The Chicago Fire will look to reach its fourth MLS Cup Final by beating Real Salt Lake in tonight's MLS Eastern Conference Final (8pm, FSC).

The winner of tonight's match will face the Los Angeles Galaxy in the MLS Cup Final. The Galaxy defeated the Houston Dynamo, 2-0, in overtime on Friday night.

Tonight, RSL will try to add another upset to its resume after knocking out defending MLS Cup champion Columbus Crew in the first round of the East playoffs. The Chicago Fire will look to build on its series-clinching victory against New England last week.

I will be providing running commentary on tonight's match so please feel free to follow along here. As always, you are welcome to share your thoughts and opinions in the comments section below.

Enjoy the action (Commentary is after the jump):

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FINAL- And there it is, Real Salt Lake will now take on the Los Angeles Galaxy in the 2009 MLS Cup Final in Seattle a week from tomorrow.

That's all for me. Pleae feel free to share your post-game thoughts in the comments section below. Good night. 

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FINAL– Any chance Real Salt Lake and the New York Red Bulls can trade conference championship trophies to make all right with the world? Probably not, at least not when RSL's trophy is 25 times bigger than the one New York was given last year. 

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FINAL– Say what you want about Real Salt Lake "backing in" to the playoffs, but they did the business in the playoffs, playing great soccer, playing fearless soccer, and earned this trip to the MLS Cup final.

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FINAL– Nick Rimando wins the PK shootout, and happens to be the last goalkeeper to win a PK shootout, doing so with D.C. United in 2004.

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FINAL– You have to wonder what Chicago kickers were thinking. Rimando made all three saves diving low to his left. That was clearly his wheel house. The Fire had success early kicking them hard down the middle, but for some reason started picking at the low right corner. Rimando did the rest.

Fitting that Nick Rimando, an Illinois native, scores the winning PK to put RSL through.

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FINAL– Jon Busch got his hands on Grabavoy's shot, but couldn't get enough of it to stop it. And just like that, Real Salt Lake, the last team to qualify for the MLS playoffs, is in the MLS Cup final, where they will face the Los Angeles Galaxy. Who would have guessed that?

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FINAL- GOAL RSL!!!!! NED GRABAVOY WITH THE PK Conversion. Real Salt Lake is going to the MLS Cup Final. Chicago is OUT.

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PENALTY KICKS- SAVE RIMANDO!!!!! He stops Brandon Prideaux with another dive to his left. WOW.

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PENALTY KICKS- ESPINDOLA MISSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! WOW, He just BAGGIO'D it WAY OVER. WOW. CHICAGO LIVES to kick again.

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PENALTY KICKS– SAVE RIMANDO!!!!!! He dives low left to stop Logan Pause. WOW. RSL can win if Espindola finishes.

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PENALTY KICKS- GOAL RSL!!! Will Johnson converts to his left. Fire 4, RSL 4.

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PENALTY KICKS- GOAL FIRE!!! C.J. Brown tucks it into the low left corner with ease. Fire 4, RSL 3.

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PENALTY KICKS- GOAL RSL!!!! Beckerman converts to the left. Nice finish. Fire 3, RSL 3.

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PENALTY KICKS- SAVE RIMANDO!!!!! He makes a one-handed stop on a Thorrington shot to the right. WOW.

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PENALTY KICKS- GOAL RSL!!!! Findley converts his down the middle. Fire 3, RSL 2.

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PENALTY KICKS- GOAL FIRE!!!! Wilman Conde BLASTS it. Rimando got a hand on it, but can't stop it. Fire 3, RSL 1.

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PENALTY KICKS- MORALES MISSES!!!!! He sent it over the CROSSBAR!!!

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PENALTY KICKS- GOAL FIRE!!! McBride into the top corner. Beautiful. Fire 2, RSL 1.

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PENALTY KICKS- GOAL RSL, Mathis down the middle.

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PENALTY KICKS– Mathis will kick for RSL.

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PENALTY KICKS- GOAL FIRE. Blanco goes right down the middle off the crossbar!

