2008 Chicago Fire season
The 2008 Chicago Fire season was the club's 13th year of existence, as well as their 11th season in Major League Soccer and 11th consecutive year in the top-flight of American soccer. It began with a 3-1 away win over Real Salt Lake on March 29, 2008 and ended with a 2-1 loss to Columbus Crew in the Eastern Conference Final on November 13, 2008. Denis Hamlett made his debut as the Chicago Fire coach after being promoted.
| 2008 season | |||
|---|---|---|---|
 | |||
| Chairman |  Andrew Hauptman | ||
| Manager |  Denis Hamlett | ||
| MLS | 3rd overall (2nd in Eastern Conference) | ||
| MLS Cup Playoffs | Conference Final | ||
| U.S. Open Cup | Quarterfinals | ||
| Brimstone Cup | Runners-up | ||
| Top goalscorer | Chris Rolfe (9) +(1 in playoffs)[1] | ||
| Average home league attendance | 17,052[2] | ||
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Current roster
Squad
- Players in bold have had senior international caps for their respective national squads.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
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|
In
Patrick Nyarko Drafted 7th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft- Dominic Cervi Drafted 12th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
- Peter Lowry Drafted 26th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
- Dwight Barnett Drafted 38th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
- Stephen King Drafted 40th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
- Austin Washington Drafted 54th overall in 2008 MLS Superdraft
- Andy Herron Rights acquired from Columbus Crew for 4th round pick in the 2010 Superdraft
Tomasz Frankowski Signed from 
Wolverhampton Wanderers- Brandon Prideaux Acquired in waiver draft from Colorado Rapids
Líder Mármol Signed as free agent.- Brian McBride Free agent
Out
- Matt Pickens To Queens Park Rangers
Ivan Guerrero Lost to San Jose Earthquakes in the Expansion Draft- Jim Curtin Traded to Chivas USA
- Chris Armas Retired
- Paulo Wanchope Retired
- Jeff Curtin Waived, later signed with D.C. United
Osei Telesford Waived, later signed with 
Puerto Rico Islanders- Chad Barrett Traded to Toronto FC in Brian McBride deal
- Brian Plotkin Waived, later signed with Columbus Crew
Club
Statistics
Appearances and goals
- Last updated on June 5, 2008.
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | MLS Season | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||||
| 0 | GK | USA |
Tyler Kettering | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1 | GK | USA |
Jon Busch | 30 | 0 | 30 | 0 |
| 2 | DF | USA |
C.J. Brown | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 3 | FW | USA |
Calen Carr | 9 | 2 | 9 | 2 |
| 4 | MF |  MLI |
Bakary Soumare | 28 | 0 | 28 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | USA |
Brandon Prideaux | 27 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| 7 | MF | USA |
Logan Pause | 27 | 0 | 27 | 0 |
| 8 | MF | USA |
Diego Gutiérrez | 20 | 0 | 20 | 0 |
| 9 | FW | POL |
Tomasz Frankowski | 17 | 2 | 17 | 2 |
| 10 | MF |  MEX |
Cuauhtémoc Blanco | 27 | 7 | 27 | 7 |
| 11 | MF | USA |
John Thorrington | 23 | 5 | 23 | 5 |
| 12 | FW | GHA |
Patrick Nyarko | 9 | 1 | 9 | 1 |
| 16 | MF |  GUA |
Marco Pappa | 6 | 0 | 6 | 0 |
| 17 | FW | USA |
Chris Rolfe | 26 | 10 | 26 | 10 |
| 18 | MF | USA |
Mike Banner | 11 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 20 | FW | USA |
Brian McBride | 11 | 5 | 11 | 5 |
| 21 | MF | USA |
Justin Mapp | 30 | 2 | 30 | 2 |
| 22 | DF |  COL |
Wilman Conde | 22 | 1 | 22 | 1 |
| 23 | DF | PAR |
Lider Marmol | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 24 | DF | USA |
Daniel Woolard | 8 | 1 | 8 | 1 |
| 25 | DF | CRC |
Gonzalo Segares | 23 | 2 | 23 | 2 |
| 26 | FW | CRC |
Andy Herron | 17 | 0 | 17 | 0 |
| 28 | GK | USA |
Nick Noble | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 29 | MF | USA |
Peter Lowry | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 32 | DF | USA |
Dasan Robinson | 2 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 33 | MF | USA |
