COMMERCE CITY, CO–In the heat and altitude of Colorado, Fire fans could hardly feel any more cold and low right now. A Marco Pappa shot deflected off Jonathan Campbell and into the net in the 89th minute to give the Rapids a 2-1 win. The Fire’s road winless streak in all competitions now reaches 33 matches.
After an uneventful and boring first half, the Rapids got on the board first when Kevin Doyle pick-pocketed Joao Meira and then unleashed a shot that got underneath Sean Johnson’s arm and into the net in the 57th minute.
The Fire did not have a shot on goal until the 66th minute when Zac MacMath denied David Accam. Their second and last shot on goal was an equalizer in the 81st minute after Rodrigo Ramos headed a ball to Joey Calistri who scored from 12 yards out for his first career MLS goal.
But just as it looked like the Fire might sneak out of Colorado with a point, Pappa’s shot deflected off Campbell and the Fire once again left empty-handed on a defensive error.
For the Rapids, they remain unbeaten at home and take a three-point lead in the Supporters’ Shield race while the Fire remain rooted at the bottom.
“Of course nobody is happy with [the result], but the only thing we can do is move forward,” said Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic. “Move forward and keep on working and believing. I think that’s what we also have to improve our faith in that we can be a winning team on the road, so that’s also something that we have to improve on.”
The Fire travel cross-county (again) to take on Philadelphia on Wednesday at 6pm. The match will be on CSN Chicago Plus.
SCORING SUMMARY:
COL-Kevin Doyle (Powers) 57
CHI-Joey Calistri (Ramos, Accam) 81
COL-Marco Pappa (Cronin) 89
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Rodrigo Ramos (caution, tactical foul) 67
COL-Marc Burch (caution, reckless tackle) 94+
COLORADO RAPIDS (4-2-3-1): #18-Zac MacMath; #5-Mekeil Williams, #3-Eric Miller, #44-Axel Sjoberg, #4-Marc Burch; #6-Sam Cronin, #22-Michael Azira; #94-Marlon Hairston (#17-Dillon Serna 85), #8-Dillon Powers (#10-Marco Pappa 83), #21-Luis Solignac (#14-Dominique Badji 83); #9-Kevn Doyle
Subs not used: #30-Chris Froschauer, #33-Jared Watts, #26-Dennis Castillo, #19-Conor Doyle
CHICAGO FIRE (4-2-3-1): #25- Sean Johnson; #13-Rodrigo Ramos, #4-Johan Kappelhof (C), #16-Jonathan Campbell, #5-Michael Harrington (#6-Eric Gehrig 78); #66-Joao Meira (#30-Razvan Cocis 65), #19-Khaly Thiam; #21-Nick LaBrocca, #12-Arturo Alvarez (#15-Joey Calistri 46), #77-Kennedy Igboanaike; #11-David Accam
Subs not used: #28-Matt Lampson, #3-Brandon Vincent, #26-Michael Stephens, #29-Alex Morrell
TOTAL SHOTS: COL 12-6 CHI
SHOTS ON GOAL: COL 5-2 CHI
FOULS: COL 15-11 CHI
OFFSIDES: COL 0-0 CHI
CORNER KICKS: COL 2-3 CHI
SAVES: COL 1-3 CHI
Referee: Juan Guzman
Referee’s Assistants: Jonathan Johnson, Kyle Atkins
4th Official: Alex Chilowicz
Weather: Sunny and 90º
Attendance: 18,103
Man of the Match: Kevin Doyle (COL)
Chicago Fire
Colorado Rapids
