Falling short: Charlotte 4, Chicago 3

For the first time this season, the Fire ended up on the wrong side of a 4-3 scoreline. Previously, they’d experienced it in comeback wins over Montréal – the team’s first of the season – and Philadelphia, in a game that felt like it could have been the galvanizing match to see the team into the playoffs in the second half of the campaign but ultimately wasn't. This time, they were on the losing side of the scoreline in a match that put the team’s strengths and weaknesses on full display with just one game remaining in the 2024 season.

The Fire played a roster of best-available selections as part of a “strong finish” that Head Coach Frank Klopas vowed, although Hugo Cuypers and Maren Haile-Selassie, the teams leading and third-most prolific scorers to date were unavailable for personal reasons

In a reverse from recent matches, early on, it was the Fire who looked the sharper team, with the Fire taking the first shots off the right feet of Brian Gutiérrez and Jonathan Dean’s, but, as has all too often been the case this season, it was the Fire's opponent who would strike first.

Karol Świderski played a ball set up by Junior Urso that was touched by Pep Biel on its way to the Polish striker’s feet, giving the hosts a 1-0 lead in just the eight minute. Charlotte continued to press, forcing Fire goalkeeper Chris Brady to make a number of saves and creating the real prospect of a Charlotte route in the early going.

Both teams had chances but it was Fabian Herbers who would score the next goal, leveling the match 1-1 for the Fire, the first tally for Herbers since his promising start earlier in the season: his last goal came in March in a 2-1 loss to Columbus.

Just when it seemed the Fire may have been growing into the game, Charlotte struck again with a goal from Junior Urso, giving Biel his second assist of the night and the home team a 2-1 lead.

On the play, the Fire had a number of players in the box, including Wyatt Omsberg, who was on the ground following contact from former Fire player Brandt Bronico as the ball entered Chris Brady’s net. No foul was called. Play resumed but Omsberg was unable to continue.

Soon after Tobias Salquist subbed on for the stricken Omsberg, Charlotte almost struck again, with a shot from Biel – already with two goal contributions on the night for Charlotte – hitting the woodwork to the right of Chris Brady.

The Fire countered, and looked close a number of times but had shots block or sail wide of Charlotte GK Kristijan Kahlina, when, almost out of nowhere, Charlotte added to their lead as Świderski tallied in first-half stoppage time to put the hosts up 3-1.

Charlotte largely dominated the game early in the second half and Liel Abada scored on a second-chance play in the 58th minute to give Charlotte a 4-1 lead, causing Klopas to go to his bench and bring on Chris Mueller and Tom Barlow in the 59th minute and Federico Navarro for Gastón Giménez a few minutes later.

True to character, Navarro garnered a yellow card – the Fire’s first booking of the match – within seconds of coming on, but soon redeemed himself as he set up a goal for Kellyn Acosta, with Ariel Lassiter intentionally letting a long pass sail past him for the Fire midfielder as he rifled a shot from distance past Kahlina, putting the Fire within two goals.

After their second tally, the Fire looked to be the more dangerous, but seemed destined for a 4-2 loss until second-half stoppage time when Gutiérrez played a long pass to Chris Mueller had a good look on net and ultimately took a shot that was saved by Kahlina. He couldn't contain the rebound, however, which Mueller cleverly played to Tom Barlow who buried it for his second of the season, putting the Fire within one with seconds to go.

That was as close as the Fire would come, however, in a match where both the tenacity and shortcomings of the squad that led to the team’s elimination from postseason contention the previous Saturday against Toronto were on full display.

As a result, the Fire remain in last place in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the New England Revolution who have two games in had as the Fire have just one game left to play: a Decision Day matchup on October 19th at Soldier Field against Nashville SC, a team who are now themselves on the brink of elimination from postseason contention following their own 4-3 loss at the hands of D.C. united..