Stephen King | 20 | 2 | 20 | 2 |
| 34 | DF | USA |
Austin Washington | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 36 | MF | USA |
Kai Kasiguran | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Competitions
Overall
| Competition | Started round | Current position / round |
Final position / round |
First match | Last match |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MLS | — | — | March 29, 2008 |
Updated to match played July 21, 2009
Source: Competitions
Standings
| Pos | Club | Pts | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus Crew | 57 | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 50 | 36 | +14 |
| 2 | Chicago Fire | 46 | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 44 | 33 | +11 |
| 3 | New England Revolution | 43 | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 43 | –3 |
| 4 | Kansas City Wizards | 42 | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 37 | 39 | –2 |
| 5 | New York Red Bulls | 39 | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 42 | 48 | –6 |
| 6 | D.C. United | 37 | 30 | 11 | 15 | 4 | 43 | 51 | –8 |
| 7 | Toronto FC | 35 | 30 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 34 | 43 | –9 |
| 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs | |
| 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs (Wild Card) |
| Pos | Team | Pld | W | L | D | GF | GA | GD | Pts | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus Crew (SS, E1) | 30 | 17 | 7 | 6 | 50 | 36 | +14 | 57 | 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage 2 |
| 2 | Houston Dynamo (W1) | 30 | 13 | 5 | 12 | 45 | 32 | +13 | 51 | |
| 3 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 44 | 33 | +11 | 46 | 2009 North American SuperLiga 4 |
| 4 | Chivas USA | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 41 | −1 | 43 | |
| 5 | New England Revolution | 30 | 12 | 11 | 7 | 40 | 43 | −3 | 43 | |
| 6 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 37 | 39 | −2 | 42 | |
| 7 | Real Salt Lake | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 40 | 39 | +1 | 40 | 2008 MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 8 | New York Red Bulls | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 42 | 48 | −6 | 39 | 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round 3 |
| 9 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 11 | 14 | 5 | 44 | 45 | −1 | 38 | |
| 10 | D.C. United | 30 | 11 | 15 | 4 | 43 | 51 | −8 | 37 | 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round 3 |
| 11 | FC Dallas | 30 | 8 | 10 | 12 | 45 | 41 | +4 | 36 | |
| 12 | Toronto FC | 30 | 9 | 13 | 8 | 34 | 43 | −9 | 35 | |
| 13 | LA Galaxy | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 55 | 62 | −7 | 33 | |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 32 | 38 | −6 | 33 |
Source:
(SS) = Supporters Shield winner; (E1) = Eastern Conference champion; (W1) = Western Conference champion
- ^Note 1 - Toronto FC cannot qualify for the U.S. Open Cup, as it is a Canadian-based team.
If they had qualified for an automatic berth into the U.S. Open Cup, the next highest placed team not already qualified would have qualified. - ^Note 2 - Toronto FC cannot qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League through MLS. Rather, they can qualify through the Canadian Soccer Championship.
If they had qualified for the Champions League through MLS, then the highest placed team not already qualified would have qualified. - ^Note 3 - The winner of the 2008 MLS Supporters' Shield (Columbus Crew) qualified for the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League Group Stage. As they also won MLS 2008, the 2008 MLS Supporters' Shield runner-up (Houston Dynamo) also entered the Group Stage. The runner-up of MLS Cup 2008 (New York Red Bulls) and the winner of the 2008 U.S. Open Cup (D.C. United) qualified for the 2009–10 CONCACAF Champions League Preliminary Round.
- ^Note 4 - SuperLiga 2009 berths are awarded to the top 4 finishing teams from MLS who do not qualify for Champions League (Chicago, New England, Chivas USA and Kansas City).
