Boiling Over: Chicago Fire 1, Orlando City 3

Boy, that escalated quickly...

The Chicago Fire picked up just their second MLS defeat since early June tonight as they fell 3-1 at the hands of high-flying Orlando City. An early second-half lead evaporated in the blink of an eye, and while the team remains above the playoff line, their position got slightly more uncomfortable.

The story began the morning of the game, because news broke that Head Coach Frank Klopas would be forced to miss the game as he had tested positive for COVID-19. Assistant Coach and club legend C.J. Brown would take over as the caretaker, and he named a mostly unchanged starting XI from the team’s previous match against América just over two weeks ago. There were just two changes, as Spencer Richey replaced the recovering Chris Brady, whilst Maren Haile-Selassie returned in place of struggling Jairo Torres.

The first half echoed the Fire’s last four matches: it was 0-0 at halftime, with very few highlights, though the most notable was when Brian Gutiérrez and Georgios Koutsias combined for a goal which was ruled out by VAR. Similarly to what’s happened, all season, the game opened up quickly and things changed in a rapid fashion.

Very quickly after the restart, the Fire found the breakthrough. Mauricio Pineda, who started the game at right center back, found himself in a very advanced position, though his shot was saved. Moments later, another opportnity presented itself, and he ripped the ball into the back of the net, with the assist coming from Miguel Ángel Navarro. It was Pineda’s first of the season, opening his scoring account in what has been an excellent year all-around.

For the Fire, though, the game quickly soured and turned on its head. Three minutes after falling behind, Wilder Cartagena was somehow left unmarked inside the penalty box, and scored from a header. Richey was left hopeless, and it was a moment where the air was totally sucked out of a home team, which had looked so confident for months.

Four minutes later, Ivan Angulo completed Orlando’s quick turnaround. It was once against another header from close range, another defensive failure, and the Fire continued to collapse. Navarro gave up a penalty when he fouled Dagur Dan Þórhallsson just inside the box, and Facundo Torres extended the lead to 3-1.

Things got ugly, and the yellow cards began to pile up. Ousmane Doumbia, Xherdan Shaqiri, and Pineda were all booked in quick succession, and the Fire struggled to get any foothold back on the match.

"We can play soccer, we can move the ball to the lines, we can create opportunities and now we need to learn how to suffer and really put our bodies on the line to win games," Brown said post-game.

"I think that's what you saw in the second half."

The final whistle blew, it ended by that same three-to-one scoreline, and Fire fans went home on a night they’ll want to forget. Still clinging to a playoff spot and with a game in hand, the Fire's playoff destiny is in their control, even it will come down to the wire.

"If we get caught up hoping another team helps us get into the playoffs, then you don't earn it," Brown added.

"We need to earn it and we will."

They'll have a chance to take one big step closer in Carson, California next Saturday against the Los Angeles Galaxy.