CHICAGO, IL—Despite a club record-tying 31 shots (14 on target), the Fire could only net once and that was after conceding twice to Toronto FC resulting in yet another loss which drops the Fire to 13th in the East at 3-9-3 (12 points).
This was the typical Fire loss as has been for the past few years. In that, the Fire create numerous chances, enough to win a match, but fail to convert enough of them. At the same time, defensive frailties happen and the result is not a win.
Things got off inauspiciously in the second minute as Gaston Gimenez turned the ball over to Ralph Priso and the ball ended up with Yeferson Soteldo for the opening score.
The Fire then had shots—lots of them—to equalize. Ignacio Alisdea had six shots (five on target) and an expected goals of 1.07. However, most shots were either inaccurate or stopped by Alex Bono who finished with thirteen saves.
In contrast, TFC had just three shots on target and the third made it 2-0 in the 76th minute through Nick DeLeon. Alvaro Medran finally pulled one back for the Fire a minute later, but it wasn’t enough as the Fire are now winless in their last three.
One asked Fire assistant Frank Klopas—again filling in for Raphael Wicky—if the lack of conversion is more a lucky goalie or unlucky forwards.
“That’s a really good question,” said Klopas. “I think when the goalie makes all those saves, you have to say lucky goalie for the night. That’s the thing. I mean, but the positive thing is that you create those chances and then also we have quality but also sometimes you need a little bit of luck, also, to go your way to get some level of confidence with the guys.
“But the thing is that luck goes your way when you keep pushing and you keep trying, and that’s what I felt today. The guys really, even though they missed one chance, two chances, when you’re a forward and a player on the field, you’re always thinking the next opportunity. You know, the next opportunity. That’s the kind of mentality the guys have. You have to have a killer instinct and you can miss 10 but maybe it’s the next one that’s going to come.”
The Fire hope they will come next Sunday when they travel to face the Phildelphia Union and net their first away win in nearly two years. Kickoff is at 4pm CT.
SCORING SUMMARY:
TOR-Yeferson Soteldo (Endoh) 2
TOR-Nick DeLeon (Mullins) 76
CHI-Alvaro Medran (Herbers) 77
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Mauricio Pineda (caution, tactical foul) 70
TOR-Luke Singh (caution, time wasting) 81
CHICAGO FIRE (3-4-2-1): #1-Bobby Shuttleworth; #3-Jonathan Bornstein, #22-Mauricio Pineda, #20-Wyatt Omsberg (#21-Fabian Herbers 58); #6-Miguel Navarro (#14-Jhon Espinoza 69), #30-Gaston Gimenez, #10-Alvaro Medran, #2-Boris Sekulic (#8-Luka Stojanovic 82); #7-Ignacio Aliseda, #11-Przemyslaw Frankowski; #27-Robert Beric (#9-Chinoso Offor 58)
Subs not used: #32-Gabriel Slonina, #40-Brian Gutierrez, #28-Elliot Collier, #99-Stanislav Ivanov, #4-Johan Kappelhof
TORONTO FC (4-2-3-1): #25-Alex Bono; #97-Ralph Priso (#18-Nick DeLeon 63), #44-Omar Gonzalez, #23-Chris Mavinga, #26-Luke Singh (#14-Noble Okello 81); #4-Michael Bradley, #8-Marco Delgado; #31-Tsubasa Endoh (#13-Patrick Mullins 46), #10-Alejandro Pozuelo, #30-Yeferson Soteldo; #6-Dom Dwyer (#17-Jozy Altidore 46)
Subs not used: #16-Quentin Westberg; #77-Jordan Perruzza, #5-Julian Dunn-Johnson, #11-Jayden Nelson, #96-Auro
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 31-8 TOR
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 14-3 TOR
FOULS: CHI 6-8 TOR
OFFSIDES: CHI 4-4 TOR
CORNER KICKS: CHI 13-1 TOR
SAVES: CHI 1-13 TOR
Referee: Victor Rivas
Referee’s Assistants: Peter Manilkowski, Eric Boria
4th Official: Ismir Pekmic
VAR: Malik Badawi
Attendance: 12,228
Weather: Rain and 81º
Man of the Match: Alex Bono (TOR)
Chicago Fire
Toronto FC
