longtime MLS standout is hanging up his cleats.
Real Salt Lake's Andy Williams announced his retirement Monday night, ending a productive
14-year playing career. The skillful Jamaican midfielder won't be straying far from the game at
all, though, as he will join the Real Salt Lake techinical staff as a scout.
photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
By FRANCO PANIZO
Geoff Cameron's switch to centerback was one of the key ingredients in the Houston Dynamo's run
to the MLS Cup, and that's why head coach Dominic Kinnear has made the move permanent.
Cameron will serve as a center back in 2012 after he and Kinnear had a discussion following the
end of the season.
By CALEB SONNELAND
With his contract set to expire at the turn of the year, David Beckham is allegedly in talks
with Ligue 1's Paris Saint-Germain, according to the clubs sporting director Leonardo.
The 36-year-old was a staple in the LA Galaxy midfield this year and played a massive part in
the team's successful campaign toward a MLS Cup.
Frank Klopas helped a struggling Chicago Fire transform from league laughing stock to legitimate
playoff contender in less than a season and has been rewarded with a chance to keep doing the job
he did so well this past season.
The Fire will remove the interim tag from Frank Klopas' interim head coaching position and make
him the team's head coach for the 2012 MLS season, sources told Fox Soccer on Tuesday.
Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo lead a stacked field of finalists for the Ballon d'Or, French
publication France Football announced on Tuesday.
A total of 23 finalists were revealed for the award, which Lionel Messi is considered the
favorite to win for the third straight year.
For much of his rookie season, Chicago Fire defender Jalil Anibaba has gone about his business
putting in work on the back line, but during his regular-season finale, Anibaba made sure to show
off his offensive arsenal as well.
Anibaba scored the first two goals of his MLS career in the opening 30 minutes against Columbus
with a pair of headers from inside the box to earn the final SBI MLS Rookie of the Week honors of
the season.
Photo by ISIPhotos.com
By DAVID GUBALA
The Chicago Fire didn't make the playoffs in 2011, but the team's strong finish to the regular
season has interim head coach Frank Klopas looking look a good candidate to keep the coaching job.
No decision has been made yet, but Klopas, also the team's Technical Director, does plan on being
with the club in 2012, whether as the head coach or in another role.
By DAVE GUBALA
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill.-- When the Chicago Fire and Columbus Crew squared off on Saturday night it was
the Crew that had everything to play for and the Fire just playing out the string. You wouldn't
have known it based on how both teams came out though, as the Fire completed a strong finish to the
2011 season with another victory while the Crew stumbled their way into the post-season.
Photo by Don Feria/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Well, the New York Red Bulls sure took the drama out of this weekend.
With New York's 1-0 win over the Philadelphia Union on Thursday, the 10th and final ticket to
the postseason was booked, and the Portland Timbers and Chicago Fire were eliminated from playoff
contention.
Photo by Howard C. Smith/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
All eyes will be on Harrison, N.J., tonight for the New York Red Bulls' critical meeting with
the Philadelphia Union.
A Red Bulls win or draw will clinch the final playoff berth for New York and eliminate the
Portland Timbers and Chicago Fire.
Photo by Andrew Katsampes/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
The MLS playoff race sure is heating up.
With just a handful of matches remaining, nine teams are still competing for six available
postseason berths. A slate of influential weekend fixtures kicks off Friday with a critical clash
in the wild-card race between the Houston Dynamo and Portland Timbers.
Photo by Jose L. Argueta/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Much has been made in recent weeks of the games in hand at D.C. United's disposal. But as the
club has learned, those extra matches aren't particularly helpful if you lose them.
In what coach Ben Olsen called an "unacceptable performance," United fell 2-1 Wednesday at the
Vancouver Whitecaps, dropping crucial points against the league's worst team.
