Fire settles for 1-1 draw with Colorado Rapids

Four players score goals in romp over KC Wizards

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By Curt Herron

Although it certainly didn't hurt as much as their previous 1-1 draw, there wasn't much consolation in Saturday's result for the Chicago Fire U-18 squad.

Just six days after allowing a last-second goal in a tie against Colorado Rush AJ Auxerre, the Fire settled for the same score with the Colorado Rapids.

Chicago got a goal from Art Garza in the 24th minute in Saturday's Central Conference Frontier Division match.

But the Rapids responded with a score during the 75th minute to force a 1-1 draw at Argo High School in Summit.

It was another disappointing result for the Fire, who had won three straight before recording the back-to-back ties.

Fortunately for the squad, they bounced back in impressive fashion on Sunday when they posted a big victory.

The Fire found the net four times as they captured a 4-0 win over the Kansas City Wizards at Saint Xavier University.

Wojciech Wojcik scored in the 18th minute and Tyler Engel added a score in the 27th minute against the Wizards (3-6-2, 11).

After the break, Patrick Doody connected in the 47th minute and Harry Shipp got a goal in the 51st minute.

Charlie Lyon played all but the final few minutes in the net, being replaced in the late going by Jack Turanchik.

Chicago (4-2-2, 14 points) looked like it might avenge the 4-2 defeat that it suffered to the Rapids on March 25.

Things seemed to be pointing in that direction after Manny Guzman sent a cross to Garza, who headed the ball into the opposite side of the net.

But the Rapids (4-5-4, 16) dashed those plans when they scored in the second half and then held off a furious Fire comeback attempt.

Click to hear Chris Prince interview

The hosts had few other good scoring chances before the break, with Chris Prince and Scott Lakin each getting stopped on liners.

There was much more activity during the second half, with the Fire regularly putting a good deal of pressure on the Rapids' goal.

Meanwhile, the Fire defense of Mitch Albrecht, Billy McGuinness, Mike Enghofer and Lakin allowed few threats to keeper Lyon.

Shipp and Garza both sent in grounders, Lakin was stopped on another line drive and Guzman was wide on a header.

After the Rapids got the equalizer, the Fire picked up the attack and threatened during most of the rest of the match.

Marco Gutierrez bounced a header off the crossbar and Prince forced a diving stop on another header, both following passes from Doody.

After that, Doody was stopped on a grounder, Garza's liner was halted and Gutierrez was wide on a header following a free kick from Engel.

Garza had to be carted off the field after suffering an injury in the late going and the Fire ran out of time in their attempt to regain the lead.

The Fire gets back into action next weekend when they host two Michigan teams in their first scheduled action at Toyota Park's practice field.