Chicago/Galaxy running blog

Last year, Chicago destroyed LA's playoff hopes in the final game of the year. This year, they could pretty much kill the Galaxy off - a little earlier this time around.

LD talks about doing "internal work". Sounds like colonics or something. LD gives a nod to Hispanic Heritage month, saying those were his soccer teammates when he was growing up. Foudy points out that the Galaxy will lose players in an upcoming game for international duty.

LD also does a bumper blurb in Spanish. "Arriba Galaxy" he says. He won't be hearing much of that tonight, frankly.

Galaxy - Wicks, Jazic, Franklin, Roberts, Klein, Becks, Vanney, Lewis, Donovan, Gordon, Buddle

Fire - Busch, Segares, Conde, Soumare, Prideaux, Rolfe, Pause, Mapp, Thorington, Blanco, McBride

Foudy thinks Blanco is going to have to step up to turn the Fire around. Stone points out that McBride doesn't really seem to have helped the Fire much since he joined them.

Kickoff!
1- Nice crowd. Not a big surprise, but still nice to see.
2 - Klein takes ball away from Mapp.
3 - Fire throw. Blanco seems really on tonight. Franklin fouls and give up a free kick to the Fire.
4 - Blanco takes it - hits it right to Wicks. Not Blanco's usual cannon shot.
7 - Blanco lays ball off, Mapp takes a shot. Way over.
8 - Gordon fouls Pause in midfield.
9 - Wicks saves a Rolfe shot!
10 - Chicago corner - Soumare header - Jazic clears off the line!
12 - Becks with a good volley pass, but Busch beats Buddle to the ball.
13 - GOAL! Rolfe! He got the ball poked away from him twice, but he got it back both times and sneaks the ball in far post. He shot through Troy Roberts' legs, and that seemed to throw Wicks off. 1-0 Fire.
26 - Corner for LA - Becks takes it. Galaxy get a throw out of it.
27 - It gets served into the box, but the header is way wide. Goal kick.
30 - Gordon with a low shot, but not fast enough to threaten Busch.
32 - Yikes. Harkes just said, "Beckerman" No.
34 - The crowd is building up momentum with Spanish chants.
35 - GOAL! Lewis! LD to Klein, whose low cross reaches the box, where Lewis gets a foot in front of Rolfe to poke the ball towards goal. 1-1
36 - Becks is grimacing like crazy. I think his ankle is hurt again. the announcers ignore it.
SAVE! Wicks. Blanco served the ball in, but Wicks made the save.
37 - Corner kick ends up with a shot over the bar by the Fire.
40 - Beckham to Buddle - who shoots just wide.
44 - Wicks punches a ball out, Thorrington serves it back in. Blanco is down after colliding with Wicks. He barreled right into him.
Blanco heads toward the sideline.
45 + He's back now - just got called for offside.
Halftime - the Galaxy fought back after the Fire went up early. It really depends who has the legs in the second half for the win, I think.
I can't believe Mauricio Cienfuegos isn't on ESPN's influential Hispanic players poll.
50 - Chicago is coming in hard and the Galaxy are scrambling to hold them off.
51 - Either LA will surprise the Fire on a counter or the Fire will get the goal they are pressing for right now.
52 - Wicks catches a tipped ball from Troy Roberts. Becks gets booed as he sets up for a corner. Over the bar. The Galaxy get another corner. It pops out and Becks serves it back in - Gordon heads wide.
54 - Harkes gushes over what Bruce Arena has brought to the Galaxy. Are we looking at the same team?
57 - GOAL! Blanco! On the counter on an outlet pass - Wicks mistimed coming out, collided with Roberts and couldn't get the ball. The home fans go crazy. 2-1 Fire.
59 - GOAL! Rolfe! A pass snuck through to Rolfe - though it looked offside to me, but the linesman keeps the flag down. Wicks gets a hand to it, but that doesn't stop the ball and it continues into the goal. 3-1 Fire.
63 - Even though the Fire were pushing hard for a goal, they actually scored on counter chance, not the the pressing opportunities.
66 - LA FK - right to the hands of Busch.
69 - Donovan missed a scoring chance near post. Nice feed from Klein.
71 - Another chance wasted - Lewis pass - LD tried to volley it but his touch was off.
78 - Even Harkes mentions Cien as influential - why isn't he on the poll, Harkey?
80 - Corner for LA. Various player have a chance at it, but a whistle blows - handball on Roberts.
86 - Jordan creates a corner kick chance. Becks takes it and Franklin gets a header on it. It's not a good one, though, and the ball goes wide.
Final whistle
Well, this was always going to be a tough game to win, but now the Galaxy are looking at having to win out to try to make the playoffs. That's nearly impossible, especially with all their internationals missing for another game.