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PENALTY KICKS– Blanco first for Chicago.

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PENALTY KICKS– Here we go. PKs about to begin. Who has the edge here? Both keepers are quick, but Busch has been stellar tonight.

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END OF OVERTIME– Fire 0, Real Salt Lake 0. A hard-fought 120 minutes of soccer can't produce a winner, so now we will have penalty kicks. Talk about drama. 

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123rd Minute– Mapp with a nice hard shot from distance, but it goes right to Rimando.

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123rd Minute– Ned Grabavoy comes in for Robbie Russell.

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122nd Minute– Ned Grabavoy will be a late RSL sub, likely for his penalty kick skills.

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121st Minute– Nyarko isn't shying away from contact. He pulled off a nice back-heel, but Russell tackled Mapp to win the ball back.

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120th Minute– Beckerman heads the ball out of danger.

Three minutes of stoppage time.

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120th Minute– Fire corner kick.

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119th Minute– Nyarko comes back out onto the field. Talk about gutsy.

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118th Minute– Fire will probably have to finish overtime a man down because Nyarko doesn't look likely to return. They'd have to wrap up his head pretty quickly.

Man, Nyarko has a Rocky Balboa-like cut above his eye. Looks like he'll get wrapped up and get back out there as soon as he can. Stitches can wait.

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116th Minute– Nyarko has a big cut above his eye after colliding with Beckerman.

Sad to see both teams keep playing for so long.

Blanco gets a yellow card for dissent, then stares down Ricardo Salazar. Blanco probably has a point for once. Salazar should have stopped play.

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115th Minute– Blanco had a clear run at goal, but couldn't pull off a shot or pass. He's tired.

Bodies on the ground now. Nyarko is one of them.

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114th Minute– Mathis shanks a cross out of bounds.

Six minutes left.

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113th Minute– Mathis hits a header high to kill an RSL stretch of possession. Findley had some space, but couldn't beat Brown.

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11th Minute– Will Johnson with a yellow card for taking down Nyarko, who's been great since coming in.

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110th Minute– Conde with a great defensive play. He's been dominant since coming in.

McBride with a weak shot at Rimando.

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109th Minute– Fire come close, but can't beat Busch. Here's another Fire corner. Home team applying all the pressure.

Mapp is coming in for Chris Rolfe.

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108th Minute– Nyarko is apparently carrying a knock suffered earlier at halftime. It didn't seem to bother him as he ran at goal just now.

Justin Mapp is coming in soon.

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106th Minute– Busch catches a dangerous cross that was actually goal-bound.

Nyarko draws a free kick near midfield.

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116th Minute– We're back.

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OVERTIME HALFTIME– No subs. Each team has a sub left. 

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OVERTIME HALFTIME– Fire 0, Real Salt Lake 0.

We're 15 minutes from penalty kicks unless someone scores a goal in the final 15 minutes.

Chicago had the better of the play in overtime, with Nyarko really providing a spark in attack. Blanco was also lively, as was Thorrington. Can Chicago create some good chances late to win this one? Does RSL have one more goal in the bag?

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104th Minute– RSL's attack has been quiet for a while now. Who will step up for the visitors?

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103rd Minute– SAVE RIMANDO. The long shot from Blanco doesn't really trouble Rimando.

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102nd Minute– Fire FREE KICK. Morales with a handball and Chicago has a VERY dangerous free kick 25 yards from goal, straight ahead. That has Blanco written all over it.

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101st Minute– Rimando just shanked a kick attempt while 30 yards from goal. Sloppy play there. Brandon Prideaux earns a yellow in the sequence.

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99th Minute– Findley has had some great chances tonight, but Busch has stopped him every time.

Blanco is fouled and a late call has RSL complaining. Beckerman gets the yellow for dissent even though it was Wingert who fouled Blanco.

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98th Minute– Blanco showing some flash, but may not have much left in the tank as far as movement.

Beckerman fouls Thorrington near midfield.

