16^th June 2000

Stoitchkov might be out for Fire's season

The Fire had hoped to turn Bulgarian striker Hristo Stoitchkov loose on Major League Soccer opponents, but that plan apparently is over. Stoitchkov won't play in Saturday night's match with D.C. United at Soldier Field. Fire general manager Peter Wilt said he will miss much more than that, and he could be done for the season. "It looks like eight to 12 weeks," Wilt said. "If it's 12, we'll have three games left." Stoitchkov was sidelined first by a left groin strain; now the problem is on his right side. He underwent a second MRI after he was forced out early in Saturday's 4-2 road loss to Miami. Central defender Lubos Kubik (Grade 2 sprain of the medial collateral ligament of his left knee) will be out another six weeks, meaning the Fire is down to just one high-profile allocated player--captain Peter Nowak. Wilt said one possible replacement--whom he wouldn't name--may be in training camp next week for a tryout. Even with Stoitchkov and Kubik out most of the season, the Fire (8-7-1) will enter Saturday's game leading the MLS Central Division. In the past two years, a meeting with D.C. United would be a season highlight. That's not the case this time with United (3-9-3) in last place in the Eastern Division.

14^th June 2000

Hristo Stoitchkov left Saturday's game with an injury to his right groin … Stoitchkov had previously been bothered by an injury to his left groin … The Bulgarian attacker is doubtful this week, and could be out for awhile. See what Fire Head Coach Bob Bradley says.

('Chicago Fire')

11^th June 2000

Both of the league's premier signings this season are struggling with injuries, which may be complicated by age. The Fire's Hristo Stoitchkov injured his right groin Saturday in Ft. Lauderdale in the Fire's 4-2 loss to the Fusion. Stoitchkov had had a nagging strain to his left groin for six weeks. Fire coach Bob Bradley had said he hoped the injury would not nag Stoitchkov the rest of the season, but it appears that it will.

(Bob Foltman-'Chicago Tribune')

11^th June 2000

FT. LAUDERDALE - The Fire found out how difficult it is to beat a team four times in a season, falling to the Miami Fusion 4-2 Saturday night in a Major League Soccer match before 7,208 fans at Lockhart Stadium. The Fire (9-6-1) had beaten Miami in its three previous meetings. But the Fire was playing without scoring leader Ante Razov, who is with the U.S. national team for the U.S. Cup, and was lacking Hristo Stoitchkov for the entire second half. Stoitchkov went out in the first half with a groin injury.

('Chicago Tribune')

8^th June 2000

Fire 2 Fusion 1 Three Fire starters remained with the U.S. national team and two more couldn't play because of injury Wednesday night. It didn't matter, because Josh Wolff continued his improvement from offseason knee surgery.Hristo Stoitchkov sidelined with a strained groin. Stoitchkov played 45 minutes against Kansas City but didn't dress Wednesday. Armas, Razov and Kubik will be out again Saturday when the Fire and Fusion meet for the fourth and last time at Fort Lauderdale, Fla. Stoitchkov is doubtful, but Brown will return to the Fire.

('Chicago Sun-Times')

4^th June 2000

Forward Hristo Stoitchkov, making his first start since April 28, felt tightness in his groin and came out of the match at halftime. His status for Wednesday's match against Miami is questionable. When asked if he will play Wednesday, Stoitchkov nodded toward coach Bob Bradley and indicated the decision was up to him.

('Chicago Sports')

4^th June 2000

The Chicago Fire stuunned the Kansas City Wizards Sunday afternoon at Soldier Field, bringing the Wizards' 12-game unbeaten streak to an end with a 3-2 upset victory.Kovalenko found Hristo Stoitchkov in the penalty area, and the veteran Bulgarian dribbled around goalkeeper Tony Meola to put the ball into the empty net. Stoitchkov would assist on the go-ahead goal in the 40th minute, serving up a well-placed corner kick to Jesse Marsch. Marsch's header beat Meola to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.

('MLS')

31^st May 2000

Hristo Stoitchkov scored for the win of Chicago Fire over Hamburger. His goal came in the 2^nd minute. Fire won by 5:1. Hristo has received 98 votes for the team of the West, who will play versus the East in the match of the stars in Dallas.

('Seven Days Sport')

31^st May 2000

The megastar of Bulgarian football Hristo Stoitchkov appeared in the role of a football manager and tried to attract a half or a libero for his team Chicago Fire. A few days ago the Dagger called his friend from Vratza,Ivan Petkov asking him for help.The businessman from Vratza has recommended to him Juri Nikolov-a player of Botev, who has also played for Septemvri. He is probably going over the ocean.

('Seven Days Sport')

29^th May 2000

Stoitchkov would more likely be the man to replace Razov if he's recovered from a lingering groin strain that has limited him to six games this season. He returned from a five-game absence with a 25-minute stint against Dallas on Wednesday and played the second half against the MetroStars. "He's very eager to get back, and we want him on the field," Bradley said. "But we don't want to rush it, so the injury will heal. He played the first four, five weeks for us on pure adrenalin. Maybe if we hadn't played him so much then he wouldn't have had the problem he had."

