Short-handed? No problem for hardworking Fire

The Fire couldn't help but feel proud after Sunday's home opener.

The Fire overcame a 14th-minute red card to John Thorrington and then played as if New York was the short-handed team, defeating the Red Bulls 1-0 at Toyota Park.

"Our team showed an unbelievable work rate, commitment given the (weather) conditions tonight," Fire coach Denis Hamlett said. "Obviously, a man down early, but we stuck together. We kept working, working."

"We definitely have a strong group," forward Brian McBride added. "We've shown that we can really stick together, fight for each other. Today definitely showed that."

Just as importantly, the Fire defended its home field after often failing to do so last year.

"It was definitely one of the big points brought up in the preseason, making sure that this place is a lot harder to play in when teams come to play against us," McBride said. "That was a goal of ours. I think today that changed a little bit with the weather and then going a man down, but we all stuck together and definitely made it hard for them."

The first-place Fire (2-0-1, 7 points) got the game's only goal in the 33rd minute with a little help from the stiff wind coming from behind the north goal. New York goalkeeper Danny Cepero seemed to be camped under a popped-up Fire pass into the penalty area when the wind took it and blew it back the other way.

A Red Bulls defender headed the ball out toward Fire midfielder Marco Pappa, playing more centrally in Thorrington's absence. Pappa's left-footed blast hit the left post and skimmed just over the goal line.

"I'm very happy because I think it's the fruit of the labors that we've been doing," Pappa said. "It's most important that the team is happy about the 7 points in three games. If we continue on this way we're going to accomplish great things."

The Fire was well-organized in the second half, rarely letting the Red Bulls near the goal and often holding the ball on the New York side of the field. Goalkeeper Jon Busch earned his first shutout of the season by making 4 saves, none bigger than the 2 he got in the 79th minute when he stuffed Dominic Oduro from point-blank range.

Veteran forward Cuauhtemoc Blanco, who played as a substitute the first two games, didn't play at all Sunday.

"He didn't play today as a result of being a man down in a game where I thought we needed guys now that were going to help us defend and do a lot of dirty work," Hamlett said.