July 26, 2010
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By Andrew Gavin
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Former UCF standout goalkeeper Sean Johnson shined recently while starting for the Chicago Fire in a 1-0 SuperLiga win over Pumas UNAM. The 6-foot-4 Johnson made several key saves in recording his first professional shutout and ending the Fire's four-game losing streak.
Johnson started and played all 180 minutes during the team's participation in the SuperLiga Tournament, conceding just one goal. The rookie had served as a backup to Andrew Dykstra early in the season.
"It feels good," Johnson said of the win, which was his first as a professional. "Shutouts are always good, not only for me but also for the team. It shows defensive effort for 90 minutes, and we got a goal and defended really well."
He was also praised by teammate Brian McBride, a longtime member of the United States National Team, who said, "He's great. He's done very well. He's progressed throughout the season. I know people haven't had a lot of chance to see him, but the talent he has is there. We see it every day in practice and he's done very well in these games."
With the two starts behind him, Johnson may be in line to start his first Major League Soccer game this Sunday when the Fire plays on the road against the Los Angeles Galaxy at 7:30 p.m. While the Fire has not named a starter for the match, Johnson played with the Fire starters during a recent scrimmage. Johnson, a fourth-round pick by the Fire in the 2010 MLS SuperDraft, has yet to appear in an MLS game.
A two-year starter for UCF in 2007 and 2008, Johnson played in each of the team's 37 games and racked up 191 saves, good for fifth place on the program's all-time list. His 108 saves in 2008 are tied for the third-highest single-season total in UCF history and are the most by a Knight keeper since 1986. Johnson had a goals against average of 1.30. He left UCF after his sophomore campaign to play with the U.S. U-20 National Team.