Kickoff: July 23, 7:30 p.m. PT at Buck Shaw Stadium, Santa Clara, Calif.
Television: NBCSN
Radio: 1370 KZSF, 1590 KLIV
Food Trucks: BBQ Kalbi, Speedy Panini, Twisted Chill, Curry Up Now, Swifty Sweets
Chicago Fire Scouting Report
The Chicago Fire currently sit in eighth place in the Eastern Conference with a 3-4-11 record and 20 points. They are coming off a 1-1 draw against the Philadelphia Union over the weekend after a goal from midfielder Jeff Larentowicz. Fire rookie Harry Shipp leads the team with six goals and five assists on the campaign, highlighted by a three-goal, one assist performance in a 5-4 win against the New York Red Bulls earlier in the season. Former 2013 MLS MVP Mike Magee has recorded four assists and 31 shots in 2014, while starting goalkeeper Sean Johnson leads the Fire between the pipes with 49 saves in 18 starts.
Last Game vs. Chicago Fire
Earthquakes 2, Chicago Fire 3; July 3, 2013; Toyota Park, Bridgeview, Ill.
San Jose had just 16 players on its matchday roster due to a mix of injuries, international call-ups and a pair of suspensions. Still, it was the Earthquakes who were first to the scoresheet thanks to the hustle of Alan Gordon. Gordon tallied for the second time in two games to put his squad on top in the 14th minute. Sam Cronin opened the sequence with a free kick into the box that the Fire tried to clear. Steven Beitashour found the second ball and volleyed it to Gordon in the middle of the area. Gordon’s first attempt drew the crossbar, but he followed his shot and headed home the loose ball for his third goal of 2013. The Fire knotted the game up in the first half with a strike from Dilly Duka. Gonzalo Segares slid a pass across the top of the box that found Duka. The winger took a heavy first touch, sending the ball high into the air before bouncing a shot on frame to beat Earthquakes goalkeeper Jon Busch to the far post. Patrick Nyarko was next to the scoresheet for the Fire in the 47th minute. The veteran midfielder made a darting horizontal run to get in front of his defender and volley in a cross from Duka to make it 2-1 in favor of Chicago. San Jose then equalized in the 72nd minute on a corner kick. Mehdi Ballouchy swung the spot kick into the mix where Fire substitute Joel Lindpere deflected the ball into his own net. Earthquakes defender Jason Hernandez applied pressure and nearly got a touch to claim the goal. However, Chicago would go ahead for good in the 84th minute thanks to a tap-in from forward Chris Rolfe. Strike partner Mike Magee mishit his shot wide of the target, but Rolfe found the ball in stride and tapped in the game winner from close range to stretch his team’s unbeaten streak to six games.
Earthquakes – Chicago Fire Connections
First-year Chicago head coach Frank Yallop compiled a 99-86-72 regular season record, a 10-7-0 MLS Cup Playoffs record and two MLS Cup titles as manager of the San Jose Earthquakes from 2001-03 and 2008-13 … Quakes goalkeeper Jon Busch played with the Fire from 2007-09, where he won MLS Goalkeeper of the Year in 2008 … Jason Hernandez made his MLS debut on Oct. 5, 2005, playing for New York against the Fire at Soldier Field in Chicago ... Fire forward Quincy Amarikwa played for the Earthquakes from 2009-10 … Amarikwa also played with Earthquakes defender Ty Harden on Toronto FC in 2012 … Quakes defender Jason Hernandez played with Chicago forward Mike Magee on the Metrostars in 2005 … San Jose forward Alan Gordon suited up for the LA Galaxy with Chicago forward Mike Magee (2009-10) … Fire midfielder Dilly Duka and Quakes forward Steven Lenhart were teammates with the Columbus Crew in 2010 … Fire forward Mathew Fondy is a native of Foster City and an alum of UC Santa Cruz … Fire defender Jhon Kennedy Hurtado and Quakes forward Cordell Cato were teammates with Seattle Sounders FC in 2012 … Fire defender Patrick Ianni and Quakes forward Chris Wondolowski were teammates with the Dynamo from 2006-08 … Ianni was also teammates with Cato and Hurtado in Seattle in 2012 … Fire midfielder Benji Joya is a native of San Jose, CA … Fire midfielder Lovel Palmer and Quakes forward Mike Fucito were teammates with the Portland Timbers in 2012 … Palmer and Quakes midfielder Khari Stephenson were teammates with Real Salt Lake in 2013 … Fire midfielder Logan Pause (2000-02) and Quakes forward Billy Schuler (2008-11) both attended North Carolina … Fire forward Harry Shipp and Quakes midfielder Tommy Thompson were both selected to the 2014 Chipotle MLS Homegrown roster … Fire midfielder Matt Watson, a native of Redditch, England, and Quakes defender Jordan Stewart, a native of Birmingham, England, grew up 32 minutes away from each other.
