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.
Both goals came in the second half. Chicago (13-9-5, 44 points)
moved within three points of first-place Tampa Bay in the
Central Division. Los Angeles fell to 12-8-8 with 44 points.
The Galaxy led 1-0 in the second half until defender Paul
Caligiuri was whistled for holding forward Ante Razov's elbow
inside the penalty area. Stoitchkov took the ensuing penalty
kick, hammering a shot off the right post and into the back of the net.
Chicago is 4-for-9 penalty kicks.
Whitfield, who came on in the 67th minute for Mike Sorber,
finished a nice pass from Josh Wolff eight minutes later. Midfielder Peter Nowak threaded a pass to Razov, who passed
forward to Wolff despite being tripped up from behind.
Wolff played the advantage, sending a ball in to Whitfield just
inside the box. Whitfield sent the ball over the head of
goalkeeper Matt Reis, planting it into the roof of the net for
his second goal of the year.
Los Angeles scored in the 26th minute when rookie Sasha
Victorine tapped in a loose ball on the goal line. Midfielder
Simon Elliott started the play with a great through-ball that
found Cobi Jones on the run into the box.
Jones' shot struck the inside of the near post, rolled along the
goal line, hit the outside of the far post and rolled back into
play. Victorine ran onto the stationary ball, putting it into
the back of the net for his third of the year.
Galaxy captain and 1999 Defender of the Year Robin Fraser
received his second yellow card of the match for his play on
Razov and was ejected from the game.
Fraser will miss the Galaxy's next match, a divisional contest
against San Jose on Saturday.