Chicago Fire bounces back in a big way
It's hard to figure this Chicago Fire team sometimes.
Coming off a home loss to one of the worst teams in MLS, the Fire bounced back Wednesday night to beat one of the best. Despite falling behind on an early penalty kick, the Fire defeated the New York Red Bulls 3-2 at Toyota Park.
Go figure.
"MLS is built on parity, and I think we showed it tonight," Fire coach Frank Yallop said, noting the Fire also defeated Western Conference powers FC Dallas and the Seattle Sounders. " … It's little things that make a difference in games, and tonight we got the rub of the green or the bounce of the ball, if you like.
"It's kind of been missing for us."
The Fire (7-13-5, 26 points) remains in last place in the Eastern Conference despite picking up 3 points against the second-place Red Bulls. Now, though, the Fire is just 2 points out of a playoff spot.
For one night the players could forget about fan protests.
"Most of the time we lose that game," Fire defender Eric Gehrig said, "and I think it's encouraging. We know what's going on with the fans. We know what's going on with the club, and to hear what's going on around the club, and to hear that stuff every day, it's tough.
"To come back when you have the lead twice and they tie it again and you throw all that in the mix and you still come out with a win like this, I think it speaks volumes of the group. We know that we're not where we want to be in the standings, but we also know that it's not over.
"We've got a lot of swing games. … We're not going to give up."
Still, to get back into the playoff race the Fire will have to do something it hasn't done all season: win on the road. It can start Saturday night against one of the teams it needs to pass in the standings, Orlando City.
"To be honest we don't really think about (the road record)," Gehrig said. "We don't really think about it. And I've heard the stat. These guys know the stat. We don't really think about it like that. It's just the way that it's been, and we know that if want to be in the playoffs, we have to get results on the road."
New York gave the Fire a here-we-go-again feeling when Sacha Kljestan converted a penalty kick in the 10th minute.
But the Fire went to halftime with a 2-1 lead on goals by Kennedy Igboananike and Patrick Nyarko, and Igboananike scored the game-winner in the 73rd minute.
Michael Stephens and newcomer Gilberto were credited with 2 assists apiece.
"Tonight it's a performance that we can be proud of, and it feels good, so hopefully some good energy and some good focus going into Saturday," Gehrig said.