Chicago Fire 4-1 Colorado Rapids
BRIDGEVIEW, IL–Against a porous Rapids defense, the Chicago Fire came alive in the second half with three unanswered goals in the second half to march out 4-1 winners. Their unbeaten streak is now at four games while the Rapids are still winless (0-6-2), have now lost five on the bounce, and allowed 15 goals in their last four matches.
Nico Gaitan opened his account in the assist column in the 34th minute by sending a pitch-perfect cross to Nemanja Nikolic who headed it past Tim Howard for the opening score. That lead lasted just six minutes though as Kei Kamara headed in a corner to equalize it for the Rapids.
The second half was all Fire. Dax McCarty sent a long ball to Aleksandar Katai who fed CJ Sapong for an easy finish in the 53rd minute. Gaitan got his second assist of the day eight minutes later as he would cross to Djordje Mihailovic with the Rapids defense at sea. Katai would score one from distance ten minutes from time to close out the scoring.
Insult to injury for the Rapids came in the 89th minute after VAR determined Jack Price’s clip of Brandt Bronico was worthy of a red card.
“We were looking for a game like this,” said Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic. “We were looking to have a win with multiple goals. I don’t think we started well. We played the way we wanted, but it helped us to understand what kind of opponent we have in front of us. Even when we took the lead, we conceded in the only way where we knew they could hurt us. It was set pieces and corners which was our emphasis not to concede fouls in our half and corners. And the only opportunity they had [in the first half], they scored.
“So it was a little bit of frustration at halftime, but after the adjustments, after calling out a couple people to give more, and after realizing that we actually were on the good path. We confronted an opponent that also needed a win like us and needed to get points and we also saw that we were actually better prepared. After that realization and that communication between the group, we went out in the second half with full determination to win the game and the plan worked perfectly because the plan in the first half actually worked. We just had to stay consistent and that’s how we actually worked it out.”
Paunovic also mentioned that the team is getting more used to Nico Gaitan on the pitch and vice-versa as evidenced by his two assists on the day.
“I feel much more comfortable,” said Gaitan through a translator. “I feel like I’m getting to know everybody on the team. It was a very good game. We started off well. We did let them get back into the game, but we solved the game in the second half.”
The Fire now start a three-match road trip starting Wednesday against New York City FC at 6:30pm CT. Colorado next plays Saturday against Atlanta at 4pm MT.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Nemanja Nikolic (Gaitan) 34
COL-Kei Kamara (unassisted) 40
CHI-CJ Sapong (Katai) 53
CHI-Djordje Mihailovic (Gaitan, Sapong) 61
CHI-Aleksandar Katai (unassisted) 80
BOOKING SUMMARY:
COL-Diego Rubio (caution, reckless foul) 31
CHI-Mo Adams (caution, reckless foul) 84
COL-Jack Price (sent off, serious foul play) 89
CHICAGO FIRE (4-2-3-1): #1-David Ousted; #4-Johan Kappelhof, #2-Marcelo, #31-Bastian Schweinsteiger, #33-Jeremiah Gutjahr; #14-Djordje Mihailovic (#19-Mo Adams 62), #6-Dax McCarty; #10-Aleksandar Katai, #20-Nico Gaitan, #9-CJ Sapong (#12-Amando Moreno 84); #23-Nemanja Nikolic (#13-Brandt Bronico 76)
Subs not used: #45-Richard Sanchez, #15-Grant Lillard, #18-Cristian Martinez, #12-Amando Moreno, #17-Diego Campos
COLORADO RAPIDS (4-4-2): #1-Tim Howard; #2-Keegan Rosenberry, #3-Ike Opare, #5-Tommy Smith, #13-Sam Vines; #19-Jack Price, #10-Kellyn Acosta (#28-Sam Nicholson 46); #6-Benny Feilhaber, #20-Nicolas Mezquida (#17-Dillon Serna 65); #7-Diego Rubio (#26-Cole Bassett 90), #23-Kei Kamara
Subs not used: #31-Clint Irwin, #44-Axel Sjoberg, #22-Sebastian Anderson, #99-Andre Shinyashiki
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 13-9 COL
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 5-2 COL
FOULS: CHI 8-14 COL
OFFSIDES: CHI 0-2 COL
CORNER KICKS: CHI 5-1 COL
SAVES: CHI 1-1 COL
Referee: David Gantar
Assistant Referees: Apolinar Mariscal, Chris Wattam
4th Official: Timothy Ford
VAR: Kevin Terry Jr.
Weather: Windy and 54º
Attendance: 12,967
Man of the Match: Nico Gaitan (CHI)
Chicago Fire
Colorado Rapids
