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Matchday 34
Final
Chicago 2-0 New England
Half: 1-0
Goals
35'J. Thorrington1-0  
83'C. Blanco2-0  
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Final Boxscore
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Chicago v New England
Time Commentary
90' Thank you and good night
That's it for your match commentary. Once again, the Chicago Fire, in front of a crowd of 21,528 at Toyota Park, prevail over the New England Revolution 2-0 in the match and 3-2 on aggregate to advance to the Eastern Conference Finals next week against Real Salt Lake. We hope to see you then!
90' A different sub story for New England
The Revolution, on the other hand, seemed to make their changes for temperamental reasons, with Kenny Mansally replaced when he was sitting on a yellow card. Then his replacement, Mauricio Castro, subbed off after a loud disagreement with the officials. That may have blunted their attempts to make a more tactical change in the match.
90' The difference-maker for Chicago
Patrick Nyarko, who entered the match when Brian McBride got injured, really opened things up in the second half, creating three great chances for Chicago in the space of a few minutes, and Blanco converted on the last of those three.
90' Thorrington and Blanco seal the deal for Chicago
Goals from John Thorrington and Cuauhtemoc Blanco propel the Fire to the next round. New England struggled with the relentless attacking pressure from Chicago, and while they had their chances to score, were unable to convert.
90' FULL TIME
And that's it. Chicago wins the game and the series with a 2-0 score line in the match, and a 3-2 advantage on aggregate goals. The Fire will face Real Salt Lake at Toyota Park one week from tonight.
90' Chicago tries to finish New England off, but can't
After a couple of blasts out of the back just to relieve pressure, Chicago gains possession in the attacking third, but neither Baggio Husidic nor Chris Rolfe can get the shot off, and New England recovers.
90' Five minutes of stoppage time
We've passed the ninety minute mark, with at least five more to go. New England sends in a long diagonal ball towards the head of Shalrie Joseph, but he's whistled offside.
90' Phelan header just wide
New England pushes to keep their hopes alive, with a long throw-in finding Shalrie Joseph's head, but Jon Busch punches it out of danger. Pat Phelan gets a chance, but puts it just wide of the far post.
88' Husidic on for Pappa
Chicago makes another change, replacing Marco Pappa with Baggio Husidic.
85' Bodies flying in the Chicago box
New England tries to answer, and there's a bit of chaos in the box as both teams flail at the ball and have bodies hit the ground, but there's nothing foul-worthy and Chicago clears.
84' GOAL CHICAGO!
Blanco puts Chicago up 2-0 in the match and 3-2 on aggregate, but once again, it's Patrick Nyarko starting the play. Nyarko beats Emmanuel Osei at the end line, dribbles into traffic and cuts it back for Blanco, who takes a touch to open up some space and then calmly puts it into the back of the net.
82' Thorrington just wide, Rolfe stopped by Reis
Chicago is buzzing in the attack now. This time it's Nyarko on the left side, cutting it back for a sliding John Thorrington, but it's just wide. Then Chris Rolfe gets some space and shoots to the corner, but Reis stops it.
80' Blanco off the crossbar!
Patrick Nyarko gets the ball to the end line and cuts it back for Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who fakes the shot with his left, cuts it back, and winds up with his right, but while it gets over Matt Reis, the crossbar denies the chance.
79' Thorrington down
John Thorrington gets a knee to the head on a challenge from Jeff Larentowicz, but Alex Prus directs play to continue. Thorrington is still on the ground thirty or forty seconds later.
78' Reis snares a long free kick
Blanco sends a long diagonal ball into the middle on a restart, but Matt Reis is off his line to grab it.
75' Chicago can't connect going forward
The Fire try to push forward, but with Patrick Nyarko in an offside position, Chicago has to hold up the pass and the ball goes out of bounds before someone can get to it on the right sideline.
72' Castro frustrated, subbed out
Mauricio Castro appeals for a foul after getting pushed before a Chicago throw-in, then blasts the ball into the bench area in frustration from the run of play. Alex Prus seems to have sent him to the locker room to clean up a bleeding cut, but New England subs him out for Wells Thompson instead.
67' One-man show from Pappa
Marco Pappa receives the ball in traffic on the right side and fights off two or three attempts to take the ball away before sending a shot in on goal that Matt Reis easily handles.
60' Joseph clears one off the line!
Chicago almost breaks through again after Chris Rolfe finds Cuauhtemoc Blanco with a long ball from left to right across the penalty area. Blanco sends it in to the near post, where Dasan Robinson flicks it on and in front of the net, but Shalrie Joseph is there to put it out for a corner kick.
