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Chicago Fire 1 Ellis 61’
Atlanta United 2 Barco 53’, Martinez 57’
- Lineups are here!
- Pregame thought 1: So I was wrong in my game preview. Pauno did change things up, switching back to a 4-2-3-1 and playing Basti as the #10. Innnnnteresting.
- Pregame thought 2: Still not feeling super confident about this game but I think this teamsheet is the best we can do this week. If this group hangs tight and doesn’t make any obvious mistakes, we should be ok.
- Pregame thought 3: I’m watching Knowing while waiting for the game to start and, friends? It is not a good movie.
- Let’s goooooooooooooooooooooooo
- 5’ Atlanta nearly gets on the board early. Martinez gets a good look at goal but Richard Sanchez manages to snuff it out.
- 7’ Big Red just elbowed Basti in the face. Klopas keeps insisting there was no intent, but... I don’t know, y’all.
- 8’ Ohhhh man, Niko with a chance here too! His shot/cross couldn’t find a red shirt at the far post but Escobar nearly backheeled it into his own net.
- 9’ lol Mo Adams gets payback for Basti going down with a professional foul on Martinez. Think this kid’s gonna do alright here. #TheChicagoWay
- 12’ Martinez hits a bicycle kick inside the box but the ball sails over the bar. So, uh, this game definitely won’t be boring.
- 13’ And then less than a minute later Collier gets space in the box but sends his shot into the Harlem End. Did someone give the players a bunch of sugar before the game?
- 15’ I’m generally onboard with giving young players a chance, but Parker’s not exactly wrong here.
If Chicago had more than 3 players who weren't rookies they'd be ahead 3-0 #CHIvATL
— Parker 'game state' Cleveland (@phcleveland3) May 6, 2018
- 18’ I like that the Fire are pushing forward and trying to catch Atlanta out. Their finishing is just... not great.
- 20’ Katai thunders into the box but he can’t settle himself to get a shot off. He’s been decent so far, just needs the right chance.
- 22’ Man, the difference in quality between Vincent and Ellis is stark.
- 23’ Oh SHIT Basti cracked a shot from like 30 yards and only barely misses. If that was on target Guzan wouldn’t have kept that out.
Solid strike @BSchweinsteiger #CHIvATL pic.twitter.com/0rexAG4ki0
— Chicago Fire (@ChicagoFire) May 6, 2018
- 24’ Atlanta seem really off their game tonight. I don’t know if it’s us or if they have their own shit going on, but I’m getting increasingly confident about our chances. I think we can take them now. (Also, Kap picks up a yellow for “dissent.”)
- 26’ The Fire have been really good about keeping the center of the park locked down. I think the Dax-Mo partnership could pay dividends.
- 27’ Katai capitalizes on a bad pass from Guzan, commits a foul but doesn’t get dinged for it, but he DOES get flagged for offsides.
- 29’ Guzan is... not having a good night.
- 32’ Fire win a FK in a dangerous spot, Katai ends up taking it, but he puts too much mustard on it and sends it right at Section 8.
- 33’ Atlanta hits us on the counter in their first real chance in a while. The play ends with Martinez heading on target but Sanchez snatches it.
- 34’ Atlanta comes right back, with Gressel hitting a shot from outside the box that’s wide of the post.
- 36’ While trying to break up an Atlanta attack, Ellis serves the ball back on a plate and nearly gifts the visitors the opening goal. Kap and Sanchez double-team to clean it up but, yikes.
- 37’ And then immediately after, Vincent and Katai team up for a quick counter that doesn’t quite come together. Loving this pace but it’s REALLY HARD to blog about it and keep up.
- 40’ I want to say that Atlanta are starting to find their footing but this game is so frantic it’s really hard to tell.
- 41’ Kevin Ellis is struggling a lot and it’s really hard to watch. We need Matt Polster back.
- 43’ Katai gets whacked in the face and needs a minute to recover. He seems fine but he has to step off the pitch.
- 44’ Martinez with another chance that’s defused by Kappelhof.
- 46’ Both teams are looking a bit gassed. Understandably so. Two minutes of stoppage time.
- 47’ Niko makes a beeline for goal but doesn’t hear the whistle for offsides.
- Halftime! CHI 0-0 ATL
- Halftime thought 1: This definitely does not feel like a 0-0 game. Woooof. I need to go catch my breath.
- Halftime thought 2: We had a really strong half against one of the best teams in the conference. I really think this game is there for the taking.
- Second half is underway!
- 50’ Bit more of a tentative start to the second half compared to the first. Mo Adams still out here doing yeoman’s work.
- 53’ GOAL lol right after I praised Mo Adams he gives the ball away in the Fire’s defensive third and Almiron plays Barco in for the opening goal. CHI 0-1 ATL
You always remember your first!
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 6, 2018
Ezequiel Barco opens his MLS account. #CHIvATL https://t.co/dEVwC3l6LI
- 54’ Yup.
About the first mistake Adams has made in his pro career thus far. Kid's got to learn to never, ever give the ball away there. And if you do... take the yellow. #CHIvATL https://t.co/bsAT2g4c8E
— Matthew Doyle (@MattDoyle76) May 6, 2018
- 57’ GOAL Nagbe and Martinez are played through and play Sanchez like a violin. CHI 0-2 ATL
Pass and move, kids.@JosefMartinez17 finishes a great team goal. #CHIvATL https://t.co/zP5KErsJAP
— Major League Soccer (@MLS) May 6, 2018
- 59’ Ugh. This team has cracked open like an egg. Our position’s busted, everything’s falling apart.
- 60’ Double substitution. Diego Campos comes on for Elliot Collier and Noted Homophobic Slur Enthusiast Alan Gordon replaces Mo Adams.
- 61’ GOOOOOOOAAAAAAAAAAAAAALLLLLLLLLLLLL HOLY HELL KEVIN ELLIS I APOLOGIZE FOR THE MEAN STUFF I SAID EARLIER CHI 1-2 ATL
Game. On. #CHIvATL #cf97 https://t.co/dJIxvLMe9L
— Chicago Fire (@ChicagoFire) May 6, 2018
- 66’ We seem to have recaptured the energy of the first half, if not the stability. Fire are chasing an equalizer by any means necessary. This is going to be a wild one.
- 70’ Ellis with a great cross that Katai almost manages to get under control.
- 71’ And then immediately Kappelhof sticks a boot out to break up an Atlanta attack. Pretty sure he’s getting our MOTM nod tonight.
- 73’ Martinez came off for Kratz and Martinez is throwing a small tantrum about it in the technical area.
- 76’ Katai the key point in a quick counterattack, but the timing of passes isn’t quite good enough and Atlanta recovers.
- 79’ Fire piling on pressure but haven’t found a breakthrough yet.
- 80’ Grant Lillard eats a yellow in order to kill a counterattack. He’s then immediately subbed off for Campbell.
- 82’ And Campbell is evidently playing as a striker??
- 85’ Fire with another spell of sustained pressure but it ends with a goalkick. Running out of time to make something happen.
- 88’ Fire send a long ball into the box and Guzan has to leap to punch it away.
- 90’ Five (!) minutes of stoppage time.
- 91’ Almiron in on goal but Sanchez manages to smother it.
- 92’ Katai with a low drive that forces Guzan to scramble.
- Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeep! Final Score: CHI 1-2 ATL
- Final Whistle Thought: I was expecting a loss but I’m still disappointed. There were some clear opportunities for the Fire to get at least a point and we couldn’t convert. Feels bad, man.
Stay tuned for more postgame coverage and a full recap here on Hot Time In Old Town. In the meantime, join the conversation in the comments or on social media.