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Blanco lifts Fire past Wizards

Aug 26, 2007 - 5:27 AM BRIDGEVIEW, Illinois (Ticker) -- The Kansas City Wizards were looking for their second victory over the Chicago Fire in four days. Cuauhtemac Blanco had different ideas.

Blanco collected a goal and an assist as the Fire snapped a five-game home winless skid with a 2-0 triumph over the Wizards on Saturday.

"I'm running out of words to describe his play," Chicago coach Juan Carlos Osorio said. "He has been so positive about everything and he brings good things to training."

Blanco notched the game's first goal in the 44th minute with a right-footed free kick from the left of the penalty box arc which he blasted past Kansas City goalkeeper Kevin Hartman into the lower left corner of the net.

The play was set up by Wizards midfielder Kurt Morsink's tackle from behind on the Fire's Ivan Guerrero.

Kansas City kept Blanco in check early in the contest by double-teaming him when he had possession of the ball. In the 11th minute, the Mexican standout tried to maneuver deep in the attacking zone but two defenders quickly tied him up from both sides.

"(Blanco) is a very good player so you have to work around him," Kansas City coach Curt Onalfo said. "I felt we did a very good job in the first half of doing that. Unfortunately we gave up a free kick in the first half and he capitalized on that, but that's what great players do. When he has the ball, things happen. He's a great addition to the league."

Chicago sealed the game in the 86th minute when Blanco's corner kick found Calen Carr in the center of the penalty area. Carr headed the ball into the net to give Chicago a 2-0 advantage.

"That's a play we practice," Blanco said through an interpreter. "We are happy to get the win. We have to continue playing as a team. It's not about one player."

Blanco has two goals and four assists in his first five career MLS games.

Fire goalkeeper Jon Busch needed to make just two saves to record his first shutout and first win of the season. Busch has 26 career shutouts.

"We were a little more organized than we were on Wednesday (in Kansas City)," Busch said. "We didn't play that well in the first half but (defenders) Diego (Gutierrez), C.J. (Brown), and Dasan (Robinson) did a great job. It wasn't too busy of a night."