If ever a game encapsulated all that is right and wrong with a team, the Chicago Fire’s dramatic 2-2 tie at New York City FC gave a vivid illustration of the work needed to be done by head coach Frank Yallop.
Anxious to return to winning ways after back-to-back defeats to Sporting Kansas City and Real Salt Lake, Yallop watched on as the Fire (3-5-1, 10 pts) raced out of the blocks in emphatic fashion and stormed into a 2-0 lead by the 27th minute on the back of an inspired display of attacking soccer.
However, the Fire hit the self-destruct button once again.
Chicago gave up two goals at the end of each half as the hosts somehow rescued an unlikely point against a team who could, and should, have been well out of sight by halftime.
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The fact the visitors only led 2-1 at the break was down to the inability of the Fire players to keep their nerve and composure in front of goal. They squandered chance after chance against a City team reduced to ten men in the 26th minute when RJ Allen was shown a straight red for a foul on livewire winger David Accam.
This has been a recurring problem in what Yallop has described as a “topsy-turvy” season, and once again the Fire’s return of two goals from 23 shots highlighted their wastefulness in front of the net.
At the other end, New York were much more productive, managing two goals from 11 shots to steal a point at the death and arrest their recent four-game losing streak.
“It’s us right now, it sums it up. It’s just not quite there,” Yallop told reporters after the game at Yankee Stadium. “But we’re growing as a team and I felt [there were] some good positives out of the game. Obviously the first half was excellent.”
The opening 45 minutes was perhaps the most one-sided half witnessed by Chicago Fire fans in a very long time as they completely overran their opponents. Yallop couldn’t contain his disappointment as he lamented those first-half misses and how New York were allowed back into the game after the break.
“I thought it was the best we’ve played for a long time, the first 44 minutes, it could have been more,” he stated. “I’m disappointed how we handled the second half, we just stopped playing – and then you allow them momentum.
“I just felt that we allowed them to play when we shouldn’t have and we had chances to bury the game as well. But we shouldn’t give them chances, which is disappointing.”
Although Yallop will be more concerned at the two points dropped, the point gained sees the Fire climb to fifth in the Eastern Conference on 10 points, keeping them in touch with the early-season pacesetters.
Next up for the Men in Red is a trip to Columbus to face fourth-placed Crew SC. Despite Friday’s setback, Yallop insisted his focus will now turn to gaining their first three points on the road against their Midwest rivals.
“I’ve seen a growth in the team. I’d say it was a setback tonight for us, but I don’t dwell on it, we’ve got a big game coming up next weekend in Columbus,” he added. “I probably would have taken a tie before the game kicked off, but the way it went I was disappointed not to get the win.
Shane Murray covers the Chicago Fire for MLSsoccer.com.
