Chicago Fire 3-1 Los Angeles FC
BRIDGEVIEW, IL–The Fire’s problems will continue off the pitch, but on the pitch, there was a temporary respite as the Fire looked more assured in a 3-1 win over Los Angeles FC at Toyota Park. For what it’s worth, the Fire will not finish with their lowest-ever point total (30 in 2015). LAFC miss out on the chance to go second in the West with the loss.
Djordje Mihailovic scored his first goal since missing 10 months with a ruptured ACL, hitting a wonder strike in the 20th minute on a volley from just inside the area. Ten minutes later, Steven Beitashour knocked down Brandt Bronico inside the box a and Chris Penso pointed to the spot where Nemanja Nikolic converted for his 15th of the year.
Mihailovic turned into a provider on a counter attack fed substitute Aleksandar Katai for his 12th of the season in the 66th minute.
Diego Rossi got a consolation goal in the 73rd minute, but the Black and Gold got no closer and could find themselves in the middle of a tighter log jam in the Western Conference by weekend’s end.
“We’re pretty angry at ourselves,” said Bradley. “More often than not, we come on the field with a good idea of what kind of football we want to play. We come on the field with the right mentality. And today, things were slow. Things were casual. Obviously, we pay the price when we go down. It’s a day where we have to be very honest with ourselves that we were just not good enough.”
Fire head coach Veljko Paunovic says that despite his team being out of the playoffs, they are not tuning out for the season.
“People can say whatever they want about us, and also about me as a coach,” said Paunovic. “But one thing we showed today is professionalism. We showed that we are out of the playoffs but we played until the end with every team in the league.
‘I think this is very important to know and this for me is the most important thing when you go outside and see the team like this, like us. The whole season was difficult for us and now we are out of the playoffs and then you go step on the field and you still play until the end and you give your best and you want to win. I think that’s something to be respected and everything else I think was just a great performance from our guys. This locker room is still alive and this locker room has great, great people inside. Great competitors who want to give their best and that’s all we ask.”
LAFC go to Colorado next Saturday while the Fire go to DC United a week from Sunday at 12pm CT on ESPN.
SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Djordje Mihailovic (Vincent) 20
CHI-Nemanja Nikolic (penalty kick) 30
CHI-Aleksandar Katai (Mihailovic) 66
LAFC-Diego Rossi (Nguyen) 73
BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Dax McCarty (caution, tactical foul) 25
CHI-Nemanja Nikolic (caution, free kick encroachment) 57
CHI-Brandt Bronico (caution, persistent infringement) 79
CHI-Johan Kappelhof (caution, tactical foul) 90+3
CHI-Aleeksandar Katai (caution, dissent) 90+3
CHICAGO FIRE (4-2-3-1): #30-Stefan Cleveland; #25-Jorge Corrales, #4-Johan Kappelhof, #31-Bastian Schweinsteiger, #3-Brandon Vincent; #6-Dax McCarty, #13-Brandt Bronico; #8-Michael de Leeuw (#10-Aleksandar Katai 65), #14-Djordje Mihailovic (#18-Drew Conner 71), #7-Raheem Edwards; #23-Nemanja Nikolic (#16-Jonathan Campbell 87)
Subs not used: #45-Richard Sanchez, #20-Daniel Johnson, #22-Nicolas Hasler, #5-Yura Movsisyan
LOS ANGELES FC (4-3-3): #1-Tyler Miller; #3-Steven Beitashour, #5-Dejan Jakovic, #25-Walker Zimmerman, #2-Jordan Harvey; #8-Andre Horta (#18-Joshua Perez 69), #20-Educard Atuesta (#24-Lee Nguyen 46), #33-Benny Feilhaber; #10-Carlos Vela, #99-Adama Diomande (#12-Christian Ramirez 69), #9-Diego Rossi
Subs not used: #22-Luis Lopez, #44-Joao Moutinho, #16-Calum Mallace, #21-Marco Ureña
TOTAL SHOTS: CHI 9-16 LAFC
SHOTS ON GOAL: CHI 4-6 LAFC
FOULS: CHI 23-9 LAFC
OFFSIDES: CHI 3-0 LAFC
CORNER KICKS: CHI 3-6 LAFC
SAVES: CHI 5-1 LAFC
Referee: Chris Penso
Assistant Referees: Charles Morgante, Craig Lowry
Fourth Official: Marcos de Oliveira
VAR: Ricardo Salazar
Weather: Cloudy and 59º
Attendance: 18,471
Man of the Match: Djordje Mihailovic (CHI)
Chicago Fire
