PREFACE: Going forward, we might as well lead with the Red Stars since they are the one team in Chicago that is going forward. We’ll also talk about some unacceptable fan conduct.
RED STARS: So what did the Red Stars do for an encore after defeating defending champion North Carolina Courage? They produce an emphatic 4-0 away win in Tacoma over Reign FC. The NWSL this year is more Chutes and Ladders this year where a lengthy losing streak will drop you down a chute while winning streaks will let you climb the ladder. The Red Stars have been on both with a three-match losing streak during the Women’s World Cup (without Sam Kerr, Julie Ertz, Alyssa Naeher, Tierna Davidson, and Morgan Brian) and now a three-match winning streak that sees them in third and a major contender for the Shield just three points adrift of Portland.
The tough matches do keep coming for the Red Stars. Next up is a tricky match against a Utah side that is looking to climb back up the ladder above the red line. What will the Red Stars do for a second encore?
FIRE: Yes, the Fire drew a season-high 18,232 on Saturday at SeatGeek Stadium against DC United. But yes, Wayne Rooney was there. It’s been years since the Fire have drawn those sort of crowds on their own volition and not because of a superstar on the other team (read: Zlatan last season).
Oh yes, the Fire once again failed to take chances and could not end their winless streak. The plus was that the defense improved thanks to having an actual fullback in Jonathan Bornstein in their ranks now. The Fire are now nine points adrift of a playoff spot with ten to play. They will need at least 21 points and/or one of the teams above the red line has a meltdown to make the playoffs. Simply put, they need to find a killer instinct and finish chances if they are to get above a one point-per-match season.
NOT COOL, PART ONE: More than a few Fire fans bemoaned the 5-1 win over Atlanta and there was a tweet saying that some Fire fan cheered Columbus’s late equalizer more than a week ago. While I feel it is acceptable to boo your team out of frustration after a bad performance, which the ones against FC Cincinnati and Columbus were, it is totally unacceptable to actively cheer against your own team in the cynical hope of getting the coach or someone else sacked and/or hoping for the #1-draft pick which will likely not happen even if the Fire finish bottom of the entire league since Nashville and Miami enter the league in 2020 and they’ll likely get the first two picks next January.
As bad as the Fire have been this season, and as much as the technical staff and front office is to blame for that, Fire fans actively cheering against them is not going to accomplish anything constructive. Being a supporter means to stick with your team through thick and thin. You may decide not to support this team and vote with your wallet until the club gets better (or better run), but you really do a disservice by using your wallet to purchase a ticket or go on Twitter and express dismay that they manage to produce a result in a season lacking them and/or cheer when they continue to not do well. It simply doesn’t accomplish anything constructive.
NOT COOL, PART TWO: I did hear the homophobic chant when the opposing goalkeeper was taking a goal kick or a free kick, last Saturday towards the end of the Fire-DC match. Yes, it was also in evidence last Tuesday against Cruz Azul. FIFA, CONCACAF, and MLS need to collectively grow a pair and sanction teams and ban fans if they are going to continue with those chants. There’s no justification or defense for that chant and is not appropriate in any setting.
A few years ago, Nelson Rodriguez came onto the pitch and warned fans about using that chant. The last thing the club and its supporters need is for that chant to resurface at Fire matches.
Just because you buy a ticket to a sporting event doesn’t give you the right to be a jerk, a homophobe, an idiot, or a combination of all three.
Chicago Fire
Chicago Red Stars
