Fire finish fourth despite giving up four to Columbus

Chicago Fire FC 3-4 Columbus Crew SC

BRIDGEVIEW, IL—Despite losing 4-3 to Columbus Crew on Saturday, Chicago Fire FC do finish fourth in the Eastern Conference by virtue of Charlotte FC drawing Inter Miami. The Fire finish the regular season with a record of 16-11-7 which matches their 2017 record.

The Fire went ahead in the eighth minute from the penalty spot. Sekou Bangoura handled the ball in the area and Robert Lewandowski converted the spot kick. Columbus got their first equalizer in the 16th minute as Taha Halbroune laid the ball off to Gonzalo Tapia for the finish.

The Fire would get another penalty kick in the 19th minute after Philip Zinckernagel was taken down in the box by Bangoura. After the challenge was upheld after a VAR check, Lewandowski again scored from the spot.

However, Columbus would again equalize. This time, it was ten seconds after the restart. Tapia’s low cross reached Anass Zaroury who beat Chris Brady near post to make it 2-2.

Just before halftime, though, the Fire would take the lead for the third time. Anton Saletros sent the cross into the box. Lewandowski’s headed went off the goal post, but Maren Haile-Selassie put the rebound in to make it 3-2.

Columbus would not go away as they were seeking the seventh seed in the East and avoid the knockout match. In minute 62, Malte Amundsen sent a long ball to Tapia who would beat Brady far post with a one-time shot.

Three minutes into second half stoppage time, and errant header by Jack Elliott in front of goal went to the feet of Brais Mendez who roofed it into the net to give Columbus the seventh seed with FC Cincinnati losing to Nashville. The Fire did get the fourth seed by virtue of Charlotte drawing at Inter Miami (despite Miami blowing a 3-0 lead).

Despite the thrilling match, Fire coach Gregg Berhalter felt there was actually a lack of urgency from his side.

“I think we were going through the motions a little bit, and you could see that,” said Berhalter. “To me, it wasn’t a do or die type of performance. We could have gotten burnt. Fortunately, we didn’t. But I don’t love the performance.”

The focus between now and two weeks from now when Game 1 against Charlotte will take place will be defending after the Fire have conceded ten goals in the last four matches.

“I agree with that,” said Fire midfielder Anton Saletros. “We were not focused in those situations, especially straight after a goal. We conceded some easy goals today, and we were disappointed about that, disappointed about the result.

“It’s been a little bit of a trend the last few games that we concede quite early in the game, and quite a lot of goals, and it’s difficult to score three or four goals every game to win the game, so that’s something we really need to work on this next week and a half to really set that up for the playoffs.”

Next week is an international window, so the Game 1 for the Fire against Charlotte FC will be in two weeks and likely at SeatGeek Stadium. Date and time to be announced. Columbus will travel to Inter Miami for Game 1 of their Conference Quarterfinal.

Photos by Leslie Smith

SCORING SUMMARY:
CHI-Robert Lewandowski (penalty kick) 8
CLB-Gonzalo Tapia (Halbroune, Rodriguez) 16
CHI-Robert Lewandowski (penalty kick) 22
CLB-Anass Zaroury (unassisted) 23
CHI-Maren Haile-Selassie (unassisted) 45+4
CLB-Gonzalo Tapia (Amundsen, Halbroune) 62
CLB-Brais Mendez (unassisted) 90+3

BOOKING SUMMARY:
CHI-Noah Allen (caution, tactical foul) 11
CHI-Mbekizeli Mbokazi (caution, tactical foul) 28
CHI-Jonathan Bamba (caution, reckless tackle) 53
CHI-Anzor Mekvabishvili (caution, reckless foul) 74
CLB-Santiago Rodriguez (caution, reckless tackle) 79

CHICAGO FIRE (4-3-3): #1-Chris Brady; #32-Noah Allen (#15-Andrew Gutman 42), #4-Mbekizeli, Mbokazi (#3-Jack Elliott 68), #21-Andres Hanche-Olsen, #24-Jonathan Dean; #7-Maren Haile-Selassie, #42-Dje D’Avilla (#23-Anzor Mekvabishvili 46), #6-Anton Saletros; #19-Jonathan Bamba (#10-Andre Franco 69, #9-Robert Lewandowski, #11-Philip Zinckernagel (#12-Puso Dithejane 83)

Subs not used: #44-Josh Cohen, #2-Leonardo Barroso, #12-Puso Dithejane, #18-Johan Gomez, #35-Sergio Oregel Jr.

COLUMBUS CREW (4-4-2): #28-Patrick Schulte; #18-Malte Amundsen, #25-Sean Zawadski, #31-Steven Moreira, #23-Mohammed Farsi (#11-Brooks Lenner 83); #16-Taha Habroune, #17-Sekou Bangoura (#10-Brais Mendez 46), #7-Dylan Chambost (#20-Andre Gomes 78), #21-Anass Zaroury (#2-Andres Herrera 83); #33-Gonzalo Tapia (#19-Jamal Thiare 90+1), #8-Santiago Rodriguez

Subs not used: #1-Nicholas Hagen, #3-Eric Bailly, #19-Jamal Thiare, #26-Lautauro Giaccone, #77-Josef Martinez

EXPECTED GOALS: CHI 3.4-1.8 CLB
TOTAL SHOTS:  CHI 14-11 CLB
SHOTS ON GOAL:  CHI 6-6 CLB
FOULS:  CHI 15-14 CLB
OFFSIDES:  CHI 6-4 CLB
CORNER KICKS:  CHI 6-4 CLB
SAVES:  CHI 2-3 CLB

Referee: Rosendo Mendoza
Assistant Referees: Cory Richardson, Mike Nickerson
4th Official: Rodrigo Albuquerque
VAR: Edvin Jurisevic
AVAR: Kathryn Nesbitt
Weather: Sunny and 50º
Attendance: 19,419
Man of the Match: Gonzalo Tapia (CLB)