Fire set to rev it up
Diego Gutierrez was there when the Chicago Fire first took the field in 1998, and when he assesses this playoff run he sees visions of that inaugural team.
"There are eerie similarities between this run and what we did in that season," Gutierrez said. "We had to go on the road and win in L.A., and we bounced them when they were playing MLS Cup in L.A. We're doing the same thing now, going into D.C. where MLS Cup is this year. We're on a very good run."
Very good is almost an understatement. The Fire is unbeaten in 11 matches heading into tonight's Eastern Conference semifinal at New England's Gillette Stadium.
The winner heads to RFK Stadium in Washington for MLS Cup 2007. In early July, such a possibility seemed a long shot. Now, facing the second-best regular-season team seems less daunting.
"This is a game that half of our guys were craving," Gutierrez said. "It was a situation where we felt it deeply when we got bounced last year on penalty kicks. This is a chance to redeem ourselves with our fans and within our group of players."
It almost would be wrong if the Chicago Fire and the New England Revolution didn't meet in the playoffs.
When the teams take the field tonight, they will be doing battle for the sixth postseason and the 11th playoff match. Neither team has played another team more frequently in the playoffs.
There have been some epic encounters, such as Chicago's 6-0 victory in the deciding game in the 2000 playoffs and Chris Armas' overtime goal that sent the Fire to a 1-0 win and a spot in MLS Cup 2003.
But the Revolution was the team celebrating after the last two meetings.
In 2005 Taylor Twellman's first-half goal was enough to put New England into the final. Last year Twellman and Pat Noonan scored to overturn a 2-0 Fire lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals. After a scoreless overtime the Revolution won on penalty kicks.
"I have nothing but respect for New England," said Fire midfielder Calen Carr. "You look at their team over the years and it's no coincidence they end up in finals and are always in contention."
But the way the Fire handled D.C. United in the semifinals -- winning 1-0 at Toyota Park, taking a 2-0 lead at RFK before surviving a massive onslaught for a 3-2 aggregate victory -- has the team talking in high spirits.
"While we respect them, we feel we match up with them," Carr said. "It's going to come down to the little plays. We hope to be on the positive side of those plays."
Carr moved from midfield to left back in a 4-5-1 formation in the deciding match with United, demonstrating the Fire's flexibility.
"We've got a very deep team," Carr said. "From the first team meeting, (coach Juan Carlos Osorio) instilled a competitive attitude. Guys have been used in different positions, but always to create a better matchup."
Chicago Fire at New England Revolution
When: 6:30 p.m. at Gillette Stadium in Foxboro, Mass.
TV: ESPN2
Fire outlook: Somewhere in those notes Fire coach Juan Carlos Osorio seems to be constantly scribbling on the sidelines should be this: "Stop giving up late leads." The Fire has shown a knack the past two months for turning victories into ties, but somehow the team has reached the conference final anyway. Will its luck run out today? Midfielder Justin Mapp could see action after missing 2½ months with an ankle injury.
The opponent: The Revs have plenty of talent, including the defender of the year, Michael Parkhurst, and the league's third-leading scorer, Taylor Twellman. But defense probably will be the name of this game.
Advancement: If the game is tied after 90 minutes, the teams will play a 30-minute overtime in its entirety. If the score is tied after 120 minutes, the winner will be decided by a penalty-kick shootout.
Next: The winner plays the winner of the Houston/Kansas City game in MLS Cup on Nov. 18.
-- Orrin Schwarz