Sporting Kansas City 3, Chicago Fire 2: First Thoughts

Pre-Match Thought: Accam on the bench. Again. Maybe there’s something to the rumors after all...

Pre-Match Thought 2: Also, Doody on at left back. I’m choosing to read this as proof positive that Pauno has lost faith in Michael Harrington. (Along with, like, everyone else.)

Pre-Match Thought 3: Boy I sure picked a bad time to become a cordcutter lol

Kickoff!: Let’s gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

1- lol one minute in and Polster fouls someone. Well done, lad.

2- Still not over Zusi being a fullback now. Unreal.

5- Trading possession, committing minor fouls, some offside calls. Not a whole lot else.

8- SKC nearly gets on the board after Lampson fluffs a clearance. Meira manages to clean up.

9- The Chicago Way apparently means being offside a lot now.

11- Kap getting forward pretty early in the game. Not sure what that means yet.

14- A couple free kicks for the Fire in quick succession. Nothing comes of it.

16- Zusi just went two feet and studs up on Patrick Doody. God as my witness I will have my revenge.

18- Lampson’s distribution so far has been awful. This is going to bite us in the ass.

20- I’ll give SKC credit, they’re a lot more confident in possession than the Fire are thus far.

23- lol fires. A bad clearance in their own defensive third and the Fire leave themselves open for a counterattack. Sallói makes his run and nobody stops him. SKC 1-0 CHI

27- I’m legit surprised at how sloppy the Fire have been lately. First the NYCFC game last week and now this. What the hell’s going on?

28- AHAHAHAHAHAHA BESLER OWN GOAL I EFFING LOVE IT SKC 1-1 CHI

29- While we’re all laughing at Matt Besler— and rightfully so— let’s not ignore that excellent ball in from Polster. Niko could very well have gotten on the end of it and finished. Besler just made it easy.

30- <extremely Chance The Rapper voice> It seems like Blessings keep falling on the ground...

31- (I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.)

32- And now Besler’s conceded a corner. I mean, buddy, if you want to help the Fire win so badly you should just sign for us.

33- Juninho collects a pass following the second ball and fires from 20yds. Melia catches it.

35- SKC are trying to get back on track by holding possession. The Fire are applying more pressure on their midfield and back. Amazing what a goal can do for your self-esteem.

36- Also wow the pitch at SKC looks horrible. Did our groundskeeper from 2014 get a new job?

37- Sallói shoots, Lamp is on top of it.

40- Fire winning a few corners, at least. We’re not typically great at scoring off of them. Maybe that’ll change tonight?

42- Holy wow, Juninho hit a rocket and Besler threw his body in the way to block the shot. Should’ve been 2-1.

45+1- Feilheiber. Bike. SKC 2-1 CHI

45+2- Ok seriously, you’re right on the goalline, a simple header or chester or tap-in would be fine. But noooooooo you have to go for the bike just to fucking rub it in. I hope Feilhaber wakes up in the middle of the night itching in very uncomfortable places.

45+3- Alright we’re done for now.

Halftime Thought: Ugh.

Second Half Kickoff: Do better this time!!

46- No changes at halftime. I mean, we do have a certain wide forward who’s scored a bunch and is on the bench. I’m just saying.

48- So within about a minute MdL chested a ball down and hit a half-volley that almost went in, and then got in on goal and tried to cross to Niko at the far post and it almost worked. Good. Keep this up.

50- lol and now SKC catch Lamp out again and almost make it 3.

51- Blessing. A deflection or something SKC 3-1 CHI

52- Fucking hell, guys.

53- Also what on earth was Lamp doing on that play. My god.

55- Accam on for Soli. I mean, maybe it’ll help, but I’m pretty sure we lost this game five minutes ago.

56- SKC with a corner. It lands outside the box for Feilhaber, who shoots from like... 25yds? Lamp catches it, thank dog.

59- Rubio attacks from the left, crosses to Sallói who shoots but (barely) misses. We’re getting mugged out here.

60- Sánchez heads in off a corner but misses.

63- Fire win a corner, everyone in the box just watches it fly by. I don’t know about y’all but this doesn’t look like the same team from before the Gold Cup break.

64- Fire fail to clear an easy ball, almost gift SKC a 4th goal. What the actual fuck.

67-

68- It’s like we’ve got all the pieces from when this used to work, but it’s... not working. Dax looks decent. Basti looks decent. All we’re really missing is B-Vince. We should’ve be getting our butts kicked like this.

70- Fire had a decent run with the ball and they do absolutely nothing with it. smdh

73- Sallói off. Damage is done, I suppose.

74- Somehow— somehow— the Fire actually have more possession so far. 52% (at the moment, it could change). I... am dubious.

75- Juninho gets a foul for swatting Lobato on the back. Ref shows him the yellow card. Whatever.

76- SKC get another huge chance, only just coming up short. Woof.

76 (cont)- DJ on for Juninho.

77- AND THEN ACCAM PULLS ONE BACK THAT’S RIGHT BABY (I love you David Accam please don’t leave) SKC 3-2 CHI

80- Oh man oh man. Besler hits a throughball in for Blessing, falls over once Polster brushes against him in the box, reaaaaaaally looked like SKC were going to get a penalty. Instead, Blessing is ruled offside. Whew.

82- Holy FUCK and then Accam nearly levels the score with a header. He doesn’t quite get enough on it. Damn shit balls.

83- Blessing off.

85- Tim Melia just came up BIG to deny Niko. Sheeeeeesh.

86- Both teams are in “too tired to chase after loose balls” mode.

87- AND THEN ZUSI FIRES FROM LONG RANGE AND LAMPSON ONLY BARELY KEEPS IT OUT WHAT THE FUUUUUCCCCCC

88- Opara went studs-up on Basti and got away with it. Our dude’s struggling. God, I hate SKC. So glad we’re not in the same conference anymore.

89- For all the underhanded shit SKC have done all night it’s only Fire players getting cards. Cooooooool. (Meira gets a yellow, SKC with a free kick on the edge of the box.

90- J-Camp on for Basti. Makes sense.

90+1- Zusi hits the free kick right at Lamp.

90+3- Fire tried to (slowly) build an attack and it ends with Accam kicking it into touch.

90+4- SKC milking this for all it’s worth.

90+5- Illie nearly gets that 4th, Lamp has to struggle to kill the play. And there’s the whistle.

Final Thought: Hey so, the Fire have lost two in a row now. Cool, cool cool cool.