14th September 2000 14th September 2000
Stoitchkov played 90 minutes for the win of Fire versus New England Revolution and assisted for the winning goal.
Since returning, Stoitchkov has scored four goals and assisted on six
others in his last nine league matches. It's no coincidence that the Fire's torrid stretch since July 4, in which it has gone 8-1-3 in league
matches, coincides with Stoitchkov's return to the field. See what coach Bradley and coach Fernando Clavijo say.
12th September 2000
This quarterfinal series is a result of the new divisional
alignment and will be the first time the two teams have met
in the postseason. This is the matchup many Fire players
were hoping for. Despite the fact that the Revolution won
the match in Chicago and tied in Foxboro, the Fire feel that
they match up well with the Revs. The intangible in the series will be Hristo Stoitchkov. The
Bulgarian did not play in either of the matches in the
regular season and has been brilliant since returning to the
lineup from a groin injury.
8th September 2000
After the match versus Crew, the Dagger admitted in front of his relatives that he will respond the Fire offer to extend his contract in the coming month. At the same time the family of Hristo goes back to Barcelona for the beginning of the school year. Hristo Zapryanov also traveles for Barcelona for an eye surgery and Hristo is paying all his expenses.
7th September 2000
Chicago clinches Central with win over
Crew-Fire midfielder Hristo Stoitchkov was the difference in the match, adding a goal and two assists to his season totals.
CHICAGO -- The Chicago Fire clinched the Central Division title Wednesday night,
defeating the Columbus Crew 3-1 at Soldier Field. Fire midfielder Hristo Stoitchkov
was the difference in the match, adding a goal and two assists to his season totals.
Fire defender Tom Soehn netted the first goal of the match, staking Chicago's claim
to the Central Division title in the 8th minute of play. Stoitchkov created the chance
off a corner kick, finding Soehn lurking near the back post. Rising above the Crew
defense, Soehn snapped home a quick header for his first points of the 2000
campaign.
Team scoring leader Ante Razov added a second goal in the 40th minute of play,
catching the Columbus defense flat-footed with a powerful blast that beat goalkeeper
Mark Dougherty under the crossbar. Stoitchkov again began the scoring drive with a
pass to Justin Evans at the 20-yard mark. Evans flicked the ball to Razov, who fired
a left-footed rocket into the back of the net for his career-best 17th goal of the
season.
Despite struggling offensively for much of the game, the Crew climbed back into the
game on a 59th minute goal from defender Ansil Elcock. Taking a long ball from
Robert Warzycha deep inside Chicago territory, forward Brian McBride smartly
played the ball back to a waiting Elcock. Elcock finished the chance with authority,
drilling the ball past `keeper Zach Thornton to cut the Fire's lead in half.
Crew defender Miroslav Rzepa was ejected from the game in the 81st minute of play
after being shown his second yellow card for taking down Razov inside the Crew
penalty area. Stoitchkov put the game out of reach with the resulting penalty kick,
easily beating Dougherty to the left post for his ninth goal of the year.
With the victory Chicago (16-9-6, 54 points) clinches the Central Division title,
owning the first tie-breaker against the Tampa Bay Mutiny, who stand at 51 points
with one game remaining. The loss does not eliminate the Crew from postseason
contention, though it did clinch a playoff berth for the New England Revolution, who
lost 1-0 to the Kansas City Wizards earlier this evening.
The Fire and the Crew finish their 2000 seasons on Saturday, September 9th, with a
final meeting at Columbus Crew Stadium (7:30 p.m. ET). The Fire will be seeking to
sweep the Crew in this season's series, taking the previous three matches between
the two this year.
7th September 2000
Since the beginning of the season, Razov and Stoitchkov have denied
that they do not get along. In the season opener in Dallas, Razov
said Stoitchkov was running around like he knew everything, despite
the fact he had been with the team for less than a week.
Razov scored in the 40th minute and Stoitchkov assisted on two
goals in addition to his goal.
30th August 2000 (In Spanish)
Villacampa 'ficha' a Stoichkov y Paz Padilla
30/08/00 • J.R. • BARCELONA• El Joventut de Jordi Villacampa se sigue moviendo. Ahora, el
objetivo de la sociedad badalonesa es incrementar su masa social –sensiblemente resentida
en el último lustro– y para ello el próximo 14 de septiembre iniciará una campaña de promoción
de la que Hristo Stoichkov (amigo personal de Villacampa) y Paz Padilla (casada con un
badalonés) serán las máximas estrellas.
El lema de la campaña será 'La fuerza ers tú', y no se circunscribirá sólo a Badalona sino que
la Penya la llevará a otras localidades vecinas.
Además de Stoichkov y Padilla, participarán en la campaña Gerard Quintana (cantante del
grupo musical Sopa de Cabra) y los actores badaloneses Lluís Marco y Rosa Gàmiz. Todos
ellos participarán en el rodaje de un vídeo promocional que será el reclamo central de la
campaña.
26th August 2000
Stoichkov rallies Fire to 3-3 draw with Mutiny
Hristo Stoichkov took over the game in the 68th minute, scored a goal and set up another as
Chicago erased a 3-1 deficit to pull out a 3-3 draw with Tampa Bay Saturday (Aug.
26) at Raymond James Stadium. Interrupted twice by rain and lightning
delays, the game was the longest in Major
League Soccer history, beginning at 4:30
p.m. ET and finally concluding at
approximately 8:15 p.m.
Delays bumped Telemundo's Spanish
language broadcast off the air and a
crowd of 10,215 hunkered down under the
eves at Raymond James Stadium as the
rain continued and jagged streaks of
lightning blazed overhead.
The 34-year-old Stoichkov, proving he still
has the class of a great international, tied
it at 3-3 when he launched a left-footed
blast in the 87th minute from 18 yards out
on the left that bounced off Tampa Bay
goalkeeper Scott Garlick and into the roof
of the net. The Bulgarian international created Chicago's second goal in the 73rd minute when he fired another hard shot with his educated left foot that deflected off
Garlick. Captain Peter Nowak, coming in from the left side, converted the rebound to bring Chicago to within one.
26th August 2000
TAMPA, Fla. - The Chicago Fire could not gain any ground in the battle for the
Central Division title, but a 3-3 draw with the Tampa Bay Mutiny at Raymond
James Stadium insures that the playoff race will remain heated. Bulgarian superstar
Hristo Stoitchkov netted the crucial equalizing goal in the closing stages of match,
sending the game into overtime.
19th August 2000
CHICAGO (Ticker) -- Hristo Stoitchkov scored the tying goal and second-half substitute Evan Whitfield tallied the game-winner
as the Chicago Fire rallied for a 2-1 victory over the Los Angeles Galaxy.
