team roster 2006 season stats GP Goals Assists - - - name: Craig Capano position: M height: 5-7 weight:140 Birthdate: July 07, 1985 Hometown: Hyde Park, NY last club: U.S. U-17

It seems like just yesterday that Craig Capano became the youngest player ever drafted by the Fire at the age of 16. That was in 2002. Fast-forward to 2006, when Capano will be entering his fifth season in the professional ranks with something to prove after surgery on his torn left ACL took away his entire 2005 campaign. While Capano's body of work at the first team level is limited, the now 20-year-old midfielder has shown glimpses in the past of why the Fire made him a second round MLS SuperDraft selection, most notably during a 2004 campaign in which he started four contests, scored his first goal in MLS play and appeared in nearly half of the Fire's regular season contests. The future is now for Capano, who will look to regain his standing on the Fire's first team in what will be a crowded midfield for the "Men in Red" in 2006.

MLS Experience

2005: Missed the entire 2005 MLS season after undergoing surgery on 3-7-05 to repair a tear in his left anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

2004: The 19-year-old Capano began to show glimpses of his immense talent after earning career high marks in games played (13), starts (4), and minutes (440) and scoring his first career goal in MLS play … Ended the 2004 season on the field on 10-16 @ NE, entering the Fire's 2-1 loss in the 79th min. in place of Andy Williams … Scored his first MLS goal on 9-1 vs. KC by closing the scoring with a tally in the 71st min. of Chicago's 3-1 win … Earned his first start of 2004 on 6-12 @ LA and played 55 min. in the Fire's 3-2 loss … Saw time in third straight match on 5-8 @ KC, replacing Andy Williams in the 82' of Chicago's 2-2 draw … Made his first appearance of the MLS season on 4-24 @ DC, playing 2 min. in Chicago's 1-0 victory … Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: Saw action as a substitute in two of the Fire's four U.S. Open Cup contests, totaling 11 minutes in the competition … Played one very important minute on 8-25 vs. the Charleston Battery in the Fire's 1-0 double OT victory in the U.S. Open Cup semifinals, as his pass on his first touch of the match helped set up the game's lone goal and send the Fire to its fourth U.S. Open Cup Final … Entered the Fire's quarterfinal round match on 8-4 @ RIC (A) in the 80th min. in the Fire's 1-0 victory … CONCACAF Champions Cup: Appeared in one of the Fire's four Champions Cup contests … Saw his first action of 2004 on 4-14 @ Saprissa, playing 13 min. as a substitute in the Fire's 2-0 loss in Leg 1 of the Champions Cup semifinal series.

2003: The youngest player in the league's youngest team in 2003, finished his second season with Chicago appearing in five games (starting one) … Made his first Fire start on 4-13 vs. New England, playing in 64 min. and helping Chicago to a 1-1 tie … MLS Cup Playoffs: DNP in the Fire's five postseason matches … Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: DNP in any of the Fire's four Open Cup matches during its march to a third tournament title.

2002: Appeared in four games, including one start, during his rookie MLS campaign … Made his first career MLS start for the Fire on 7-4 @ COL in Chicago's 3-2 loss … Became the second youngest player to appear in an MLS match at 16 years, 9 months, and 28 days when he debuted as a sub on 5-4 @ DC … MLS Cup Playoffs: DNP in the Fire's three MLS Cup Quarterfinal contests against NE … Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup: Started and played 72 min. on 7-17 @ MIL (A) in the Fire's 1-0 third round loss … CONCACAF Champions Cup: Played in two of the Fire's four Champions Cup matches … Started and played all 90 min. on 6-30 in the Fire's 0-2 loss @ Monarcas Morelia (MEX) in Leg 1 of the Champions Cup quarterfinals … Made his professional debut on 3-20 vs. CSD Municipal (GUA) as a second half sub in the Fire's 2-0 win in the second leg of the Champions Cup Round of 16.

International

U.S. U-20s: Played in all four games of the 2004 Northern Ireland Milk Cup and served as captain for the U.S. Under-20 Men's National Team in July of 2004, helping the squad to a 6th place finish in the prestigious international tournament … Scored the game's lone goal for the U.S. U-20's on 4-21-04 in a 1-0 win over Haiti's U-20's … Played in four of the U.S. Under-20 National Team's five contests at the L'Alcudia International Tournament in Spain in Aug. 2003 and helped the squad to a third-place finish in the tournament … Played with the U-20's for a tournament in Valencia, Spain in August of 2002.

U.S. U-18s: Named to U.S. Under-18 National Team that took part in the Northern Ireland Milk Cup in July 2003 … Scored five goals for the U-18's in 2002.

U.S. U-17s: Was the youngest member of the U.S. roster for the FIFA U-17 World Youth Championship in Sep. 2001, in which he started all three contests for the squad … Finished his career with the Under-17 team with 93 appearances (starting 80), registering nine goals and 16 assists … Scored his first international goal at the U-17 level against Canada on 4-20-01 … Made a team-leading 54 appearances (45 starts) for the U-17s in 2000 … Joined the U-17 residency program in Bradenton, FL, in 2000.

U.S. U-16s:Played with the U.S. U-16's in 1999 and 2000.

High School/Club

Prep: A 2001 Parade Magazine All-American and the youngest player named to the team … Along with Fire teammate Justin Mapp, was one of five sophomores named to the Parade squad that year … Attended Roosevelt High School in Hyde Park, NY for one semester before joining the U.S. team in residency in January 2000.

Club: Helped lead Sockers FC Chicago to the U.S. Youth Soccer National Championship in July 2001, helping the team to the finals, where they topped FC Delco Black 2-1 in overtime … Played alongside current teammate Brian Plotkin on Sockers FC Chicago.

Personal

Parents are Karen and Bob Capano … Most influential soccer person is Real Salt Lake Head Coach and former U.S. U-17 boss John Ellinger … Ultimate soccer goals are to one day represent the United States in the World Cup and play for FC Barcelona … … Is dubbed "Pony" by his teammates … Is a self-described quiet and friendly person.