Mike Magee seizes the opportunity downing Chicago Fire 2-0

It was a good night for the local kid, a bad night for the local team.

Los Angeles Galaxy forward Mike Magee, a Long Grove native, scored a goal and assisted on another as the Galaxy defeated the hapless Fire 2-0 Wednesday night at soldout Toyota Park.

"From the starting point we know tonight was not our best night all the way around," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said. "We just for whatever reason tonight - big game, big crowd - we just weren't sharp from the get-go. There was no sense of urgency."

The sense of urgency belonged to the former St. Viator High School student.

"It's a great feeling, I think the best feeling coming after a 2-0 loss at home," said Magee, 24. "To come home in front of friends and family in a nationally televised game, and to get a win is the most important thing."

"Mike had a good game," Galaxy coach Bruce Arena said. "Obviously, he had some chances in the first half. Obviously, the finish for the first goal was a huge play in the game. Give him a lot of credit."

Magee got his chance to shine because a certain internationally known midfielder received a red card Saturday and was suspended for the Fire game.

"I've been on the bench for a while, so I was the fresh one," Magee said. "You know, (David) Beckham getting a red card, they had to bring in a couple of guys, with Eddie Lewis getting a red card as well. I just felt good. I got some pretty good opportunities and I took advantage of them."

Magee's goal opened the scoring in the 23rd minute, when he caught up to a Jovan Kirovski pass in the penalty area, cut the ball back toward the middle around Fire defender Dasan Robinson and slipped the ball through goalkeeper Jon Busch's outstretched hand inside the far post.

The Galaxy (8-4-10, 34 points) made it 2-0 in the 54th minute when Magee's pass from midfield sprung Landon Donovan behind the Fire defense. Robinson couldn't catch up to the speedy Donovan, now recovered from swine flu, and Donovan slotted the shot under Busch's hand again.

The Fire (9-5-8, 35 points) couldn't mount a response.

"We needed to shoot. We had zero shots on goal, so that sort of sums up the night," Hamlett said. "You can't win games when you don't attempt shots on goal."