Paulo Wanchope scored the game's only goal, and the Columbus Crew saw their winless streak stretch to six games as they lost at home to the Chicago Fire.
The loss -- and the downward spiral -- is coming at a very inopportune time for the Crew. The win leapfrogged the Fire into eighth place overall in the MLS standings and the final spot in the MLS Cup Playoffs; the Crew entered the contest tied with Colorado for the final playoff position and the Fire were only two points behind, and now for the moment, both Columbus and Colorado are on the outside looking in.
"It was a pivotal game. ... Obviously, it's big points today and it bounced their way, [Paulo] Wanchope finished his goal well and we're left wanting the points," said Crew head coach Sigi Schmid.
Schmid was forced into a couple of changes before the game was even 20 minutes old. First Guillermo Barros Schelotto went off with a right hamstring strain, and then Rusty Pierce had to leave with a left hamstring strain.
"Losing two starters in 10 minutes certainly affects the game plan," said Schmid. "Obviously, we don't expect to lose Guillermo 10 minutes in, and then we don't expect to lose Rusty, so now we've got to burn two subs and we've lost the ability to bring in fresh legs in different positions, and that handcuffed us at that point."
Still, throughout the game Columbus maintained a consistent attack. They attempted twice as many shots as the Fire and took almost all the corner kicks in the game. It seemed like the Crew had endless set-piece opportunities in the Fire's final third, yet the home side was unable to capitalize, perhaps due to missing Schelotto, their primary dead-ball specialist.
"I can't fault our guys for their effort; I thought their effort was good. I thought we created more on the run of the play, but at the end of the day, they got the goal," said Schmid.
"We played well enough as a unit tonight to get a win, but we didn't," said defender Frankie Hejduk. "I'd rather play bad and win 1-0, than play good and lose."
Since a 2-0 win against Toronto FC on July 22, the Crew have taken just three of a possible 18 points.
"We're fading at the wrong moments, and we need to be taking advantage of these moments and these opportunities," Hejduk said.
""We make our fortune, for sure. ... There is no point in getting down," says midfielder Stefani Miglioranzi. "There are still enough points to win to make up the loss, and we are going to work to the bone to try to make it."
The Crew have four of their final six games on the road as they try and return to the postseason after missing out each of the last two seasons.
"We've made it difficult for ourselves, but the one thing we're not going to do is give up, and mathematically, things are still there and the way this league is, in a week things can turn around," Schmid said.
"So, now it's a matter of us going to Kansas City and Toronto over the next two games, and every game is the same for us, whether home or away, we just have to get maximum points every time we step on the field, and hope that others start knocking each other off."
Nathan Linton is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
