Posted on September 9, 2012
BRIDGEVIEW, ILL. – Santos Laguna grabbed a 2-0 halftime lead, but could not hold onto it as the Chicago Fire rallied for a 2-2 draw with the Mexican club in an international friendly at Toyota Park on Saturday.
Michael Videira and Corben Bone scored for the Fire.
Though Santos Laguna controlled much of the possession through the early going, it was the Fire who had the first chance. Dutch striker Sherjill MacDonald found himself with space on the right, dribbled into the penalty area and fired a drive that caught goalkeeper keeper Oswaldo Sanchez flat-footed as it rang off the near post in the 13th minute.
Tthe visitors found the first goal in the 24th minute. Collecting the ball on the right, forward Benjamin Joya dribbled to the top of the box and unleashed an effort past keeper Paolo Tornaghi and inside the right post.
Playing at left back, Fire defender Dan Gargan got in on the action in the 26th minute. Pushing up the flank, the veteran unleashed a powerful blast from 30 yards that forced Sanchez to palm the ball down to make the save.
Santos doubled its lead three minutes later when Daniel Luduena forced a turnover at the back. The Argentine attacker took a deflected ball off the feet of Fire defender Michael Videira before placing his shot to the left of Tornaghi in the 29th minute.
The Fire’s best chance to respond before halftime came when Bone penetrated on the left before laying off for Alex. The Brazilian attacker took one touch before having his effort deflected out for a corner kick but the ensuing dead ball was nodded away.
Coming out of the break it didn’t take long for the Fire to get on the scoreboard. The sequence started in the 48th minute when halftime substitute Daniel Paladini’s free kick was tipped over the bar by Miguel Becerra. On the ensuing corner kick, Paladini found Videira charging through the box and the defender volleyed his effort past Becerra from close range to make the score 2-1.
The Fire equalized in the 63rd minute when Dominic Oduro dispossessed Juan Pablo Rodriguez at midfield. The Ghanaian sped towards goal before finding Bone up the right side and the third-year midfielder made no mistake, placing his effort under Becerra and inside the back post.
Three minutes later the Fire nearly took the lead. Shifted to the right, Gargan pushed up and earned a free kick 25 yards from goal. On the take, Paladini picked out Gargan at the back post before the Fire defender’s header forced Becerra to push his effort over the bar in the 66th minute.
Making his first start for the Fire, Fire Homegrown player Victor Pineda got in on the action in the 68th, picking up a loose ball before firing a low drive to force another save out of Becerra.
Santos had one more chance in the 81st minute as second half substitute Marc Crosas ran onto a ball at midfield before seeing his long-distance blast held by Tornaghi.
Photo: Daniel Luduena scored for Santos Laguna in its 2-2 draw with the Chicago Fire
Categories: Mexico, North America, U.S.A.
Tags: Chicago Fire, Daniel Luduena, Dominic Oduro, Oswaldo Sanchez, Santos Laguna, Toyota Park
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