Hey, there's a game today at Toyota Park!
Neither team has any hope of making the postseason! (Anyone pointing out that the Fire can make the postseason through a miraculous confluence of 1. An unprecedented winning streak from CF97, and 2. a similar losing skein by Columbus, New York, Philadelphia and Houston - simultaneously! - should be forced to rewatch Thursday's 1-1 draw with the Phunions. From the start. WITH THE SOUND UP. That's right, you - siddown, it ain't happenin'.)
Each is merely playing out the string, positioning themselves for 2015!
There will be more than a whiff of Old Home Day at TP this afternoon; Frank Klopas, of course, was Mr. Fire for several years before his unceremonial defenestration last October, but it doesn't stop there. Justin Mapp has found a consequence-free environment in Quebec to practice his moody, artful wing play without expectations relating to consistency or helping his fullback defend the flank. Dilly Duka's similarly found time in his preferred position, at the center of an attacking midfield line, since swapping clubs with Sanna Nyassi earlier this year.
There's also the Logan Pause Farewell tour, which continues this afternoon as the veteran defensive midfielder starts his third consecutive game:
FIRE @UIHealth Starters: Johnson; Palmer, Larentowicz ©, Soumare, Segares; Nyarko, Watson, Pause, Alex; Sinama-Pongolle, Amarikwa #cf97
— Chicago Fire (@ChicagoFire) October 5, 2014
Florent Sinama-Pongolle gets the start as a withdrawn forward behind Quincy Amarikwa; if he's to stick for 2015, he'll need to show more than he has previously this 'preseason.' Patrick Nyarko's long, slow climb back to full health culminates with a start, finally.
The Impact leave late-season addition Ignacio Piatti at home, bumming out the 12 people who knew about him and were coming to the game, but do include the two former Fire-men in their XI:
XI partant #IMFC: Bush; Miller, Pearce, Ferrari, Camara; Mallace, Larrea, Romero, Duka, Mapp; McInerney #CHIvMTL pic.twitter.com/J84AaD05AU
— Impact de Montréal (@impactmontreal) October 5, 2014
Hey, it's a game! And it kicks off in less than an hour! Don't pretend you've got anything better to do.