Colorado Rapids 2-2 Chicago Fire
COMMERCE CITY, CO–Not the first time the Fire had to come from two goals down on the road this season and not the first time it ends in a draw at 2-2. However, this draw at Colorado, who snaps a nine-match losing streak in all competitions with the draw, will likely be seen as a disappointment.
The Fire remain in seventh on wins to Orlando (3-0 losers at Montreal on Wednesday) with points identical.
The Rapids took advantage of a sloppy pass by Johan Kappelhof which was intercepted by Tommy Smith who fed to Dominique Badji in the seventh minute. Eight minutes later, Smith scored himself heading in a cross from Jack Price.
Aleksandar Katai soon entered the picture and was instrumental in both Fire goals. First he made a run that would force an own goal on Danny Wilson on 21 minutes. Three minutes later, he would curl a shot from distance past Tim Howard for the equalizer.
Both teams pressed for a winner. Howard made a diving save on Bastian Schweinsteiger’s shot in the 59th minute and then Richard Sanchez in stoppage time on Joe Mason.
The Fire were reduced to ten men in the 84th minute when Kappelhof who was already going to be suspended for the match at Seattle on June 23rd on yellow card accumulation, was sent off for a high boot to the face of Mason after VAR review.
Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic was displeased that his team spotted the Rapids a two-goal advantage and feels his side need to make changes.
“It’s disappointing,” said Paunovic. “It’s disappointing for many reasons. This is not the image that we want and we have to make changes. We have to make changes technically, with our attitude, and with our behavior on the road, especially early in the game. It doesn’t work just saying we need to get better, but we have to because it’s not good enough. Starting poorly and allowing two goals early is just too much.”
SCORING SUMMARY:
COL-Dominique Badji (Smith) 7
COL-Tommy Smith (Price) 15
CHI-Danny Wilson (own goal) 21
CHI-Aleksandar Katai (Bronico) 24
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Bastian Schweinsteiger (caution, tactical foul) 29
CHI-Johan Kappelhof (caution, reckless foul) 45+1
COL-Johan Blomberg (caution, tactical foul) 56
CHI-Johan Kappelhof (sent off, serious foul play) 84
COL-Danny Wilson (caution, endangering the goalkeeper) 89
CHI-Diego Campos (caution, time wasting) 90+2
COLORADO RAPIDS (4-4-2): #1-Tim Howard; #2-Edgar Castillo, #27-Deklan Wynne, #4-Danny Wilson, #5-Tommy Smith; #94-Marlon Hairston (#90-Enzo Martinez 82), #8-Johan Blomberg (#11-Shkelzen Gashi 88), #19-Jack Price, #28-Sam Nicholson; #14-Dominique Badji, #32-Jack McBean (#10-Joe Mason 79)
Subs not used: #18-Zac MacMath, #21-Bismark Boateng, #17-Dillon Serna, #22-Micheal Azira, #11-Shkelzen Gashi
CHICAGO FIRE (4-3-3): #45-Richard Sanchez; #5-Kevin Ellis (#21-Alan Gordon 82), #4-Johan Kappelhof, #3-Brandon Vincent, #25-Jorge Corrales; #31-Bastian Schweinsteiger, #6-Dax McCarty, #13-Brandt Bronico (#28-Elliott Collier 75); #9-Luis Solignac (#17-Diego Campos 62), #23-Nemanja Nikolic, #10-Aleksandar Katai
Subs not used: #30-Stefan Cleveland, #16-Jonathan Campbell, #19-Mo Adams, #20-Daniel Johnson
TOTAL SHOTS: COL 13-13 CHI
SHOTS ON GOAL: COL 6-4 CHI
FOULS: COL 20-12 CHI
OFFSIDES: COL 0-0 CHI
CORNER KICKS: COL 5-6 CHI
SAVES: COL 3-4 CHI
Referee: JC Rivero
Assistant Referees: Adam Wienckowski, Kyle Longville
4th Official: Nima Saghafi
VAR: Younes Marrakech
Weather: Partly Cloudy and 91º
Attendance: 16,068
Man of the Match: Aleksandar Katai (CHI)
Chicago Fire
Colorado Rapids