Results summary
| Overall | Home | Away | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pld | Pts | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 30 | 46 | 13 | 10 | 7 | 44 | 33 | +11 | 7 | 5 | 3 | 23 | 17 | +6 | 6 | 5 | 4 | 21 | 16 | +5 |
Last updated: July 21, 2009
Source: Major League Soccer
Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference
Matches
Win Tie Loss
MLS regular season
| March 29, 2008 | Real Salt Lake | 1–1 | Chicago Fire | Salt Lake City, Utah, United States |
Joy  51'Soumare  71' (o.g.)Findley 80'Beckerman 87' |
Report | Pause 89' Blanco 92+' |
Stadium: Rice-Eccles Stadium Attendance: 20,272 Referee: Terry Vaughn |
| April 3, 2008 | Chicago Fire | 4–0 | New England Revolution | Bridgeview, Illinois, United States |
| Barrett 4' Mapp 17'Frankowski 22'Blanco 37' (pen.)Frankowski 39'Barrett 50'Gutierrez 89' |
Report | Larentowicz  7'Joseph 7'Mansally 23' |
Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 15,553 Referee: Baldomero Toledo |
| April 12, 2008 | San Jose Earthquakes | 0–1 | Chicago Fire | Oakland, California, United States |
| Cochrane 65' Riley 94+' |
Report | Barrett 19' Soumare 55' |
Stadium: McAfee Coliseum Attendance: 20,038 Referee: Kevin Stott |
| April 20, 2008 | Chicago Fire | 0–1 | Kansas City Wizards | Bridgeview, Illinois, United States |
| Prideaux 46' |
Report | Jewsbury 4' Harrington 57'Trujillo 76' |
Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 17,121 Referee: Jair Marrufo |
| April 26, 2008 | Chicago Fire | 2–1 | Colorado Rapids | Bridgeview, Illinois, United States |
| Segares 45' Thorrington 53'Thorrington 84'Gutierrez 88' |
Report | Gomez 45' Gomez 64'Gray 66'McManus 86' |
Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 14,251 Referee: Tim Weyland |
| May 3, 2008 | New England Revolution | 0–3 | Chicago Fire | Foxborough, Massachusetts, United States |
| Report | Rolfe 29' Thorrington 50'King 76' |
Stadium: Gillette Stadium Attendance: 10,858 Referee: Jair Marrufo |
| May 8, 2008 | D.C. United | 0–2 | Chicago Fire | Washington, D.C., United States |
| Burch 30' Dyachenko 40'Namoff 73' |
Report | Mapp 38' Blanco 62'Prideaux 77'Thorrington 92' |
Stadium: RFK Stadium Attendance: 18,605 Referee: Terry Vaughn |
| May 17, 2008 | Chicago Fire | 1–2 | Houston Dynamo | Bridgeview, Illinois, United States |
| Carr 28' Segares 92'Blanco 95' |
Report | De Rosario 17' Clark 48'De Rosario 58'Boswell 82' |
Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 17,183 Referee: Paul Ward |
| May 25, 2008 | New York Red Bulls | 1–5 | Chicago Fire | East Rutherford, New Jersey, United States |
| Angel 68' Altidore 74' |
Report | Barrett 8' Rolfe 48'Blanco 55'Barrett 60'Segares 62'Soumare 68' |
Stadium: Giants Stadium Attendance: 14,754 Referee: Ricardo Salazar |
| June 7, 2008 | Chicago Fire | v | D.C. United | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| Stadium: Toyota Park |
| June 15, 2008 | F.C. Dallas | v | Chicago Fire | Fort Worth, Texas |
| Stadium: Toyota Stadium |
| June 19, 2008 | Chivas USA | v | Chicago Fire | Carson, California |
| Stadium: Home Depot Center |
| June 28, 2008 | Chicago Fire | v | San Jose Earthquakes | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| Stadium: Toyota Park |
| July 5, 2008 | Columbus Crew | v | Chicago Fire | Columbus, Ohio |
| Stadium: MAPFRE Stadium |
| July 12, 2008 | Chicago Fire | v | Toronto FC | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| Stadium: Toyota Park |
| July 19, 2008 | Chicago Fire | v | Real Salt Lake | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| Stadium: Toyota Park |
| July 27, 2008 | Kansas City Wizards | v | Chicago Fire | Kansas City, Kansas |
| Stadium: CommunityAmerica Ballpark |
