Grazzini vital during Pappa's absence

Sebastian Grazzini -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Chicago Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas was been cautious from the get-go when the team brought in midfielder Sebastian Grazzini.

Klopas limited Grazzini's minutes at the start to integrate him with the team by midseason. But even still, Grazzini has endured setbacks -- the latest being a hamstring injury that kept him out of a 1-1 draw against the Houston Dynamo on Oct. 1 and limited him to the final minutes of Chicago's 2-0 loss to Seattle Sounders FC in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup on Tuesday.

"We pushed him the day before [the Open Cup], I talked to him and he said, 'Coach, I think I can give you 10 minutes,'" Klopas said. "My thought was, at that point, if we get to the second overtime to put him in and have him ready to take a PK, because he's one of our guys who's very good on dead balls.

"I want to put the guy on the field more than anything because he's a special player," Klopas said. "But you've also got to respect what the guy says, how he feels and the injury."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Pappa nets hat trick, Fire topple RSL

Marco Pappa -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

The Chicago Fire garnered a signature win when they absolutely needed it. And most importantly for Chicago, the team now finds itself in a realistic position to catch a playoff spot with only four regular-season matches remaining.

The Fire won for the fifth time in their past six matches and were led by midfielder Marco Pappa's hat trick en route to a 3-0 victory against Real Salt Lake at Rio Tinto Stadium in front of 20,762 at Sandy, Utah.

Pappa had been in a significant scoring funk, having failed to find the back of the net since June 26 against the New York Red Bulls.

Now Chicago (7-8-15, 36 points) is within three points of those Red Bulls, who currently hold the final wild card position with 39 points.

"That was great to see," Fire defender Dan Gargan said of Pappa's performance. "He's a player that we need, and when he's sticking the ball into the back of the net, that's phenomenal for us because that's just another weapon that we have. It's been coming. He comes to training every day and puts in extra sessions. He's such a talented player."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire open homestand with D.C.

Fire's Marco Pappa -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

Playing at home or on the road has been a wash for the Chicago Fire thus far this season -- 10 points at home and 10 on the road. But if Chicago had to choose one or the other, the team clearly prefers playing in front of its home base.

The Fire play their next four games -- three in MLS action -- at Toyota Park, beginning with D.C. United on Thursday (8 p.m., ESPN2).

Pappa says Twente move is 'rumor': Dutch publication De Telegraaf reported earlier this week that FC Twente is interested in Fire midfielder Marco Pappa, with a reported offer of $2.1 million to attain his rights. But the 23-year-old Guatemalan dismissed the report on Wednesday.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire come back to draw Red Bulls

Fire's Corben Bone (right) -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire have had moments this year where the bounces have not gone their way. But on Sunday, a beneficial bounce on a Marco Pappa goal paved the way for a 1-1 draw against the New York Red Bulls in front of 16,961 at Toyota Park.

Pappa's team-leading fifth goal in the 58th minute helped Chicago overcome a halftime deficit. Pappa wound up with the ball about 30 yards away from the goal and he decided to take a deep strike toward the left side of the net. Red Bulls goalkeeper Bouna Coundoul dove to his right, but the ball actually bounced over Coundoul and into the back of the net to tie the match at 1-1.

"Sometimes he tries things and they don't come through, but there are times where he can make some magic," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said of Pappa. "You know what you're going to get from him. He's always going to be in situations where he can create and he can score. He always finds himself around the goal. It's amazing that he's got that ability. Some players have it, some don't."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Nazarit suspended as Fire host RSL

Fire's Marco Pappa -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

Chicago Fire forward Cristian Nazarit will be suspended for two matches, according to a source. The MLS Disciplinary Committee is expected to suspend the Colombian forward for Chicago's matches against Real Salt Lake on Wednesday and the New York Red Bulls on Sunday.

The Fire (2-4-9) and Salt Lake (6-3-4) kick off at 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Toyota Park. Midfielder Marco Pappa returns to the Fire after playing for Guatemala in the CONCACAF Gold Cup.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire go for 2-game sweep of Quakes

Marco Pappa -- Getty Images

The Chicago Fire, fresh off of a victory to clinch a 14th straight appearance in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup, are hoping they achieved some bit of momentum.

Chicago edged the San Jose Earthquakes, 5-4, in a shootout on Tuesday during an Open Cup play-in match. Now both sides return to MLS play this Saturday as the Fire host the Quakes at Toyota Park.

"I'm very pleased because the team is doing well again," Fire midfielder Marco Pappa said after the play-in victory. "The players are happy because we won, and we hope to beat them again at home."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Open Cup appearance on line for Fire

Gaston Puerari (right) -- Getty Images

The Chicago Fire and San Jose Earthquakes take a break from league play on Tuesday, but they have a lot to play for as they square off in a Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup play-in match at Buck Shaw Stadium. The Fire have always been a part of the Open Cup, winning four times from 1998 to 2006.

