Guevara, Gaven put out the Fire
May 14, 2005
Maybe the Metros should play every game on the road. After scoring a total of two goals in four home games, they have now scored six in two away ones, this time beating Chicago 3:0. The win is the Metros' first at Soldier Field since 1998 (it does not account a win in 2002 when the Fire played at Naperville). Amado Guevara scored the game-winner and Eddie Gaven added two more to give the Metros an amazingly easy win against Bob Bradley's former club.
Jeff Agoos regained a starting spot after coming back from his injury, but it was in central defense at the expense of Carlos Mendes, as opposed to at his original spot of left back, where Tim Ward kept his place after three stellar matches. The other player coming back from injury was Youri Djorkaeff, who started for Sergio Galvan Rey; the latter did not even make the bench.
Metro broke through in the 23rd minute, after Guevara pounced on a lackadaisical pass from Samuel Caballero to Jim Curtin inside the box. The Honduran intercepted the ball and shot it. Zach Thornton got a hand in, but the ball spun into the net. Djorkaeff, all alone at the goalmouth, could have tapped it in for his first goal as a Metro, but did the professional thing and let the goal stand for Amado.
In the 40th minute, Guevara and Djorkaeff combined on some nifty one-touch passes, but the play ended with a soft Gaven shot at Thornton. But in the waning minutes of the half, Gaven made up for his mistake. Metro intercepted ball at midfield, and Djorkaeff sent a perfectly timed pass to the youngster, who slotted it through the legs of the fat Chicago keeper to double the Metro lead.
Gaven got his second in the 63rd minute. With Guevara running downfield on a breakaway, the Metro captain slowed down to draw two Fire defenders to himself. He then slotted the ball to Eddie, who once again easily beat Thornton.
Even with the result all but official, Zach Wells made a number of good saves to preserve the shutout. Although Jonny Walker is finally healthy, Wells just might keep his job after playing well the last two weeks.
Lineup: Wells, Ward, Agoos, Regan, Leitch, Bradley, Lisi, Guevara, Gaven, Djorkaeff, Magee.
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