The Chicago Fire dealt the Columbus Crew a knockout punch in the closing minutes of the first half, scoring two goals in the space of seven minutes en route to a 2-1 victory at Crew Stadium on Saturday evening.
Nate Jaqua and C.J. Brown gave the Fire a two-goal lead going into the halftime break, and the visitors were then reduced to 10 men midway through the second half when Calen Carr was sent off. Chicago then survived a late penalty kick from Sebastian Rozental to hold on for the win, extending their league unbeaten streak to six matches.
The Fire made two changes from the side that advanced to the U.S. Open Cup Final with a win against D.C. United on Wednesday. Former Crew player Tony Sanneh took over for Jim Curtin in the backline, while Ohio native Chris Rolfe replaced Thiago in the attack.
The Crew made only one adjustment from the side that displayed its best performance of the season in a 3-0 victory against New England last weekend. Chad Marshall returned to the starting 11 for the first time in four matches replacing Ezra Hendrickson. After missing one match through suspension, Joseph Ngwenya stayed on the bench following Ricardo Virtuoso's game-breaking performance against the Revolution.
The Crew supplied the first good look at goal in the 15th minute. Rozental split a pair defenders with a well-timed pass for Eddie Gaven. While Gaven was chasing down the pass, Gonzalo Segares tripped up the Crew attacker, receiving a caution.
On the free kick, Rozental struck the ball through a hole in the wall created after several Crew players departed. The ball was on target toward the lower corner of the goal and only a diving save by Matt Pickens kept the Crew off the scoreboard.
After some sluggish play in the middle of the half, the game opened up to the advantage of the visitors, who took the lead in the 40th minute. Minutes after picking up a yellow card, Rusty Pierce was beaten down the right flank by the pace of Justin Mapp. With ample time, Mapp picked out Jaqua, who tapped the ball into the net off of Bill Gaudette's left post.
To the elation of the busloads of Fire fans congregated in Crew Stadium's southeast corner, the "Men in Red" doubled the lead in the closing minute of the half. Chris Armas played a short corner to Ivan Guerrero. The Honduran drew two defenders to him before giving the ball back to a wide open Armas, and the MLS veteran served a hard ball to the penalty spot where Brown deftly headed the ball past Gaudette for the Fire original's first goal in 201 matches. Both of Brown's previous goals came during his rookie season in 1998.
The Crew blasted out of the gate appearing as a different side, but failed to take advantage from a trio of chances in the first seven minutes. First, Chris Leitch found Jason Garey with a long pass on the right flank. The rookie striker took the ball towards the endline before cutting the ball back to Duncan Oughton, but the Crew veteran blasted the ball over the net.
Minutes later, Garey again established possession in dangerous position, but a shot never materialized as he held onto the ball too long. Finally, Marshall headed a goal kick from Pickens right back down the center of the field to a rushing Garey, yet he sent his shot was right at Pickens.
The Fire were dealt a blow in the 63rd minute when Carr was sent off after he clipped Pierce in the head with a high kick in the middle third of the field. Down a man, Fire head coach Dave Sarachan brought on defender Logan Pause in place of Rolfe. Crew boss Sigi Schmid countered by bringing on attacker Ryan Coiner for defender Leitch.
In the 71st minute, the Crew cut the lead in half on a penalty kick. Oughton served a corner kick to the back post where Rozental headed the ball directly at Jaqua's outstretched hand, and referee Ramon Hernandez had no choice but to point to the spot. Rozental converted his third penalty kick on the season to give the Crew a chance to snare at least a share of the points on the evening.
With all 10 Fire players routinely behind the ball, the Crew held possession but had trouble getting penetration toward goal. In one rare sequence, Ezra Hendrickson had a good look at goal almost as he ran onto the field as a late substitute, but shot was right at Pickens. Then Oughton looked to surprise the Fire 'keeper in the 82nd minute, but his rocket from 25 yards went just over the goal.
In a final hurrah in stoppage time, Virtuoso forced Pickens into a kick save at the near post. From the ensuing melee, Coiner directed the ball towards goal. But his shot was right at a fallen Pickens, who preserved the win with the save.
John Kuhn is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