58' Robinson clears a long set piece
Chicago is whistled for a foul at midfield, and second-half sub Mauricio Castro sends a long diagonal ball into the box, but Dasan Robinson is there to get around the New England attacker and clear it out of danger.
56' McBride can't continue
Brian McBride finally receives some attention from the training staff after his earlier collision with Matt Reis, and can't continue. Patrick Nyarko enters the match to replace him.
54' Pappa shot off-target
More tight passing in the corner for Chicago, this time between Cuauhtemoc Blanco and Brandon Prideaux, who dishes it off to Marco Pappa. Pappa's curling left-footed shot sails high and wide of the far post.
52' McBride battles Reis twice, loses
Two crosses into the box for Chicago lead to collisions between Matt Reis and Brian McBride, with McBride getting the worst of it on the second and staying on the turf, but play continues while he slowly regains his feet.
50' Alston lets fly from distance
Sainey Nyassi takes on Daniel Woolard down the right side, but his cross is cleared to just outside of the box, where New England works it around to Kevin Alston on the right side, but his long shot misses the goal by a wide margin.
48' McBride header gobbled up by Reis
Chicago wins a free kick in the midfield, and Blanco plays a long diagonal ball toward the top of the box, where Brian McBride sends a header on goal that is easy pickings for Matt Reis.
46' Castro on at halftime
Steve Nicol makes one change as the second half gets underway, with Mauricio Castro replacing Kenny Mansally, who picked up a yellow card in the first half and had his share of physical plays after that. Castro brings some offensive creativity, while the chance of losing Mansally to a second yellow is eliminated.
45' Fast, physical play
The play has been wide-open, but attempts to slow that down have led to some hard fouls, with the Revolution being whistled eight times and earning two yellow cards, while the Fire have been stopped by referee Alex Prus four times.
45' Chicago did better with their chances
Although Chicago enjoys a 5-1 advantage in shots on goal, along with the obvious 1-0 advantage in goal, both teams have had good chances through the first forty-five minutes. New England could have gotten a leg up with Jankauskas' header, but the woodwork stopped him when Jon Busch couldn't.
45' Where things stand
If this score holds through the second half, there will be a 30-minute series overtime, followed by penalty kicks, if necessary, to decide a winner. If Chicago outscores New England in the second half, they will advance to the semi-finals, and vice versa for the Revolution.
45' HALFTIME
Alex Prus calls an end to an entertaining first half of play, with the Fire leading the match 1-0, and the playoff series level at two goals apiece.
45' One minute of stoppage time
At least one minute will be added to the first half, as New England tries a long shot on goal from Kenny Mansally after C.J. Brown was whistled for a foul forty yards or so from goal. It sails just over the bar and out for a goal kick.
42' Busted play leads to Reis snare
New England defender Emmanuel Osei thought he was fouled in the backfield by Chris Rolfe, but play continues and Rolfe plays it into the box. Several bounces and a whiffed volley from Marco Pappa later, Chicago sends in a cross, but Matt Reis taps it forward and then grabs it.
37' Pappa shot goes wide
Chicago keeps up the pressure, working the ball wide on the right side from Blanco to Marco Pappa, but Pappa's shot squirts through the box and no one is on the far post to clean it up.
36' Hard foul from Jankauskas earns yellow
New England picks up another yellow card, this time for a foul from behind from Edgaras Jankauskas on Marco Pappa in the midfield.
35' GOAL CHICAGO!
John Thorrington puts Chicago on level terms in the series, converting a pass from Marco Pappa after Brandon Prideaux picked up a loose ball. Sharp passing in the box from the Fire, and a strong finish from Thorrington in his first appearance back from injury.
34' The next corner is better for Chicago
The Fire win another corner kick, and this time Blanco connects with Brian McBride on the near post, but McBride puts it just wide.
32' Corner for Chicago
Brian McBride plays a cross off a New England defender for a Chicago corner kick, but New England clears it as far as Logan Pause, who puts the ball over the end line for a goal kick.
31' Poor pass from McBride wastes a buildup
Chicago breaks New England's pressure and starts a promising counterattack up the center of the field, but Brian McBride can't connect his cross and the Revolution stop the attack.
28' Up, up and away
Chicago defends a long throw-in from Darrius Barnes with three consecutive headers that go straight up in the air and not out of the box, which leads to an opportunistic volley from Kenny Mansally that misses everything.
26' McBride side volley off target
John Thorrington starts the attack for Chicago, feeding Marco Pappa on the right side, and a few touches later, it falls again to Brian McBride on the far post, but McBride can't get around the ball well enough on the shot, sending it well wide of Matt Reis' goal.
