Kansas City Wizards at Chicago Fire: Your Running Commentary
The unbeaten Chicago Fire take on the Kansas City Wizards today in a match that will determine who sits in first place in the MLS Eastern Conference after four weeks.
The Fire comes in at 2-0-1 while the Wizards enter at 2-1-1 after starting unbeaten at 2-0.
If you will be watching the match, and will be online, please feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and play by play in the comments section below.
Enjoy the soccer.




Ives Galarcep is an American soccer columnist for ESPNsoccernet.com and creator of SoccerByIves.net.
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I'm slightly disappointed in the crowd. It is a beautiful Spring day, and this is an important early season match-up as far as gauging the relative strength of the Eastern Conference... the place looks not quite 3/4 full...
Posted by: Original Aaron | April 20, 2008 at 03:09 PM
Sweet long ball from Lopez to a streaking Jewsbury, who takes a great touch and fires in, 1-0 now in the 6th.
I was just saying that I thought that missing Marinelli was going to really hurt KC. Oh well. Lopez is looking to be the playmaker today. Wow! KC has another goal called back because of offsides.
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 03:12 PM
Anyone know where to get this game on the internet? My Telefutura reception is total crap, since I don't have cable...
Posted by: Nathanhj | April 20, 2008 at 03:16 PM
Blanco finally gets his first touch, and tries to spring Frankowski, but nothing doing.
Chance Myers has had a good start, it looks like he and Mapp will be battling a lot today. Mapp's been trying to run with the ball, and after a couple of failures finally makes it to the touch line, but his cross doesn't threaten.
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 03:18 PM
Nathanhj, download Sopcast(google it) then look for the stream on myp2p.eu
Posted by: Louis | April 20, 2008 at 03:19 PM
Dont bother it is not on Sopcast. At least not yet.
Posted by: Jeff | April 20, 2008 at 03:22 PM
myp2p doesn't list the game. Believe me I went there first...
Posted by: Nathanhj | April 20, 2008 at 03:23 PM
Mapp unleashes a cannon of a shot which takes a nasty rebound and ends up juuuussst on the top netting. Still 1-0 in the 19th, pretty decent stuff.
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 03:24 PM
If Mapp ever learns how to pass he's going to be unstoppable...
Posted by: Nathanhj | April 20, 2008 at 03:33 PM
keep the updates coming because we don't get telefutura here in ann arbor and the mls match tracker is week. thanks guys
Posted by: kevin | April 20, 2008 at 03:38 PM
37th minute- Frankowski tries a pretty ugly side volley after getting a pass right in front of goal. Best Chicago chance to date.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 03:43 PM
38th minute- Hartman stones Blanco, stopping a long-range blast. Here goes a dangerous Chicago free kick
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 03:44 PM
39th minute- Hartman savews Blanco's free kick. Here comes KC on the break.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 03:44 PM
Chicago is getting a lot more space in the middle and itis turning into some sweet chances that Hartmans has stoned each time.
Posted by: Nathanhj | April 20, 2008 at 03:45 PM
40th minute- WOW. Chad Barrett just missed a WIDE-OPEN look, set up at the doorstep and he skies it over the bar.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 03:45 PM
Chad Barrett skies a sitter from 4 yards out. Complete open goal. This guy finishes like a 3-year old doing calculus...
I don't think he could hit the side of a barn with a rocket launcher...
Posted by: Nathanhj | April 20, 2008 at 03:46 PM
Chad Barrett, wow. Drink.
Posted by: kjk_40b | April 20, 2008 at 03:46 PM
sergio galvan barrett
Posted by: adam | April 20, 2008 at 03:47 PM
keep the updates coming, no stream online so this is the only thing available
Posted by: eshad | April 20, 2008 at 03:49 PM
they've got the highlight of the goal up on mlsnet. A good finish by Jewsbury but Busch probably shouldn't have came out.
Posted by: kevin | April 20, 2008 at 04:00 PM
The Minuto Caliente was fun, especially for gringo's like me who are challenged to keep up, but can at least get some of it. I'd love a translation on that.
Actually, for our Spanish speakers out there, I'd love to see translations of some of their better cracks.
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 04:05 PM
That Jewsbury goal, which was set up by a gorgeous cross from Lopez, was pretty much completely Busch's fault. If you watch the reply, it shows him comping to a stop before Jewsbury chests it. If you are going to come that far off your line you better impede the progress of the offensive player.
