Chicago Fire 1-2 Minnesota United FC
BRIDGEVIEW, IL—On Star Wars night, the Men in Red at times resembled the Red Shirts on Star Trek. As it was, the Fire fell to bottom-side Minnesota United FC, 2-1. The Loons got their first away win of the season while the Fire have dropped four straight, six of their last seven, and drop to fourth place in the East after Columbus’s win against FC Dallas.
As the Fire had trouble breaking down Minnesota’s defense, the Loons got both their goals through counterattacks finished by Abu Danladi. Ethan Finlay supplied the cross for the first goal in the 36th minute after Johan Kappelhof’s attempted clearance of a cross went straight to Finlay.
Nine minutes later, Jerome Thiesson made a run down the right side and crossed to Danladi who found a gap in the Fire’s defense.
Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic made two substitutions at halftime. One was because of a foot injury to Christian Dean and the other a tactical (if not curious) substitution of Djordje Mihailovic in favor of Michael de Leeuw.
The breakthrough finally came for the Fire after David Accam beat Bobby Shuttleworth far post after being sent on his way by Bastian Schweinsteiger who was otherwise flustered by the officiating of Kevin Stott.
An equalizer nearly came through Michael de Leeuw later, but his bicycle kick was just wide. No more chances came and the Fire left the pitch upset and frustrated once again wondering where this season has gone.
Asked whether the club’s recent poor form was mental, physical, or tactical; Paunovic leaned towards the first option.
“Listen, according to data we get from the professionals, we run at least like other teams or more,” said Paunovic. “We have more possession. We have more initiative and we’re not different on that side than we were in the past. I think it’s the mentality. We are in a situation we’re running a lot and doing a lot but we are not sharp, we’re not efficient. Then it always goes back to the confidence, always goes back to the mentality. You know when it’s difficult you see how everyone behaves against the adversity. So right now, I’m happy to see our team is reacting and I’m happy to see the guys put more and more effort, and I’m sure with that mentality and that mindset we will at one point get a good result that will bring the confidence back. We just have to stick together like I said and we have to keep working until that moment comes and we have to understand also the urgency of the situation.”
It was a very subdued locker room after the loss as personified by Johan Kappelhof.
“We are struggling right now,” said Kappelhof. “I think we work hard but it doesn’t go so well like before, it doesn’t go so easy so we have to work more than we do. We have to finish our chances and that’s also a problem.
“We’re all frustrated, of course, because we’re losing a lot in the last couple of weeks. It’s hard to come out of it but we have to keep believing in ourselves. There’s enough time to repair everything and come back where we were.”
It won’t be easy as the Fire go back to Montreal next Saturday (6pm, CSN+) where they already lost a few weeks ago and with the Impact, Red Bulls, and Atlanta United all on their tail. If things continue down this path, then Toyota Park will be a dark place by the end of October.
SCORING SUMMARY:
MIN-Abu Danladi (Finlay) 36
MIN-Abu Danladi (Thiesson) 45
CHI-David Accam (Schweinsteiger) 77
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Dax McCarty (caution, reckless foul) 69
MIN-Abu Danladi (caution, reckless foul) 78
CHI-Bastian Schweinsteiger (caution, unsporting behavior) 84
CHICAGO FIRE (4-3-3): #28-Matt Lampson; #18-Drew Conner, #4-Johan Kappelhof, #26-Christian Dean (#16-Jonathan Campbell 46), #22-Patrick Doody; #6-Dax McCarty, #31-Bastian Schweinsteiger, #14-Djordje Mihailovic (#8-Michael de Leeuw 46); #11-David Accam, #23-Nemanja Nikolic, #9-Luis Solignac (#12-Arturo Alvarez 71)
Subs not used: #30-Stefan Cleveland, #5-Michael Harrington, #19-Juninho, #10-David Arshakyan
MINNESOTA UNITED FC (4-2-3-1): #33-Bobby Shuttleworth; #3-Jerome Thiesson, #25-Michael Boxall, #14-Brent Kallman, #5-Francisco Calvo; #19-Sam Cronin (#26-Collen Warner 34), #7-Ibson; #13-Ethan Finlay, #18-Kevin Molino (#4-Jermaine Taylor 87), #28-Sam Nicholson (#10-Miguel Ibarra 75); #9-Abu Danladi
Subs not used: #24-Patrick McLain, #17-Collin Martin, #15-Ismaila Jome, #30-Brandon Allen
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 20-8 MIN
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 4-2 MIN
FOULS: CHI 15-7 MIN
OFFSIDES: CHI 2-2 MIN
CORNER KICKS: CHI 5-4 MIN
SAVES: CHI 0-3 MIN
Referee: Kevin Stott
Assistant Referees: Jeffrey Greeson, Kyle Longville
Fourth Official: Juan Guzman
Video Assistant Referee: Dave Gantar
Weather: Cloudy and 74º
Attendance: 18,048
Man of the Match: Abu Danladi (MIN)
Chicago Fire
Minnesota United FC
