Chicago Fire 2-0 Atlanta United FC
BRIDGEVIEW, IL–It wasn’t exactly “Joga Bonito”, but the Fire did gain a measure of revenge against Atlanta United FC with a 2-0 win at a warm and windy Toyota Park. The Fire are now 7-0-1 at Toyota Park, have kept a clean sheet in four of their last five matches, and are off to their best start from 15 matches since 1998 when they had the same point total of 28 at this point in the season.
Miguel Almirón (international duty on Thursday) and Josef Martinez (injury) were on the bench, but Atlanta still had plenty of attacking options and Hector Villalba nearly put “The Five Stripes” on the board beating an offside trap in the 12th minute, but pushing his shot wide.
The Fire had to do more counter attacking on this afternoon and were successful in the 29th minute. Bastian Schweinsteiger sent a long ball to David Accam. Accam waited for options and found one in Luis Solignac who scored from point blank range to give the Fire the advantage.
The Fire defense absorbed the Atlanta pressure, especially when Almirón and Martinez came on and the former went to a five-man backfield. Atlanta were held to just two shots on target on the day.
Fire nerves were eventually soothed in the 70th minute. After Tyrone Mears handled a Joao Meira header in the box, Nemanja Nikolic converted the spot kick for his 12th goal of the season.
There were two options on how to play against Atlanta today, and Paunovic had to choose one given the conditions.
“We obviously planned a couple of scenarios for this game, the one that prevailed was the one for the counter attack,” said Paunovic. “So obviously, with the hot weather and with the situation we had on the field we had to adjust in the first half. We kind of had issues laying with four in the back so we adjusted very well, with Basti dropping in the backline and helping the team so our fullbacks can go wider and close those gaps we had on the flanks. So that helped us a lot to improve our game and we scored a goal after that, and immediately had another opportunity. The game we are used to playing now, it was a game to win three points. We managed well, we were a very mature team this time we can see character that we were looking for a long time. Even in difficult moments of the game, to manage it, to move the ball forward, to slow down the game whenever we needed and then managed to step forward and create opportunities. Very grateful for the effort from the team and also happy to see the support we had from the stands. I think the fans were also very good today.”
Though he has not been on the scoresheet this season, Michael de Leeuw has been one of the unsung heroes this season for the Fire so far as part of the attacking midfield trio with Accam and Solignac.
“My role is different now. I’m used to playing from the middle as a striker or as a number 10; now I’m playing more from the right side,” said de Leeuw. “I think my role is different now from what I’m used to. Of course, I’m a player who scores, that’s what gives me confidence, that’s how you grow in a season. At this point, I haven’t scored a goal, and sometimes I think, ‘I haven’t scored in fourteen, fifteen games.’ Sometimes, that eats inside me. But on the other hand, I know I’m important in other things at this moment. We’re playing as a team, we’re playing good, everybody is taking his role, and I’m taking, at this point, the role that I’m taking right now.
“I’m used to being in front of the goal and at this moment, it’s not the way I come right now, because I’m on the right side. Like I said, it’s a different role, and of course I have to adjust, but I think I’m playing well now, in the beginning I was not playing well. In the end, the goals will come, I know that the goals will come, but the most important thing is that we are winning and that the team is playing good. Your personal things will come.”
The Fire will be in US Open Cup action on Wednesday away to Saint Louis FC of USL. Kickoff is at 7pm and will be streamed online at chicago-fire.com.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Luis Solignac (Accam) 29
CHI-Nemanja Nikolic (penalty kick) 70
BOOKING SUMMARY:
ATL-Kevin Kratz (caution, reckless foul) 39
CHI-Bastian Schweinsteiger (caution, reckless tackle) 50
CHI-David Accam (caution, reckless foul) 59
ATL-Carlos Carmona (caution, tactical foul) 67
CHICAGO FIRE (4-2-3-1): #28-Matt Lampson; #2-Matt Polster, #4-Johan Kappelhof, #66-Joao Meira, #3-Brandon Vincent; #31-Bastian Schweinsteiger, #19-Juninho (C) (#16-Jonathan Campbell 64); #9-Luis Solignac (#18-Drew Conner 59), #8-Michael de Leeuw, #11-David Accam (#12-Arturo Alvarez 86); #23-Nemanja Nikolic
Subs not used: #30-Stefan Cleveland, #14-Djordje Mihailovic, #20-Daniel Johnson, #10-David Arshakyan
ATLANTA UNITED FC (4-2-3-1): #25-Alec Kann; #2-Tyrone Mears, #3-Michael Parkhurst (C), #5-Leandro Gonzalez Pirez, #4-Greg Garza; #18-Jeff Larentowicz (#7-Josef Martinez 63), #14-Carlos Carmona; #24-Julian Gressel, #8-Kevin Kratz (#10-Miguel Almiron 63), #11-Yamil Asad; #15-Hector Villalba (#19-Brandon Vazquez 75)
Subs not used: #32-Kyle Reynish, #21-Mark Bloom, #6-Miles Robinson, #16-Chris McCann
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 12-12 ATL
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 6-2 ATL
FOULS: CHI 14-12 ATL
OFFSIDES: CHI 2-3 ATL
CORNER KICKS: CHI 4-7 ATL
SAVES: CHI 2-4 ATL
Referee: Alan Kelly
Referee’s Assistants: Jeffrey Greeson, Anthony Vasoli
Fourth Official: Hilario Grajeda
Weather: Sunny and 88º
Attendance: 18,453
Man of the Match: David Accam (CHI)
Chicago Fire