Legally of course...
Posted by: Nathanhj | April 20, 2008 at 04:06 PM
46th minute- The second half is under waY
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:08 PM
46th minute- Lopez creates a chnace less than a minute into the half.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:09 PM
47th minute- Prideaux with a yellow for a foul on Roger Espinoza.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:09 PM
Speaking of Jewsbury - is he really a defender? He gets forward so often I thought he was in midfield.
Sigh. This is the kind of thing I miss about watching games live, seeing where guys make their runs from.
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 04:09 PM
48th minute- Segares fouls Morskink and the two have words. No cards given.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:11 PM
either side make any changes at the break?
Posted by: kevin | April 20, 2008 at 04:13 PM
Chance Myers with a good run box to box with a little give-and-go in the middle. But he shows too much ball when it's time to make a move and he pushes it over the line for a goal kick.
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 04:13 PM
51st minute- Fire struggling to create much early on here.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:14 PM
(No subs)
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 04:14 PM
Just saw the goal. Are you kidding me with the goalkeeping? Jewsbury had two defenders on him, i.e., there was no reason for the keeper to come out. And, since he did come out, as was mentioned by a poster above, he really needed to actually do somethin instead of running up to the 18 and stopping a few feet in front of Jewsbury. MLS goalkeeping is dire this year.
Posted by: Jacob | April 20, 2008 at 04:14 PM
52nd minute- A Fire corner kick gets interesting when Hartman loses it but the Wizards eventually clear the danger.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:15 PM
Hartman with a bad spill on a corner, Frankowski (I think) gets a swipe but muffs it, eventually cleared out.
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 04:15 PM
Jewsbury is playing in the midfield, not in defense...
Posted by: Nathanhj | April 20, 2008 at 04:16 PM
54th minute- HARTMAN SAVES a Frankowski shot and Chance Myers clears a Blanco follow off the line. BEST chances for the Fire this half.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:17 PM
so which players have looked the most dangerous so far? that ball by lopez to set up the goal was great.
how have blanco and mapp been? have rolfe or frankowski done much besides miss chances?
Posted by: kevin | April 20, 2008 at 04:17 PM
i meant barrett, not rolfe by the way lol
Posted by: kevin | April 20, 2008 at 04:17 PM
Some Mickey Mouse defending by the Wiz (or perhaps Flying Monkey might be their brand of it), who don't pay for it because of lazy attacking. Fire have a one-on-one with the goal but let it run too long and have no angle, the ball bounces around a bit, weak shot on goal finally smothered.
Sorry, it was fast and furious, missed most of the principle players involved...
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 04:18 PM
57th minute- DANGEROUS free kick for Chicago after Harrington fouls Mapp on the left edge of the top of the penalty area.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:20 PM
Dangerous free kick from 19 yards out..
Posted by: Nathanhj | April 20, 2008 at 04:21 PM
Ivan Trujillo and Sasha Victorino have come in for KC.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:21 PM
58th minute- Free kick hits the KC wall.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:21 PM
Hits the wall and bounces clear, put-back get lost in the corner and the Wizards clear.
Posted by: Nathanhj | April 20, 2008 at 04:21 PM
So, Frankowski was sprung on the attack, and Blanco half muffed the follow up (that was very surprising) and it was trapped by Myers on the line and picked up by Hartman.
I missed about 20 mins of the first half, but I don't think Blanco's had enough of the ball, and really haven't noticed Rolfe at all.
Wiz bring on Trullijo for Sealey, I like it.
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 04:22 PM
yeah I'm pretty sure Rolfe is out with a sprained ankle, I meant Barrett.
thanks though, Eric
Posted by: kevin | April 20, 2008 at 04:23 PM
Mapp almost springs Barrett, but Hartman comes out and claims it
Posted by: eric | April 20, 2008 at 04:24 PM
63rd minute- Subs for Chicago soon. Wilman Conde and Andy Herron come in, Frankowski and Gutierrez out
64th minute- GREAT save by Jon Busch on a Sasha Victorine header.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:27 PM
Hartman is having a fantastic game!
Posted by: Nathanhj | April 20, 2008 at 04:27 PM
Make that Conde for Prideaux, not Gutierrez.
Posted by: Ives | April 20, 2008 at 04:28 PM