24' McBride can't get by Reis
Chicago's Cuauhtemoc Blanco sends a nice cross from the right side to the far post, where Brian McBride rises to meet it, but the striker can't direct his header past the New England goalkeeper.
22' Jankauskas off the crossbar!
New England almost gets on the board first as Sainey Nyassi sends a dangerous cross into the box for Edgaras Jankauskas, whose header bounces off the crossbar and is eventually cleared by Chicago.
20' Busch out of his box to clear
New England plays it long up the center, and Jon Busch has to charge out of his box to clear, appealing for a foul on New England forward Kheli Dube for the ensuing collision but not recieving one.
18' Mansally sees yellow for a hard foul on Blanco
The Fire work some tight passing in the corner between Blanco, Thorrington and Prideaux, which ends with Blanco appealing for a foul on contact from New England midfielder Kenny Mansally. As Mansally gets forward, he runs right through Blanco, sending him to the ground and earning Mansally a yellow card.
15' Pappa's right-footed shot goes wide
Chicago gets a good chance off of a long ball out of the back from Jon Busch, won by Brian McBride to Blanco, who finds Marco Pappa on the right side, but then Pappa can't get his shot on target. Still, a nice build-up from the home side.
12' New England pushes and Chicago counters
Sainey Nyassi gets up the right wing with the ball and sends a cross in to Kheli Dube for New England, but Dube goes to the ground and the Fire eventually clear and counter, ending with a long shot from John Thorrington that goes wide for a goal kick.
10' Alston puts it out of danger
Chicago finds Cuauhtemoc Blanco on the right side of the penalty area, but Chris Rolfe can't control his ball into the box before rookie defender Kevin Alston is able to clear it out.
9' Jankauskas shot deflected out
New England makes a push up the left side, with Edgaras Jankauskas winding up for a shot from the top of the box that deflects off of Fire defender C.J. Brown and out for a corner kick. The cross runs all the way through the box and out for a goal kick.
5' Early free kick for New England
Daniel Woolard tries to press Sainey Nyassi, but the speedy Revolution winger gets by him and forces a foul on the far side touch line. Jon Busch is off his line to grab the cross, but the visitors have the first real chance of the night on the play.
3' Clever passing but no penetration from Chicago
After Brian McBride is fouled in the midfield, Cuauhtemoc Blanco starts a sequence of possession for Chicago with a quick pass up the right side for Marco Pappa, but the Fire can't break down the Revolution defense.
1' We are underway
New England kicks off to start the match, but so far it's just been a quick back and forth in the midfield for both sides.
0' Alex Prus is the match referee tonight
He is assisted by Fabio Tovar and Sean Hurd, with Terry Vaughn as the fourth official.
0' Beautiful night for soccer
It's unseasonably warm for November in the Chicagoland area tonight, with a gametime temperature of 58 degrees and clear skies.
0' New England Revolution lineup and formation (4-4-2)
F 10-Jankauskas 11-Dube M 29-Mansally 13-Larentowicz 21-Joseph 31-Nyassi D 6-Heaps 5-Osei 25-Barnes 30-Alston G 1-Reis
0' Chicago lineup and formation (4-4-2)
F 20-McBride 10-Blanco M 16-Pappa 7-Pause 11-Thorrington 17-Rolfe D 24-Woolard 32-Robinson 2-Brown 6-Prideaux G 1-Busch
0' Revs with the same 11; Chicago changes two
Steve Nicol will go with with the same players on the field who started the first match, while Chicago sees the return of Daniel Woolard at left back and John Thorrington in the central midfield, replacing Mike Banner and Baggio Husidic.
0' Winner gets Real Salt Lake at home
New England only needs a draw to advance and host Real Salt Lake in the semifinals, while the Fire need at least a one-goal win to force a 30-minute series overtime, or a two-goal victory to advance outright. Real Salt Lake was placed in the Eastern Conference playoffs as a wild card, and eliminated the defending champion Columbus Crew on Thursday.
0' New England leads 2-1 on aggregate
The first round is a two-legged aggregate-goal format, and the Revolution took care of business at home last Sunday with a 2-1 victory for the series lead on goals from Kenny Mansally and Shalrie Joseph. Chris Rolfe scored the lone goal for the Fire.
0' Hello and welcome!
Thanks for joining us for your match commentary for the second leg of the first-round Eastern Conference MLS playoff series between the Chicago Fire and the New England Revolution from Toyota Park in Bridgeview, Illinois.
