Chicago House gets 1st win,
aims to catch the ear of pro soccer fans
By Bob Narang
Brandon Barnes admitted he tried to keep his emotions in check late into Saturday’s tournament match.
The goalkeeper is looking to put his mark on the Chicago House, the city’s new pro soccer team, in its inaugural season. The team name honors the dance music genre that was created in the Windy City in the early 80s.
Barnes is off to a solid start, just like his new team.
The House collected the first win in team history with a 5-0 triumph over host Union Dubuque in its final Midwest Division pool game of the Independent Cup national tournament.
Barnes made two big saves, including a penalty kick stop in the 87th minute, that preserved the shutout.
“It was great to keep a clean-sheet,” he said. “We all worked hard for that. It was amazing. The guys have been working hard all preseason. For them to get extra reward and the goals put we put away, it was nice.
“We had some ideas on what we wanted to play. Our job was to make sure we executed those. No matter who our opponents were, we set out to do them.
“Going into Saturday’s game, we looked to achieve them. For us, team work is the first goal. We wanted to make sure every guy is involved in the play. Our second is no goals.”
Barnes, a 2013 Prairie Ridge graduate and a four-year soccer player at Seton Hall, slightly chuckled after mentioning the team’s goal of allowing no goals in every match. That’s the goal — no pun intended — for every soccer team.
Barnes, who had a redshirt year at Bradley, is among three goalies vying for the starting position. He said the team has momentum heading into Saturday’s historic and difficult regular-season opener against National Independent Soccer Association defending champion Detroit City.
“We built ourselves up as the preseason went on, but we have to continue that momentum against tougher opponents,” he said. “I would love to go up against Detroit. I got my fingers crossed that I’ll (get the start).”
Chicago House coach C.J. Brown, the longtime Chicago Fire star and member of the team’s elite Ring of Fire, said Barnes was one of the standouts on the pitch in Saturday’s win.
“Brandon Barnes is a player who’s been in USL, and he’s looking for an opportunity to get in games,” Brown said. “Right now, we have three goalkeepers who can be stars, been switching off.
“Brandon came up big at the end. He saved the game with a clean-sheet. He’s been having a good preseason and working hard. All of our goalkeepers push each other every week. It’s super competitive for them, but extremely hard for me to make a lineup choice.”
Brown said his entire team showed some positive signs in Saturday’s victory.
The House got all of its scoring from two players: Derek Huffman led the way with a hat-trick; Jacob Bevan added a pair of goals.
The win capped a 1-1-1 pool performance. Prior, the House lost 2-0 to the eventual undefeated pool winner Milwaukee Torrent on July 9, then recorded a 1-1 tie with Med City FC (Minn.) on July 14. All games were on the road.
“(The win) was something we needed,” Brown said. “It was definitely good for the guys to get that experience.
“We’ve been training extremely hard since June 17 on. Even though we haven’t gotten the results we had hoped for before Saturday, we saw some good signs on the ball, did see some bad signs defensively, but offensively, saw some good things.
“We needed that realization we’re pretty good now. We had not gotten it from our results, so the timing for the win was good for us.
“We were doing good things with the ball, now finally finishing opportunities. We scored some really good goals, not sloppy tap-in goals.”
The team will play 18 regular-season games, Nine are scheduled at the team’s home, SeatGeek Stadium. The home opener brings New Amsterdam (New York) to Bridgeview on Aug. 21
Midfielder Louis Bennett II and forward Musa Morris were added to the team Monday to fortify the roster heading into the regular season.
"I think we’re going to be a team that’s going to compete,” Brown said. “I cannot tell you where we will stand, but we will find out this week at Detroit, which is the best team in the league. It’s a big challenge for us.
“We have good pieces. We’ve shown to be good team with the ball and attack (but) a lot of struggles defending as a team. Hopefully, we can clean that up before we get out to Detroit. They’ve been crushing teams in the Independent Cup (two wins by a combined 10-1 score in the Great Lakes pool). They’re very organized and balanced. If we’re not playing well, it could be a long night.”
Brown said his team has experienced the normal ups and downs of a new group of players working on team chemistry while also fighting for starting spots. He said the team is rounding into shape and beginning to work well as a unit.
“It’s a good club,” he said. “We’re trying to do what they love to do, just play soccer. From a club standpoint, we want to be a part of the community. We’ve thrown this all on them in the last month and a half, but they’re functioning well.
“Overall, we’re slowly getting more things for the players. They’re working hard, and excited to show the fans of Chicago what they are about.
