WEEKLY NOTES: Chicago Fire Return Home for Brimstone Cup Clash Against FC Dallas

MEN IN RED RETURN HOME AFTER THREE ROAD MATCHES, WELCOME FC DALLAS TO TOYOTA PARK

The Chicago Fire (4-6-14, 26 points) return home to host FC Dallas (12-7-6, 42 points) at Toyota Park on Saturday, Aug. 30 at 7:30 p.m. CT (My50/TWCSC Wisconsin/La Ley 107.9 FM). Tickets for the match, presented by Crush, are available via Ticketmaster, www.Chicago-Fire.com or by calling 888-MLS-FIRE.

Saturday’s match will also serve as Soccer Heritage Night as the Fire will pay tribute to the city’s rich soccer history. The Fire will honor the 30^th anniversary of the 1984 NASL Chicago Sting Championship team with a special on-field halftime tribute, which will include former Sting stars and Owner and Founder Lee B. Stern. In addition, the Club will feature a video montage at the half highlighting key moments in Chicago soccer history and the contributions of other local professional soccer teams. Fire players will play their part in the tribute by wearing Chicago Sting-inspired Adidas T-shirts during their pre-game warm-ups. The limited edition shirts will also be available in the Fan Shop for purchase.

CHICAGO FIRE TRAINING SCHEDULE: Aug. 26-31

*Training will take place on the Toyota Park Practice Field unless otherwise noted. 
^Media availability will be held in the Toyota Park Media Room one hour prior to the listed start time of training and will run for approximately 45 minutes, typically from 9:30 a.m. to 10:15 a.m. Training will be open to media for the first 15 minutes of the session.

Media members interested in attending training are asked to RSVP to Eunice Kim at ekim@chicago-fire.comthe evening before each session with the names of the players they are requesting to speak with to ensure that players are notified and available for interviews. Training times and locations are subject to change. If you plan on attending training, please contact the Chicago Fire Communications Department for updated times and locations.

CHICAGO FIRE vs. FC DALLAS

-       The Fire hold a 13-20-4 all-time regular season record against FC Dallas, including a 9-8-2 record in matches played at home.

-       This is the only match between the two sides this season. FC Dallas enter the match after a 2-1 win over Real Salt Lake on Saturday evening.

-       The two clubs play for the Brimstone Cup – awarded by the supporters of the two teams so named when it matched the Fire and the Burn (Dallas’ name until 2005). The winner is determined by whoever comes away with more points from the two clubs’ Regular Season meetings. If the teams are tied on points, potential MLS Cup playoff and Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup meetings can serve as the tiebreaker. If the teams remain tied, the previous year’s winner retains the trophy.

-       As Saturday night’s clash is the only regular season match between the two sides in 2014, the winner of the game will take the Brimstone Cup outright.

-       The Men in Red have held the Brimstone Cup for the past two seasons.

-       Dallas has won the cup nine of the last eleven seasons. The Fire won the first series in 2001, the Burn then claiming it in 2002, retaining it in 2003 when the teams leveled the series, then winning both league meetings in 2004. In 2005, the teams split their league meetings, but the FCD won the cup when they won the U.S. Open Cup semifinal. Dallas won the season series from 2006-08 and in 2010 and 2011; retaining possession when the teams split in ‘09.

-       Dallas will be without the services of forward Blas Perez, who received a red card in the 45^th minute of Saturday’s match against Real Salt Lake, and defender Michel, who is suspended due to yellow card accumulation.

-       Fire assistant coach Clint Mathis set the record for most goals scored in a MLS regular season game in 2000 while he was with the MetroStars. Mathis scored five goals in a 6-4 win over the Dallas Burn on Aug. 26, 2000.