Fire get much needed win over Houston
Don't underestimate how important Saturday's 1-0 victory was to the Chicago Fire.
True, the Fire (2-5-4, 10 points) remains at the bottom of the MLS standings. And considering Houston is the next-worst team and has lost all six of its road matches this season reminds us that this win won't be easy to duplicate.
But the Fire was so desperate for 3 points that this win was something, as coach Veljko Paunovic said, to "celebrate."
Not that the Fire can afford to celebrate for long. Defending MLS Cup champion Portland visits Toyota Park next week, the last game before the league takes a couple of weeks off for Copa America.
"We know that there is still a long way to go, we know that we are still a team under construction," Paunovic added. "We have to improve and that's what we are doing."
The Fire ended its three-game losing streak because Arturo Alvarez got his toe to a Gilberto pass and redirected it past Houston goalkeeper Tyler Deric and hobbled defender DaMarcus Beasley in the third minute for the only goal of the game. Beasley left the game with an injury minutes later.
"This result tonight was massive, and it comes at a tough time for us," said veteran Fire goalkeeper Sean Johnson, who got his first shutout in only his second start of the season. "We've been through a lot, and we've stuck together through the entire thing. So I'm happy for everybody that stepped on the field and everybody on the team that gave their all to support everybody. It was a win for the organization today."
But the only way to truly make this win meaningful is to build on it. Is that too much to ask of this squad?
"No, I think we have to," Johnson said. "We have to build on this win. Any type of positivity at this time you have to grab and you have to run with. The guys have worked extremely hard so I think the guys should really enjoy this win.
"It means a lot to me. It means a lot to every single one of the guys and the coaching staff. And the fans as well. They've been waiting a long time for this result to see finally things come together that we've been working on."
Still, the roster simply does not yet possess the kind of quality players that other MLS teams can brag of. It took every ounce of energy the Fire players had to get this win, and a couple dropped to the grass after the final whistle in exhaustion.
"It hasn't been an easy two weeks," Alvarez said. "With four games in two weeks, a lot of traveling. But I think the group has shown good character and it was tough. I'm sure a lot of guys were tired. I was tired myself. But sometimes that's what it takes to win, and I think we got it done today."
But can they keep getting it done?
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