Fire suffer first defeat of 2009 season

Shorthanded Chicago side struggles in 3-0 loss to FC Dallas

Justin Mapp started on Sunday with Cuauhtemoc Blanco on national team duty. (B. Kersey/Getty)

The Fire, (5-1-6, 21 points) remain in first place in the Eastern Conference, but fell one game short of the league record for longest unbeaten streak to start an MLS season. FC Dallas raised their record to 2-6-3 (nine points). The win was its first since April 19 vs. Toronto.

The Fire seemed to suffer from tired legs after winning games at New York last Sunday and at Chivas USA on Thursday. The Fire's starting lineup included the anticipated addition of Justin Mapp at midfield in place of Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who left the team to join the Mexican national team for World Cup qualifiers the next two weeks.

There were two changes in the back line, with veteran C.J. Brown getting his second start of the season, playing in place of injured center back Wilman Conde, and Brandon Prideaux playing left back in place of Gonzalo Segares, who was on the substitutes' list. Segares and center back Bakary Soumare stayed with the team for Sunday's match before heading to their own national team camps in anticipation of World Cup play for Costa Rica and Mali, respectively.

Fire coach Denis Hamlett also moved midfielder Marco Pappa out of the starting lineup, keeping Chris Rolfe at a midfield position and starting Patrick Nyarko up top.

The Fire's first corner kick came in the sixth minute and Mapp's offering was headed by Brian McBride up and over the goal.

FC Dallas scored on its first real chance. After a long Alvaro Sanchez shot was tipped wide by Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch, the resulting corner kick by Dave van den Bergh got to Jeff Cunningham at the top of the goal area and Cunningham's sharp header hit the top left corner of the net.

In the 19th minute, van den Bergh had another corner kick that found midfielder Dax McCarty near the same spot as Cunningham, but McCarty's header went straight into the arms of Busch.

The Fire missed a golden opportunity in the 21st minute when Rolfe sent a ball through to McBride breaking in on the left side, with two steps on the nearest defender. McBride waited for support, then sent the ball across the box, where defender Tim Ward fired a shot at Dallas 'keeper Ray Burse, who punched the ball out.

Rolfe had a rebound touch on the ball but it was ineffective.

Dallas took advantage of a slow moving Fire midfield in the 27th minute when David Ferreira dribbled down the right side with John Thorrington following. Ferreira found space to send a cross to McCarty charging alone down the middle of the 18, but McCarty's header again went straight at Busch for a save.

FC Dallas took a 2-0 lead when McCarthy's free kick from 35 yards out went off the head of Brown, in the center of the penalty area, straight back up and over Busch for an own goal.

Despite the 2-0 halftime deficit, Hamlett made no lineup changes for the second half.

In the 59th minute, Brown was injured during a free kick scrum inside the 18, but he remained in the game.

In the 66th minute, Hamlett made his first substitution, sending Marco Pappa into the game for Brown. One minute later, Hamlett sent in Mike Banner for Rolfe. Then in the 74th minute, Hamlett used his last substitution, sending in rookie Baggio Husidic for Mapp.

In the 79th minute, FCD twice found late substitution Brek Shea getting past the Fire's defense. The first time Shea's final dribble went too far forward and was caught by Busch, but the second time Shea was brought down by Soumare from behind, and Soumare was given his second yellow card of the game by referee Shane Moody and ejected.

The subsequent free kick by Kenny Cooper from 24 yards out hit the crossbar and bounced down and into the net, giving Dallas a 3-0 lead. It was only the second game this season the Fire gave up three goals, the first being at San Jose April 11 in a 3-3 contest.

Immediately following the goal, referee Moody ejected Dallas coach Schellas Hyndman.

In the 87th minute, John Thorrington had the ball at his foot and was past Burse but his falling kick hit the upper right corner of the goal frame and bounced away.

Both teams play at home next weekend. The Fire entertain the Houston Dynamo on Friday evening, while FC Dallas takes on the San Jose Earthquakes on Sunday at Pizza Hut Park.

Kent McDill is a contributor to MLSnet.com.

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