Fire's playoff odds nearly erased

Sebastian Grazzini -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. -- The Chicago Fire missed out on the Brimstone Cup yet again. But even worse, their postseason hopes virtually have been eliminated.

Sebastian Grazzini's late goal for the Fire was all Chicago could muster as FC Dallas gained a two-goal lead and held on for a 2-1 victory on Wednesday in front of 10,362 at Toyota Park. Dallas' Jackson and Daniel Cruz netted goals as the team retained the Brimstone Cup, which has been in its possession since 2002.

The Fire (7-9-16, 37 points) still are mathematically in the playoff picture, but they would need to win out, a couple of teams would need to lose out and Chicago would have to make a jump in goal differential.

Dallas (14-11-7, 49 points) was in control for the entire match, creating its share of scoring chances, while minimizing the Fire's attack. Chicago did not register a shot on goal during the first half, while Dallas lingered around the goal for many stretches, especially in the first 45 minutes.

"We were flat from the beginning," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "We weren't sharp. We were just a step behind everything. Give credit to Dallas. They came out and made it difficult for us."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

The Doings: Meyer family puts focus on soccer

The following story features Eclipse Select players Christian Meyer and Mitchell Meyer.

By George Wilcox
Pioneer Press

For the Meyer brothers of Clarendon Hills, sometimes watching the Fox Soccer Channel and playing soccer video games isn’t enough.

Brothers Will, Christian and Mitchell are planning a return trip to England later this year to see an English Premier League game involving Fulham at Chelsea. Christian and his brothers became Fulham fans while following American soccer players abroad and the brothers already saw a game last spring at Fulham.

“The fans are pretty insane,” said Christian, a Hinsdale Central sophomore. “The Fulham stadium is small and the fans are pretty loud.”

The brothers will travel with their father, Keith, who also watches NFL games and is a fan of the St. Louis Cardinals. But with three boys currently playing in the Devils program, soccer is No. 1 with the Meyer clan.

The start of the playoffs next week means opportunities are dwindling to see both Will and Christian on the field at the same time. Will, a senior, is the starting goalkeeper for the Red Devils while Mitchell, the twin brother of Christian, is the starting keeper for the sophomore team.

Read more at ClarendonHills.SunTimes.com.

Eclipse Select alumna, Wisconsin GK Dalton earns weekly Big Ten honor

Eclipse Select Communications

CHICAGO -- Eclipse Select Soccer Club alumna and University of Wisconsin senior goalkeeper Michele Dalton (Mount Prospect, Ill./John Hersey High School) was named the Big Ten Conference Defensive Player of the Week on Monday.

Dalton recorded a season-high 11 saves during Wisconsin's 2-0 victory over Nebraska on Friday in Lincoln, Neb. She also earned her fifth shutout of the season.

"It was probably one of the best goalkeeper performances I've seen in my career," Wisconsin head coach Paula Wilkins said after Friday's match. "She made a big difference because they were very good at creating some opportunities, and she really helped us keep a clean sheet."

For more Eclipse Select alumni updates, including Illinois Wesleyan junior Kyle Gorgol's two-goal performance, Texas junior goalkeeper Alexa Gaul's 17th career shutout and more, visit www.EclipseSelect.org.

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.

Fire can't halt Seattle's Open Cup run

Sean Johnson -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

The Chicago Fire spent a large portion of Tuesday's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup simply attempting to endure Seattle Sounders FC's frequent attacks and possession.

It was only a matter of time before the Sounders would strike, and Fredy Montero provided the winner in the 77th minute to lead Seattle to a 2-0 win over the Fire in front of an Open Cup-record crowd of 35,615 at CenturyLink Field in Seattle.

"I just think we never got [in] rhythm," Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas said. "We had a little bit of a momentum change in the first half, then it just seemed that we didn't get that back. And our frontrunners didn't seem to work well off each other."

Osvaldo Alonso added a goal five minutes into second-half stoppage time as Seattle won its third straight Open Cup.

Chicago fell to 4-2 in Open Cup finals, also dropping the 2004 title match to the Kansas City Wizards, while winning the 1998, 2000, 2003 and 2006 Open Cups.

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.

Eclipse Select alumna York of Penn named Ivy League Rookie of Week

Megan York

Eclipse Select Communications

CHICAGO -- Eclipse Select Soccer Club alumna and University of Pennsylvania freshman Megan York (Chicago, Ill./St. Ignatius) was named Ivy League Rookie of the Week in women's soccer after posted two goals during Sunday's 3-0 win over St. Francis (Pa.).

York headed in the first goal in the 23rd minute off of a Theresa Yankovich corner kick, then added an unassisted goal in the 86th minute on a rebound. York now has four goals on the season, which ranks second on the team.

For other Eclipse Select alumni accomplishments from the past week, visit www.EclipseSelect.org.

Fire, Sounders vying for Open Cup

Frank Klopas -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

Chicago Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas will be a part of the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup in a different light this Tuesday when his Fire take on two-time defending champion Seattle Sounders FC at CenturyLink Field.

Klopas capped off the Fire's inaugural 1998 MLS season with the game-winning goal during Chicago's Open Cup win over the Columbus Crew.

Now Klopas will be on the sidelines, where Sounders head coach Sigi Schmid on Monday made a ringing endorsement, saying that "Frank has to have a conversation with his boss, his technical director, who I think is also named Frank, and get that 'interim' removed from his title."

Klopas' '98 game-winner against the Crew was a banner moment in a banner season. But if the 2011 Fire manage to unseat Seattle in front of its home faithful of 30,000-plus, Klopas said that as a coach it would carry more enjoyment than the '98 Open Cup team.

"If we were to win this, I think the feeling would be different," Klopas said. "It would probably be better to be able to do it also from this side because I know what these players go through every day, their commitment, and the focus. And I think it would be a great feeling to be on this side. It would be a better moment than doing it as a player. It's hard to say. I know it would be different for me. I would enjoy it more."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com. Also, CLICK HERE for a breakdown of the Fire's and Sounders' previous Open Cups.

Oduro, Fire rally to draw Dynamo

Dominic Oduro -- Getty Images

By Charlie Corr
ESPNChicago.com

Fire interim head coach Frank Klopas certainly was not conceding Saturday's game against the Houston Dynamo. But with Tuesday's Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup at Seattle Sounders FC and a recent 3-0 win at Real Salt Lake three days prior, Klopas decided to put several of Chicago's key cogs on the bench to start out.

One regular starter who got the call to start Saturday was Fire forward Dominic Oduro. Oduro netted a first-half goal against his former Dynamo team as Chicago rallied from a deficit to draw Houston, 1-1, at Robertson Stadium.

Oduro was traded to Chicago for Calen Carr at the start of the season after missing a sitter during the Dynamo's opening match. Now, Oduro is leading the Fire with 12 goals and is in the running for the league's Golden Boot.

"It was good to be back in Houston," Oduro said. "Playing on the other side was a little bit different. At the end of the day, I think the fans appreciated me playing for them and I thank them."

Oduro's day was cut short as he limped off the field with an ankle injury and was replaced by Patrick Nyarko in the 51st minute for precautionary reasons.

"It was just a little bit sore when I made contact in the box," Oduro said. "I should be OK for Tuesday."

Read more at ESPNChicago.com.