('Chicago Sun-Times')

28^th May 2000

Bob Foltman's Report

Let's go to the tape: MLS officials will certainly review the brawl that closed out Saturday's contest and will likely have some questions to ask to the participants. One may be why Hristo Stoitchkov shoved Mike Petke when it appeared Petke was walking away from the situation? Another is why MetroStars coach Octavio Zambrano decided to grab Bradley instead of trying to get his players away from the scene? By itself, Stoitchkov's shove was harmless. But the league may decide that it sparked the whole incident and fine the Bulgarian.

('Chicago Sports)

May 27	1	2	F
Chicago	0	1	1
MetroStars	0	2	4

Scoring Summary:
MET--Chung (Myers, Mathis) 4
MET--Jolley (Chung) 34
MET--Mathis (Valencia, Myers) 35
CHI--Razov (PK) 71
MET--Valencia (PK) 76

CHICAGO FIRE--Zach Thornton, C.J. Brown, Tom Soehn, Carlos Bocanegra, Mike Sorber (Josh Wolff 46), Diego Gutierrez (Hristo Stoitchkov 46), Chris Armas, Jesse Marsch, Peter Nowak (Sam George 81), Ante Razov, Dema Kovalenko
TOTAL SHOTS: 29 (Razov 8); SHOTS ON GOAL: 15 (Nowak 4); FOULS: 13 (five players with 2); OFFSIDE: 4; CORNER KICKS: 14; SAVES: Thornton 3; CAUTIONS: Wolff 89; EJECTIONS: Razov 90; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 67%

METROSTARS--Mike Ammann, Mark Semioli, Steve Jolley, Daniel Hernandez, Billy Walsh, Roy Myers (Steve Shak 47+), Tab Ramos (Mike Petke 58), Mark Chung, Petter Villegas (Ramiro Corrales 27), Clint Mathis, Adolfo Valencia
TOTAL SHOTS: 9 (Valencia 2, Mathis 2, Chung 2); SHOTS ON GOAL: 8 (Valencia 2, Chung 2); FOULS: 18 (Valencia 4); OFFSIDE: 3; CORNER KICKS: 3; SAVES: Ammann 10; CAUTIONS: Hernandez 90; EJECTIONS: Zambrano, Octavio 90; POSSESSION PERCENTAGE: 33%

Referee: Kevin Terry; Referee's Assistants: Craig Lowry, Jorge Bandera
Attendance: 41,609; Weather: Clear, 66

('MLS')

28^th May 2000

Chicago Fire lost to MetroStars by 4:1.Players, coaches battled near the end of the loss; Chicago's leading scorer Razov is ejected and may miss a game. In the 90th minute of a game that was already decided. Josh Wolff fouled MetroStars defender Mike Petke from behind. Petke got up and started to walk past Wolff. At that point it appeared as if Hristo Stoitchkov gave Petke a bit of a shove. Petke then turned toward Stoitchkov and it was on.

('Chicago Sports)
     

May 24	1	2	F
Dallas	1	2	3
Chicago	1	3	4

Scoring Summary:
DAL--Rodriguez (Pareja, Kreis) 37
CHI--own goal (Farrer) 51+
DAL--Kreis (unassisted) 57
DAL--Deering (Kreis, Broome) 63
CHI--Razov (Wolyniec, Stoitchkov) 79
CHI--Kovalenko (Gutierrez) 89
CHI--Razov (Nowak, Stoitchkov) 91+

('MLS')

25^st May 2000

In came Stoitchkov, the Bulgarian striker who had been sidelined by a groin strain since April 28. He missed a penalty kick after drawing a foul from Dallas goalkeeper Matt Jordan, then assisted (along with another reserve, John Wolyniec) on Razov's first goal in the 79th minute.
"Stoitchkov obviously made a difference," Gutierrez said. "He created confusion for them, and that created a lot of space for us."

('Chicago Sun-Times')

25^st May 2000

In the 65^th minute Hristo Stoitchkov entered the match and the fun began. In the 66th minute, Dallas' Sergi Daniv was ejected on his second yellow card. Goalkeeper Matt Jordan pulled down Stoitchkov in the 77^th minute, but stopped the Bulgarian's penalty shot. The Fire is 0 for 3 in penalty kicks.

('Chicago Sports')

25^st May 2000

Stoitchkov came in play yesterday for Chicago Fire in the 65^th minute in the game versus Dallas Burns. He missed a penalty kick. Fire won by 4:3.

21^st May 2000

Stoitchkov received a yellow card without playing in in the game versus Revolution, where Fire lost 1:0.

('Meridian Match')

20^th May 2000

Check out the whole CNN live chat with Stoitchkov.

STOITCHKOV LIVE FOR THE INTERNET FANS LIVE CHAT WITH HRISTO STOITCHKOV ON THURSDAY IN THE CNN CHAT ROOM THURSDAY 2 PM ET, 9 PM BULGARIAN TIME, 8 PM CET

Previous Fire News Mainpage

---

This page uses pictures from TotalSports.Net as well as other media sources!