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96th Minute– Conde will slot in at left back, but he's also a very dangerous target in the area on set pieces.

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95th Minute– Wilman Conde comes in for Daniel Woolard. How will he do after missing so much time?

Conde gets a head on the loose corner to send it away.

Fire earn a free kick near midfield. Nyarko draws it.

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94th Minute– RSL with the possession right now, earning a corner.

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92nd Minute– RSL is on the attack.

McBride killed a Fire surge by holding the ball a touch too long.

Morales yapping at the linesman. No real need for that at this point in the match.

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91st Minute– And we're into OVERTIME.

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END OF REGULATION– The final ten minutes of regulation were a great spell as Chicago pressed hard for a winner while RSL nearly found its own winner courtesy of Findley.

Chicago has to feel some momentum heading into the overtime period. Nyarko has been a great spark for the Fire attack. 

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END REGULATION– Fire 0, Real Salt Lake 0. Wow, Jon Busch saved the game for Chicago with a diving point-blank save in the dying seconds of regulation.

We're headed to a 30-minute overtime.

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93rd Minute– SAVE BUSCH!!! He stops a Findley header that was bound for goal.

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92nd Minute– RSL applying some pressure late. And the smoke bombs are out, flooding the field with smoke in the FIre's defensive end.

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90th Minute– Three minutes of stoppage time.

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89th Minute– Fire keep finding acres of space on the counter, but can't find the final pass to break through. RSL is starting to get loose in defense.

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87th Minute– RSL hasn't had many good looks here late. Will they turn the attack back on here, or has Chicago figured out how to contain them?

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86th Minute– McBride is WIDE!!! A great sequence started by a Blanco back-heel, McBride gets a look from the left channel, but his shot is wide. Great chance wasted.

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85th Minute– Rolfe keeps getting looks. He's going to bury one if RSL keeps letting him get chances.

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84th Minute– Fire with a long free kick after Borchers chopped down Nyarko.

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82nd Minute– ROLFE WIDE. Fire with a nice passing sequence in the final third, but Rolfe's volley attempt is wide of goal.

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77th Minute– Nyarko is coming in for Marco Pappa. Look for Blanco to drop deeper and create more from midfield, while Nyarko will push RSL's centerbacks with his speed.

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75th Minute– The game has slowed down a bit. Can we expect an exciting last ten minutes?

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74th Minute– If you're following the commentary, let me know in the comments section.

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73rd Minute– Fabian Espindola is coming in for Yura Movsisyan. Could that be the last we see of Movsisyan in MLS? He's heading to Denmark when the season ends.

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72nd Minute– Robinson with a great job to stay in front of Findley in the area.

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70th Minute– McBride isn't having the best game right now. Might he be the one to come out for Nyarko?

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68th Minute– Clint Mathis is coming in for Andy Williams. Mathis has a history for producing in the playoffs.

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68th Minute– Rolfe with a clear look on a bicycle kick attempt, but the kick is high. Great idea though. Rolfe's getting more involved.

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67th Minute– Here come the Fire again, with Blanco making a great run into the area, but Chicago can't put it on goal.

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66th Minute– Findley with a header wide off a corner.

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65th Minute– Annother good play by Beckerman, who has been solid tonight.

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65th Minute– Pappa showing signs of life now after a weak first half performance.

When will we see Patrick Nyarko?

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64th Minute– SAVE RIMANDO!!! Stops a Pappa blast. WOW.

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63rd Minute– Pappa with a nice turn and run, but his shot is weak and wastes the possession.

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62nd Minute– RSL can go from defense to offense so quickly, but is struggling to beat the Fire midfield right now.

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58th Minute– RSL with a great build-up, but Movsisyan's shot goes way wide. Miss aside, RSL sliced through Chicago a bit too easily.

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55th Minute– Chicago is slowly controlling possession here, but not finding chances.

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53rd Minute– Movsisyan with a dive in the area. He's staying down but not getting the call. Actually, he did get his foot stepped on, but went down a bit too easily.

