Chicago Fire Fall 2-1 against Atlanta United FC
BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. (May 5, 2018) – The Chicago Fire (2-4-2, 8 pts.) fell 2-1 against Eastern Conference leaders Atlanta United FC (7-1-1, 22 pts.) on Saturday at Toyota Park.
After the visitors took a 2-0 lead, Fire defender Kevin Ellis cut that deficit in half with a screamer in the 61st minute. Chicago had several half-chances for an equalizer and held 60-percent possession in the second half, but a point-earning goal eluded them.
Nikolić nearly opened the scoring in the ninth minute after he beat Atlanta goalkeeper Brad Guzan with a low shot to the back post, but defender Michael Parkhurst blocked the shot off the goal line.
Following a scoreless first half, Atlanta found the net eight minutes into the second half. Miguel Almirón slipped a pass through the Fire’s backline to set up Ezequiel Barco for a left-footed finish off the crossbar and in from 6 yards out. Josef Martínez doubled that lead four minutes later with a tap-in at the end of a Darlington Nagbe and Greg Garza give-and-go.
Ellis pulled the home side to within one soon after. Ellis chest-trapped an attempted clearance from an Atlanta defender, and then drilled a full-volleyed shot into the upper corner for his first career goal in Chicago.
The Fire return to the pitch Wednesday, May 9 against the Montreal Impact at Toyota Park (7:30 p.m. CT, ESPN+/Univision Deportes Chicago 1200AM).
Thoughts on the match:
“I’m proud of the effort from our team, our guys. I think we played the mature game, I think we played a game against a really good team. We had a huge effort in the second half, we were a better team and we also had a good second half except for the two situations, two details that decided the game. The first one obviously is the moment where the game raced down and the game opens in that moment. We also conceded another goal right after which is something we cannot allow. That means in that moment our mentality wasn’t at its best and we need to work and fix that. But I am very happy how this team is in this moment, where we need everyone’s effort and everyone to give the support and confidence to their teammates. This is how the team is sticking together and how the team is supporting each other. This is what we need right now and we keep rolling despite the loss today. We keep growing. I see my team every time, every game get better and better, and you know like I told the guys in the locker room, sometimes you win, like the game in New York. Sometimes you tie when you have this kind of attitude and this kind of mentality like the game in Toronto and today we fell short to tie the game. We want to win but unfortunately it just didn’t happen. We never give up, we push until the end, you can see that we put on the field, all the pieces in order to win in the end. But, this time it didn’t happen. With this attitude we will for sure win more games.”
On the decision to utilizing Jonathan Campbell up front:
“We needed someone who could play in aerial duels because we had enough pieces on the field who can move the ball side to side, that’s what we wanted, and wanted to commit more defenders. If you didn’t see, they played with three at the back most of the time and when we started to put pieces up front they had to commit more players at the back. So we wanted, with Campbell being in the box, to commit more defenders and have Alan at least playing one-on-one against their defenders and not against two all the time. So that was the purpose and obviously he’s good at aerial duels, he’s good at set pieces, we expected more set pieces that we could score in that phase in the game. Again I think we as a team we’re growing, we’re very proud of the guys and we will play like this and we will win games.”
On Bastian Schweinsteiger playing higher up the field than in the past few games:
“When I speak about the defense, no matter who plays, the whole team defends no matter what the formation it is. I think that we were very solid, I think we were a team that was very difficult to break in the first half. Second half things happened, we kind of dropped our cautiousness and what happened in that moment they scored a goal. They had quality so you know you can never lose or drop points against them and that’s what happened. Then the second goal as I said before was too soon in conceding that goal, we didn’t have any time to react and adjust and try to push forward and that advantage was too big and in the end that’s what the result was. It was too big for us to come back but good reaction, great goal by Kevin Ellis, good reaction from the team in that moment and as I said, don’t look where is Bastian playing, look where the team is doing.”
Johan Kappelhof – Defender, Chicago Fire
On playing a tough attacking team:
“It was a tough game, difficult up front, they have a lot of good players, so we needed to be focused and 100 percent concentrated. I think we worked hard, we defended as a team, and we gave them a hard time, especially in the first half. We can be proud of ourselves.”
On moving on from the last three results
“Good teams, but we also have to look at ourselves, how we can do better, also on the ball, how we can create more chances and more goals. I think we can be proud of ourselves over the last three games and take that to the next game, to Montreal, to get three points.”
Bastian Schweinsteiger – Midfielder, Chicago Fire
On the team’s performance:
“I think we did attack the goal really well, in the first half especially. We had good chances to score goals. We didn’t score a goal, and in these kinds of games, small details decide the game. At the end, the team was a little bit more quality once again.”
On returning to the midfield:
“Good, I think it was real good. We pressed on quite well, we won a lot of balls up front, we had very good chances in the first half to score a goal, we didn’t score a goal, so that’s a little bit disappointing. We have to keep going, we played against a very good team.”
On moving on to Montreal on Wednesday:
“I think we had good things in our game today against the ball, also with the ball. We did some good things, we created chances. Maybe some situations we could, when we have the ball, show up a little bit easier to get more ball possession and control the game. But if you ask me about the next game Wednesday, we have to recover fast and be ready to play against Montreal.”
On a setback after two positive results:
“Obviously, to lose is always a setback. But as I said, we played against a very good team today. We have to see, we have to accept also that they have very good players in their squad on the field. But as I said to your colleague before, we had very good situations in the game, especially in the first half. We won the ball, we created chances. I think we could have been one goal up at halftime and it’s maybe different. Small details decide games, and unfortunately we couldn’t score that goal. You could also say that Atlanta, when they had one chance they scored a goal.”
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Chicago Fire 1:2 Atlanta United FC
May 5, 2018 – Toyota Park
Attendance: 15,024
Scoring Summary:
ATL – Ezequiel Barco (Miguel Almirón) 53′
ATL – Josef Martínez (Darlington Nagbe, Greg Garza) 57′
CHI – Kevin Ellis (unassisted) 61′
Misconduct Summary:
CHI – Johan Kappelhof (caution) 24′
ATL – Leandro González Pirez (caution) 65′
ATL – Ezequiel Barco (caution) 73′
CHI – Grant Lillard (caution) 80′
ATL – Héctor Villalba (caution) 90’+5′
Chicago Fire: Richard Sánchez; Kevin Ellis, Johan Kappelhof, Grant Lillard (Jonathan Campbell 81′), Brandon Vincent; Mo Adams (Alan Gordon 59′), Dax McCarty (C); Elliot Collier (Diego Campos 59′), Bastian Schweinsteiger, Aleksandar Katai; Nemanja Nikolić.
Subs not used: Patrick McLain, Brandt Bronico, Daniel Johnson, Tony Tchani.
Shots: 14; Shots On-Goal: 3; Fouls: 10; Saves: 4; Offsides: 2; Corners: 4.
Atlanta United FC: Brad Guzan; Franco Escobar (Miles Robinson 90’+1′), Michael Parkhurst, Leandro González Pirez; Julian Gressel, Darlington Nagbe, Miguel Almirón, Jeff Larentowicz, Greg Garza; Ezequiel Barco (Héctor Villalba 81′), Josef Martínez (Kevin Kratz 72′).
Subs not used: Paul Christensen, Sal Zizzo, Romario Williams, Brandon Vázquez.
Shots: 10; Shots On-Goal: 6; Fouls: 8; Saves: 2; Offsides: 5; Corners: 1.