By DAVE GUBALA
BRIDGEVIEW, IL -- The Chicago Fire went into Wednesday night's match against FC Dallas knowing
that anything short of a victory would all but erase their chances of reaching the playoffs. For FC
Dallas, the match was about trying snap a losing streak and poor run of form.
Photo by Brad Smith/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
If you had spoken with D.C. United coach Ben Olsen this past offseason and told him centerback
Ethan White, a 20-year-old Homegrown Player, would start 19 matches his rookie year, he "probably
wouldn't have believed you.
Photo by Stephen Brashear/ISIphotos.com
By DAVID GUBALA
It was almost the perfect redemption to an unaccomplished season for the Chicago Fire. Winning
the U.S. Open Cup for the fifth time in club history would have overshadowed all of the losses,
unnecessary draws, and most importantly, potentially missing out on the playoffs.
Photo by Brett Sarsfield/ISIphotos.com
The international club interest in David Beckham isn't going away, and the reports from around
the globe only figure to pick up steam as time elapses on the end of his current MLS contract.
The latest round includes a report from France, which states that Paris-St.
By JASON MITCHELL
SEATTLE, WA - New York Greek American in the late 1960s. A St. Louis brewery side in the 1930s.
The Seattle Sounders. After the Sounders topped the Chicago Fire 2-0 Tuesday night before a
raucous, record-breaking crowd, those are the lone teams to three-peat in the 98-year history of
the Lamar Hunt U.
Photo by Stephen Brashear/ISIphotos.com
Either way, history is going to made in Seattle Tuesday night.
Should the host Seattle Sounders defeat the Chicago Fire in the U.S. Open Cup final (10 p.m.,
Fox Soccer Channel), then they'll put the finishing touches on a three-peat, something that has
never been done in the Major League Soccer era and hasn't been accomplished since Greek American AA
did so in 1967-1969.
Photo by Patricia Giobetti/ISIphotos.com
For the second straight day, the Portland Timbers got the better of the Vancouver Whitecaps by a
1-0 scoreline.
After the Timbers' first team accomplished that feat in the debut of BC Place on Sunday, the
Portland reserves did the same on Monday on the strength of an 82nd-minute goal from Bryan Burke
and a clean sheet by Jake Gleeson.
For players looking to end a goal-scoring drought, one goal is usually enough to help end the
skid and provide a confidence boost. For Marco Pappa, one goal wasn't enough as he provided a
reminder of just how dangerous a player he can be.
Pappa's hat-trick performance in Chicago's 3-0 beating of Real Salt Lake was one of the best
games of the season and made Pappa the easy pick for MLS Player of the Week this week.
The Chicago Fire isn't out of the playoff picture just yet.
Chicago kept itself in the mix for a playoff spot on Saturday night, earning a 1-1 draw with the
Houston Dynamo at Robertson Stadium. The result has Chicago on 37 points this season, three shy of
the last wild card spot currently held by the New York Red Bulls.
Photo by Tony Quinn/ISIphotos.com
By THOMAS FLOYD
Saturday's showdown between the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas may be a rematch of last year's
MLS Cup, but neither team has looked anything like a title contender lately.
Dallas is 0-6-1 in its past seven matches in all competitions, while Colorado has gone 0-5-1 in
six games.
By THOMAS FLOYD
The last time D.C. United recorded back-to-back league wins, Tom Soehn was the coach, Josh Wicks
was in goal, and the attack was led by Ben Olsen, Christian Gomez, Luciano Emilio and Jaime
Moreno.
That was June 2009. Needless to say, a lot has changed for United and now-coach Olsen in the
past 27 months, but the lack of any sort of winning streak has continued.
By FRANCO PANIZO
The MLS playoff race in the Eastern Conference just became a little more intense, and we can
thank the Chicago Fire for that.
Midfielder Marco Pappa snapped a personal three-month scoring drought in dramatic fashion,
delivering a hat-trick to help the streaking Fire pulled off a stunning 3-0 victory over 10-man
Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium on Wednesday night.