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50th Minute– Morales hits the side-netting. Almost looked like a goal, but missed by a yard.

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49th Minute– RSL with a dangerous free kick after Robinson collided with Movsisyan. It's a kick from about 30, above the right corner of the area.

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46th Minute– And we're back.

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HALFTIME-  Chicago Fire 0, Real Salt Lake 0. Jon Busch was the star of the first half with two clutch saves. RSL has had the better chances, but Chicago has done well in stages. Neither team has dominated play and it will probably take an early second-half goal to really open things up.

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45th Minute– SAVE BUSCH!!! Movsisyan with the wide-open look, but can't get it past Busch.

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45th Minute– MORALES GOES WIDE WITH A SHOT. Wow, that was close.

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44th Minute– RSL has slowed down and hasn't had much possession in the past 10 minutes. Chicago is also missing something in the final third. Patrick Nyarko will be a good second-half substitute. his speed will cause RSL problems.

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41st Minute– Rimando easily handles Blanco's long free kick attempt.

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39th Minute– Chicago with a free kick after a Morales handball. Yellow card for Morales.

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38th Minute– The Fire look much better now, moving the ball quickly and closing down space anytime RSL gets the ball.

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35th Minute– Robinson does very well to keep up with Findley. He's moving much better tonight than he moved last week vs. New England.

Fire corner kick.

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34th Minute– C.J. Brown with a good clearance. He's been sharp tonight.

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32nd Minute– Borchers is going to struggle to keep up with Blanco all night. Pappa draws a free kick near the right side-line.

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28th Minute– RSL can't let McBride roam free like that.

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27th Minute– FIRE HIT THE CROSSBAR!!  McBride with a  near-post run and header off a Blanco corner kick, but his header hits the crossbar.

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27th Minute– Fire with a corner after a nice Rolfe pass splits the RSL defense.

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26th Minute– RSL's midfield is winning the battle right now, covering more ground and putting together more effective possession.

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25th Minute– Fire starting to apply more pressure on the ball. They're trying to re-gain the momentum in this match. RSL is on the front foot right now.

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22nd Minute– Prideaux is hurt, looks like he hurt himself on a slide tackle. He's trying to walk it off.

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20th Minute– RSL is moving the ball very well and beating Chicago to the punch.

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18th Minute– RSL is starting to deliver some hard hits here.

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17th Minute– SAVE BUSCH. Findley gets in behind the Fire defense and gets a clear look after Movsisyan springs him, but Busch makes the save, with a kick save.

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15th Minute– Game has slowed a bit. Teams trading some fouls now.

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13th Minute– Olave comes in hard and late on McBride. No foul on Olave.

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11th Minute– Quality stuff so far. No goals yet, but the ball is moving and it's not a hack-fest.

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9th Minute– RSL knocking it around in the middle third, but Chicago isn't giving them an avenue to crack the final third.

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7th Minute– RSL with its first spell of possession, can't put a shot on goal.

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6th Minute– Fire corner kick

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4th Minute– Cuauhtemoc Blanco is very active early on. RSL had better start finding him sooner because if he keeps getting room to operate, the RSL back-line will be toast.

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3rd Minute– Can the Fire centerbacks handle Findley's speed tonight? That will be key to Chicago winning this match.

Fire corner kick.

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2nd Minute– Which team will come out faster tonight? It looks like the Fire is pushing hard from the opening whistle.

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1st Minute– We're underway.

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PRE-GAME– It's a sold-out crowd at Toyota Park tonight and the atmosphere is electric.

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PRE-GAME– Here are the starting lineups:

CHICAGO FIRE

——————-McBride——————-

Pappa————-Blanco————–Rolfe

————-Pause—–Thorrington——–

Woolard—-Robinson—Brown—–Prideaux

——————–Busch———————-

REAL SALT LAKE

———-Movsisyan—–Findley————–

——————-Morales——————–

Johnson———Beckerman——–Williams

Wingert—-Borchers—-Olave——–Russell

——————-Rimando———————

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PRE-GAME– We're getting close to kick-off

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