Categories: Chicago FireMLSPortland Timbers

Fire score fast and hold on for fifth straight win

Photo: Leslie Smith

Chicago Fire FC 2-1 Portland Timbers

CHICAGO, IL—The matches have come fast and furious for Chicago Fire FC, yet they have persisted through and won their fifth straight match in all competitions after a 2-1 win over Portland Timbers. It is the 100th regular season win at Soldier Field for the Fire. The five-match win streak in all competitions is the first for the club in 26 years.

The Fire got off to a fast start on pitch in which the Bears played American football on just over 24 hours prior. Andrew Gutman sent a dime of a long ball to Robin Lod in the ninth minute for the opening score.

Five minutes later, it was a case of the Timbers not being able to clear the ball out of the box with all the Fire’s attacking options lurking. It turned out to be a less likely option—Dje D’Avilla—who scored from just outside the box past James Pantemis to make it 2-0. It was D’Avilla’s first goal of the season.

“First, I’m really happy because I was talking with my girlfriend, and she asked me to score one goal for her,” said D’Avilla. “This goal is for her today, and I’m happy.

“She helped me a lot during these last few months, and this goal is for her.”

From there, it was a matter of holding on to that lead as the Fire, in their fourth match in 11 days and fifth in 16, started to show signs of fatigue. The Timbers, also playing their fifth match in 16 days and unbeaten in four, pushed to get back into the game.

They would eventually pull one back in the 85th minute off a free kick. Ariel Lassiter’s free kick was headed towards the front of goal by Brandon Bye and Finn Surman would head the ball in for his first goal as a Portland Timber. However, that was a close as they got as that was just the second of two shots on goal on the evening.

The Fire spurned chances to get a third goal to put the game away, but did hold on for the three points and move to third in the Eastern Conference while Portland drop to tenth in the West with the loss and could fall further pending Seattle’s match against Vancouver which had not started at the time of this reporting.

“We were a little bit concerned with the fatigue in the legs, going into the game,” said Fire head coach Gregg Berhalter. “The guys had to hang in there. They had to grind. We should have made it 3-0 earlier, but in the end, we had to suffer, and that’s okay, because that’s what brings the team together. Those moments where you really have to grind, you’re not sure if you’re going to pull it out, and we did. So, I’m happy for the three points. Happy for the mentality of the group. And now we travel to Orlando, trying to get three points.”

D’Avilla has been one of the most improved players on the Fire from last season and his man of the match performance was a culmination of his play the last few matches.

“With Gregg [Berhalter], we’re trying to work a lot because last year, it was not, the first three months [were]not too easy for me also. Then, [he is]always trying to tell me he believes in me, I need to believe in myself, and also work on some stuff with him – shooting. When the first half finished, he [came]to me and said, ‘The work we did is working now.’ Then I mean, he’s happy and I’m happy also. He’s giving me a lot of credit, that I need to give him back also, what he’s doing with me. Thank you.”

No rest for the weary as the Fire travel to Orlando City on Wednesday (6:30pm CT, Apple TV) while the Timbers host San Diego FC on Wednesday (7:30pm PT, Apple TV).

Photos by Leslie Smith

SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Robin Lod (Gutman, D’Avilla) 9
CHI-Dje D’Avilla (Haile-Selassie) 14
POR-Finn Surman (Bye, Lassiter) 85

BOOKING SUMMARY:
POR-Brandon Bye (caution, tactical foul) 51
CHI-Robin Lod (caution, reckless foul) 57
CHI-Anton Saletros (caution, tactical foul) 79
POR-Vincent Janssen (caution, reckless foul) 90+4

CHICAGO FIRE (4-4-2): #1-Chris Brady; #15-Andrew Gutman, #5-Sam Rogers, #3-Jack Elliott, #2-Leonardo Barroso (#24-Jonathan Dean 72); #11-Philip Zinckernagel (#12-Puso Dithejane 61), #6-Anton Saletros (#22-Mauricio Pineda 82), #42-Dje D’Avilla, #7-Maren Haile-Selassie; #17-Robin Lod, #9-Robert Lewandowski (#19-Jonathan Bamba 61)

Subs not used: #44-Josh Cohen, #16-Joel Waterman, #29-David Poreba, #38-Christopher Cupps, #14-Viktor Radojevic

PORTLAND TIMBERS (4-3-3): #41-James Pantemis; #27-Jimer Fory, #4-Kamal Miller (#22-Omir Fernandez 88), #20-Finn Surman, #5-Brandon Bye; #17-Cole Bassett (#80-Joao Ortiz 61), #21-Diego Chara (#30-Jose Caicedo 76), #10-David Da Costa (#14-Vincent Janssen 76); #11-Antony (#7-Ariel Lassiter 61), #19-Kevin Kelsy, #99-Kristoffer Velde

Subs not used: #25-Trey Muse, #15-Eric Miller, #18-Zac McGraw, #88-Gage Guerra

EXPECTED GOALS: CHI 0.8-1.3 POR
TOTAL SHOTS:  CHI 7-11 POR
SHOTS ON GOAL:  CHI 4-2 POR
FOULS:  CHI 15-6 POR
OFFSIDES:  CHI 2-2 POR
CORNER KICKS:  CHI 0-4 POR
SAVES:  CHI 1-2 POR

Referee: Jon Freemon
Assistant Referees: Andrew Bigelow, Nick Balcer
Fourth Official: Calin Radoslav
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
AVAR: Joshua Patlak
Weather: Partly Sunny and 80º
Attendance: 30,168
Man of the Match: Die D’Avilla (CHI)