| August 2, 2008 | Chivas USA | v | Chicago Fire | Carson, California |
| Stadium: Home Depot Center |
| August 9, 2008 | New England Revolution | v | Chicago Fire | Foxborough, Massachusetts |
| Stadium: Gillette Stadium |
| August 16, 2008 | Chicago Fire | v | D.C. United | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| Stadium: Toyota Park |
| August 21, 2008 | Los Angeles Galaxy | v | Chicago Fire | Carson, California |
| Stadium: StubHub Center |
| August 31, 2008 | Houston Dynamo FC | v | Chicago Fire FC | Houston, Texas |
| Stadium: Robertson Stadium |
| September 6, 2008 | Chicago Fire | v | New York Red Bulls | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| Stadium: Toyota Park |
| September 14, 2008 | Colorado Rapids | v | Chicago Fire | Commerce City, Colorado |
| Stadium: Dick's Sporting Goods Park |
| September 21, 2008 | Chicago Fire | v | FC Dallas | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| Stadium: Toyota Park |
| September 25, 2008 | Chicago Fire | v | Los Angeles Galaxy | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| Stadium: Toyota Park |
| October 5, 2008 | Kansas City Wizards | v | Chicago Fire | Kansas City, Kansas |
| Stadium: CommunityAmerica Ballpark |
| October 12, 2008 | Chicago Fire | 2–2 | Columbus Crew | Bridgeview, Illinois, United States |
| McBride 13', 79' |
Report, Report | Gaven 59' Busch 45'Schelotto 61'Carroll 86' |
Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 14,994 Referee: Shane Moody |
| October 18, 2008 | Toronto FC | v | Chicago Fire | Exhibition Place |
| Stadium: BMO Field |
| October 23, 2008 | Chicago Fire | v | New York Red Bulls | Bridgeview, Illinois |
| Stadium: Toyota Park |
U.S. Open Cup
| June 10, 2008 MLS Qualifier | Chicago Fire | 3–2 (AET) | Columbus Crew | Peoria, Illinois, United States |
| 19:00 CDT | King 10' Herron 65'Prideaux 82'Herron 116' |
Report | Ekpo 63' Garey 67'Zayner 79'Rogers 100' |
Stadium: Shea Stadium Attendance: 3,829 Referee: Tony Russo |
| July 1, 2008 Third Round | Chicago Fire | 4–1 | Cleveland City Stars (USL-2) | Bridgeview, Illinois, United States |
| 19:30 CDT | Banner 13' Carr 23'Barrett 26'Marmol 57'Banner 73' |
Report | McClung 61' Stewart 78' |
Stadium: Toyota Park Referee: Hidajet Tica |
| July 8, 2008 Quarterfinals | D.C. United | 2–1 (AET) | Chicago Fire | Germantown, Maryland, United States |
| 19:30 EDT | Doe 52' Doe 77'Moreno 89'Namoff 99'Fred 107'Burch 108' |
Report | Woolard 36' Soumare 48'Pause 78'Thorrington 81'Blanco 108' |
Stadium: Maryland SoccerPlex Attendance: 4,118 Referee: Shane Moody |
Friendlies
| May 21, 2008 | Chicago Fire | 0–0 | Wisła Kraków | Bridgeview, Illinois, United States |
| 19:30 CDT | Robinson 20' Conde 75'Brown 78'Woolard 81' |
Report | Cléber 51' Cantoro 54'Díaz 55' |
Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 14,040 Referee: Mark Kadlecik |
| July 30, 2008 | Chicago Fire | 2–0 | Everton F.C. | Bridgeview, Illinois, United States |
| 19:30 CDT | Rolfe 42' Frankowski 70' |
Report | Baxter 45' Gosling 81'Vaughan 92+' |
Stadium: Toyota Park Attendance: 9,125 Referee: Landis Wiley |
| August 24, 2008 | Veracruz | 3–1 | Chicago Fire | Veracruz, Veracruz, Mexico |
| Leyva 41' Olivera 44'Seccafien 55'Marmol 71' (o.g.) |
Report | Blanco 16' Robinson 18' |
Stadium: Estadio Luis de la Fuente |
References
- "MLSSoccer.com 2008 Stats".
- "USA Major League Soccer - Attendance - 2008". ESPN Soccernet. Retrieved July 21, 2009.
| Eastern Conference | |
|---|---|
| Western Conference | |
| Future teams |
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| Former teams |
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| Personnel | |
| Competition | |
| Associated competitions | |
| Other | |
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