"This is a big week for us," Fire goalkeeper Jon Conway said following Saturday's 2-1 loss to the Philadelphia Union. "We have a goal of advancing to the Open Cup and doing well in that. We need to get everything right on the field and build some momentum heading into our next match Saturday. Every match is critical toward wronging the mistakes we have made."

In other Fire news, midfielder Marco Pappa will be called in to Guatemala's club for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Pappa will miss minimally two league games for Chicago.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire overcome 2-goal deficit, tie Reds

Fire's Corben Bone -- Getty Images

The Chicago Fire have been kings of the draw of late, posting their fourth straight stalemate with a 2-2 decision against Toronto FC on Saturday at BMO Field.

While the Fire (1-3-5) are in the midst of a seven-game winless streak, Chicago had to feel positive with coming away with a road point. The Fire overcame a 2-0 deficit against the Reds (2-4-5).

Orr Barouch's first goal in the 76th minute gave Chicago the eventual draw, and Marco Pappa's free kick strike in the 64th minute swung the momentum in the Fire's favor.

Despite the big deficit, the Fire had a great chance to take the lead in the 83rd minute. Daniel Paladini tried to chip the ball over Toronto goalkeeper Stefan Frei, but Frei came up with a huge save with his left glove to preserve the draw.

Frei and Fire goalkeeper Jon Conway each had six saves on the night.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire tie Rapids, cap off winless April

Marco Pappa -- Getty Images

Two struggling teams in need of a victory each wound up with a draw as the Chicago Fire and Colorado Rapids played to a 1-1 stalemate Saturday at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo.

Fire midfielder Marco Pappa tallied his third goal of the season, but Chicago once again could not hang onto a lead. The Rapids' Andre Akpan netted the equalizer in the 49th minute and each team wound up with a point.

The Fire (1-3-3, 6 points) capped off a winless April, going 0-3-2 while getting off to its worst start in team history. This year marks the first time that the Fire have posted only one victory through their first seven games of the season.

Chicago sported a 4-1-4-1 formation in an attempt to emphasize a strong possession game, but it was Colorado (3-3-1, 10 points) that ended up holding a roughly 2-to-1 edge in the possession department.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Timbers board up flustered Fire

Fire's Marco Pappa (right) -- Getty Images

Everything that could go wrong did go wrong for the Chicago Fire on Thursday.

For the host Portland Timbers, the expansion side had a dream start en route to their first victory, 4-2, over Chicago during their home opener in front of an enthusiastic 18,627 at Jeld-Wen Field.

The Fire (1-2-1) dropped their second straight match, and the Chicago defense has now allowed a combined eight goals in its past three league games.

Jorge Perlaza tallied two goals to lead the way for Portland (1-1-2), while teammate Rodney Wallace also tallied a goal for the home side. The Timbers jumped out to a 3-0 advantage early in the second half.

"We were making a big push to get the first goal [of the second half] on our end, but a couple minutes into the second half we gave up a third, which makes it a daunting hill to climb," Fire captain Logan Pause said. "We made a chase. We pushed it. We just really need to start learning from some of the mistakes we're making."

Marco Pappa had a goal for the Fire, and he was in the mix of the action during the Timbers' own goal in the 66th minute.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire set tone to season, win home opener over Sporting Kansas City

Marco Pappa -- Getty Images

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- Last year's .500 record at home was a glaring problem that the Chicago Fire wanted to fix this season. It got off to a good start on Saturday.

Diego Chaves scored his second goal in as many games, and Gaston Puerari and Marco Pappa also added scores as the Fire defeated Sporting Kansas City, 3-2, in front of a crowd of 12,157 at their home opener at Toyota Park.

"In the past, we haven't won our first game at home, and that didn't set the tone," Fire midfielder Patrick Nyarko said. "We feel like we've set the tone for the remainder of the season, and teams that come in here, we're going to try and make it a fortress."

Pappa's 59th-minute goal proved to be the game-winner for the Fire (1-0-1) as he maneuvered through four Kansas City players and slotted the ball toward the lower left side of the goal for a 3-1 lead.

"I saw Diego running [nearby], but as I had the ball in front of me, I shot," Pappa said. "I'm happy with my goal. I wanted to score today."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Pappa, shorthanded Fire pull off win over Toronto

Fire midfielder Marco Pappa -- ISI Photos

Though it was not by design, the Chicago Fire's opening game of the eighth annual Carolina Challenge Cup against Toronto FC turned into a strong preseason test.

Marco Pappa netted the game's lone goal and Chicago played down a man for about 55 minutes and hung on to a 1-0 win over the Reds on Saturday in Charleston, S.C.

The Fire had to abandon their new three-man defensive line early as captain and defensive midfielder Logan Pause was issued a straight red card in the 36th minute for a two-footed challenge against Toronto's Oscar Cordon around midfield.

But Chicago already had its lead and the defense held up en route to the shutout. Pappa tallied his third goal of the preseason in the 6th minute on a well-executed sequence. Gaston Puerari provided the cross from the right side to Davis Paul, who then dropped the ball back to Pappa who darted into the box for the finish and the 1-0 lead.

