In the days leading up to Saturday afternoon’s match at Toronto FC, the Fire put an emphasis on concentrating for the full 90 minutes.
The team felt like they lost focus at times in last week’s 1-1 draw against Chivas USA, and they knew that they had to improve that aspect of their game if they wanted to bring a result back from Canada.
“We have to concentrate more going up there,” said Fire winger Patrick Nyarko on Tuesday. “They have a great stadium; great fans and they’re on top of you all game. If you lose concentration they’re going to punish you.”
Unfortunately for Nyarko and his Fire teammates, they lost their focus a few too many times on Saturday. Chicago’s punishment? A debilitating 4-1 defeat at a wet and windy BMO Field.
Watch the full match highlights.
The result was all the more surprising because of the way the Fire started the match. Chicago controlled the early tempo, spending a lot of time in Toronto’s end of the field despite facing an incredibly strong wind.
But Chicago’s fortunes turned in the 24th minute, when Toronto midfielder Nick LaBrocca hit a wind-aided shot into the back of the net from the right touchline. The strong winds confused Fire keeper Andrew Dykstra, as he mistakenly stepped forward to play the ball – allowing the shot to fly over his head and into the back of the net.
The one goal deficit prompted Fire Head Coach Carlos de los Cobos to make his first substitution of the match – removing midfielder Peter Lowry in favor of forward Collins John in the 36th minute of play. The move switched the Fire’s formation from a 4-5-1 to a 4-4-2, creating a void in the center of the midfield that Toronto FC exploited on each of their remaining three goals.
Toronto’s second came just minutes after the break. Former Fire forward Chad Barrett picked out substitute striker O’Brian White near the top of the 18, allowing White to turn and find midfielder Dwayne De Rosario on the right edge of the area. White continued his run towards the net and De Rosario picked him out, allowing the second year forward to tap the ball in from short range.
Logan Pause, who played the defensive midfield role in the 4-4-2, trailed White throughout the whole play, having no substantive defensive impact. Had Lowry remained in the match, he likely would have been playing alongside Pause and could have made the defensive difference on the play.
Toronto’s third and fourth goals – both of which were scored by Barrett – came off of counterattacks. The third goal started with White collecting a clearance near midfield. He proceeded to beat two Fire defenders before finding Barrett in the middle of the box for an easy finish. TFC’s final strike came in a similar fashion, with De Rosario sending a fantastic diagonal ball through to Barrett just inside the Fire’s half. The striker ran onto the ball and found himself with a 1-v-1 chance against Dykstra, which he easily finished.
On both the third and fourth goal, an extra midfielder could have provided a little more defensive punch for the Fire. Too bad that midfielder was sitting on the bench.
It remains to be seen whether or not de los Cobos will return to the 4-5-1 formation for next week’s match at Kansas City. If he wants to give his back four – which, far and away, had its worst game of the season on Saturday – a little extra help, he likely will.
