CHICAGO, Ill.(Sept. 19, 2012) – The Chicago Fire Soccer Club announced today that limited seats remain for the pivotal Fire vs. Columbus Crew Eastern Conference showdown at Toyota Park on Saturday, Sept. 22 at 7:30 p.m. CT (NBC5.2/97.5 ESPN Deportes).
Tickets for the Chicago Fire – Columbus Crew match are available by calling 888-MLS-FIRE or visiting www.Chicago-Fire.com.
Saturday’s match carries heavy playoff implications for both squads. The Fire (15-8-5; 50 points) are looking to pull away from the pack in the crowded table. The Fire currently sit in second place in the Eastern Conference with 50 points, just one point behind conference-leading Sporting Kansas City and one point ahead of the third place New York Red Bulls. The Crew (12-10-6; 42 points) will be scrapping for points as they sit in sixth place, just two points behind D.C. United, who hold the fifth and final playoff spot.
When the Fire welcome their regional rivals to Toyota Park, it will mark the third and final game between the two squads this season. In the first leg of the series, the Men in Red traveled to Columbus May 23 and gave a hard fought performance in front of 600 traveling supporters, but Austin Berry’s 72nd minute goal was not enough to overcome goals from Eddie Gaven and Emilio Renteria giving the Columbus Crew a 2-1 victory at Crew Stadium. The Fire used a second minute strike by Marco Pappa and a 26th minute Dominic Oduro goal to hold on after going down a man in the 29th minute due to a Gonzalo Segares red card for a hard-fought 2-1 victory on June 23 at Toyota Park.
The Men in Red have excelled at Toyota Park in 2012 with a 8-0-1 record when hosting Eastern Conference opponents. In a streak that has now reached 17 matches, the Men in Red have not lost to an Eastern Conference foe at Toyota Park since Oct. 12, 2010, going 12-0-6 in that time.
