FC Dallas hands Fire first loss of the season, ends 11-game streak
With playing three games over eight days for his Eastern Division-leading club, Chicago Fire coach Denis Hamlett knew there would be a few highs and lows during the rugged stretch, and he was right.
If Thursday's win over league leader Chivas USA was the high point, then Sunday's 3-0 loss at Toyota Park to bottom-feeding FC Dallas (2-6-3, 9 pts.) qualifies as the low mark. Chicago can still lay claim to the division lead (5-1-6, 21 pts.), but its unbeaten streak is history as it fell one game short of the Major League Soccer record to start a season (12 games).
"We gave them two goals right off of set pieces, and it's hard to come back from that on a hot day after we've been through what we've been," Hamlet said.
Both Hamlett and Fire captain Brian McBride insisted the team wasn't feeling any pressure from being the only team without a loss in the MLS before Sunday.
"We've never really made a big deal of our being unbeaten," said McBride. "We just wanted to get some points at home and it didn't happen."
After working hard on the road to claim the Eastern Conference lead, the Fire struggled much of the first half against FC Dallas. The Fire started the game controlling the play in the Dallas end, but Dallas assumed control in the 15th minute of play and never surrendered it.
Dallas scored off a corner kick by Dave van den Bergh, who found Jeff Cunningham breaking over the middle of the box. His sharp header cleared Fire goalkeeper Jo Busch and found the top left corner of the net. An own goal that Fire defender C.J. Brown failed to clear off a free kick in the 34th minute gave FC Dallas a comfortable 2-0 lead.
Dallas controlled the half in shots (5-2) and opportunities (4-2 in corner kicks), working the left side for much of the game. Chicago failed to match Dallas except in first-half fouls (5 apiece).
"We just weren't sharp," Hamlett said. "They basically just got in their blocks and waited for us to make a mistake and counter."
Hamlett was happier with the energy and scoring chances in the second half, but another free kick by Dallas' Kenny Cooper in the 79th minute from 24 yards out caught the upper right corner to secure the victory. Chicago's Bakary Soumare was responsible for the free shot after taking down Brek Shea and earning a second yellow card and ejection.
The Fire had one last chance to avoid the shutout, but John Thorrington's falling kick past a diving Dallas keeper struck the crossbar and bounced out of play.
The Fire (1-1-3 at Toyota Park) gets a chance to improve its home record when it hosts Houston on Friday.