BRIDGEVIEW, Ill. – Goalscorer Patrick Nyarko admitted it was “emotional” as he marked his first return to Chicago with the game-tying goal as D.C. United held the Fire to a 1-1 draw in miserable conditions at Toyota Park.
Just as had done many times in a successful eight-year spell with the Men in Red, Nyarko was in the right place at the right time to head home Luciano Acosta’s inviting center from the left in the 64th minute to cancel out Jonathan Campbell’s 41st-minute opener.
However, despite dominating possession (60 percent) and chances in an improved second half, the visitors failed to test Fire goalkeeper Matt Lampson and had to settle for the draw that brought them to 2-3-4 (10 points) and moved them to fourth in the Eastern Conference.
“Besides the result, it was a little emotional,” Nyarko, who was drafted by Chicago in 2008, told MLSsoccer.com. “I’ve spent eight years here and to play against them in a game that mattered. … Obviously at the start of my career I didn’t think it would happen but you never can predict the future and it did happen.
“It felt good, I was proud of my teammates with how we played and how we did given the circumstances and the situation with the weather and all that. But we got a good away point, and dominating the game as we did we felt we should have gone on and won the game. It felt good to be back and play the entire game.”
“It’s just kind of how soccer works, doesn’t it?,” head coach Ben Olsen acknowledged. “You know he’s going to come back and get something, just like I’m sure [Chris] Pontius at some point is going to get a hold of a goal against us. It seems that’s how this league goes and I’m happy for him. I know he’s really proud of his time here in Chicago and I know he people have a lot of respect for him.”
United’s season got back on track with two impressive wins over the Vancouver Whitecaps and the New England Revolution in their last three games, and Olsen insisted he was happy with a point in difficult conditions for both sets of players.
“Pleased with the point,” Olsen admitted. “I think it could have gone either way there in the second half, they had some looks, we had some looks. The elements certainly were real tonight, the wind was a little swirling, nothing that they’re not used to around here, but overall I’m pleased with the way the week went, us having to make adjustments, sitting in a new formation and not having a lot of time to prepare. I thought the guys looked after each other and it was a gutsy group effort.”