“We have a huge test going up against Detroit. We now get a chance to see where we stand. This is the best way to see where we start. … The guys also have the mentality to win. We’re excited, and we hope the fans will be excited.”
aims to catch the ear of pro soccer fans
By Bob Narang
Brandon Barnes admitted he tried to keep his emotions in check late into Saturday’s tournament match.
The goalkeeper is looking to put his mark on the Chicago House, the city’s new pro soccer team, in its inaugural season. The team name honors the dance music genre that was created in the Windy City in the early 80s.
Barnes is off to a solid start, just like his new team.
The House collected the first win in team history with a 5-0 triumph over host Union Dubuque in its final Midwest Division pool game of the Independent Cup national tournament.
Barnes made two big saves, including a penalty kick stop in the 87th minute, that preserved the shutout.
“It was great to keep a clean-sheet,” he said. “We all worked hard for that. It was amazing. The guys have been working hard all preseason. For them to get extra reward and the goals put we put away, it was nice.
“We had some ideas on what we wanted to play. Our job was to make sure we executed those. No matter who our opponents were, we set out to do them.
“Going into Saturday’s game, we looked to achieve them. For us, team work is the first goal. We wanted to make sure every guy is involved in the play. Our second is no goals.”
Barnes, a 2013 Prairie Ridge graduate and a four-year soccer player at Seton Hall, slightly chuckled after mentioning the team’s goal of allowing no goals in every match. That’s the goal — no pun intended — for every soccer team.
Barnes, who had a redshirt year at Bradley, is among three goalies vying for the starting position. He said the team has momentum heading into Saturday’s historic and difficult regular-season opener against National Independent Soccer Association defending champion Detroit City.
“We built ourselves up as the preseason went on, but we have to continue that momentum against tougher opponents,” he said. “I would love to go up against Detroit. I got my fingers crossed that I’ll (get the start).”
Chicago House coach C.J. Brown, the longtime Chicago Fire star and member of the team’s elite Ring of Fire, said Barnes was one of the standouts on the pitch in Saturday’s win.
“Brandon Barnes is a player who’s been in USL, and he’s looking for an opportunity to get in games,” Brown said. “Right now, we have three goalkeepers who can be stars, been switching off.
“Brandon came up big at the end. He saved the game with a clean-sheet. He’s been having a good preseason and working hard. All of our goalkeepers push each other every week. It’s super competitive for them, but extremely hard for me to make a lineup choice.”
Brown said his entire team showed some positive signs in Saturday’s victory.
The House got all of its scoring from two players: Derek Huffman led the way with a hat-trick; Jacob Bevan added a pair of goals.
The win capped a 1-1-1 pool performance. Prior, the House lost 2-0 to the eventual undefeated pool winner Milwaukee Torrent on July 9, then recorded a 1-1 tie with Med City FC (Minn.) on July 14. All games were on the road.
“(The win) was something we needed,” Brown said. “It was definitely good for the guys to get that experience.
“We’ve been training extremely hard since June 17 on. Even though we haven’t gotten the results we had hoped for before Saturday, we saw some good signs on the ball, did see some bad signs defensively, but offensively, saw some good things.
“We needed that realization we’re pretty good now. We had not gotten it from our results, so the timing for the win was good for us.
“We were doing good things with the ball, now finally finishing opportunities. We scored some really good goals, not sloppy tap-in goals.”
The team will play 18 regular-season games, Nine are scheduled at the team’s home, SeatGeek Stadium. The home opener brings New Amsterdam (New York) to Bridgeview on Aug. 21
Midfielder Louis Bennett II and forward Musa Morris were added to the team Monday to fortify the roster heading into the regular season.
"I think we’re going to be a team that’s going to compete,” Brown said. “I cannot tell you where we will stand, but we will find out this week at Detroit, which is the best team in the league. It’s a big challenge for us.
“We have good pieces. We’ve shown to be good team with the ball and attack (but) a lot of struggles defending as a team. Hopefully, we can clean that up before we get out to Detroit. They’ve been crushing teams in the Independent Cup (two wins by a combined 10-1 score in the Great Lakes pool). They’re very organized and balanced. If we’re not playing well, it could be a long night.”
Brown said his team has experienced the normal ups and downs of a new group of players working on team chemistry while also fighting for starting spots. He said the team is rounding into shape and beginning to work well as a unit.
“It’s a good club,” he said. “We’re trying to do what they love to do, just play soccer. From a club standpoint, we want to be a part of the community. We’ve thrown this all on them in the last month and a half, but they’re functioning well.
“Overall, we’re slowly getting more things for the players. They’re working hard, and excited to show the fans of Chicago what they are about.
“We have a huge test going up against Detroit. We now get a chance to see where we stand. This is the best way to see where we start. … The guys also have the mentality to win. We’re excited, and we hope the fans will be excited.”