NAPERVILLE, Illinois (Ticker) -- The Chicago Fire posted a
dominating 2-0 victory over D.C. United in Game Two of their
Eastern Conference semifinals at Soldier Field.
Forwards Ante Razov and Damani Ralph, who led the Fire in
scoring during the regular season, scored both goals as Chicago
won by an aggregate score of 4-0 following their 2-0 win in Game
One on November 1 at RFK Stadium. The Fire, the top seed in
the East, improved their all-time home playoff record to 12-1-1.
Chicago, which has captured the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup
championship and the 2003 Supporters' Shield with the league's
best regular-season record, is one step away from advancing to
MLS Cup 2003. The Fire are looking to become the first team to
capture all three honors in one season.
D.C. United needed to win by at least two goals to force a tie
on aggregate goals and a 30-minute extra-time period. However,
the visitors did not succeed in creating many attacks in the
first half and a goal in the 17th minute by Ralph deflated
United's spirits.
After a quiet start to the game by both teams, Ralph's strike
was a sudden spark in the match as he received the ball from 20
yards out, pulled a fake on D.C. defender Ryan Nelsen and
blasted a right-footed shot into the top right corner. For
Ralph, a rookie who turned 23 on Thursday, it was his first
career postseason goal and his first tally in MLS play since
September 13.
Razov notched his 10th career postseason goal in the 55th
minute, making the score 2-0. Fire midfielder DaMarcus Beasley
chased a long ball down the left flank by Orlando Perez and
lofted a cross into the box. The ball bounced once past United
defender Ryan Nelsen and Razov was right behind him to nod the
ball off the bounce past goalkeeper Doug Warren.