Logan Pause backs into a goal; weather ends Fire’s 1-1 draw with Dynamo
BY SETH GRUEN For Sun-Times Media April 15, 2012 10:28PM
BRIDGEVIEW, IL - APRIL 15: Dominic Oduro #8 of the Chicago Fire and Nathan Sturgis #6 of the Houston Dynamo chase down the ball during an MLS match at Toyota Park on April 15, 2012 in Bridgeview, Illinois. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Updated: May 17, 2012 8:14AM
It’s a soccer anomaly for any player’s offensive prowess to improve with age, but that appeared to be the case for Fire midfielder Logan Pause on Sunday at Toyota Park — albeit by accident.
In a 1-1 draw with the Houston Dynamo that was called in the 65th minute because of lightning, Pause scored the tying goal in the 27th minute after a free kick by Pavel Pardo deflected off his back.
Pause, the Fire captain who has only three career goals in 10 Major League Soccer seasons, was simply trying to get out of the way.
‘‘That kind of sums up my goal-scoring career right there,’’ Pause said. ‘‘Pavel hits a free kick that I actually try to get out of the way of, and I just kind of chalk it up to old age and not being quick enough.’’
Fire coach Frank Klopas was not available after the game — believed to be the first in the Fire’s history to be called — because he was tending to a family situation. He is not expected miss any other team activities.
Klopas was at Toyota Park up until the decision to call the game, which was first stopped in the 13th minute and delayed 70 minutes before resuming.
It was an unorthodox debut for Fire center back Arne Friedrich, who hadn’t seen a game called in his 12-year pro career in Europe.
“Never, no chance,” Friedrich said. ‘‘In Europe it’s a little different. We would play the 90 minutes. The pitch was perfect, there was no problem, but we cannot do any decision here. It’s up to the referees.”
The game’s first goal came when Dynamo forward Will Bruin beat Sean Johnson high in the 24th minute. Johnson was making his 2012 debut after spending the Fire’s first two games of the season with the U.S. Olympic Team, then sitting out a 2-0 loss in Colorado to the Rapids on April 1.
