BRIDGEVIEW, IL—The Chicago Fire returned home after over a month away and to winning ways as they thumped the New England Revolution, 4-1, at Toyota Park to win their ninth successive home game. The Fire are also three points behind Toronto FC for the top spot in the overall league table after the latter drew at DC United.
David Accam started for the first time since July 1st and ended up playing 65 minutes. He has not played a full 90 minutes for the club since April.
Patrick Doody made his second successive start at left back and made much more of an impact this time around. First though, the Fire needed just eight minutes to get on top. Joao Meira found Matt Polster making a run down the opposite wing. Polster then rounded two defenders and curled a shot far post for his first of the season.
New England equalized in the 24th minute through Kei Kamara who headed in Lee Nguyen’s free kick.
Six minutes before halftime, Doody really began to make his presence felt. Doody sent a ball that Bastian Schweinsteiger dummied into the path of Juninho who scored from 25 yards out to give the Fire a 2-1 lead at halftime.
Four minutes into the second half, Doody then found Michael de Leeuw making a run into the box and de Leeuw headed past Cody Cropper to make it 3-1. One more for good measure in stoppage time as Doody found Luis Solignac in the box and Solignac put the icing on the cake.
Doody is the first Homegrown player to have three assists in a match in club history and the sixth player overall.
“It was a good night,” said Doody. “Coming out of the Gold Cup break, tough two games at New York City and Kansas City. We wanted to make it a point to keep playing good at home and we were able to do that. So overall, really good.”
As for David Accam, he told reporters after the match that the club picked up his 2018 option. As far as a transfer before Wednesday’s transfer window close, we’ll see what happens.
“My head is still here and the rumors will always be there,” said Accam. “For me, [the option pick up]is a good move. It shows that commitment to me and that they really want me to be here. For me I’m really happy they are taking my option for next year so I’ll just concentrate on the team and help the team win MLS Cup.”
Accam also said that Saturday night will not be his last match. To answer why Accam started this game and the bench the last two, Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic had this to say.
“It’s the same thing like we always say,” said Paunovic. “We believe that the guys that are ready to perform and to give us performance obviously, but give us what we need. We choose these guys to play, its always about the team, trying to do our best to win and today perhaps Lucho didn’t start today and it applies to everyone. Lucho came onto the field and ten minutes later decides it and scores the goal and that’s what we need. We need guys who understand that this is about the team and about this club, it’s about the organization and community. We are in service on the field for all of them and we make our decision based on what we see in the performance and our goals, so that applies to Arturo, when he came in and played for the team, scored goals and assisted for everyone. So, we look forward to who can deliver to the team when they have the given moment when he has the opportunity to play and that’s why we need, everyone to work hard and stay on the same page and prepare because when the opportunity comes and you’re not ready, that’s not good. Obviously, what we have right now, we have the guys that understand that very well and that proves what I just said about Lucho, Arturo and other guys, that’s what we need. You have the opportunity, you’re there, you play, you perform and that’s great so that’s the key.”
The Fire will go back on the road next Saturday against Columbus Crew. Kickoff is at 6:30pm on CSN+.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Matt Polster (Meira) 8
NE-Kei Kamara (Nguyen) 24
CHI-Juninho (Doody) 39
CHI-Michael de Leeuw (Doody) 49
CHI-Luis Solignac (Doody) 90+2
BOOKING SUMMARY:
NE-Benjamin Angoua (caution, deliberate handball) 44
CHI-David Accam (caution, reckless tackle) 45+1
CHI-Michael de Leeuw (caution tactical foul) 64
CHI-Jonathan Campbell (caution, reckless tackle) 80
CHICAGO FIRE (4-3-3):#28-Matt Lampson; #2-Matt Polster, #4-Johan Kappelhof, #66-Joao Meira, #22-Patrick Doody; #31-Bastian Schweinsteiger, #6-Dax McCarty (#18-Drew Conner 70), #19-Juninho; #11-David Accam (#16-Jonathan Campbell 65), #23-Nemanja Nikolic (#9-Luis Solignac 82), #8-Michael de Leeuw
Subs not used: #30-Stefan Cleveland, #12-Arturo Alvarez, #13-Brandt Bronico, #14-Djordje Mihailovic
NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION (4-4-2): #1-Cody Cropper; #2-Andrew Farrell, #4-Benjamin Angoua, #19-Antonio Delamea, #11-Kelyn Rowe; #6-Scott Caldwell (#10-Teal Bunbury 56), #5-Gershon Koffie, #24-Lee Nguyen, #14-Diego Fagundez; #23-Kei Kamara, #17-Juan Agudelo (#15-Je-Vaughn Watson 78)
Subs not used: #18-Brad Knighton, #8-Chris Tierney, #28-London Woodberry, #16-Daigo Kobayashi, #12-Xavier Kouassi
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 7-9 NE
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 5-5 NE
FOULS: CHI 17-13 NE
OFFSIDES: CHI 3-1 NE
CORNER KICKS: CHI 2-3 NE
SAVES: CHI 4-2 NE
Referee: Silviu Petrescu
Referee’s Assistants: Oscar Mitchell-Carvahlo, Andrew Bigelow
4th Official: Juan Guzman Jr.
Video Assistant Referee: Sorin Stoica
Weather: Mostly Cloudy and 77º
Attendance: 20,214
Man of the Match: Patrick Doody (CHI)
Chicago Fire
NE Revolution
