Fire deal Rapids potentially costly loss

Colorado Rapids 2-4 Chicago Fire

COMMERCE CITY, CO–The Rapids gave fans who came to Dick’s Sporting Goods Park five pounds of Colorado potatoes after the match. However, during the match, Chicago Fire FC delivered lumps of coal (I know, wrong holiday since Saturday was Halloween, but work with me!) as they defeated the Rapids, 4-1.

The Rapids had come into this match 10-3-3 at home and unbeaten in ten league matches at home (7-0-3). However, that run ended with Saturday’s loss to put their playoff chances in jeopardy.

As of the time of this posting, Colorado sits eighth in the West–level on points with Seattle–but ahead on wins. Both Seattle (at Vancouver) and Portland (home to Houston) play on Sunday and will determine what the Rapids will need on Decision Day. The Fire, who won in Colorado for the first time since 2009, move up to fourth in the East and just need a win next Saturday against Columbus to assure a top four spot.

The match was an open contest from the start the Rapids were the first to break through in the 22nd minute. Grorgi Minoungou took a ball in the box and held it enough to feel Morgan Whittaker in front of the box. Whittaker’s shot took a deflection past Chris Brady and into the net to give the Rapids the lead.

The Fire were undeterred, though, and equalizer in the 41st minute. Philip Zinckernagel sent a ball into the path of Jonathan Dean, whose cross came right to the feet of Jonathan Bamba to bundle it in to make it 1-1. The same trio were responsible for the Fire going ahead in the 56th minute in the same order. This time, finished with a  Bamba strike on the volley.

That lead would last only two minutes as Minoungou’s cross four Paxton Aaronson in the box who just got the ball over the line to make it 2-2. However, the Fire’s depth was about to show and it first came in the form of Robert Lewandowski who came on as a sub.

Zinckernagel again sent a thru ball into Lewandowski’s path. Lewandowski got in behind the Rapids defense and rounded keeper Nico Hansen and defender Rob Holding was unable to clear it off the line as the Fire took a 3-2 lead.

The icing on the cake–or topping on the potato–came in the 88th minute as Lewandowski fed fellow sub Puso Dithejane who beat Hansen far post to make it 4-2.

The Rapids will go to FC Dallas on Decision Day next Saturday (5pm MT, Apple TV) in a match they will likely have to win now, while the Fire will host Columbus (3pm CT, Apple TV) to ensure a top four finish in the East.

Photos by LA Brothers

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