Top MLS honors awarded to Fire's McBride for April

Chicago Fire forward Brian McBride was voted Major League Soccer's Player of the Month for April. McBride, an Arlington Heights native and former Buffalo Grove High School star, notched four goals in four League games during the month, and led the Fire to a 1-0-3 record in April. Chicago remains the lone unbeaten club in Major League Soccer.

McBride and the Fire (2-0-4, 10 pts.) will next face the Seattle Sounders FC (4-2-0, 12 pts.) at 7:30 p.m. Saturday at Toyota Park.

The 36-year-old McBride, a MLS All-Time Best XI forward, has made an immediate impact in his first full season with the Chicago Fire. McBride leads the League with five goals and the Chicago Fire sit in second place in the Eastern Conference with 10 points.

In the Fire's Week 4 match against the San Jose Earthquakes, McBride captured MLS Goal of the Week honors for his 57th minute strike. In receiving a Cuauhtémoc Blanco headed pass at the top of the penalty area, McBride deftly flicked the ball across his body, spun and fired a low drive past San Jose Earthquakes goalkeeper Joe Cannon. The Fire tied the Quakes 3-3 on the road.

The following week McBride tallied his third and fourth goals of the season, scoring twice in the opening 20 minutes of the 2-2 draw with the Kansas City Wizards. McBride's header goal in the match earned his second MLS Goal of the Week nomination. McBride capped off the month by leading a comeback against the defending MLS Cup Champions Columbus Crew. Trailing 2-0 in Columbus, McBride ignited the Fire's comeback in the 86th minute finishing a Patrick Nyarko cross with a leaping, driven header into the back of the net. The goal garnered McBride his third consecutive MLS Goal of the Week nomination. The Fire went on to tie the Crew 2-2.

McBride has scored 10 goals in 17 appearances since returning to Major League Soccer with the Chicago Fire during the late half of the 2008 season.