Commentary  |  Team Stats  |  Player Stats  |  Shotchart
Teams
ChicagoStarter
Jon Busch - 1Y
C.J. Brown - 2Y
Brandon Prideaux - 6Y
Logan Pause - 7Y
Cuauhtemoc Blanco - 10Y
John Thorrington - 11Y
Marco Pappa - 16Y
Chris Rolfe - 17Y
Brian McBride - 20Y
Daniel Woolard - 24Y
Dasan Robinson - 32Y
Baggio Husidic - 9N
Patrick Nyarko - 14N
  
New EnglandStarter
Matt Reis - 1Y
Emmanuel Osei - 5Y
Jay Heaps - 6Y
Edgaras Jankauskas - 10Y
Kheli Dube - 11Y
Jeff Larentowicz - 13Y
Shalrie Joseph - 21Y
Darrius Barnes - 25Y
Kenny Mansally - 29Y
Kevin Alston - 30Y
Sainey Nyassi - 31Y
Wells Thompson - 7N
Mauricio Castro - 16N
Pat Phelan - 28N
Substitution
' - Nyarko
 - McBride
' - Husidic
 - Pappa
  
  
Castro - '
Mansally - 
Thompson - '
Castro - 
Phelan - '
Osei - 
Yellow Cards
 
 
 
Mansally (17')  
Jankauskas (36')  
Larentowicz (85')  
ChicagoTeam StatsNew England
2 Goals 0
3 Assists 0
21 Shots 12
13 Shots on Goal 4
4 Saves 10
0 Penalties Scored 0
0 Penalty Kicks 0
5 Corner Kicks 2
3 Offsides 3
8 Fouls Committed 16
0 Cautions/Yellow Cards 3
0 Red Cards 0
Commentary  |  Team Stats  |  Player Stats  |  Shotchart
Chicago
  GA SHT SHT-OG Svs SPct PKF PKS YC RC
J. Busch - 1 0 4 4 4 100.0 0 0 0 0
  SUB G Ast SHTS SOG SOG% CK FC FS Off YC RC
C. Brown - 2 0 0 1 0 0.0 0 1 1 0 0 0
B. Prideaux - 6 0 1 0 0 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
L. Pause - 7 0 0 0 0 - 0 1 1 0 0 0
B. Husidic - 9 + 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
C. Blanco - 10 1 0 4 3 75.0 5 0 1 0 0 0
J. Thorrington - 11 1 0 3 1 33.3 0 2 2 0 0 0
P. Nyarko - 14 + 0 1 0 0 - 0 1 2 2 0 0
M. Pappa - 16 - 0 1 6 5 83.3 0 0 4 1 0 0
C. Rolfe - 17 0 0 2 1 50.0 0 0 1 0 0 0
B. McBride - 20 - 0 0 3 2 66.7 0 0 3 0 0 0
D. Woolard - 24 0 0 0 0 - 0 1 0 0 0 0
D. Robinson - 32 0 0 2 1 50.0 0 2 1 0 0 0

New England
  GA SHT SHT-OG Svs SPct PKF PKS YC RC
M. Reis - 1 2 13 13 10 83.3 0 0 0 0
  SUB G Ast SHTS SOG SOG% CK FC FS Off YC RC
E. Osei - 5 - 0 0 0 0 - 0 1 0 0 0 0
J. Heaps - 6 0 0 0 0 - 0 2 0 0 0 0
W. Thompson - 7 + 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
E. Jankauskas - 10 0 0 3 1 33.3 0 2 5 1 1 0
K. Dube - 11 0 0 1 1 100.0 0 3 1 2 0 0
J. Larentowicz - 13 0 0 1 0 0.0 0 3 0 0 1 0
M. Castro - 16 +; - 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
S. Joseph - 21 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
D. Barnes - 25 0 0 0 0 - 0 0 0 0 0 0
P. Phelan - 28 + 0 0 2 1 50.0 0 0 0 0 0 0
K. Mansally - 29 - 0 0 3 1 33.3 2 2 0 0 1 0
K. Alston - 30 0 0 1 0 0.0 0 2 0 0 0 0
S. Nyassi - 31 0 0 1 0 0.0 0 1 1 0 0 0
Commentary  |  Team Stats  |  Player Stats  |  Shotchart

Goalkeepers
GAGoals Allowed
SHTShots Faced
SHT-OGShots on Goal Faced
SvsSaves
SPctSave Pct.(Percentage)
PKFPenalty Kicks Faced
PKSPenalty Kicks Saved
YCCautions/Yellow Cards
RCRed Cards
Players
GGoals
SHTSShots
SOGShots on Goal
SOG%Shots on Goal %
CKCorner Kicks
CKCorner Kicks
CRCrosses
FCFouls Committed
FSFouls Suffered
YCCautions/Yellow Cards
RCRed Cards
AstAssists
OffOffsides
SUBSubstitution
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