# 2009 Chicago Fire season

The 2009 Chicago Fire season was the club's 11th year of existence, as well as their 12th season in Major League Soccer and 12th consecutive year in the top-flight of American soccer. It began with a 3-1 away win over FC Dallas on March 21, 2009 and ended with a loss on penalties to Real Salt Lake in the Eastern Conference Final on November 14, 2009.
As of 2024, this is the most recent appearance for the Fire in the conference finals, as well as the last time the club have won a playoff game.

## Roster
### Squad

As of July 17, 2009.
Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 1 | GK | USA | Jon Busch |
| 2 | DF | USA | C. J. Brown (Captain) |
| 3 | FW | USA | Calen Carr |
| 4 | DF | MLI | Bakary Soumaré |
| 5 | DF | USA | Tim Ward |
| 6 | DF | USA | Brandon Prideaux |
| 7 | MF | USA | Logan Pause |
| 9 | MF | BIH | Baggio Husidić |
| 10 | MF | MEX | Cuauhtémoc Blanco |
| 11 | MF | USA | John Thorrington |
| 14 | FW | GHA | Patrick Nyarko |
| 16 | MF | GUA | Marco Pappa |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 17 | FW | USA | Chris Rolfe |
| 18 | MF | USA | Mike Banner |
| 20 | FW | USA | Brian McBride |
| 21 | MF | USA | Justin Mapp |
| 22 | DF | COL | Wilman Conde |
| 23 | FW | BUL | Stefan Dimitrov |
| 24 | DF | USA | Daniel Woolard |
| 25 | DF | CRC | Gonzalo Segares |
| 29 | MF | USA | Peter Lowry |
| 32 | DF | USA | Dasan Robinson |
| 34 | DF | USA | Austin Washington |
| 40 | GK | USA | Andrew Dykstra |

### Transfers
#### In

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 9 | MF | BIH | Baggio Husidić (from Draft, 20th Overall) |
| 5 | DF | USA | Tim Ward (off waivers) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 40 | GK | USA | Andrew Dykstra (unattached) |

#### Out

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules; some limited exceptions apply. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 8 | MF | USA | Diego Gutiérrez (Retired) |
| 33 | MF | USA | Stephen King (to Seattle Sounders FC, 2009 Expansion Draft) |
| 9 | FW | POL | Tomasz Frankowski (Released on waivers) |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 26 | FW | CRC | Andy Herron (Released on waivers) |
| 28 | GK | USA | Nick Noble (Released on waivers) |
| 4 | DF | MLI | Bakary Soumaré (Mid season transfer to Boulogne) |

## Club
### Management

| Position | Staff |
| Technical Director | Frank Klopas |
| Manager | Denis Hamlett |
| Assistant manager | Mike Jeffries |
| Assistant manager | Mike Matkovich |
| Assistant manager | Daryl Shore |
| Head athletic trainer | Paul Ziemba |
| Assistant athletic trainer | Bo Leonard |
| Equipment manager | Charles Raycroft |
Last updated: April 18, 2009 Source: Chicago Fire

### Other information

| Chairman | Andrew Hauptman |
| Ground (capacity and dimensions) | Toyota Park (20,000 / N/A) |
Source: Chicago Fire

## Competitions
### Overall

| Competition | Started round | Current position / round | Final position / round | First match | Last match |
| MLS | — | — | Eastern Conference Championship | March 21, 2009 | November 14, 2009 |
| USOC | Third round | — | Third round | June 30, 2009 | June 30, 2009 |
| Superliga | Group A | — | Runner-up | June 20, 2009 | August 5, 2009 |
Updated to match played October 18, 2008 Source: Competitions

## Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Columbus Crew | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 41 | 31 | +10 | 49 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 2 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 39 | 34 | +5 | 45 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 3 | New England Revolution | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 33 | 37 | −4 | 42 | MLS Cup Playoffs |
| 4 | D.C. United | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 43 | 44 | −1 | 40 | |
| 5 | Toronto FC | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 37 | 46 | −9 | 39 | |
| 6 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 33 | |
| 7 | New York Red Bulls | 30 | 5 | 19 | 6 | 27 | 47 | −20 | 21 | |
| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification |
| 1 | Columbus Crew (S) | 30 | 13 | 7 | 10 | 41 | 31 | +10 | 49 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 2 | LA Galaxy | 30 | 12 | 6 | 12 | 36 | 31 | +5 | 48 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 3 | Houston Dynamo | 30 | 13 | 8 | 9 | 39 | 29 | +10 | 48 | North American SuperLiga |
| 4 | Seattle Sounders FC | 30 | 12 | 7 | 11 | 38 | 29 | +9 | 47 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 5 | Chicago Fire | 30 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 39 | 34 | +5 | 45 | North American SuperLiga |
| 6 | Chivas USA | 30 | 13 | 11 | 6 | 34 | 31 | +3 | 45 | North American SuperLiga |
| 7 | New England Revolution | 30 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 33 | 37 | −4 | 42 | North American SuperLiga |
| 8 | Real Salt Lake (C) | 30 | 11 | 12 | 7 | 43 | 35 | +8 | 40 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 9 | Colorado Rapids | 30 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 42 | 38 | +4 | 40 | |
| 10 | D.C. United | 30 | 9 | 8 | 13 | 43 | 44 | −1 | 40 | |
| 11 | FC Dallas | 30 | 11 | 13 | 6 | 50 | 47 | +3 | 39 | |
| 12 | Toronto FC | 30 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 37 | 46 | −9 | 39 | CONCACAF Champions League |
| 13 | Kansas City Wizards | 30 | 8 | 13 | 9 | 33 | 42 | −9 | 33 | |
| 14 | San Jose Earthquakes | 30 | 7 | 14 | 9 | 36 | 50 | −14 | 30 | |
| 15 | New York Red Bulls | 30 | 5 | 19 | 6 | 27 | 47 | −20 | 21 | |

### Results summary

| Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Home | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away | Away |
| Pld | Pts | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD | W | L | T | GF | GA | GD |
| 30 | 45 | 11 | 7 | 12 | 39 | 34 | +5 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 16 | 17 | −1 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 23 | 17 | +6 |
Last updated: October 22, 2009 Source: Major League Soccer Pld = Matches played; Pts = Points; W = Matches won; T = Matches tied; L = Matches lost; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; GD = Goal difference
| Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 |
| Stadium | A | A | H | A | H | A | H | H | A | A | A | H | H | A | A | H | H | A | H | A | A | H | H | H | A | H | H | A | A | H |
| Result | W | T | W | T | T | T | T | T | W | W | W | L | L | L | W | T | W | T | W | L | W | L | W | L | T | T | T | L | T | W |

## Matches

Win  Tie  Loss