AVE MARIA, Fla. (Feb. 2, 2014) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club opened its preseason schedule with a 1-0 win over Florida Gulf Coast University at Ave Maria’s North Park on Sunday morning. Fire head coach Frank Yallop played a total of 19 players and used the match to evaluate talent. New acquisition Giuseppe Gentile’s goal in first half stoppage time proved the difference as the Fire emerged victorious in the first friendly of the year.
After a high-paced opening few minutes, the Fire were reduced to ten men after Hunter Jumper was shown a red card for a hard challenge in the 26th minute.
With the game split in two, 40 minute halves, Gentile notched the only goal of the match in the waning minutes of first half. After a display of quick passes from the Men in Red, Gentile latched onto a driven cross just inside the 18-yard box and drove his right-footed shot past the FGCU ‘keeper and into the goal.
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The Fire return to Chicago on Sunday evening before returning to Florida to train at the IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla., from Feb. 5-12 where they will twice face D.C. United on Feb. 8 and Feb. 12 and take on USL-PRO side Orlando City SC on Feb. 11.
The Fire will host 2013 MLS Supporters’ Shield winners New York Red Bulls for Opening Day at Toyota Park on Sunday, March 23 at 2:00 p.m. CT. The Men in Red will begin their 17th season two weeks prior on the road when they visit Chivas USA at the StubHub Center in Carson, Calif. on Sunday, March 9 at 2:00 p.m. CT.
Single game tickets to the Fire’s 17 MLS Regular Season home matches and to the July 26 international friendly against Barclay’s Premier League side Tottenham Hotspur FC are now available via Ticketmaster and www.Chicago-Fire.com.
Chicago Fire 1-0 Florida Gulf Coast University
Chicago Fire: Alec Kann (Kyle Renfro* 41’); Tim Ward* (Marco Franco* 41’), Rafael Alves, Steven Kinney, Hunter Jumper (ejection 26’) (Parker Walsh* 41’); Brendan King (Kadeem Dacres* 41’), Chris Ritter (Freddie Braun 41’), Harry Shipp (Zack Bolden* 30’), Victor Pineda © (Bryan Ciesiulka* 30’); Vini Dantes, Giuseppe Gentile (Kellen Gulley 41’)
- Guest Player
** - 2014 MLS SuperDraft Pick
Scoring Summary
CHI – Giuseppe Gentile (Brendan King, Bryan Ciesiulka) 40+’
Misconduct Summary
CHI – Steven Kinney (caution) 25’
FGCU - Caution 25’
CHI – Hunter Jumper (ejection) 26’
