Fire closing in on spot in SuperLiga semifinals
The Fire's young players showed they can play a little when given the chance.
"Their young guys played better than our young guys," said Chivas USA coach Preki after the Fire earned a 1-0 victory Tuesday night at Toyota Park in SuperLiga action.
With both teams reaching deep into their benches, the Fire got a result using the depth coach Denis Hamlett has talked about all season.
The win gives the Fire 6 points and a clear path into next month's SuperLiga semifinals no matter what happens Saturday night when it concludes round-robin play against Tigres.
"I thought they held their own," said Fire midfielder Justin Mapp, a sometime starter glad to have the extra minutes. "Austin Washington played well. Some of the other guys, like Baggio (Husidic). We worked hard and I got the goal tonight. Obviously, the result is the main thing."
The Fire rested mainstays such as Brian McBride, Cuauhtemoc Blanco and John Thorrington.
The Fire had a clear advantage in terms of possession, especially early, and forced Chivas goalkeeper Zach Thornton to make 6 saves, while the Fire's Jon Busch was tested just once.
The Fire got its goal in the 35th minute. Forward Patrick Nyarko stole a Chivas back pass, but Chivas seemed to regain the ball only to immediately lose it again when two players collided.
Justin Mapp was in the right spot to jump on the loose ball about 16 yards from net and put it behind Thornton.
"I saw the back post open and tried to place it there, and I was fortunate enough for it to go in," Mapp said.
Chivas' best scoring chance came in the 52nd minute, when substitute forward Maykel Galindo snuck behind the Fire defense for a 2-on-1 breakaway on Busch. Galindo fed running mate Chukwudi Chijindu for a seemingly easy goal, but Chijindu fanned on the shot and the Fire defense recovered in time to clear the ball.
"Somehow we missed that," Preki said. "At the moment nothing is going in for us. It's tough times."
SuperLiga is a midseason tournament involving four MLS teams and four Mexican Primera Division teams, divided into two groups for round-robin play. Tuesday's game against MLS rival Chivas USA does not count in the MLS standings.