"I got toward the left post and could have taken a shot, but I saw Marco coming in," Paul said. "I passed it back to him and he had a class finish."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Fire settle for 2-2 draw against K.C.

The Chicago Fire capitalized early in both halves, taking a 2-0 lead, but they could not hang on as the Kansas City Wizards pulled off a 2-2 draw Saturday night at CommunityAmerica Ballpark in Kansas City.

Wizards forward Kei Kamara netted two second-half goals in the 50th and 89th minutes, and Chicago (2-4-2) had to settle for one point on the road instead of three.

"Toward the end, they threw a lot of bodies forward, causing a lot of motion in the box, and they were able to sneak one through," Fire forward Brian McBride said.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Husidic strikes, but Fire draw against Chivas

Libertyville native and Chicago Fire midfielder Baggio Husidic netted his second goal in as many games, but Chicago had to settle for a 1-1 draw against Chivas USA on Saturday at Toyota Park in Bridgeview.

"He's having a good performance throughout these two matches," Fire head coach Carlos de los Cobos said. "He's becoming one of the top members of the team."

You can read more from this match at ESPNChicago.com.

CHICAGO SOCCER ROUNDUP

A few noteworthy topics from within the confines of the Chicago Fire and Chicago Red Stars:

• Gold Cup update: Chicago Fire midfielder Logan Pause got his second start for the U.S. Men's National Team during Wednesday's 2-0 victory over Honduras in the CONCACAF Gold Cup at RFK Stadium. Pause stayed in the game until Benny Feilhaber replaced him in the 64th minute. Earlier in the Gold Cup, Pause had an assist as he earned his first cap during the U.S.'s dominating 4-0 victory against Grenada last week. This victory was the second in a about a month against Honduras, earning a 2-1 come-from-behind win at Soldier Field in World Cup qualifying.

• Chicago Fire Camp Day: Fire fans, head out to Toyota Park from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Thursday for Chicago Fire Camp Day. Mascot Sparky and Fire players Jon Busch, Chris Rolfe and Bakary Soumare will be out and about. See a live Fire practice, participate in interactive soccer activities, win prizes and more.

• Pappa's goal No. 1: Fire midfielder Marco Pappa earned his first MLS Goal of the Week, which was his fifth goal of the season in leading Chicago past the host Colorado Rapids, 2-1, last Saturday. The win ended a decade-long winless streak at Colorado. Pappas' goal also came against former Fire goalkeeper Matt Pickens.

• Tarpley honored: On Wednesday, Chicago Red Stars forward Lindsay Tarpley became the first player in franchise history to earn Women's Professional Soccer Player of the Week. She had the game-winning goal in a 2-1 victory against the Washington Freedom on July 1. Watch her goal below, which takes place at approximately the 2-minute mark.

FIRE 2, COLORADO RAPIDS 1

Chicago snaps 3-game skid, jumps up to 1st in the East

Chicago Fire midfielder Marco Pappa and defender Wilman Conde provided more offense than the team had during its three-game losing streak as Chicago topped the Colorado Rapids, 2-1, on Saturday in Major League Soccer action at Dick's Sporting Goods Park in Commerce City, Colo.

"The guys stuck together, played as a group, and when we do that we're a good team," Fire head coach Denis Hamlett said.

The win not only snapped a three-game skid for the Fire (6-3-6), but it put Chicago back at the top of the Eastern Conference with 24 points (D.C. also has 24, but through 17 games played). The victory also erased a nearly decade-long drought in Colorado - a dismal 0-6-4 mark in their previous 10 road matches against the Rapids.

Conversely, the Rapids (5-4-6) dropped their first home game of the season.

Chicago played a pretty much flawless first half of soccer, earning the 2-0 lead with Pappa's and Conde's goals in the 30th and 37th minutes, respectively, and holding the Rapids to zero shots on goal in the first 45 minutes.

Jacob Peterson finally broke through for Colorado in the 76th minute with an unassisted goal.

Chicago's defense clamped down on Rapids forward Conor Casey, who made a long-awaited return after playing in the FIFA Confederations Cup. Casey had only one shot on goal in the 76th minute, just before Peterson's tally.

Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch made three saves and the Rapids' Matt Pickens made one.

* * *

Next up: The Fire host the defending champion Columbus Crew at 7 p.m. Saturday, July 11, at Toyota Park. The game is televised on ESPN2.

* * *

Fire notes:
• Libertyville native, University of Illinois-Chicago product and Fire midfielder Baggio Husidic earned the first assist of his MLS career with his center pass to Pappa for the team's 30th-minute goal.
• Fire defender Logan Pause is with the U.S. Men's National Team for the CONCACAF Gold Cup. He earned his first international cap and got the start during Saturday's 4-0 victory over Grenada in Seattle. Pause also assisted Robbie Rogers' 60th-minute goal that gave the U.S. a 3-0 lead.